I made a rookie mistake

[Ann72]

I allowed someone to break the no-children rule at a 2-person listing and bring a toddler, and it's about to blow up in my face.  Big time.

Since booking in March this guest has made 15 separate requests.  I finally took a look at her reviews of other hosts.  (So TWO rookie mistakes - didn't do that before.)  She has found fault with almost every place she's stayed, except the first one or two.

A real Karen has been unloosed on hosts everywhere.

Today, I asked if she would submit her certificate of compliance, which Maine requires of every visitor except those from 5 exempt states.  This message stemmed the endless tide of requests from her.  But the eerie silence following means she's plotting something.  She is 100% the kind of guest who will comb through the listing, compare the amenities to exactly what's in place, and make complaints in addition to demanding refunds.

So the golden summer of 2020 is coming to a close.  Watch this space.  And in the meantime - don't get too specific about those amenities.  Karens are roaming the land.

[Ann72]

@Ute42  My smile upon reading this is bigger than your NO.

The weird part isn’t the fridge - it’s that you think you’re mean.  You are NOT mean.  You are the boss and the sooner they realize that, the happier everyone is going to be.

[Stephanie365]

@Ute42  you sound just like me.

My last guest: "Can we come early? I don't like to drive in the dark." [My check in is 6 pm]
Me: "I'm sorry. My schedule doesn't allow for it. COVID cleaning protocols require so much extra time these days" 

Same last guest: "OMG!! We slept through our alarm. Can we check out at noon instead of 11?"
Me: "I'm sorry. With COVID cleaning protocols, I don't have the luxury to allow you to stay over."

Previous guests: "Can I bring a friend over?"
Me: "You will have to add them to the reservation. My insurance won't cover unregistered guests."
Previous Guest: "But there's an extra person fee..."
Me: "Yes, there is. Again, my insurance does not allow for anyone who is not on the reservation to enter the property. Perhaps you could meet your friend at this lovely restaurant..."

"NO" is very empowering.
So is "F--- them". 😉

[Cathie19]

@Ann72 , @Ute42 , @Sandra126 , @Sarah977 , @Kelly149 , @Mike-And-Jane0 , 

Name association can be something that is cultural or just socially timely.

We had a TV commercial here, which had a tag line “ Not happy Jan!” See the link if you want a little laugh.     https://youtu.be/2akt3P8ltLM

Not to mention Susan has been labelled as “lazy” for decades! .You know the “lazy Susan” at a buffet table? 

[Ute42]

.

@Cathie19 

But not Susan17. She was quite active on here for a while.

[Cathie19]

Agree. 😁

For hosts and guests who may be unaware of a Lazy Susan, the image may help.  When my grandchildren were little, we would place it on the floor, then they would love to go for a spin on it! 

👉🏼 A lazy Susan is a turntable (rotating tray) placed on a table or countertop to aid in distributing food. Lazy Susans may be made from a variety of materials but are usually glass, wood, or plastic. They are circular and placed in the centre of a table to share dishes easily among diners.

[Sarah977]

@Cathie19   My ex-boyfriend and I used to use a lazy Susan when we played scrabble. They're great for that- you don't have to keep turning the board around or one person looking at it upside down all the time.

 One evening when we were playing,  my daughter had her best friend over, the girls were about 8 or 9. Her friend was watching and commented on the revolving scrabble board- we told her that was called a Lazy Susan.  She said "Looks more like a lazy Richard and Sarah to me.".

[Cathie19]

Touché, I’ll pay that one @Sarah977 !  😂

[Sarah977]

@Stephanie365 @Ute42  I'm pretty good at "No", as well. Raising 3 kids helped with that. And when Mom said "no", it meant "no", not "I'll change my mind if you nag enough or tell me I'm mean, I'm ruining your life, and you hate me".

[Colleen253]

@Sarah977  Allow me to play with your words a bit here:

And when the HOST says “no", it means "no", not "I'll change my mind if you (guest) nag enough or tell me I'm mean, I'm ruining your life, and you hate me. 

😆

[Michelle2137]

lol I've made this mistake, kid cried all night, food all over the apartment. I had one guest that kept cancelling the day before the booking because of the weather or this or that. after the 3rd time she did it thru airbnb so I couldn't block her, sure enough she cancelled because of covid, and I said thank God because now I can block her lol. live and learn

[Ann72]

The guest left a review after she checked out, but I didn't leave one until the last possible minute.  If hers was bad I didn't want it to deter late-season bookings.

I left a review for her this morning.  I felt my review had to let other hosts know that they would get many, many requests, demands, and questions from this guest and concluded that although this guest was likable, she was probably better suited to an upscale hotel than a whole-home Airbnb.  Low stars, even for communication, because it was excessive.

After posting I was able to open her review - rather nervously, I have to say.  It was very nice, really really nice, and all 5 stars.

I don't really feel guilty for not giving her an equivalent review, because I did feel someone had to put other hosts on notice about what to expect with this guest.  But at the same time I don't like to hurt other people's feelings.  I guess that's just the position we're in from time to time.

[Emilia42]

@Ann72 I think you did the right thing. Many of the guest's previous hosts were blindsided by the reviews she gave and now she is the one blindsided. 

[Ann72]

Thanks @Emilia42 that's what I was thinking too!

[Ute42]

.

@Ann72   

In the middle of an extensive conversation in another thread where we all come to the conclusion that superhost and bad reviews don't matter You state:

• After posting I was able to open her review - rather nervously

Ann, Ann, Ann.

Your remark is no surprise to me though, I'm used to this kind of reaction. In the german CC where I'm writing much more than on here, I have meanwhile convinced everyone that bad reviews and superhost don't matter. But the general attitude amongst my fellowhosts is:

• I think Ute is right with what she's saying and we all can't prove her wrong.
  But I think it's still better to be a superhost.

Same in the english Community Center. I recently had a conversation with Mike-And-Helen0 in the „superhost or not?“ thread.

Ute:

"You just wrote:

• „I can hear @Andrew0 saying "superhost is meaningless" and I kind of agree, but still...“

What is this, Your „but still...“?

I've been doing researches on the meaningfulness of being a Superhost for the past 2 years. There is only one advantage to it: You get a $100 travel credit per year. $100 per year that's $8.33 per month. How much is this by the hour? I'm not working for that kind of wage.

Again I'm asking You: What is it, Your „but still...“?

And here's the answer:

I am preaching against a wall, as we say in germany. The reality, Ann, is, that what people believe is stronger than facts. Why am I spending my time with this?

[Ann72]

@Ute42 

Ute, you are not preaching against a wall!  Please re-read my comment.

Nowhere did I say a word about being or not being a Superhost.

My only concern was that a litany of complaints might deter the next few potential guests from making a late-season booking.  Bookings after October are sparse and I didn't want that.

That is all.

I know I'm a great host.  And I think you have convinced many of us that we don't need that badge.

We have recently underscored your theory with a discussion about search.

Everybody, please pay attention here:  UTE IS RIGHT.  WE DO NOT NEED THE SUPERHOST BADGE TO BE SUCCESSFUL

So - no, you are not preaching against a wall.  But you might drive me crazy by the kind of reading that doesn't look at what was and was not written.  Please do not drive me crazy or I will have to start calling you Darling in every other sentence.

😘😘😘