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?

[Paul154]

Ian, your experience is terrible and not a good reflection on Airbnb.

I am not sure why airbnb does not remove the review.

THe guests broke the rules, the reservation was cancelled and the guests did not stay there - How could the guests review their nonexistant stay?

Anyway, You may have to fight fire with fire.

You may need to get some friends to act as confederates to wash clean this bad review and to break its cycle.

That is pay some friends to make a reservation and then leave a good review. 

(If you are devious, they don't actually have to stay there. Just give them their money back.)

For the price of some Airbnb fees, you can get good reviews.

I read your review and you were factual. You did not come off as a crazed man, just a guy who explained the situation. 

Non-the-less, the stain has affected your future business.

[Catherine495]

hey , thanks a lot for this conversation , I 'm hosting in France, in the country around Nice and I experienced too horrible guests.. I agree with remarks posted here.. some people are not kind at all, particularly those who didnt read or notice  social values shared between hosts and guests , like hosts are not just "slaves" for them.. !!   some days ago,  I have this kind of people who  leave  my home without any salutation.. but after post an awfull and wrong comment ...  I agree with the fact that AIRBNB does'nt indicate any way to prevent these incorrect behavior..  its only possible to post another comment.. but horrible comment stay in line .. so desappointed !!  

thanks to read me .. 

warmest regards to the community.. 

[Joanne123]

I have just had my first really bad guests.They left a good review of the property and in my guest book and are now requesting a full refund stating my property was disgusting. 

I am new to hosting and have had nothing but fantastic reviews and comments from all my other guests.

I have declined to pay them.

I must say I was quite upset that people like them could make me feel I'm not doing enough.

I

[Ian168]

Air BNB and Air BNB hosts are being investigated bt the Australian Taxation Office as well.

Just enthical that AirBNB allow their hosts guests to rule....

does the airbnb fee get refund too..?  i wonder.

[Rachael26]

@Joanne123

That is really, really! out of order - especially if they contacted you directly to ask for the refund. They are trying it on - and do not fall for it.

Copy the guest book comments and get in touch with Airbnb immediately (use twitter if you can - it is a quicker contact way but sometimes the telephone is quick too (use the Airbnb search box to type in 'Contact Airbnb' and you will get the list of telephone contact numbers for the UK and other countries).

DO NOT communicate with your ' guest' anymore - get in touch with Airbnb and tell them your story, before that guest does. If it all goes well, Airbnb will take up the communication and deal with them so you don't have to.

Do not worry - your previous reviews speak to the excellent hosting you are doing - so let Airbnb deal with them.

And don't be tempted to write an extra response under their 1st review, just leave it as is - as you rightly said - it isn't a bad review so remember that future guests won't even know anything about this.

Head up, and keep on with the lovely job you are doing - this will pass, and not all guests are like this!

Best Wishes.

PS. I know this was your first post. If there is a next time that you want help, or to share an experience, start a 'new' thread by hitting the 'start a conversation' tab - that way many other hosts will see it immediately and will reach out. This time you added your comment onto an old post at the end - and that doesn't get viewed as much. Just a tip for the future - and please come back to the community forums - lots of good advice and support happens here - and sometimes it is nice to know you are not alone! Rachael x

[Joanne123]

Thankyou so much for your kind words and advise. 

It is really nice to know I'm not alone.

As I said in my post I have declined to pay them and have messaged airbnb.

Warm regards

Jo

[David126]

To expans on what @Paul154 said you can send a special offer for whatever the minimum fee AirBnB allows you to charge to friends and get that bumped down the listing. Or start from scratch.

Seems an obvious removal by AirBnB, but you never know what goes on.

[Olan0]

I 100% agree. I had the worst guest I have ever seen come to my home the other night late at 11 pm. I rent two rooms usually long term in my home and I am very happy and proud of my home and how I treat guests. When she arrived there was someone in the bathroom and I could tell that was the truning point when she decided to be a total monster. It began with her acting like my New York apt was in a thrid world country with is the water safe to drink and I told her there was a filter on the tap so sure b ut I do put tons of bottled water in her fully stocked fridge in her room. Then it was how about the water in the shower does the hot and cold work. I said yes its an old building like most in NY but rarely is there a problem. She went to bed only to wak me at 2 am complaining that there were crumbs in her bed, asking if I had put on new sheets from the last guest. I told her yes of course. My sheets are all 700 thread count whte with white comforters on a new mattress with a matress cover. I immediately changed her entire bed in front of her showing her each sheet after taking the others off the bed and inspecting them together to see if there were crumbs. And the last guest had no food or water in the room because they were on a special vegan diet and did not like snacks. She, on the other hand, got in that bed after flying all the way from Germany in her clothes with no bath. Long story short I knew I was in for a ride if I allowed this monster to continue on her path of undermining and attacking everything about my home. A home with pet that arent allowed in the room and certainly not on the bed which I made her reread my listing before staying stating it's a place for people who ar animal friendly etc. 

She clearly did not read my listing as she was rude to the animals too upon arriving looking at them with their loving eyes looking at her like they were less than dirt. That morning she went in my bathroom shower and proceeded to trun evcery know on the the fullest back and forth like a manic - I could her her doing it so I knocked on the door and asked if she needed help - went and showed her wich way to turn the shower knobs for hot and cold and left. She continued to abuse the shower and when she was done told me the water was burning her. 

At that point I told her this was not going to work out and I think she should find another room that would be better for her. I called AIRBNB and told them her behavior and to please find her another accomadations and get her out of my home. Stating they could cancel the reservation entirely without any charge to her. 

I informed her AIRBNB would be calling her to help remedy her situation. She said she could tolerate it if she had to and I said please this is my home I dont want you to stay here if you are miserable and only when I told her she would not have to pay a thing was she polite and even asked me 'why are you being so kind to me?" A clear indication that she knew exactly how she was behaving. I did say I hope you dont think my home is 'crappy.'

I fixed her breakfast as she looked for another room complaining that it was last minute and they were all 'crappy.' Ultimately she booked a 5 star new mimimalist hotel (48LEX) complaining about the rate.  Fully refunded b y AIrbnb she left and I helped her with her luggage. 

Now despite that I bent over backwards for this woman, did any and everything she asked, fixed her breakfast, let her harrass and torture me as only a super host not charging her a thing she still has the option to leave me a review. 

AIRBNB you need to be on top of helping your hosts with better options and once a problem is solved not allowing monsters like this woman who clearly knew how to work the system and torture someone to take further advantage.