Smoking - Addressing Violation of rules While Guest still has Days Remaining before Checkout

[Kathy842]

Please share your experiences of addressing rule violations with guest, especially smoking, while guest is still in your rental.  I have had to address this several times.  I do allow smoking on the front porch. If I know a guest is smoking marijuana, I let them know it is OK to smoke it on the front porch.  

My home is divided, duplex style. Guest have the entire front and upstairs. I live in the back part of the home. No shared areas. Self check in. Most guests, I never meet in person. As soon as they light up, I smell it through the HVAC vents. I am glad that I do because I can catch this before too much damage is done.  Some smokers don't even have the sense to get a plate or cup to use as an ashtray. Ashes go on the floor and furniture. Cigarettes are extinguished on furniture.

I have guests that checked in today that started smoking marijuana 15 minutes after they arrived.  I plan to address this tonight. I have other guests that check in Sunday, Sept 5 for 7 nights that smoked in their prior ABNB rental, per past review. They instant booked.

[Colleen253]

@Kathy842 

Why are you taking all comers if the crappy behavior bothers you? Turn off instant book so you can refuse guests with crappy reviews. Or at the very least, change your instant book settings. 

[Kathy842]

I'll look at my settings and change them if needed. Thank you Colleen.

[Brian2036 · Accepted solution]

@Kathy842 

By now you know what to expect if you try to do what should be done which is throw them out for violating the NO SMOKING rule.

They will give you a revenge review and maybe do worse things before they leave. You will lose Superhost status and Airbnb won’t do anything about it.

 The people you have coming next already know they can do whatever they want without consequences. They did it before and nothing happened so they’ll do it again.

 I suppose you could warn them as politely as possible, let them know that you will know instantly if they smoke inside, and that they will have to leave immediately. 

Once again you will risk a 1* review and a lot of lies.

It looks like if you want to be a superhost you just have to tolerate whatever abuses a guest chooses to throw at you.

[Colleen253]

@Brian2036 "It looks like if you want to be a superhost you just have to tolerate whatever abuses a guest chooses to throw at you".

No, we work hard to vet guests, be vigilant for red flags, attract the good guests and avoid or turn away the baddies. On Airbnb it's all about prevention.

[Kathy842]

My thoughts exactly Brian.

[Brian2036]

@Kathy842 @Colleen253 

Unfortunately prevention is difficult when there are habitually abusive guests who are allowed to get away with it.

When one of the worst slips past one’s screening measures and instincts, they know they can hold the host hostage with the threat of a ruinous review.

We have to work together as hosts and do the best we can to eliminate the experienced vandals from the platform, or at least force them to open a new account.

 I now fully understand and agree with hosts who are reluctant to accept guests who have no prior reviews. They might well have a long string of bad ones.