Why Don't Hosts Have Rights?

[Daniela1586]

Hello AirBnB Community -   Sadly, I have guests from down under in my home right now and I'm getting very little support from AirBnB.  The guests have violated house rules several times and I  reported them to AirBnB.  The guests complained to AirBnB stating I've harassed them and have made their stay very uncomfortable. 

The guests even sent me a message today telling me that I am NOT allowed to return to my home.  

All communication with guests have all been through AirBnB so they can see our conversations.  The guests told AirBnB today that they want out ASAP with a refund.  I told AirBnB I want them out by tomorrow11:00am,  and agreed to refund for the nights no longer staying, but want a cleaning fee, and fee for unregistered guest that is spending the night.   AirBnB called the guests and they refuse to pay the cleaning fee and refuse to move out tomorrow stating they work and cannot leave until the 22.  Really??!!  They were the ones who said they want out ASAP but yet they are not moving out for another 5 days.  AirBnB sent me a message and expects me to agree with this??  Wow, are you kidding me AirBnB???  Where are my rights as a host?  Why do we have house rules if AirBnB is not going to support our rules?  I also asked AirBnB if they would remove the negative review that I'm sure they will leave and I was told "no."

Very sad that AirBnB seems to have gone down hill ever since they went public.  Does anyone know if VRBO is any better?  Do they do a better job at vetting guests?  If this is the support hosts get from AirBnB then I want no part of it.    

[Daniela1586]

@Mark-and-Gabriela0   Yes, crazy, and I am so very sorry.  I hope you are able to recover your money.  

On a totally different side note. - I see you are from Portugal.  I am scheduled to travel there in a few weeks and look forward to it - especially after this very stressful situation.  Obrigada e bom dia!!!

[Mark-and-Gabriela0]

Hi Daniela,

Beautiful here! I see you are from California. Lived in the Bay Area 30 years!!

[Daniela1586]

@Mark-and-Gabriela0 - Oh nice!!!  That is a long time - I hope you are enjoying Portugal much more than the Bay Area (I'm assuming you live there now).  ;=). Yes, from Monterey area and currently trying to figure out the Golden Visa process but not sure if I'll qualify.  I know I won't be able to fulfill all the requirements of the D7 so that is out of the question.  Well, at least for now.     

[Mark-and-Gabriela0]

Wow my girls were born in Santa CruZ!!

[Fred13 · Accepted solution]

@Daniela1586 May I suggest changing your pricing structure. You are charging the same for 1-6 guests, so in essence you are encouraging lets say the first 1 or 2, to bring others since it will be 'for free' or they can split the cost; now you are in the realm of splitters able to stay at a $239-a-night place, but at only $40 a night.  You have a lovely place, but appealing to a low-rent clientele, the two sides are incongruent.

   Also 6 is the demarcation between just guests and the possibility of a larger group wanting to 'party', so must be approached with caution. We also have a 6-guest place. 

   Charge the $239 you are now (or $200 which may prove better, for first 2) and $25 or $50 extra for each guest passed 2 people. So easy to calculate. You will love the results.

   Good luck.

[Daniela1586]

@Fred13  Nobody has suggested that before nor have I seen a price structure such as that.  The bulk of the listings in our area are the same as mine.  Granted, I am not an experienced host but honestly, I haven't had a problem before.  The risk you take when you are a host.  Thank you very much for your suggestion and will have to give it some thought.  I appreciate your feedback.  ;=)

[Christine615]

I got sick of the "sneak in an extra" guest. When I started out I charged the same price for 1-4 people.  I just raised my price then lowered the guest count to 2. It's $25/night per person after that.  I still have people who "try" to book for a lower number but I'm steadfast in asking for the names of each person who will be staying and then send a reservation change with the new price.

But mostly, I'm getting more inquiries not less at the higher price point.

So my suggestion is to go look at those "listings" in your area and change the headcount to see if the pricing changes. Here I was amazed to see $78 whole house pricing until I actually put in a guest count as if I were going to book and the prices suddenly jumped to $275 - sigh. A lot of investor hosts play games with the pricing. Spending some time learning what the competition is really charging will help you.

But above all, be clear in your acceptance by confirming that reservation is for "X" people and any additional people added after the fact is an extra charge. I stayed at an Atlanta Airbnb where the price was perfect for 4 people but any additional who stayed after the reservation was confirmed would be billed at $150 per person. I was intrigued and may put that in my listing.

[Fred13]

@Christine615 A sof 3 years ago, I encourage all guests to book only 2 initially and it has really worked out well. It has eliminated the pressure that some 'trip coordinators' may feel to make sure everyone finally shows up, especially if booking way ahead.  Also that we have to 'downsize' reservations. I do have a one-entity at a time place, so why it fits, of course this is not applicable to listings composed of individual bookings.

[Daniela1586]

@Christina615 - this is good to know, thank you very much.  I will have to play around.

[Fred13]

@Daniela1586 It is a very common price structure in many quarters; it has been discussed in this forum many, many times over the years. There lies the beauty of this forum, one may be exposed to a hole new way of thinking.

[Fred13]

hole = whole*

[Rob378]

Reload your settings folks, Airbnb has changed their format. All your cancellation policies are blank unless you have updated them.

One big change you don't know, Airbnb sends non members as members with reservation requests though they have not provided payment info. The "do not hold" space til approved has been removed, the ability to cancel a pending reservation has been removed.

So when I get an inquiry I answer with a question "do you want to book?" as I respect that the tenants are shopping price, location, etc. But not a request to stay. So I deserve an answer.

When I get a request, if I accept, Airbnb should already have ability to accept payment.  Often they don't. So it screens as "awaiting payment"  But blocks the days so no one else can book that space, uh, now. As the requesting guest decides whether or not to give payment information. The rules, "Do not block days until approved" has been removed.

This must change as this denies " ready to go" guests access to our property because 1 day block will stop a two month request, i.e. as a "wondering inquiring guest" thinks about whether or not to do business with airbnb, much less us!

What airbnb does to us, is use this to seduce the inquirer to give payment info, using us as bait. Now I'm ok with that, but blocking us(me) from renting to someone else who can, will, does pay has cost "me" thousands of dollars.

Once knowing airbnb did not have payment set up I went to rescind my offer, and could not. I already sent this message to  the inquiry, sent as a request.

As Follows, "I have requests coming in for your time. I see you joined in 2017 but have no card on file with airbnb to make a reservation.

I have to rescind the offer to stay until you get your account set up. As airbnb is blocking those days without you making payment.
Thank You,
Rob"

Airbnb this is hell to us. We are not machines. Do not use our human element to boost your bottom line while hindering ours. Put things back the way they were. Please!