We had our first horrible experience with a long-term guest....
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We had our first horrible experience with a long-term guest. Guest let 3 weeks early in a very disrespectful manner. I notif...
Latest reply
Airbnb has disappointed me. I have had a successful 3 year super host experience with my newly constructed home. This experience may be the end to my hosting days with Airbnb. I have a problem guest who has reserved for 3.5 months. On the 3rd day of her stay, I reached out to Airbnb for help to get her out of my home. It is now going on the 21st day and there is nothing I can do, but watch her destroy my new home. The Airbnb resolution center process is a joke. When you make contact, share the concerns and expect assistance from the same help center support person, they close the case and if you call or message back, it starts all over, again. I have dealt with 16 different people, cases closed and no resolution in sight. I have requested a supervisor contact me and I have been waiting for over 2 days. My neighbors keep me informed and today send me photos of my newly poured concrete driveway, which is now destroyed with oil.
She has moved some house furniture to the garage so her dog has more room in my house. The dog she didn't add to her reservation and I found out about during questioning before she checked in. She is gone for 14 hours per day, as a traveling nurse and I can only imagine the state of the interior of my home. She has left the garage light and all exterior lights on 24 hours a day for the 22 days she has been there. She asked me to buy new curtains for the living room and kitchen so she could walk around naked. The neighbors have never seen her walk her dog. I told her I wasn't comfortable with hosting her and asked her to leave, with only paying for nights she stayed. Airbnb has been no help. Indication has been to let her stay, damage the home and file for damages upon her vacancy. It is heart wrenching knowing a home I put my heart and soul in, is being trashed. I have blocked out 2 weeks after her scheduled departure for repairs and cleaning; hence, loss of income. The resolution center offers no resolution, except I can cancel, but my fee/penalty will be 50%of what she hasn't stayed of her reservation.....over $2,000....because they say she hasn't broken any house rules! I didnt know I had to put in my house rules, not to leave your dog in my home for 14 hours a day, don't park your raggity van leaking oil and fluids all over the new concrete driveway, don't move house furniture to the garage, etc. I am beyond exhausted, frustrated and disappointed. I have hosted over 200 guests in 3 years and have been Superhost the entire time. VRBO might be getting my business after this experience. I certainly hope when I file for damages that I am supported.
Hi @Teresa1509
Yikes! So sorry this is happening to you. Unfortunately, long term stays come with risks such as these. One of the risks is guests establish tenancy in most states after 28 days and you can't simply turn off utilities, change locks or do other similar things to get them out. Did these guest have previous reviews on Airbnb?
Calendar Settings - Long Term Stays
It looks like you have Instant Book turned ON? I thought there was an addl option in the Calendar Settings for Long Term Stays that allows you to set so guests must send a request to book instead of instant book for a long term stay? Can't seem to find right now. I would turn that option on so you can have more time to ask questions and decide if you want to accept a long-term booking?
Pets
I noticed your pet fee is only $25 per stay and you allow up to 5 pets per stay? Did you want to allow 5 pets per stay? Most hosts charge at least $50-$100 per stay for 2 pets? I would definitely increase your pet fee and change the number of pets you allow to 2. This is done under the House Rules (see screen shot). I would also add that the pet fee for monthly stays is higher.
House Rules
You can add that all pets must be disclosed when booking. Undisclosed pets will incur a $XXX fine and reservation may be cancelled and guest(s) required to leave premises with no refund. Many Hosts that allow pets send a message to guests with their Pet Policy immediately after booking (even if they didn't disclose they are bringing pets). Something like:
"All guests (and any pets) must be listed on the reservation; no undisclosed guests, unapproved visitors, or undisclosed pets are permitted."
You can also add that pets may not be left alone in the listing and all pet poo must be picked up and disposed of properly. You can add a fine if the pet waste is not picked up.
Additional House Rules - Long Term Stays
You can have a separate section in your additional House Rules for long term stays. You can add all your addl requirements (cleaning, pets, consumables policy like TP, paper towels) I would also put in your House Rules that the pet fee for long-term stays is higher ($XX per day or @XX per month). You would need to use the Resolution Center to charge the guest upfront for the additional fees and I would add that the addl fees for the pets must be collected via the resolution center before the guest arrives.
