Unauthorized packages

[Kim937]

I'm writing this as a warning about allowing guests to receive packages to your listing because of the headache I endured today.

Yesterday, a large, very heavy package was delivered to my home for a guest arriving today.  It was so large that it blocked the stairs leading to my small front porch which resulted in me not being able to use my front door.  I was able to slide it down the steps and pull it into my driveway out of sight.  This guest did not ask to send packages here and certainly not in advance of his reservation.  He then cancelled his reservation this morning because he wanted to add children to the reservation despite my no child policy which I declined.  He made a big stink about getting a full refund with multiple messages back and forth.

I allowed him to pick up his package and thought that was the end of it.  He's now saying that additional packages are here which I'm not aware of.  After consulting a FB host forum, I took their advice and told him that if packages arrive, I will contact the carrier and have them sent back to the originator.  He just now threatened to come onto my property to look around for his packages which involves going into my backyard.  I've called Airbnb to report this as a safety concern. 

I don't want this man wandering around here in the dark uninvited.  I told him he is not welcome here and that if he does come by, I will consider it trespassing and contact the police.  Airbnb did say that they have escalated the issue but that I shouldn't expect to hear back from them for 24 hours.  Lastly, another Airbnb department has sent a message asking me arrange for his packages to be returned to him!  I'm perplexed by this because the large package was picked up earlier today and I'm unaware of other packages other than his claims. 

It's feeling more and more like a scam.

[Colleen253]

@Kim937 I think you handled it well. Though, I would not have allowed pickup of the first package. Curious, did this person have reviews and what were they like? I hope you will review and mention the egregious liberty taken. It's good you reported them.

[Kim937]

He had all but one good reviews. I thought I could overlook the one bad one. Guess not. 

[Colleen253]

@Kim937 Re the good reviews, many hosts just can’t bear to be honest. I’d be curious to know what the bad review mentioned. Good reviews can’t be relied on. Assessing potential guests through thoughtful and thorough questioning is much more revealing. 

[Kim937]

It was in a language other than English and the translator function wouldn't work so I don't know.  In retrospect, I shouldn't have accepted the reservation unless I was able to read that review.

[Ryan2352]

Google Translate is a good way to go.  Just copy & paste and it can auto detect the language.  @Kim937 

[Laura2592]

@Kim937 there are so many scams with having mail delivered to an Airbnb I do wonder why you allowed this person to get/pick up any packages? You can always refuse delivery or ask the carrier to pick it up if you aren't there when they deliver.  

I would put something in my house rules to prevent this in the future.  Abb csrs seem only to respond to things clearly outlined in house rules.  Guests get more strange all the time. 

[Kim937]

I never authorized the delivery of this package with this guest. He never even told me he was getting a package.  It just showed up on my doorstep. However, I didn’t have a house rule expressly prohibiting packages. I’ve changed that today. 

[Saima8]

hi thanks for sharing your situation it’s a great tip to add in house rules 🙂

[Kim937]

I just wanted the whole mess done with. He’d been messaging me all morning trying to get me to accept his kids then trying to get me to allow for a full refund. 

[Helen3]

Sorry to hear of this problem guest @Kim937 

Why haven't you blocked him on Airbnb and on your phone?

[Huma0]

@Laura2592 @Kim937 

I started a thread about this ages ago. It's something that really bugs me too. 

I specify it in my house rules but so many guests simply chose to ignore it and that includes guests who have definitely read the rules (I've gotten more strict about requiring them to send me the 'passcode' that's in there). 

Some guests will ask if it's okay to receive mail/packages, but usually only it's already on the way, so it's not really asking, is it? It's them telling me (their concierge) to look out for their package. 

Many others don't even bother to mention it and seem put out if I ever remind them that it's against the house rules. One guest was so bothered by this (he was here for a month and having - I am not joking - up to 10 packages arriving a day) that we had a half hour heated discussion about it. He reluctantly agreed to stop, but didn't. I couldn't wait to be rid of him.

What is even more troublesome is that a few guests ignore this rule to the point where they think they can use my address for whatever they want, just because they have booked to stay here temporarily. It's like they think they have ownership of the address or something. The most recent one of these was a girl who stayed for less than a week (unusual for me, but she shortened her stay due to COVID) but registered my address for her National Insurance (social security) and seemed put out when I told her she should not have done that.

Another guest not only registered her bank accounts and credit cards at my address but let her cousin (whom I never met) use it for her visa application. I only found out because she asked me to look out for the visa related letters as they were 'very important'. Again, she seemed totally perplexed that I wasn't thrilled about that. 

How can we make them stop? It is in my house rules but they do it anyway, and you usually only find out once it's too late.

[Ryan2352]

@Huma0  I hope you reported them to the passport office for a fake address.  I had someone we were in escrow with use our address to have title documents sent there for a new purchase they were doing (big time fraudsters).  I called the title company and had a nice conversation with the rep.  Thankfully the deal was already dead.

There really isn't any way for them to stop, aside from locking the mailbox and telling them "no, any mail sent here will be destroyed or posted "Return to sender, never lived here.""

[Huma0]

@Ryan2352 

No, actually I didn't. The guest was staying here for six months (my longest ever booking) and was generally a great guest. Not perfect, but overall pretty easy to host and a nice girl. That is why I didn't cause a huge fuss when her bank and credit card statements started arriving. I thought, "Okay, against my house rules and maybe she missed that, bit I can understand why it's inconvenient to not be able to have a 'permanent' address when you live somewhere for six months."

The cousin's visa thing was a step too far though. I told her off for it and she seemed confused as to why it was a problem. However, I never received any more mail related to that so I let it go. I did continue to receive letters for her for her credit cards long after she left and so I harassed her about that until it eventually stopped.

I don't think she was a scammer at all. There is  a risk though when hosting long-termers (especially those that stay for several months) that they view the listing the same as a LTR, which is is not. It is still an Airbnb and according to the law here, they do not have tenant's rights if they are sharing my home with me.

To be honest though, I've had far more problems in terms of mail/packages etc when I was hosting short term guests.

[Ryan2352]

One thing that might work for your future guests is a mail forwarding service.  In the states there are two of these (South Dakota and Texas) that are geared toward the "Travel the country in their RV" crowd.  You give your banks and what not this South Dakota address and then tell the company where to forward it.  Could work for your guests if there is a UK version.  This way they don't use your address with the banks/credit cards/etc. and the guest can still get their mail.  Obviously, it does add several days to the delivery times.

The company I've seen recommended is called "escapees" (escapees.com) and the product you're looking for is a "Personal Mail Box".