My first negative experience - Communication

[Michelle140]

This is my 9th guest coming tonight (it's 9:40pm), and it's the first time I've felt some dread. She's booked my room (not the whole house) for a lengthy 33 days, which is a long time to be stuck with a housemate you don't get along with. I don't think she knows what airbnb is supposed to be.

Her first message indicated that she preferred to be left alone unless someone is bleeding or the house is on fire (literally said that). I tried to ask her this afternoon around when she expected to check-in and all she said was it could be anywhere from 6pm to 6am. I responded to keep me updated, as communication is a part of airbnb. I have not heard anything, and like I said, it's now almost 10pm, and I have ZERO clue what time she will be arriving.

I just don't feel right about the whole thing. Part of me just wants to get things started and if she wants zero interaction with me, then all the easier that money is to make, but at the same time, this is not why I started on airbnb.

I don't mind some (short term) guests being zero interaction, but I enjoy sharing stories and meeting people from all over, and over a month sharing my home with an enigma of a person doesn't sound like fun. Sigh. At this point, if nothing else, I think I'm going to write my first negative review =(

Is there any advice? I'm afraid to confront her, in fear of retaliation while I'm not at the house, but I'm not happy...

[Jude7]

@Michelle140 -

My - somehow you've captured the interest of the world, and we're all following your saga with interest!  I think every one of us is putting ourselves in your shoes, wondering what we would do under similar circumstances.  I know I am!

Regarding Airbnb support - after having a relatively minor issue this week, but one needing intervention (reviews not appearing), I contacted support through Twitter as so many posts suggested to do.  I was pleased by the response I received, which took two days to resolve and a number of detailed messages going back and forth.  

Responses from support took approx. 2 hours to appear, but each response moved my situation closer to resolution, and I found the responses to be friendly and warm.

Jude

[Andrea9]

@Michelle140

And how shocked out of her shell this uber-introverted person would be to know  how she has as @Jude7 says captured the interest of the world,  with all of us following your saga with interest!!

[Ana7]

@Andrea9 oh yes I guess this is a real nightmare for her!

[Lyndsey2]

That brings up a good question... can guests read our posts on here?

[Sandra126]

@Lyndsey2, I certainly think so! There are often questions from travellers here. Yet another great reason to be professional in your responses.

[Michelle140]

HELP! My rules section is way too long now =P Ha. I don't want to push away new bookings 😉

[Michelle140]

Well, tonight is the 15th night of her reservation and this afternoon I have physically seen her for the first time since our "check in", and it's only the fifth night she's been here (the other times she came, it was either after I went to bed, or I wasn't home, or was sitting out on the deck, so I didn't see her). I was in the kitchen at the table when she arrived, so I figured we were finally going to come face to face. Once she enters the kitchen to put something in the fridge, I look up ready to at least say hi. She's on the phone (pretending or not, I don't know), averts eye contact, says nothing to me, uses the fridge, and leaves. Am I really not even halfway through her reservation? It may seem silly to some, and I'm fine when she's not here, but when she's here, I'm just really uncomfortable. Strangest experience on Airbnb so far =P

[Michelle140]

Today my stress with her being here is more reasonable. Stomping around as if she were 500 lbs, shaking the whole house, slamming doors, rushing around. What the heck is going on? About ready to force an interaction...

[Lyndsey2]

So crazy! I would force an interaction. Even just a hello. If she hates that innocent gesture maybe she'll just stop showing up. 

[Michelle140]

@Lyndsey2, I just did, but not in the friendly manner you just suggested, ha. Just trying to figure out if something is wrong, told her she was stressing me out stomping around slamming things around. I said a few sentences, no response, so I said "hello?" or something, and she goes "you talking to me?" I say yes, and repeat everything I had just said, then she goes "nothing the matter with me" and stomped off. So I leave and go out on the deck, because I can't deal with her. I feel like calling airbnb again. So stressful being in the same house as her.

[Michelle140]

Actually, to be honest, I left to the deck because she was giving me the heebie jeebies how disconnected she acts, and started imagining her coming up behind me with a knife, killing me, then finishing everything she was doing, and casually leaving in the morning for work as normal =P

[Mike77]

@Michelle140

Are you ever going to get the courage to get her out of your house?

YOUR HOUSE being the key words.

Call or FaceBook AirBnB and cancel her reservation.  

Mike
AirBnB Treehouse for Rent
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/7292887

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Here are your AirBnB phone numbers.
==============================

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[Michelle140]

@Mike77, I think this is one of the main reasons people move off of Airbnb and turn independent? Since it's a lot more complicated of a process to "evict" someone when it's through Airbnb? I don't know. I'm not sure the point at which it's worth wrecking your record by cancelling a reservation. Things had been somewhat tolerable once I accepted her complete lack of communication until tonight. She hadn't even been here for over a week before tonight, so talk about an easy "guest"? Lol. But in answer to your question, I don't really know. It depends on how often she's here and how long of a string I get of having to deal with her, lol. She was here four nights the first week, zero nights the second week, and tonight starts the third... Preferably, I wish Airbnb would help somehow so it doesn't put a cancellation on my record, but it seems hard for that to happen. Everything she does, I never thought to have in my rules, because it's so stupid, lol, so she hasn't really broken any rules yet =P

[Mike77]

@Michelle140

I know that it is not just a woman thing, some women would not put up with the crap you are putting up with.  

You are getting walked on and you keep making excuses for the person doing the walking.

 I would not put up with weirdo's on my property.  I would go over to the treehouse and tell them to start packing their stuff and contact AirBnB to find another place.  Because you are leaving the treehouse today.

I would tell them, "I don't care if you leave a bad review on AirBnB, you are leaving today or I call the police."

Mike
AirBnB Treehouse for Rent
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/7292887


==============================
Here are your AirBnB phone numbers.
==============================

Argentina: +54 11 53 52 78 88

Australia: +61 2 8520 3333

Austria / Österreich: +43 72 08 83 800

Brazil / Brasil: +55 21 3958-5800

Canada: +1-855-424-7262 / 1-855-4-AIRBNB (toll-free)

Chile: +56 229380777

China / Zhongguo - 中國 / 中国: +86 10 5904 5310 or 400 890 0309 (shared-cost)

Denmark / Danmark: +45 89 88 20 00

France: +33 1 84 88 40 00

Germany / Deutschland: +49 30 30 80 83 80

Greece / ελλάδα: +30 211 1989888

Hong Kong / Xianggang - 香港: +852 5808 8888

Ireland: +353 1 697 1831

Israel / Yisrael: +972 3 939 9977

Italy / Italia: +39 06 99366533

Japan / Nippon - 日本: +81 3 4580 0999 or +81 800 100 1008 (toll-free)

Mexico / Méjico: +52 55 41 70 43 33

Netherlands / Nederland: +31 20 52 22 333

New Zealand / Aotearoa: +64 4 4880 888

Norway / Norge: +47 21 61 16 88

Peru: +51 1 7089777

Poland / Polska: +48 22 30 72 000

Portugal: +351 30 880 3888

Puerto Rico: +1 787 919-0880

Russia / Rossiya - Россия: +7 4954658090 or 88003017104 (toll-free)

South Korea / Hanguk - 한국: +82 2 6022 2499 or +82 808 220 230 (toll-free)

Spain / España: +34 91 123 45 67

Sweden / Sverige: +46 844 68 12 34

Switzerland / Schweiz / Suisse: +41 43 50 84 900

United Kingdom: +44 203 318 1111

United States (USA) / Estados Unidos de América (EEUU): +1-415-800-5959 (local San Francisco number) or +1-855-424-7262 / 1-855-4-AIRBNB (toll-free)

[Andrea9]

@Michelle140

What an annoying nightmare guest. If you decide to not call Airbnb yet, then do start creating a sort of paper trail on the message thread.

That serves as proof for Airbnb intervention. She doesn't react properly to you in personal confrontation, so why not do in a message.

In this case even mention again that stomping and slamming doors is not appropriate behaviour. If she gives you an inappropriate answer to it, or none at all, that too will be on it.

And as Mike says, it's not a woman thing. She needs to realise whose home it is.

And you can't spend every day on the deck and hoping she won't be home that evening. That is mental torment.