Very discouraged about 'quality' of airbnb guests

[Mary1135]

I don't know, is it me?  Is it too much to think guests might understand that a host is opening her home to them, and therefore it's a special situation, a unique setting, a glimpse of a local's life?  I am not a Hampton Inn, and I don't have generic Ikea furniture.  When I plan trips, my husband and I actively seek out interesting, unusual places to stay.  Do people not understand what airbnb is supposed to be?

Last season I had a guest who tried to squeeze me for the cleaning fee -- but she was rude and she left the place a mess.  It's a lousy $25!

This week a guest who has no idea how the 'rate float' works hounded me to rebate the overage for the week they want to stay, which he says is a total of $100.  I finally told him that he should just cancel if that rate won't work for him.  Which he did.  Now he's sending me messages demanding I return his 'service fee'.  I politely explained that the host has no control over that -- that he will need to contact Airbnb.  Good grief!  He wouldn't do that if I were travelocity, or an airline, or a hotel chain, right?  I'm just one host with one apartment that I hope people will enjoy.

I had a group of ladies on 'girls' trip who broke an antique goblet (in my part of the house) and left me 5 bucks, I had people try to sneak in their dogs (multiple), I had people snooping around my workspace (my art studio), although it is clearly marked Private.  I've had people complain and whine that the apartment doesn't have this or that -- when all of the amenities are listed, and there are ample photos showing the space.  

I would say that my experiences with Airbnb guests are running 60::40, 60% seem to be good people, 40% not so much.  If the balance tips anymore, I will delist after this season and just rent the space year-round.

That rant over, how do you all deal with these situations?  I took off Instant Booking (although airbnb nags me about that) and I've listed on other sites.  I send messages and hope to engage guests in dialog.

I don't know.  I am pretty discouraged.

Thanks for any insights or commiseration.

Mary

[Tracey222]

Hi

Im new to hosting so I thought I would have a read up on people’s experiences and I got to say I totally agree with what you are saying, some guests seem to expect The Ritz  and yet pay next to nothing. I’m hosting a private room in my home, yes my home, I don’t mind feedback but if people are going to just be **bleep** right rude then I’ll  probably struggle with biting my tongue and have to find another way .....

[Ben551]

@Mary1135  Sorry to hear that you’ve had such a bad run. I can understand feeling disheartened after all that, I would too!

I’m still new at this, but I did find early on that the quality of guests was very low. I had a horde of German backpackers at one point. In New Zealand that’s actually a know “flag” that a listing is priced too low. Saying goes “it the backpackers start booking, your prices are below bargain basement.” They left the place filthy, ran the washer the whole time, had friends over... it was hard not to be stressed about it. So we immediately started discussing why we were doing this and what we wanted out of it. We decided we would be far happier with less bookings, 1 day comfort gaps between bookings, slow turnovers... and something that runs at the pace WE set.

Adjusting our prices has gone a long way toward achieving this, but we also invested in things that we knew would attract our target market... instead of the 18 year old backpacker market.

I think it depends a lot on the area too, some areas will be prone to chancers (as they are called in NZ) and others will be different. I don’t know if any of this keyboard splatter is useful advice, or just letters in a barely grammatical sentence.... but I say don’t let a few bad eggs let you forget why you started doing this. Work out your “why” and see if there are changes you can make to get it.

[Deborah614]

@Ben87     You're bang on with your pricing attracting a particular segment of the market.   I ignored Airbnb's regular suggestions to drop my price to 'compete' with the other hosts until just recently when I experimented by dropping the price a little.    I got more bookings for a start.   And I'm about to host my second group of millenials, albeit well-heeled millenials.   

Does Airbnb ever suggest to a host that they increase their price to get less bookings but a quality guest?     It's a computer-generated message I suspect.     The computer hasn't stayed at your house, and the computer hasn't read your business plan and your personal goals.   

Like you, I don't want to be hosting flat out.     I need my own space between guests, and my need for space is much more than what Airbnb's computer thinks I need.   

If I get 5 backpackers staying who want to use the washing machine, that's fine.  But my rules say "no guests without prior approval of the host" and I would enforce that.    A private home is a mismatch for that market segment.   You need industrial strength vinyl flooring, fire alarms, fire extinguishers, waterproof covers on mattresses, several fridges, and a separate laundromat attached to your house.   

[Rebecca181 · Accepted solution]

@Mary1135 The quality of my guests (e.g., considerate, appreciative, thoughtful, clean, communicative) directly correspond to my nightly rate (I have hosted over 130 guests now with Airbnb). When I had my prices too low as a new host (e.g., just above Airbnb's impoverished recommendations), my listing attracted guests who invariably presented as entitled, unappreciative, messy, noisy, and demanding. When I raised my prices (something I did for fun at first just to rebel against Airbnb's admonishments that my prices were too high) I continued to sell out my rental - but the guests were of a completely different caliber - absolutely delightful and some have become life-long friends.

I do offer amenities (hot tub, spa robes, etc) that lend a more 'luxe' feel to my listings, and the listing itself is likely one of the nicest in my vacation rental area (I am a shared home host but guests have their own private 'cottage' attached to my home) - so I can get away with the higher prices (although Airbnb would love for me to believe otherwise). And I found out on my own that the market could bear my higher prices - In fact, I eventually charged twice as much a night as when I first listed my place.

Not sure what your prices are like as compared to your area but I do encourage you to go higher than you might think you can, just as an experiment, and see if you get regular bookings that attract more gracious, appreciative guests.

[Paul154]

@Mary1135 

When guests are too picky, annoying or destructive, I raise my rates. 

I demand to be rewarded for my stress, time and bother.

Ironically, when I raise my prices, I get less complaints. Go figure.

[Ann72]

@Mary1135 - @Ben551 , @Rebecca181 , @Paul154 are 100% right.  I'm only adding my voice because my listings are in Maine as well.  Girl, you're in Southwest Harbor!  Three bedrooms!  Go to $190 a night and see what happens.  Or turn Smart Pricing on and see what that does to your rates.  (Ignore the separate pricing tool - price tips - they've always been ridiculously low.)  And how do you get all those rooms cleaned for $25?  Unless you do the cleaning and that's just to cover the cleaning products?

Anyway, from the minute I jacked my prices way up, I've had a steady stream of lovely guests.  Only one slight annoyance last year from a guest who gave me 4 stars for location.  Why?  Because it wasn't in Bar Harbor!  :):):)

[Christine720]

I agree with Mary and wish it was simply as easy as adjusting the pricing. But I don’t believe that to be the case. I’m a Superhost and I’ve been a host for 2.5 years. I’ve hosted several hundred guests and been fortunate enough to get 5 star ratings from most. I rented 3 spaces, a detached guest house and 2 private entrance suites with their own bath. I’ve experimented with price but if I increase the price it just increases the expectations. If I decrease the same expectations are there. I’ve tried not renting to first time guests but that’s not a simple fix either because sometimes first timers are the sweetest. Many years ago I used to work in retail customer service. I’ve come to the conclusion this is much like that. If someone is kind hearted it doesn’t matter what your price is, they will be kind and gracious just the same. If someone is entitled and demanding, the price also has no bearing. They will a way to complain, stain linens and break items with no regard for your costs. My solution was to take a break from this and rent to a long term tenant who loves my space as much as I do and is so happy to be staying there. Best of luck Mary!

[Ann72]

@Christine720, excellent points.  But all the listings around Mary are upwards of $125, so I think she's safe raising her price and at least giving that a chance.

[Mary1135]

Thank you all so much for your wise insights! I think I will raise my rates. My bookings are down from last year since I took off Instant Booking but I sort of don't care. 

Another question: Instant Booking,  yes or no?

[Ann72]

@Mary1135 I use Instant Book but have all the requirements checked -- another thing Airbnb tries to get you not to do.  But if I'm using Instant Book, and I have the option to check as many requirements as possible, I'm gonna check them.

[Wende2]

Hi.....I just started on here last Aug., I still have instant book on, I've only had 3 guests that I hope do not return...ever...and they all didn't come from instant book, maybe I'm the one who's picky, at least in the last 2 guests.  They left the apt a mess, to me a mess is, crumbs on the table an around the kitchen, something in the tub an sink that left dry red puddles....toothpaste.???? The furniture disarrayed, one couple left the volume on the TV all the way UP, and set to spanish....again ????.....As for ABB on my case about lowering my price, they have no clue what's in my area, I have only 2 other places a stones throw away, one 2 story house, and a place that has a room, or the house, the $$$ for the house are outrageous, I do know he's been renting longer then I and isn't a super host.  I can say with instant book, I still have people asking questions before booking an I do see their profile photo.  I agree with those saying raise your price, my friend told me to start out higher then what I thought would be reasonable, and I was booked every weekend til late fall, and still did well, imo thur the rest of 2018.  My main complaint is people just do not read everything on the listing, they ask questions all the time that are right there for all to read an know.  I did go read the host review on the last lady, they were all very good, that also makes me wonder if that's true, as I know myself, I have a hard time saying what I truly think.

[Tim-and-Vicki0]

What do you mean by requirements Ann? That is in addition to Verification of email, phone & Government Issue ID what other requirements do you have for your guest? We Started late October eary November of 2018 so we are newbies!!! I want to thank you in advance so much for your response!

[Ann72]

@Vicki0, when you got to Booking Settings -> Guest Requirements, click Edit.  You'll see Standard, Photo, ID, and Recommendations From Other Hosts.  Check all of those so you'll get guests who've gotten at least one good review.

However, because I know that a lot of good people are new to Airbnb, I include this in Your Welcome Message Before Booking:  "If you're new to Airbnb and can't book instantly, just send me a message and we'll get you all set up."

I've had a lot of wonderful guests. 

[Tim-and-Vicki0]

Great to know, thank you very valuable information Christine720 in 

Dallas, TX