Long term guest never leaving the house

[Marit0]

I have a guest who has rented a room for 4 weeks in my small apartment shared with me, and he never leaves the house. He sits in his room with the blinds down, and will continue doing that. It freaks me out and makes me very uncomfortable. This has happened once before, when someone was sitting by the kitchen table for 13 hours a day for more than a month. I have had many long term guests, and it has been great, but this... oh, I don't want this to happen again. What to do?

[Helen3]

If you don't want this to happen again it's best to ask vetting questions of your guest to ascertain if they are a good fit for your property.

When the guest asked to stay for a month did you not ask them why they were coming to your location/plans for their stay? @Marit0 

This will help you understand if they are a good fit for your place.

[Marit0]

The plan for this person was to learn Norwegian, and I never imagined that meant sitting inside 24/7 reading a grammar book. I just took it for granted a course, or something, or at least an active person going out using the language. 

[Helen3]

Have you spoken to the guest about their plans for learning Norwegian /suggested local language courses/meet up groups in your area? @Marit0 

It certainly seems strange.

[Marit0]

No, there are no plans for going out. Rather plans for staying indoors. The person has been clear about not going out when the sun is shining. No plans for a language course, no plans for doing anything other than buying food from time to time. No wish to go out seing people or the city. The plan for the person is staying inside the room. Week and a half left now, so I am counting down.. Same happened with other guest sitting by the kitchen table for more than a month. I really don't want this to happen, and it is also weird interviewing people and ask if they have normal social antennas when they  want to stay long term. 

[Marit0]

I have also written in house rules that guest must keep the space clean and take the trash out. I get trash "gifts" in the kitchen and  the guests space looks like a dung.. 

[Daniel10466]

You need to be much more specific with guests. Instead of "take trash out" say that they need to take it to such and such receptacle outside, not to leave trash in shared areas, etc. 

[Marit0]

I have read other postings about the same issue. People find it creepy and it gives a weird atmosphere in the house. I have stayed away from home us much as possible because of this. I don't see Airbnb giving any good advice for avoiding this situation. Someone staying inside only for a month in a small, shared apartment will freak anyone out, out of their own house.. I think this is an issue that should be dealt with in a different manner than just putting it all on the hosts communication prior too booking. 

[Daniel10466]

You may be trying to hard to fit a square peg in a round hole. Maybe your place is not a good fit for airbnb if you just want guests who only sleep there and are gone the rest of the time. Unless you list that in your rules there is not a lot you can do about that. Just be super specific and rent the room for less and state it is only for sleeping and they should be out most of the time. If someone fits into that narrow parameter you won't have a problem booking them. I am super picky and I have had guests state that the reason they picked my place is because of all the specific rules I had about being quiet, because it lets them know I am a quiet host. 

[Marit0]

I am an experienced host, and you have misunderstood what I am trying to communicate. I have had many guest staying for months without problems both through Airbnb and other sources. In a small apartment, when someone is staying inside the room 24/7, it affects the host, not being comfortable at home. I do not expect guest to be out all the time. I had a guest for 6 weeks, and the person sat by the kitchen table for 13 hours a day, 50 cm. from the stove, and I had to relate to that for every cup of coffee and meal I made. I am talking about behaviour that is a bit "off" for a longer period. 

[Marit0]

The other person who did the same thing was coming to Norway for researching/planning a travel agency business. Never left the kitchen table and the computer. I think it is weird to do such a thing for a month and more in someone else house. I have had a lot of long term guests, bur this is too weird for me.

[Daniel10466]

Just put in house rules that kitchen table is for eating meals and not office work and provide a workstation in their room. 

[Fred13]

Both 'weird' guests had a goal and needed to totally focus for a time to achieve it. If you want more social guests then engage them in conversation before allowing them to book,  good conversationalists these two are definitely not.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Marit0 I think you have two options for the future. Either accept you will occasionally get strange guests for weeks at a time or limit your max stay to say 2 weeks. I would also consider a house rule that excessive use of the communal spaces is not allowed.

We recently had a guest who didn't leave our place (their own apartment) for 2 weeks other than to go to the church next door once. The sole reason for her coming was to focus on a writing project that didn't need distractions which made total sense to us.

[Marit0]

Not possible accepting this from time to time. Small apartment, and it is very bothersome over time. I can see that your guest did not bother you, since the guest had their own apartment. I saw that comment in another conversation, and I don't think it is helpful for people who are so freaked out they are have difficulty being in their own homes. This has been an issue for a lot of hosts. I have wanted to have long term staying both because of taxes, and it is a hassel with new people too often. Usually it works out fine.