Quick advice from experienced hosts please.

[Rowena29]

Hi Everyone, 

Would appreciate some advice from those more experienced and emotionally uninvolved

Here's the scenario,

I week ago, a young airbnber - only 1 previous stay - IB 2 day holiday for 2.

He messaged me and said it was for his parents as  a present from him and his brother.

I replied that strictly speaking 3rd party bookings were not allowed, although airbnb don't mind if the host doesn't mind. I have pretty comprehensive tenant insurance - so, so  long as I have the full legal names of the guests my insurer will cover me and that I'd be willing to proceed.  So that's not the problem, I"ve just giving background,  (regardless of what some of you may think about me deciding to proceed.)

There's been a little to ign and fro ing and he's done all that I asked.

My house sleeps 8.  However it's not particularly unusual for me to get bookings for 2 or 3 guests.

I did wonder briefly at the time, but it's peak holiday season, prices are up, we have a great view and it very secluded - I just assumed the boys like the "fit" of the house for the parents. From the initial booking message he stated only one bedroom would be needed.

In my description I say some bedrooms may be locked off if there are 3 or fewer guests to minimise excess linen charges

In my house rules, I say only guests specifically stated on the booking  can stay, This includes visitors.  So in short, I THINK I'm fairly covered

The booker has just rung to say, his brother is now free and he and his brother would like to stay the Sunday night only.

I explained extra guests cost more. He said "OOOOOh"

If they amend the booking, they get charged for 2 guests for 2 nights, right? 

So I said I would send request for money.

I had enough brains to say, the  downstairs bedrooms would have been locked off if only his parents were staying.

So I"ve sent a request for money -  - I have to prepare another 2 queen bedrooms and thoroughly clean all of downstairs, including bathroom adn toilet  instead of just a lick and a promise ( 2 people would pretty much entirely live upstairs). Financially it's not worth my while, but I'm prepared to do it.

However, I strongly suspect the guest feels gipped. I am reasonably sure, he saw the house slept 8, booked for 2 - thought he could bring others for no extra charge. However I dont' think he's trying to be deceitful. He just didn't get it.

  I said in the request to let me know and to pay by tonight if he's going ahead,  as I needed to re arrange commitments to allow extra time to get all the rooms ready   If he doesnt' pay by tonight, I will lock off the 3 downstairs bedrooms as I originally planned.

Can anyone see a glaring flaw - have invaluable advice - know some kind of trick that I need to be aware of??

I actually think he won't pay and stay,  and this is the outcome I would prefer, but I see a bad review coming...

Sorry about the length

Look forward to your sage advice!

Cheers

[Solveig0]

Hi @Rowena29 

It sounds to me like you did the right thing, and the way I would have done it as well. If he does turn up (after paying the extra), give them a great experience and I'm sure it will end with a good review. 

When you book and pay for 2 people, you book and pay for 2 people. If more people are coming, then you pay for that. We also lock rooms that won't be used if less than full house (unless they pay for full house, that is). 

Yours, 

Solveig 

[Rowena29]

Thanks so much @Solveig0 

I really appreciate you getting back to me.

I was reasonably sure I was doing the right thing, but I'm definitely feeling a bit flustered.  It will be a huge amount of extra work for very little money if he and his brother  do stay, so I hope they don't..

[Rowena29]

@Solveig0   @ anyone at all

 if I've sent a request for money - where can i see this in the transaction history?

Because I know I hit send - but know I can't see a record of it anywhere and I'm worried it's disappeared into cyber space

[Jennifer1421]

@Rowena29I've never sent a request FOR money, but I have sent a request to REFUND money, and have never seen any kind of confirmation on that...until it affects my payout. Maybe this is the same? You won't know if he's paid UNLESS it shows up in your transactions?

I'm afraid I'm not sure about that, though. Maybe best to contact CX to verify the request was sent...

PS - I wouldn't have been likely to accept the third party booking, but I think you've got yourself covered in this situation.

Fingers crossed for you!

[Rowena29]

Hi @Jennifer1421 

Thanks so much for getting back.

Yes I'm reasonably confident I am covered for 3rd party - I looked into this carefully with my insurance - and as so many people report difficulties accessing the host guarantee anyway I've decided to assess them on a case by case basis.  Via another booking platform I sometimes get business bookings - secretaries booking for tradies, so I'm somewhat used to it.

I found the request for money feature perplexing - I sent the request, with a message, then it just disappears as far as I can see - there is no way to check back and view what you said, or indeed confirm that it's been sent.  Which made be nervous.  I realised it had been sent though because when I went into request money again I got an alert saying there was already an "open case". Where you view the "open case" I have no idea.  Seems a bit bizarre.

However, all good, as the young man replied and accepted adn thanked me profusely for being so accommodating, so hopefully it will work out.   

[Helen350 · Accepted solution]

@Jennifer1421 @Rowena29 @Amanda660 Go to https://airbnb.co.uk/resolutions  & you will see all the times you have requested money from a guest or they from you & the amount sent. (Non UK bods will have to enter the abbreviation for their own country, not UK.)

[Jennifer1421]

Fab tip, @Helen350, thank you!

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Rowena29 did you send over a Change Request to the reservation? That should send the guest an option to accept and pay, or not. 

[Rowena29]

HI Kitty,

NO i didn't send a change reservation request, because the boys only wanted to stay 1 night in a 2 night stay.  I had a fiddle, but I'm pretty sure there's not way you can add extra guests for just PART of the stay - it's all or nothing - which obviously made it much more expensive.  So I sent a request for money for "additional services" which I feel making up 2 extra queens and providing extra linens etc covers, even though I realise it's not quite what airbnb intended - and he has accepted.  I presume that means airbnb will retrieve the money from his account

thanks for the idea though - appreciated!

[Kit45]

Hi @Rowena29  and @Kitty-and-Creek0 

I had a similar situation with one of my guests.  On the day this guest was checking in (a 4 night stay), he informed me that his girlfriend would be staying with him on the last night.  My guest and I could not change or customize the booking  to 1 guest for 3 nights and 2 guests for 1 night.  I had to contact Airbnb and requested for an extra charge for the extra guest for the 4th night.  And for insurance purposes, I also asked for the full name of the 2nd guest.

Airbnb sent an extra money request to my guest and my guest had accepted the request.

Cheers

Kit

[Rowena29]

HI @Kit45 

thanks so much for taking the time to respond.  It will be interesting to see what happens.  This young man accepted my request with a note thanking me profusely for all the extra time and trouble ( for no real financial recompense).   I got everything ready.  His parents checkedin.  They seem really lovely. However they also mentioned a girlfriend might also be staying ( was never mentioned)  Then I get an alert from airbnb saying "they couldnt' retrieve the money from XXXX but they'll communicate with him.  NO idea what my changes are of actually getting the money are now. I would have thought stronger as he actually accepted the request, but not sure how vigilant airbnb will be on the follow through.

I'm a bit over it actually. I"ve already expended the extra effort.   IF nothing else I'll tote it up to experience re how to manage this sort of occurrence.  

[Kit45]

Hi @Rowena29 ,

"A girlfriend might also be staying" and "they couldn't retrieve the money from XXXX but they'll communicate with him" !?  I will be interesting to see what will happen next too!

Airbnb was pretty vigilant when dealing with my request.  It was resolved within the same day when I called them.  My guest was also very reasonable and cooperative.

Wish you luck.

Kit

[Amanda660]

@Rowena29  I’ve sent quite a few requests for pet stays and have never found a way of seeing that they’ve actually been sent or received received.  I only know when they’ve been accepted as Airbnb send an email telling me the guest has paid. 

We also sleep 8 and I’ve been giving quite a lot of thought to locking  off extra bedrooms too. 

[Linda108]

If you charge for extra guests over 2, the guest should change the reservation to reflect the proper number of guests and the system will calculated the extra charge and adjust the payment.  I don't think you can do that through the request money option.  That might be the issue.  Call Air BNB if the check in is within 24 hours.