Incredible increase of late check-in requests and cancellations due to hidden house rules

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

So, we host since 2016, but were closed from March 2020 until March 2021 when we reopened again. In these last 6 months of hosting, we got a lot of requests for late check-in and cancelations for the same reason. When I say a lot, I mean A LOOOT! Faaar more than ever before. Like 75% of bookings, inquiries and requests are for check-in around midnight or 1 AM.
It happened also pre-covid from time to time but rarely. Now it exploded.

Zagreb airport has arrivals until midnight but that's not new, it's been the same for years. And my Airbnb is not even close to the airport.

Unfortunately, the self-check-in option is not possible in my case. My Airbnb is in the building and guests should go through the lockbox and 4 locked doors to enter the apartment. You and I know this is too much and I would be getting phone calls in the middle of the night and get dinged for check-in. So, forget it.

I wake up early so at 9 PM I am tired and I have to take out my eye lenses bc my eyes become dry. I don't live close to my Airbnb, I have to drive there and it is really inconvenient to meet my guests after 8 PM.

At first, I had in my house rules that check-in after 7 PM is not possible. But then guests would say they arrive at 7 PM... and then the flight was delayed, they are stuck in traffic blah blah.. and would arrive late.

To prevent such "unforeseen delays" now I state in my house rules that if possible and if agreed in advance, late check-in is possible but is charged 10€ for every hour past 7 PM. It means check-in at midnight would be 50€, at 1 AM would be 60€ etc..

The problem is - guests don't read house rules. So they send a request or instant book... and then withdraw the request or cancel when they realize the extra cost. Unfortunately, some are even willing to pay... so.. maybe I should ask 20€ per hour. I don't know.

But they waste my time. And it's really not good for my search rank. And it's really annoying to deal with this multiple times each day.

Now, my question is - did you notice the same trend lately?

I am sure it has something to do with Airbnb's house rules being placed deep down on the bottom of the page where nobody finds them.
So, thank you Airbnb to make our job harder, and now, would you please put the rules back on the top?

[Colleen253]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 Yes, for a while they had made an improvement to the visibility of our unique house rules, but then backtracked. It’s now worse than ever. NO ONE is reading them. People aren’t even reading and responding to my IB question. Majorly aggravating. Your situation sounds really bad. While we wait for improvements (that will never happen), perhaps adjust “EXPAND ADDITIONAL HOUSE RULES for check-in instructions” to read “our very specific check in requirements”

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Thank you @Colleen253 I've changed it 🙂

No, nobody reads it, I have a hidden password in my house rules and maybe 1 of 30 guests finds it. The host can't even give them a link to house rules bc it is placed in a popup window. How smart ha?

It looks like Airbnb intentionally hides house rules so guests would book and then had to cancel.

When they cancel Airbnb keeps the entire amount paid for accommodation for at least 2 weeks before refunding it to the guest. And Airbnb keeps 15% guest fee. Then the guest has to rebook and pay the guest fee and accommodation again. 

Bad for the guest who loses time and money, bad for the host whose time is wasted, but good for Airbnb.

[Sarah977]

@Branka-and-Silvia0  Since guests aren't bothering to scroll down and read the buried house rules, and Airbnb seems to have purposely designed it this way, I would put that info as the very first line of your listing description as a PLEASE NOTE:

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Sarah977  have you seen my listing's description? 😄

Too bad the number of characters is limited

[Colleen253]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 There is a cunning purpose to everything Airbnb does.