Uncomfortable with Guest Behaviour... What to write in review?

[Sarah327]

Hello fellow Airbnber's!

I would really appreciate your thoughts/advice on my current guest, who I have felt extremely uncomfortable hosting throughout their stay.

Thankfully, they are checking out tomorrow and, while I haven't contacted Airbnb about it (as other similar experiences have previously fallen on deaf ears), I want to ensure I accurately review them and possibly warn other hosts of their unusual behaviour, including but not limited to:

- checking in very late (almost midnight) saying they would be arriving "later", only when I messaged the key code and offered to leave some lights on as it was getting dark (meaning I haven't yet met them in person)

- keeping all the curtains/blinds shut tight throughout their stay (I know this is normal to some but it really isn't for me and I have only (and quite recently) had one other guest do this and they checked out an hour late)

- the property remains in complete darkness at night, even when it is occupied, and I haven't seen a light go on once (and I am usually able to from my bedroom window)

- making almost no noise at all, no normal sounds and movements (my cottage is adjoined to my house, so we usually hear the odd bump and bang whenever guests are staying as most aren't very quiet)

- sneaking in/out of the property and returning late at night (I am home all day and night and haven't seen them once which is very, very strange!); but

- most worryingly, they have deliberately turned OFF the porch security light.

After their first night, I simply thought the bulb had blown. When I checked it the next evening it was not, so I slipped my hand inside the door and switched it back on again to find they had deliberately removed the applied cover (to prevent the light from being switched off). The next night it was off again and at this point, I felt I couldn't say anything with only a day until their departure.

What's really odd, and very concerning to me, is that it lights up the porch steps to make it safe for guests to return late at night. It is for their own health and safety! Combined with their unusual behaviour, and believe me +95% of my guests don't behave in this way, I feel other hosts might want to know before hosting them.

Some might think I'm crazy, but are they doing drugs in my property? Sleeping them off in the day, going out at night to score more... The mind boggles. All I know is their behaviour, for a supposedly newly married couple, just isn't right!

[Lorna170]

@Sarah327   While their behavior is certainly odd, I don't think you need to comment on it other than to state that they arrived "after hours", kept the blinds closed at all times and turned off your outdoor "safety" lighting.   You could perhaps say that otherwise they were so quiet that you missed all their comings and goings and did not have any interaction with them.  To some hosts this couple might be the perfect guests, especially if they leave the property immaculate.  Do let us know!

[Karla533]

@Sarah327  Nothing you say here strikes me as odd.

Where I live in some neighborhoods it is against the rules (Homeowner Associations) to leave your porch light on all night because of how it adversely affects wildlife. I turn outdoor lights off whenever possible anywhere I stay.

I just had a young couple in our cottage for a week who seemed to never leave. I do place food in the pantry but it wasn't enough to live on for a week. I began to wonder what they were eating. They left the place immaculate, best tenants I've ever had, with a whole bunch of beer cans and wine bottles sorted properly in the recycling.

That's how they wanted to spend their vacation in one of the prettiest cities in the USA and it's none of my business.

[Sarah977]

@Sarah327  While I agree the guests' behavior was odd and possibly suspicious, you can't speculate on their motives, and it really isn't a host's business what hours guests keep or whether they like the curtain closed.

However, they had no right to mess with the light and that should be mentioned in the review- "Guest tampered with front outdoor light control, removing the protective cover so they could turn it off. If the light disturbed them, I should have been notified (I live only a few steps away) so I could turn it off or adjust the angle for them."

And if I had found that the guests were turning it off, I would have assumed they found it disturbing and asked them if they wanted it left off. Just because you think a light there is useful for guests doesn't mean everyone wants a light on all night.

Once they check out and you get in there, their odd behavior may become more clear, so you can't really compose a review until you see how they left the place. And just because the guests claim to be newlyweds of course isn't necessarily true.

[Colleen253]

@Sarah327 My dream  guests leave the lights off 24/7. Unlike my typical guests who leave every single light ON 24/7. None of what you mention would concern me, except for the light issue, IF you make it clear to guests that the light isn’t to be tampered with. At this point you don’t know that they actually got up to no good, and you won’t know until you are able to assess the space at check out. 

If all is fine, then commenting on these little things will make you look like a nit-picky nosy host who watches their guests closely all hours of the day and night. 

You say they called themselves newlyweds. Hmm. Their behavior makes me think this might be an affairbnb.

[Gillian166]

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@Colleen253 wrote:

Their behavior makes me think this might be an affairbnb.

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LOL, i've had quite a few of those! well, suspected, unless it's 2 people living at home and need a place.... but twice now i've had people turn up late, and then leave super early, one couple left at 3am!  Always in 2 cars. Might be something else of course, do you have another cute word for it? 

either way, guests who are quiet, don't use the kitchen, the bath (gah! cleaning the bath is the worst) or much electricity are amazing.  

[Sarah977]

@Colleen253  I really dislike outside lights at night, aside from something like a soft solar light so you don't trip on the stairs. I like to see the stars!

[Sarah327]

To clarify, the security light the guests deliberately turned off is motion activated. It stays on long enough to light the stone steps up to the cottage front door - for their own health and safety (and it helps light up our courtyard when I'm doing the rubbish or putting my animals away at night)!

There are no streetlights or light pollution where we live, so it gets very very dark at night. Almost pitch black. I can understand people's comments about not wanting lights left on all night. However, this is not the case with my property.

Oddly enough, the guests did not turn off another light (and could have) on the corner of the cottage. Either way, I am certain they did not want to be seen coming and going because on the day of their departure they deliberately huddled in the corner of the cottage doorway to avoid me before leaving.

Unfortunately, by the time I realised (mid putting the washing out) what they were doing, they had gone! I didn't even hear them go off our gravel driveway.

Their behaviour was not normal. Not in comparison to the vast majority of all the other guests, I have previously hosted. 

They also left the bathroom window soaked in water, took all their rubbish away with them (I have never had that happen before) and without paying for logs. Despite being advised of the cost and where to leave the money. 

[Colleen253]

@Sarah327 They took all their rubbish with them as well? Please, send these guests my way. 

[Sarah977]

@Sarah327  I also live where there is little light pollution and it gets very dark at night. But if I had a motion sensor light, it would go on anytime a cat ran by, or any other animal. I'm not saying it was the case with these guests, but consider the possiblity that that light may go on and off when you aren't aware of it during the night. And just because you like having it, doesn't mean everyone would.

I wonder if they took their garbage because they didn't want you to see what was in it.

You still haven't told us how they left the place- was it tidy? And can you explain how a window can be "soaked with water"? 

[Delphine348]

Good evening @Sarah327 ,

I can understand this feeling as you didn't check them in or see them since they arrived.

Have you discussed with the guest prior arrival? Why did he/she choose your place?

Maybe just for a place to stay with privacy (you mentioned you can see the cottage windows).

Maybe they have friends or family nearby and just need a comfortable place to sleep.

Maybe they take care of wildlife and decided to switch off the porch light.

I always exchange with guests before accepting them, after also. It helps me understand their needs and prepare the house in accordance. It helps them to understand my way of hosting as well. I live near my listing in the same village. 

I think to eliminate your concern in the future, you may change the way you are hosting: check in yourself to meet your guests and more communication before the arrival. You seem to know very little about your current guests, I could not give my keys to strangers.

For the review, let us know if you have finally met them, how they left your cottage and we will help you for your review.

[Maia29]

@Sarah327  I understand why you are suspicious (I've had my fair share of suspicious guests unfortunately); however, I wouldn't mention any of that in the review. I've had lots of guests that were really super quiet and I never heard them (I live upstairs). As long as they left the place clean, with no damages, no harm, no foul.

If I saw a host's review where the host was what I perceived to be nit-picky and quick to complain, I wouldn't want to stay with that host. After all, I'm on vacation.

In the end, we are still in the hospitality business, and I try my best to be a good, non-interfering host.

[Helen744]

Helen@744. Lots of it is normal for a newly married couple. Just send a message to check up that they are okay and ask if there is anything else they need. Cheers H. They could be a lot of things but probably are not.

[Emilia42]

Funny that I'm reading this post tonight because about an hour ago I noticed with sheer excitement that my neighbor forgot to turn on his front porch light. It doesn't happen often. These are some of my favorite nights of the year when I can actually get a full deep sleep, no joke. 

This list is a bit confusing to me. I don't think any of this seems odd. Give these people a break. They want privacy, they're not into light pollution. You are overthinking this. 

[Kelly149]

whatever else you do, don't say the part where you admit that you opened the door to their space to turn the light on. Not cool.

Maybe they have flashlights on their phones, maybe they see extraordinarily well at night, who knows, but this thread makes me more concerned about you than them... drugs... bc they turn off the lights... that's a stretch, I guess let us know after they depart