What are your experiences with bad guests?

[M-and-I0]

In the time that we've been hosting, I've noted bad guests tend to belong to these categories:

1. last minute/low rate bookings
2. Locals
3. Experienced guests (5 or more reviews)

The first two are easy to spot and we can filter depending on the quality of their communication at the time of booking.

The last group is the most frustrating and tricky. They look like decent people, sound like decent people and have more than a few great reviews.

While there are great guests with numerous reviews, I'm talking about the group that seems to think they are entitled to everything and you need to appease them at all costs. They expect you to provide more than what you outlined in your listing or to bend the rules for them. Some will even outright break the house rules (for example come before the check in time without any notice and expect to be able to use the unit) without any concern. Even if you call them out for it, they act like they did nothing wrong and you're the one who's not providing quality service.

Perhaps in their experience with Airbnb, they've found that they generally cannot be penalized unless they damage property. They've come to see hosts as business owners that need to provide customer service plus put on that "customer is always right" attitude.

Through all the experience with hosting, I've now come to be skeptical when I see a guest with more than 4/5 reviews, which is something I used to be excited about because I thought for sure those were the no-fuss guests.

I'm not sure if these people know how to play their cards just right to not get in trouble, and only manage to get positive reviews (when hosts cancel on them, they don't get reviewed) or if at some point a switch turned on and they realized they are pretty much untouchable as long as they stay legal.

When I cancel on these guests, despite the clear disregard for policies, the guests always get their full refund and their accounts are not flagged or removed so they can just continue on with their behaviour. They may have figured, well if I try to get things my way the host will probably accommodate since I'm the paying customer but if the host gets refuses, they can't touch me anyway. Worse comes to worst they could just create a new account.

So I'm wondering if other hosts have had similar experiences with Airbnb-familiar guests and what you think could be done by Airbnb and/or the community to ensure that guests, not only hosts, are held accountable for their behaviours?

[Frances40]

I agree completely with you Irene. It often takes time to uncover things, like when guest demanded new bedding after 3 days from lady next door who was looking after property. She wanted to do her best for us so handed it over with no questions asked. Was winter so few bookings and it was only weeks later that we discovered stained bedding had been put into new bedding packaging. Soooo sneaky. 

[Susan10]

You can give private feedback to Airbnb.  There's that box that pops up after you have reviewed them that asks if there is anything you want Airbnb to know.  Then it states that this information won't be shared publicly.  I've used it a couple of times.  One time was when a guest asked for an ashtray.  Even though my house rules say no smoking!  They were otherwise great guests and it didn't seem appropriate to give them a low rating.  But I did want Airbnb to know about it.

[Annette33]

@M-and-I0 , I only had it one time that an "experienced" Airbnb guest asked me all sorts of questions before booking, though my listing is very clear. They even wanted the exact address..... (which I nicely declined to give out pre-booking). they then quit communicating and booked somewhere else. I could tell they were high maintenance, probably would give me 4 stars.  Glad they never booked!

But to describe a guest as horrible takes a lot! You may just be burned out a bit, no wonder with 6 listings and all the hosting you have done. I can't imagne how taxing that must be. Maybe take a break, or do a bit less? Good luck to you!

[M-and-I0]

Thanks for your positive attitude and appreciate the kind words. I've definitely hosted too many to accept this behaviour, I remember the early days when I used to do just about anything to get a good review and I probably do need a break to get the motivation to be able to do that again.

[Lisa608]

How do I handle a group of college students who left my house a disaster, took our aluminum boat without permission( has no oars) stranded at someone's house that we don't even know? I'm new at this. I won't rent to them again that's for sure. 

[M-and-I0]

Lisa, make sure you document all of these things with photos of any damages as well as communications that would incriminate the guest (if they admit to taking your belongings on text etc.). Submit a resolutions claim within 48 hours of check out or before the next guest arrives. Get any quotes you can get in order to repair any damages or replace your boat etc to add to the claim. If you're not familiar with resolutions, read up on the help page or call Airbnb for further detail. The guest will have a choice to accept or decline to pay the damages in which case they will probably decline and after 72 hours you can escalate to Airbnb and Airbnb makes the decision on what the resolution should be.

[M-and-I0]

And also make sure to leave a detailed review to warn other hosts! Here's  hoping they don't just make a new account and continue wreaking havoc.

[Annette33]

lovely place you got, @Lisa608 - so sorry these kids didn't respect it and you have such a mess to deal with. Looking into the future, a few suggestions that might help prevent such a thing from happening again:
1.) raise your price, and/or limit occupancy to max 6: the more peeps you allow, the more potential trouble. occupancy of 8 for $140 is less than $20 per person, that's just too good a deal! and many hosts here say that the "cheaper" the place, the more problem people you potentially attract. how about limiting it to 6, start with 2 guests with a base price at 125, then 20 for each additional guest (the bunk beds for the extras..)? that would get you $205 for 6 - and more respect.
2.) tighten up your house rules in the listing. to have your rules posted in the house is not good enough to get Airbnb backing when things go wrong.  to say "please" in your rules might get misunderstood and not necessarily observed. put it clearly into your house rules that taking out the boat is not allowed. check other hosts house rules: a lot of us stipulate that only registered guest are allowed on the property, so nail down the things that are non negotiable to you - and enforce them.
3.) interaction: you say  by message only (and you got a bit of a subtraction for communication): if you can't be there yourself, figure out a way for  someone else to keep an eye on things, best is to greet people in person, that will preempt a lot of problems and misunderstandings. pay that person a bit and have her/him verify the people count to you, then act immediately if there is a disparity - you need to establish such control to stop the party people who will trash your place.
4.) spend more time messaging before booking with guests: that will help a lot in sniffing out the problem people, then decline those you feel anxious about, especially if you can't have anybody there to keep an eye on things.
Good luck!

[Denise77]

I decline anyone under 21 unless they have a parent with them. You could be held liable if they drink alcohol in your house and go out and get hurt or hurt someone else

[Sharon64]

I've had one young couple....don't know exact age, but they were one of the worse I've had. They turned the ac down to 70....and even after they left the woman kept sending me hate text mails. This chick had a real issue. I refused to give them their money back. Luckily I went on the platform and Airbnb knew the situation well before they reported me for having no ac. Their review was removed...so now I am a little cautious on younger people.

[Sarah-Fortuna0]

so sad.give them an honest review and post publicly so other hosts willbe aware of what you have experinced with these guests

[Irene86]

Raise your rates!

[Elaine-and-Duane0]

@M-and-I0  Our worst guest was a #3. Came early, had unregistered guests and said he had done the same in his previous stays. We would have tossed him out, but it was Christmas.  Flagged him, wrote a succinct factual negative review and will not fall for that entitled behavior again.  We have had all 3 types of guests with no issues so there was no reason to generalize. Thanks much for the interesting post! Happy hosting. 

[Rachael26]

@M-and-I0

Just curious if you would have an opinion or a category for guests who don't have a clear facial pic for their profile and what that might tell you about them?

And why do you chose to have a dog profile pic as a host?

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

Thats a good pair of questions!!!