Making assumptions about rules as a host (and guest)

[Inna22]

I just got my first bad review as a guest. I have 20 reviews overall. The host said that I allowed my dog on furniture, did not mop the floors and had extra guests over.

I did all the above.

The dog: I allow pets on furniture at my Airbnb's. It is not an enforceable rule plus most humans are messier than most dogs. If this was in her listing (and it did allow dogs and I paid a pet fee), I would not have booked. I made an assumption that this was ok, she made an assumption that everyone knows not to let dogs on furniture. I guess I will know to ask next time before booking. She will have more "bad" guests if she does not spell this out

The mopping: there were check out rules posted on the fridge and I followed them. Apparently there were more rules in the listing itself and I did not look there. I am surprised she only mentioned the mopping as there was a whole list I did not follow. I assumed that what was posted on the fridge were my instructions. She assumed read (and remembered) the entire listing including house rules. I should know better as a fellow host to do so. I think there are three categories of people: those who will leave a place better than they found it; those who will clean if they are told (me); those who will leave a mess no matter what.

This host assumed I will explicitly seek out check out rules or would clean as if this were my home. I assumed I paid a cleaning fee, I am on vacation and if I need to do anything specific it would be obvious. I probably would have not booked if I saw the cleaning requirements in the listing (too much for me). I have revisited her listing and I found all of this in house rules. You have to scroll all the way down past reviews, map etc. you then see icons for house rules- check in and out, pets etc. You then needs to click on show more to read her text.

I do not think any guest will go through that much reading trouble and if they do, they are not going to remember all of that when the time comes to stay. I cant blame it on the host either however as one myself, this is not how I should be displaying anything I actually want read by my guests

The guests: we were there for my daughters sports camp. Her friends came over and parents picked them up. No one stayed overnight and the number was under the total head count. I did not cook for them, they did not shower. I allow guests and do not charge for them however require IDs and advanced notice. There was no such language in this listing. The host must have assumed this was a given that no one can come over. I actually specifically booked a bigger place knowing she would have friends over so again would not have booked if this were in the rules.

I am not making excuses for my behavior.  I am posting this so we can all gain perspective of a guest. I genuinely had no clue how bad of a guest I was. I personally have learnt a lot from this about guest vs host expectations, what should be communicated and how.

[John5097]

@David8879 A lot of guest do that. I don't think it really matters but I don't send any automated messages. This is my approach. I have 223 five star reviews with no problems. You are off to a great start with 5! 🙂 

[Inna22]

Here is a feature idea: just like amenity section, have a checkout section. Load dishwasher – yes no, do laundry – yes no. Something easily accessible and understood why everyone, not as many variations is there are hosts 

[Debra300]

@Inna22,

I am unsure how helpful it would be.  A checkout section would require another area where guests need to cluck read more.  Plus, Airbnb would likely place it near the house rules at the bottom if the page.

[Robin4 · Accepted solution]

@Inna22 

Inna I don't have an issue with anything you did.....or did not do!  In my listing you would have been a great guest!

All I expect of guests is that they be aware of their surroundings. I don't cross T's and dot I's......! 

Everyone has differing expectations both as a guest and as a host. Some of my nicest guests have been my most messy guests! But I don't care, that is my fault because I have told them I want to be that ' go to'  listing, I want to clean after them.......I don't expect them to do it!

Inna, I am more interested in people as they are rather than the effort I might have to go through to clean up after them.

And on the other side of the coin I don't read house rules, I am on holiday but......I am a host and I know how I would like my listing to be left so, I do the same for those places I stay in......I go that extra yard!

Inna, just be yourself, you are delightful, and just remember mate, if the woes of Chicagie and Illinois get to much for you and you are ever down in this part of the world, our door will always be open for you!

Cheers........Rob

[Inna22]

Thank you @Robin4 😊 

[Ann72]

@Inna22  You are always so frank and I love that.  I have the same philosophy of hosting as you do - I don't want my guests to feel they have to lift a finger when they're staying.  My entire checkout instructions are "Tidy up, put the garbage in the bin next to the driveway, and message me when you depart."  I've only had one guest in 8 years who was unclear on the concept of tidying up.

The idea that a host wants you to turn the place over for the next guest is ludicrous.  Mop the floors?  Are you serious?  My housekeeper would do them again anyway because it's unlikely she'd find them acceptable.

I was a bad guest the first time I used an Airbnb.  I rented a house in Portland for my daughter's graduation and asked the host if we could have some people over to the backyard for a post-graduation party.  He said okay.  Then, you know how it goes, we kept adding people, and suddenly there were 30 people in the backyard.  The host shut us down after about 2 hours and I had to ask everyone to leave.  (The Aussie parents were the most distressed @Robin4 - there was more wine to drink!)  The way I was brought up and the way I brought my daughters up is when you're having a party, the more the merrier.  Alas, the host didn't agree.  My review wasn't bad, but of course I have no idea what the star count was 🙂  

I think your host was unreasonable.

[Huma0]

---

@Ann72 wrote:

My entire checkout instructions are "Tidy up, put the garbage in the bin next to the driveway, and message me when you depart."  I've only had one guest in 8 years who was unclear on the concept of tidying up.

---

Wow, well you have been lucky then! I wish I could say the same.

I've seen so much variation on what guests think tidying up means. Some think that they need to nicely make up the beds (pointless, but sweet of them) as well as leave the room super tidy, whilst others think it's okay to leave a stack of dirty dishes in the sink, or trash all over the bedroom floor (there is a bin in the bedroom, so I really don't get this). Many have thought that it's my job to dispose of their unwanted items which they leave behind because they overpacked. This has even included dirty underwear, and I don't mean accidentally forgotten under the bed. Of course, most guests leave the place reasonable, but I have plenty of examples of those that haven't.

Besides, we can see from the CC that hosts really vary on their idea of what tidying up means and how is the guest to know if they're not told? I find that most guests actually prefer clear rules/instructions because then they know the boundaries and are not having to second guess and worry all the time about what they should and shouldn't do.

Having extra people round, whether that is just visitors, overnight guests or a party can also be an area of confusion, if the guest isn't told. For me, it is absolutely not okay if guests bring other people back to the house without asking. I always found it odd that guests would do that in a homestay, but for other hosts that could be just fine. A friend of mine was surprised to hear that I didn't allow guests to bring random hook ups back to stay the night. He assumed that would be okay, even in a shared listing. 

[Ann72]

@Huma0  I don't mind guests having people over, but it's a whole house.  I would not like it if I were living there too!

Forgot to mention I also say where to leave the key.  I only started giving out keys last year - no one locks their doors in Maine but guests don't know that ahead of time so I gave in lol.

It's not that only one guest in 8 years has left a bit of a mess, but only one expressed complete incomprehension over the phrase "tidy up."  I keep prices high enough that bring in people who might be used to staying in nice places and know how to behave.  But my cottage attracts young couples with "Daddy's money," so some of them been a little careless.  I have considered the idea of being more specific than "tidy up," but I hate excessive instructions so I haven't done it.  The less-than-ideal guests weren't reading anything I wrote anyway, so it wasn't the check-out instructions that were at issue.

[Huma0]

@Ann72 

Having grown up in London, I can't imagine what it must be like living somewhere where no one locks their doors!

Yes, whether you can have people over or not and under which circumstances is going to vary so much from listing to listing, so I think it's best to make things clear for guests. It's not that I mind my guests have the occasional visitors, but I do prefer to be asked and to know who is and isn't in my house.

Besides anything else, I host different guests at the same time and I think it's common courtesy to let the other guests know that so and so is going to have a visitor/s. I do the same if I am having people round, even if it's just my 13-year-old niece coming for an afternoon of crafting. My mum thinks it's totally weird that I need to give my guests advance notice of my visitors in my own house. Well, I don't NEED to, but I think it's courteous, especially considering I ask the same of them.

When it comes to an entire unit, things become more ambiguous. Is it okay to entertain or not? Many will assume that it is okay when often it is absolutely not okay with the host. There are damages and insurance issues to consider, besides anything else. So, again, best to make it clear.

[Mark116]

@Huma0  I love it when guests make the beds, even though it is pointless as they're stripped immediately but it shows that they had respect and appreciation for the space.

I also forgot my check out is 5 things, we also ask guests to do their dishes.

I would never have booked with @Inna22  host because she has too many specific things, like make sure you run the dishwasher so its done an hour before check out.  Come on.  That is not reasonable.  Expecting guests to function as your cleaning crew is also not reasonable or good business practice.  But, once you book it, you should follow the house rules.

[Huma0]

@Mark116 

Agreed. I wouldn't have booked either. It would have been a bit of a red flag for me that this host was potentially super critical and nit picking, just as we look for those red flags when we vet guests. 

In the beginning, I never thought I would need to point out stuff like do your dishes, or close the front door. I have learnt from experience that is not the case!

Still, it's better not to bombard guests with a long list of check out instructions if you want them to actually follow them, but to focus on the most important things. I think four or five points seems about right. I don't think I would take offence to that as a guest, even if I had never been a host. I might take offence to a host expecting me to ready the space for the next guests though. However, that's something to make a judgement call on BEFORE one books, not after.

[Mark116]

@Huma0  Exactly.  Our check out procedure is literally 4 things:  where to leave the keys, where to leave the towels and where to leave the trash and any leftover food, yet a lot of guests are incapable of following even something this basic.  A recent set of guests burned the kitchen table and did not say one word about it!  They were also not capable of hanging up the towels on the towel hooks and instead threw them over the tension shower rod.  They also left a glass ring imprint on the dining room table that no amount of polish seems to affect.  They gave us 4 stars and 3 for communication.  LOL.

[Fred13]

My Lord @Mark116, that is too much.

@Ann72 "I don't want my guests to feel they have to lift a finger when they're staying."

Same, my (1) house rule is : "Use your common sense, otherwise have fun". Mopping, getting things ready for next guest, etc?  How lazy (and silly) can that host be.

[Huma0]

@Fred13 

Do you mean that @Mark116 's list of four things is too much to expect guests to do? It sounds pretty straightforward and simple to me and not a lot to ask (especially compared to most hosts' check out lists). I wouldn't be too fussed about hanging up towels, but then again, sopping wet towels left on furniture etc. can cause damage, but where to leave the keys, taking out trash and disposing of left over food seems really basic if you are an off-site host.

Guests often ask me where to leave the key. I think that's the sort of information most guests would like to have rather than resent being told.

I do agree though that expecting guests to mop the floors before departure and get the place ready for the next guests is a bit outrageous, even when there is no cleaning fee, let alone when one has been charged.

[Ann72]

@Huma0  Pretty sure @Fred13 meant the bad guest who gave low stars was too much!