Ranting | Moral support needed

[Yadira22]

Hello all,

Hope you are well. 
Currently we are having a guest who I want to shout at but know better than to let my anger come out! I am literally avoiding her like the plague. 

Background 

- she booked at 1am and because I was half asleep she messaged me with profanity about how I need to reply to her messages ASAP, despite the answers being already listed in my ad. 2-4am and no reply from me. When I woke up and responded and kindly reminded her that it was 3am when she sent the requests for further information and of course answered all her questions... turns out she was in a different time zone (One hour ahead 🥵).

-day of arrival, she promises to arrive within 30 mins from her plane landing to Heathrow (despite needing to reclaim luggage, get through customs and commute is approx 60 mins). This now passes my check in hours but as we are recovering from a loss last month, I say ok despite needing to be up and gone by 5:30am the next day. 

-day of check in

She  is not “getting” self check in instructions so I stay up (collect key from a local business and take a straight route to the house and let yourself in) ... it’s ok (I have coffee and chocolate for those days). I see her finding us will be a problem so I make the exception to meet her at the station (there are two), she insists  I meet her at station A, then changes  her route (getting confirming, then getting lost, despite telling her several times the easier route) and ends up waiting for me at station b and does not tell me. When she finally realises what happened despite sending notes saying I am here and what to look out for, she comes annoyed 30 mins later. All this time I am trying to call her, no answer. Apparently, I should have known to be waiting for her elsewhere.  At this point I have been up for 20 hours and working about 15 of these... #zombie

i tell her i need to be up in less than 5 hours by then and ask that she please keep it quiet- so she takes an hour shower and comes back to hairdry her hair next door to me for another 40 mins- it’s now 2am. i send a message and no response- no apology.

-remainder of stay.

Next couple of days she washes about 5 sets of laundry, each which equate to about 5 pairs of undergarments and a top- literally - so wasteful!

Every time she brushes her teeth she spits onto the mirror and then leaves it there (so disgusting) and now has left a dirty used sanitary towel on the communal toilet furniture for all to see (3 separate occasions).

I am so tired of this that I am literally avoiding her and frankly as a host this is not what you want. Any advice, I have written to her and spoken, explaining several times my expectations (which are quite reasonable) and now I am ready to throw in the towel and book a holiday until she is gone (the joy of being self employed). 

Thank you and sorry for ranting! 

Yadira 

ps- she has a 5* overall rating 

[Anonymous]

@Yadira22 Every day I get a new reminder of how glad I am not to be using Instant Book. Thanks for today's 🙂

[Juan63]

You were too nice and you should have let the guest be a big girl. I would make sure to give her an honest and not a "nice" review.

[Laura2592]

@Yadira22  so...what kind of review are you planning on leaving this guest? I  would think communication and house rules would have to be really low scores.

[Yadira22]

@Laura2592 I would say something along the lines of 

XX stayed at our home and even though she is quiet (or something positive); communication was hard several , her cleanliness within some communal areas could have been better also her respect for house rules (eg, machine drying her hair at 2am) . I wish her luck but would suggest she be better suited to commercial hotels only.

Honestly... not sure how to word it and I have always try to not do stuff when emotional. So, will probably wait for her to leave, relax and then come back to it. Just facts, no emotions! 

[Helen350]

Too kind & generous @Yadira22 ! "Communication was hard" describes the men I've hosted this winter for work, who must think they're booking a hotel, & ignore all my messages re purpose of visit/ETA, then show no desire to engage once arrived. I DO think her rudeness, bad language, & DEMAND to engage whist you wanted to sleep at night should be spelt out for non-IB hosts. And the excessive use of amenities, i.e. laundry. 

[Sarah977]

@Yadira22  Definitely better to wait until you can write a non-emotional review, but I agree with Helen- far too generous and mild for the behavior you described. For instance, not following house rules could be something as mildly annoying as not removing street shoes at the door, if that is requested, whereas not giving a **bleep** who she keeps awake with her 2AM hair drying after she was asked to be quiet as people were sleeping and had to rise early is particularly disrespectful and self-absorbed. To me, this is a person who doesn't care about anything but herself and her agenda.

[Yadira22]

@Helen350 And @Sarah977 

definitely too mild and kind! But I have no filter- my best friend says i am equally mean as I am kind (and have the worst temper of my entire family- so meanness is never my go to) but I still have about 2 weeks (end of review schedule) to think of something more fitting. Any insight would be appreciated. Thank you 🙏🏻 🙏🏻 

[Sarah977]

@Yadira22  Insight- Honesty is not the same thing as being mean. Try to keep in mind that an Airbnb review isn't you reviewing them as a person- you are only reviewing their suitability as a guest. A bad Airbnb review won't ruin their life, even though it's certainly likely to upset them. It will just alert other hosts as to why this guest may be one to avoid. And perhaps, one would hope, make the guest think about how their behavior affects others. Although in the case of this woman, I doubt she cares-it's all about her.

[Yadira22]

@Sarah977 INPUT is probably the better world 🙂 and yes!!! 

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Yadira22 , Sorry to hear about your guestmare, they happen and unfortunately for you, your coexisting closely with your guests so thats too many opportunities for to poo to hit the fan literally!  How long is she staying, a holiday may be in order!!!!!!!  Our spaces are always prepared when unbooked so we do instant book *we have a Chilean couple downstairs that needed a single night last night because they are traveling to Boston.  Perfect stay and great guests.  Its worked out well 95% of the time but we do have rules -no bookings after 10:00 pm, zero, zilch, nada and you will likely use Self check in if we are away or asleep, if your not comfortable with that, my place won't be a perfect choice.  We don't do pickup or delivery (one rare exception in over 400+ bookings and she is now our good friend in Chong Ching China, (she is a wonderful person).   Hang tough and dont let it ruin your business plan, learn what you can from it and move on with purpose, safe hosting, John

[Mike-And-Helen0]

@Yadira22 well your guest no longer has 5 stars!

How is the review coming along?

[Christine615]

You are right to rant. But next time deny and block. The yelling at you for not answering right away (in the middle of the early morning) is a clue she's going to be a hard guest to please. Sometimes no money is better than the cost of a therapist (or a defense attorney) later. 🙂

I do find that some people know hosts are desperate and find it prime time to take advantage of vulnerable hosts.

[Paul6490]

That’s terrible. I hear the guests used to be all good ones, but now many wicked trouble makers.

i approved someone today, and it said waiting for payment...how do I know if they paid so I can let them in?

[Yadira22]

Hi @Paul6490 

Hope you are well.

As with anything, you get; the good, the bad and the ugly (terrible in this case). Overall, we have been quite lucky and met amazing people and for the all the flaws in this system (there are many) we are grateful but certain behaviours will still never be acceptable. 

Regarding the « awaiting payment », the reservation is still not confirmed and guests have essentially 24 hours as to provide valid payment before these dates become visible again to other users. It’s frustrating to say the least (as these dates are essentially blocked on your calendar) but it’s what it is (SMH). Your address etc is not shared until a confirmed reservation is made. If it bothers you, maybe write to said guests and simply mention to them that the reservation is awaiting payment, before confirmation occurs. Kindness and sincerity goes a long way. 

Good luck to you and stay safe 
Yadira 🙂