What's the biggest challenge you’ve overcome as a host?

[Elisa]

 

Hello everyone 😊,
I hope you’re having a great week!

Hosting often looks simple from the outside, just prepare the space and welcome guests. But the real heart of it is in the everyday moments: finding patience in surprises, learning to communicate with kindness, and growing with each experience. Those challenges become the stories that make hosting so rewarding and meaningful.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome as a host?

I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts!

Warm regards,
Elisa 🌻

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Elisa Getting ready for our very first guest: Having renovated the property I fired up the heating and hot water only to find that the toilet was connected to the hot water supply. Several fraught hours switching pipes that could only be accessed though a very small hatch followed.....

[Elisa]

Hi @Mike-And-Jane0 😊, 

Thank you for joining the conversation!

That sounded like a really tough situation.
How did you handle it with the guest?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Elisa The guest never knew - Apart from the fact I may have looked a little frazzled before they arrived all was well in the toilet department for their stay.

[Elisa]

Hi @Mike-And-Jane0 😊, 

Thank you for letting me know!

That’s great, good for you! 😍

Why did you look a little frazzled?

[Andrea7249]

Dealing with Airbnb support. After almost 5,000 guest and close to 1,000 reviews our biggest issue has been Airbnb support. It It has always been a challenging experience when you need to speak to somebody that most of the time can't even understand what we were saying and we can't usually understand what they are saying. I appreciate them always thanking me for being such a gracious and wonderful host but I would like to be able to understand them number one, and number two, for them to solve the problem which they normally can't do.

That has honestly been our biggest problem over the last couple years as hosts.

[Elisa]

Hi @Andrea7249 😊, 

Thank you for commenting on this post.

I’m really sorry to hear about this, I’ll reach out to get more information.

[Adel2330]

i completely agree, we wrote the same things without realizing it. I didn't read your message. customer service needs to be changed as a professional team as a matter of urgency. there is absolutely no professional English .. they don't even know about the rules... How many times was there a mistake and then other professional customer service stepped in and apologized to me and the situation was corrected.. But the stress you experienced in the meantime remains with you as a damage.. The customer service representative on the phone does not speak English and really speaks by swallowing the letters.It's like someone is making fun of me.. I feel like he has food in his mouth or is chewing gum while he talks... I don't understand... I ask if you know English and I don't even understand his answer... is still persistently trying to say something.. ...I will be at surgery all day.. I need to have peace of mind.. My profession is risky... But unfortunately, you have customer service that can harass me on the phone with a complaint from a guest without any evidence.. i don't understand what you've been talking about on the phone for 2 hours... he's babbling something in his mouth... he can fine you without investigating the case just because he doesn't speak English well... ..yes, yes, airbnb, you are giving authority into the hands of these people.. and the dedication and effort that the landlord has given until he becomes a super landlord, you're letting him throw everything in the trash... but you're asking us to make an effort to be professional. you are leaving us alone with the ignorance of customer service, which shows an amateur approach far from professionalism..why are you hiring these people as customer service staff?.. also, why do you leave the decision to their initiative in any case of litigation, why doesn't a professional team step in... Because I am an intelligent person, when I contacted the center directly, I revealed the truth of the incident and the editor apologized to me.. Are these people deciding the fate of our situation position? When there is any case, do these people conclude the case? ...

 In an industry where you are worn out both physically and mentally, where you should be appreciated, the customer service that does not understand the purpose of the case and does not know how to speak English like a man, who has given all your efforts for months and years, can suddenly throw you and your efforts away... I have experienced all of this personally and I can prove it....

[Angel9629]

My only real issue has been a rule breaker who snuck in 2 pets with a strict no pets policy. My disclosed Ring cam caught it at 10 PM. I had also observed 9 guests on my property when my max is 4 with no guests of guests  allowed on property.  I messaged airbnb who immediately canceled the reservation and asked them to vacate. They ignored messages from myself and airbnb for 14 hours. I was authorized to involve local authorities by airbnb. The cops would only call the guest which didn't help because they ignored communication.  I had to physically go to the property to ask them to leave. Which they then debated with me, how they didn't know the rules. Thatare posted twice on the walls of the condo, in my binder, and multiple times in the listing they booked. They tried to offer me more money to stay and I declined and kept telling them it had escalated to the point they must Vacate. I also stated they cpuld get charged additional fees. The worst part was they stayed 2 days and airbnb tried to take my payout back and refund them. I had to  escalate the issue to ambassador, supervisor etc to get the ruling in my favor to get my payout back. It's airbnb policy I would be due 2 days plus 1. And that was the full reservation amount. I did get the payout. But you must be vigilant 

[Elisa]

Hi @Angel9629 😊, 

Thank you for sharing this here!

I’m impressed, and sorry about all the situations you had to deal with.
How did you manage things with the pet and the guest?

[Angel9629]

Well I asked them to leave and when they kept stalling, I mentioned the police and they asked if we needed to.involve them...I said that was up to them. If they left it wouldn't be necessary.  What was really wild is this guest is a co host on another listing. So I believe they know to read rules and I believe they intentionally took advantage of me. So I'd day be weary of other airbnb hosts that book your unit. They eventually left,  I gave them.a rec for a place that accepts pets. They did not leave a review and I'm guessing it's because they didn't want a negative one from being a cohost themselves. 

[Elisa]

Hi @Angel9629 😊, 

Thank you for letting me know!

It’s definitely surprising that a co-host acted that way.
What made you decide not to leave a review for them?

[Angel9629]

Basically because I'm a  newer host and  I did not want a retaliation review. I would love it if guests that got evicted for rule violations were unable to leave a review period. Then hosts could leave a review on them for future hosts to see without fear of retaliation.  Reviews can make or break you. I had all 5 stars unrill a single guest gave me a 4 because she payed more than her usual trips  and it was hot out so couldn't use the deck. All out of my control.  And obviously she knows the total before booking.  It's frustrating so definitely didn't want to take a chance on reviewing an angry guest who'd been evicted. 

[Greystone0]

Totally agree, Other hosts are extremely difficult to deal with. We've had 4 other hosts and each has been a rule breaker. Smoking, event, more dogs, more people. Really discouraging.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Greystone0 @Angel9629 

We have had the opposite experience with hosts. We found they were some of the best guests we have ever hosted. In fact our first ever guests were hosts from Australia who couldn't have been nicer in the way they suggested ways we could improve the listing including putting up the price!