My guest use too much electricity.

[Huy13]

Hi everyone,
1/ I have a guest who's staying for about a month. He booked two adults but when I checked the electricity report during his stay, I found that he used a lot of electricity (an average of about 28Kwh per day). One day he used 78.35Kwh, and it became much higher than usual. I'm in Vietnam and the climate here is hot all year round so we don't use heating equipment. If he continues to use electricity like this, the monthly electricity cost will account for 33%. Is there any short-term solution to this problem?

2/ When I came to do housekeeping, I saw a sign that he let many people inside the house (for example, I saw them taking extra mattresses that I stored under the bed, spreading them out to the living room, and using the sofa cushions such as pillows). If he'd let many people in, it would greatly affect my expenses. So, what can I do in case he let many people stay in my house?

[Helen3]

Firstly I presume you have already told the guest that only those who have booked can stay at the property. Say if he continues to have visitors to the property who haven't booked and paid, then you will need to ask Airbnb to cancel the booking

Secondly what do you think the guest may be doing that is leading to hike in electricity usage?

You need to take control, enforce your house rules and ensure those not on the booking leave.

[Huy13]

@Helen3Thank you so much for your reply! I’ve already texted him and he was sorry to me. He said he would reduce using much electricity. 

[Helen744 · Accepted solution]

@Huy13 I would hope that you have a co host , preferably of the burly type . I think it is about time your co host had a word ,via messaging to your guest and asked why the electricity usage has climbed so high and suggested that such an increase must mean there is a problem at the home and he will need to pop over and check it . then go from there . message after this that there is an appearance that extra people not on the reservation seem to be staying and ask if he/she is aware that all people staying must be on the reservation and that there is an extra charge for extra people and for him to let you know how many that is so you can add them to the reservation , bearing in mind the limit already in place to the number of guests . Then send the extra charge and also say that you prefer that persons only sleep in the bedrooms. H

[Huy13]

Thanks a lot for your advice. I’ve already texted him a message about the abnormal electric usage and he replied that he would reduce it. 

[Sudsrung0]

@Huy13 

First thing I would say is you need to clamp down on you hosting rules, dont let guest take advantage of you or else you will lose money as in this case,

Sounds to me you have a bunch of back packers staying, 

Go round later at night and kick them all out,

Hope you have taken photo's of the meter? Try make a claim through airbnb,

Am a right in thinking most of your guest are tourist? if so get yourself a contract drawn up, if the same as here in Phuket we also need passport details when they arrive also take a photo of their passports we have to do for immigration.

Write something in your house rules regarding how many people can stay beyond that there will be xtra charges

[Huy13]

@Sudsrung0 Thank you so much for your advice. I intend to install a CCTV outside the front door so I can control the number of people entering and leaving my house. I hope it will work well.

[Mark116]

@Huy13  Make sure you mark the check on the listing that you have cameras, also disclose it in a couple of other places on the listing.  Lastly it isn't a bad idea to mention it in the first message after booking.  That will protect you from guests claiming the cameras were not disclosed to them,  and will also further help deter anyone who would be booking with plans to break the rules who will not want to go forward knowing there are cameras.  Good luck.

[Huy13]

@Mark116 Thanks very much! 

[Helen3]

Did you flag with the guest about his visitors not on the booking @Huy13  you need to go there - not just keep messaging @Huy13