Quiet Hours, defined?

[Ken28]

I have the following rule:

"I go to bed at between 8~9pm. The hours of 9pm to 7am are 'quiet hours'. Please limit noise (phone calls, tv, etc.)" I also ask my guests before they book what times they anticipate arriving and leaving on a typical day. My last guest said he'd be in and out at 7a and 7p each day, and I approved the request.

5 days into it, I confronted him on a problem - every night he was leaving the house at 9p. He'd return at about 9:45p, eat a meal in the kitchen (imagine the sounds of plastic bags, dishes clanking, cubboards banging), then at about 10:00 until 10:30, he'd take a long shower in a bathroom that I share a bedroom wall with.

In confronting him, I told him that if this didn't improve, I'd remove his electronic lock access after 9p, since it was disturbing both me and my other guest. (She also goes to bed at aroud 9.) In his review, he told me that I should specifically state that you can't come and go, use the kitchen, or shower during 'quiet hours'.

Is he right? Do I need to define 'quiet hours' better? Should I say:

Do not shower. Do not roam the halls. Do not enter or leave the house. Do not assemble furniture. Do not make loud yawning noises as you wake up. And not pass go and do not collect $200?

I got docked 2 stars for what I thought to be 'professionally' handling the matter. I waited until the problem had escalated (after 5 days, I was losing enough sleep to be unprodicutive at work) and then I told him the problem and the possible solutions. Either change his schedule or book elsewhere.

He got a refund for his unused nights, but left me a pretty sad review accusing me of misstating my rules.

[Abbi96]

You need to define your quiet hours better. I have never heard of these strict of quiet hours. You need to clearly state, “no loud yawning for 10 hours” and “no leaving your room or moving.” This is ridiculous to have guests in your house and expect them to basically die for 10 hours every night. This is not hospitality. I would simply not have guests in your home because I know I would never stay with someone if they clearly stated those rules. 

[Sarah977]

@Abbi96  "This is ridiculous to have guests in your house and expect them to basically die for 10 hours every night. This is not hospitality. I would simply not have guests in your home because I know I would never stay with someone if they clearly stated those rules. "

And isn't it great that you have the choice not to book a place where the host's requirements don't suit you.

They might suit another guest just fine. And guests who book shared home listings need to understand that they are subject to the host's rules and lifestyle.

I do agree that hosts need to make everything quite clear in their listing info, though, not spring things on guests after they arrive. And that hosts who want to micromanage every aspect of a guest's behavior, and have zero tolerance for any way but their way shouldn't be offering shared accomodation.

[Michael5806]

That is absolutely horrible. You think it is reasonable to confine a person to one room a d remain perfectly silent and not even allow them to shower from 9PM to 7AM? They can't go to the kitchen or go get takeout for 10 whole hours? I can't believe you need such absolute silence for such a long period of time. That's nearly half of the entire day you expect them to remain a prisoner or suffer the consequences.

**[Personal comment edited - Community Center Guidelines]

[Michael642]

The location and price might be right

The house rules may not.

You don't pick you want and challenge what you don't.

I have people who stay at my house for "Peace and Quiet, sound of birds"

Want to make a toastie at 2am?

Go away

[Michael5806]

And quit sleeping so much. 

[Helen427]

Standard Quiet hours are usually between 11pm to 7am.

I think you will find that applies also to outside work and building or construction sites and use of machinery, noise control for parties etc in Residential areas - do be aware that Music has to be switched down so others outside of your home won't hear it or people may have, if they have cause to, to contact Noise Control.

It comes under Quiet Enjoyment/ Peaceful Enjoyment of life.

None of us know what hours the topic opener works, maybe they have to rise at 6am to be at work by 7am or thereabouts.

Some occupations require very early starts so it would be a case of what is 'reasonable' in the circumstances.

The smell and noise of cooking may have potential to cause interference as can the noise of showers and running water ( ditto washing machine noises or vacuum cleaning ) not only to the occupants of the property they are sharing with but sometimes also neighbouring residents dependent on the type of property one lives in.

I have to raise my hand and admit, I at one stage of my life were known to put washing on at all hours and vacuum the property I lived in until I realised just how much sound could carry and felt embarrassed...Lesson learnt!!

Sometimes we need to think outside the square of others needs not only our own.

It's a Law that's been in place for ever and a day.

[Zoheb1]

Prime example of people who shouldn't be Hosts. If you are such a light sleeper, God bless you but you will always have problems adjusting with people with that attitude. Telling someone that come in before 9PM or stay out is not a "nice way" of telling. I see some ridiculous Quiet hours these days like starting from 8PM. This is suppose to be primarily a vacation rental space not a school with curfew times. All you should expect from guests is to be respective of others and the space. But the rules must be reasonable not ridiculous.

[Sarah977]

@Zoheb1  I have a shared home listing and had a guest who told me when he arrived that it was his first Airbnb booking, and he wasn't sure what was expected, did I have a curfew? I said, " Oh, heavens no. You're an adult, I don't care how late  you stay out, just try not to make a lot of noise coming up the stairs if it appears that I've gone to bed."

I'm a light sleeper but I have earplugs and use them if necessary. 

Not all Airbnb stays are used for vacations, though. There's probably some situations where a listing with early quiet hours might work really well for some guests with the same schedule as the host's. If both host and guest had to get up early for work, and were accustomed to going to bed at 9, it could be an ideal situation for a guest like that. But the host would need to advertise it clearly as being only suitable for certain guests, rather than just having such house rules that any guest was expected to follow.

FYI the OP of this thread has made other posts that make it evident that he's a control freak. He also has asserted his right to go into the guest's private room to check whether they are keeping it clean to his standards, turn out lights they've left on, etc.

As you can see from most of the responses of other hosts here, we all agree that he has unreasonable rules and expectations. 

[Lori2839]

The AirBnB at **[Sensitive information removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines] is banging cabinets, hardwood floors that are so loud, paper thin walls so we hear every conversation, shouting etc. airBnb does nothing to stop the problem? We have been told to sue them and the owner for all the parties, multiple cars, noise complaints and on and on. Suggestions?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Lori2839 in many respects the Airbnb bit is irrelevant. Take whatever action is usual in your location for dealing with a noisy neighbour. The Airbnb bit is only relevant if short term rentals are not allowed where you are and even then it is the host at fault not Airbnb.

[Jenny]

Hi @Lori2839 

I've removed the address you posted as it's against Community Center guidelines to post that kind of information.  

Parties are not allowed at Airbnb properties, so if you're having issues due to noise issues, parties etc then you might like to take a look here which explains how to get support if you're part of a local community having concerns.

Jenny

[Lori2839]

We are at our wits end so we have gone to all the neighbors to help with the problems, inform the HOA  board of problems, started making a list of HOA violations etc.
  We were told by the mgmt to get police involved, get case numbers and  recording the issues with videos. 
    We posted on Nextdoor in our city of the problems that happen here so our city council members are informed We were told to document the cars, people, license plates for exhibits for the judge. 
   The owner will not do the simplest things like add carpet, add insulation, add pads to cabinets so they do not slam, move TV so it is not blaring into the adjacent paper thin walls, hours allowed for laundry and on and on. 
   All the neighbors are informed, watching now and helping.

  Eventually, someone, somewhere will help us solve the problem of this rental.

[Jay2026]

neighbors parting to out the neighborhood airbnb rental on katie ave and weakly ave 

[Alisa588]

Honestly your quiet hours are not reasonable tho. Most people know quiet hours end at 10pm, later on weekends. And building furniture is not the same as a shower or cooking for survival. People have the right to do either of those at any hour and to enter and exit at any hour. The shower is debatable if it's loud but most people don't have issue with a steady stream of water so long as the person is taking care to be quiet. But you more what? Sometimes the soap drops. And as long as they're not using blenders in the kitchen, it shouldn't be an issue. If you're running an airbnb you're going to have vacationers too. And they're going to live. But you're going to get upset if someone yawns? Sounds like you're not used to the presence of people and you need to do what you can to mitigate your own discomfort if you want to make people feel welcome and not get bad reviews. I would start with a white noise machine under your bed, a few apps that play rain sounds/thunder, and an eye wrap with speakers on the sides. You've basically just invited apartment living in with roommates and you don't get to control every aspect of this if you want that money. I'd never rent from you if I were told any of this and I'm quiet as hell.