Just started hosting...3rd guest is a nightmare

[Alecia19]

So far, everything's been fine....but this guest is sneaking in to my room while I go to work and going through some personal things...ie they are going through my underwear and toy drawer.....they've already stolen a few things from around the apartment. And then play dumb when I wake up and every cupboard, closet, drawer is open and searched through...like nah...we've been in our room... They had all good reviews...but yeah...I can't do anything about it, can i?

[Helen350]

That's really not right @Alecia19 , that a guest would go into your private area and rifle through your very personal things. It is certainly reasonable to tell the guests that this is not acceptable. 

It's up to you whether to grin & bear it, or terminate the booking. 

I see your 'Guest access' section says guests are welcome to roam into the kitchen & other communal areas... But you don't give guests access to your bedroom (!), so you could argue they have broken house rules... and therefore you are entitled to evict them. 

Maybe you could think about getting locks on the doors of any rooms you don't want guests to enter. Could you get that done immediately, to solve the problem, if you want to  avoid confrontation with the guests?

[Alecia19]

I can do that tomorrow morning and plan to...right now I'm booby trapping my door with a glass of water before I head to work. Macguivering that situation. This can't happen often...but looking at their bookings...they've been staying in different places consistently for 2 months...and I think I should have seen that as a red flag. 

[Alecia19]

Is it possible to terminate the booking? I'll see what happens tomorrow...I mean...they've seen the whole house...there isn't much to do now...maybe they'll chill. 

[Laura2592]

I would definitely address this by saying "I noticed you were looking around for some things this morning. You were in my room so I figured you had just gotten turned around. Is there anything I can help you find? I am happy to walk you through where things are in the guest spaces."

Approach assuming no ill intent and just make sure that this person knows that YOU know and saw the rummaging. Maybe they really did just get confused. You have to put up boundaries politely, firmly and often if you are going to share your home with strangers. Just saying nothing is a recipe for disaster.

[Alecia19]

Yeah, I mean...I came at it as deescelationish as possible. Just asking if they had happened to go in there and that I noticed some stuff that was in the drawer was left out, reminding them of the public spaces. Making sure I stated that my room was not shared. And then followed up by asking if they needed anything, how the stay was going for them, we even got into some conversations about some off topics. I'm not trying to throw hands. And I'm not trying to make anyone uncomfortable. When they weren't here I went through and just grabbed some things that I don't want to lose and put them in my trunk. 

[Colleen253]

“they've already stolen a few things...” AND been rummaging through your personal space and things. Why would you think you would have to just accept that @Alecia19 ? 

[Alecia19]

I read some search results that you can't evict a guest that's already arrived. So...its two more nights and I work overnight. I'm a little nervous to go to work...but the AirBNB help line only seems to be for guests unless there's another number. 

[Kath9]

@Alecia19, no, their behaviour is definitely not acceptable and you should call Airbnb immediately to have these guests evicted. I don't know what the US number is, but someone here will know it. Otherwise try reaching them on Twitter.

I recommend installing a lock on your bedroom door - my listing is also a room in my house, and I have done that for my own safety. I can also lock it from the outside if I'm feeling uncomfortable about the possibility of someone rifling through my things.

[Alecia19]

Yeah...that's smart. Noted. Lol. I'll grab a double lock door handle tomorrow. 

[Sarah977]

@Alecia19  I would have told these guests to pack their stuff and get out immediately the moment it was obvious they had been in my private space. Then they stole stuff and lied to you? This is absolutely unacceptable and of course you can terminate the booking of a guest like this.