just a succession of needy or non thinking guests

[David3267]

A late night rant but after three years of hosting hundreds of guests in four properties the last week has been the most challenging! I'm seriously considering only hosting those guests who are older, wiser and have reviews! So far; Guests locking out other guests by deadlocking communal doors, guests turning off wi fi routers and then wondering why the wifi doesn't work, guests asking what the public parking signs on the road  mean, guests who cannot operate venetian blinds... what is going on, where have the old style guests with a modicum of common sense gone??? Rant over..it's been a bad day! Just hoping that today's bunch understand how to operate a lavatory tonight or boil the kettle in the morning...looking forward to a selection of messages in the morning

[Brian2036]

@David3267 

I’m afraid it’s not a novel phenomenon:

Cross Section 1947: A collection of new American writing, Edwin Seaver (ed.):

“S—t. These tenants ain't got sense to pour piss out of a boot with directions wrote on the heel. …”

[Sarah977]

@David3267  Haven't you heard? Common sense is so passé. Why think for yourself when you can just Google or fire off a text message?

I was just thinking about how people will ask a question and preface it with "I know this might be a stupid question but...".

Then someone answers with the old adage "There's no such thing as a stupid question".

Well, I disagree- there are plenty of stupid questions. Questions that are answered if one had bothered to read or listen to the information provided.  Questions that can be answered by simply taking a moment to observe. Questions the answers to which are obvious if you just think about it for a minute. 

[Brian2036]

@David3267 @Sarah977 

I used to have a sign in my office that said:

Ignorance can be fixed.

Stupidity is permanent.

[Christine615]

Older and wiser? The ones that shed hair then complain there's hair on the floor. The ones who white glove the baseboards behind a cabinet then say the whole house is dusty? The ones who rearrange your cabinets because you apparently don't organize correctly? Or the ones who say the freezer needs to be cleaned even though it's white (i.e. would show dirt if there was any) and empty of anything but ice trays.

Those older and wiser guests? 

I have had 18 year olds who left my home so clean you could eat off the floor, and older guests who I've had to leave the dreaded "would not host again." And every thing in between. I can usually tell by how chatty the guest is when booking about who they are and why they are coming that they'll be fun. The ones that are perfunctory and come off like I'm a cheap hotel alternative - those I tend to emphasize the house rules if I approve the booking (a big if).

99% of my guests have been great, even the ones coming as the world opens up again. The ones that ask to stretch the rules, want a discount, or want to pack in a few extra people (or book for 1 but say there are 5 coming), or contact me after midnight with "You open today?"  = those are easy declines.

I think Airbnb should do a better job educating guests on expectations, especially new ones and those with bad reviews. And should ban the IP addresses of those who don't measure up. Nothing breeds more desire like making it harder to qualify 🙂

[Joe2196]

I have been doing this for about 5 years now. Back in the day when I started, i.e. when I was young and dumb to the airbnb platform, I experienced a lot of what you are talking about.  It took me a year to fine tune my listing and not only do I stay fully booked, but I only deal with amazing guests. Some of the things I did a year into hosting are: Turn off instant book, and only accept people that have at least one review. Sometimes two, depends on how long they've been a member. i.e. if  someone was a member in 2013 and only has 1 review, I required two reviews (or 1 recent one).  The other thing I do is, when I get a critique/comment about my listing, I create an FAQ about it in my property listing.  Example: My listing is connected to my house. It is actually a converted garage with private entry, bathroom and kitchen. Really a room addition to our house.  But, it is still connected to my house. And I use to get the comment "Great place, but walls are super thing. I can here the family next door and they can definitely here me. we were hoping to get some private time in" wink wink.  So when I see comments like this I add it to my Listing Description as a FAQ. Q. "will I hear noise from the adjacent property", Answer: Yes. I live right next door. If you are on a honeymoon, my place isn't for you."  I have about 10 different FAQ's all that relate to previous comments. Now when I get a review, people might still comment about thin walls, but its always in context to 'as advertised'.  Which results in better reviews and contributes to my Super Host status, which is why I stay consistently booked.  My FAQs are so explicit some would think, why would anyone book with you.  But it really does filter out the complainers.  

[Richard531]

@David3267 @Christine615 @Joe2196 

There's nothing like a good old fashioned rant!  It's cathartic and an OK thing!

The most likely (and least exciting) explanation for all of this is it's just bad luck.  This line of work can be nothing but amazingness for days/weeks at a time.  And then you get that 1 complete idiot.  In fact (let's add to the rant!) JUST NOW, I had a guest that asked for an early check in earlier today (denied, no exceptions, check in @ 3PM) and she texts me at 2:57.  "We’ve arrived, there is a car in the driveway."  ARE YOU KIDDING ME!  Of course, my crew is clearing out literally right at that moment.  But this **bleep** couldn’t wait 3 fricken minutes!  Because their time is SO IMPORTANT.

As for the age group of this behavior?  I concur with Christine.  I think the older guests can be horrific just as much as any age group.  Most older folks want/expect a hotel, they just don't know it.  We are not hotels!  So you’re back pedaling the whole time.  The same listing that an older guest would find “sort of funky and NOT luxurious” would be to a 30-something, “a place where you make me feel like I’m staring in my very own music video.”  So it just depends.  I'll take younger guests honestly!  My troubles have always been with older folks (each of the five 4-star reviews out of the last 400 or so. . .).

I really enjoyed Joe’s FAQ for his listing based on lessons learned.  Cleaver idea that I don’t think I would be able to add to my listings because I’m already saying so many other important things (that I know so few people read anyway). 

Bottom line for David: it was just an unlucky succession of guests.  You will be eventually rewarded by a few dozen good ones in a row.  Just gotta have faith and be patient and continue being the great host that you are!  NOTE!  You mention in your “About” blurb on your profile that “We never fail to be disappointed with Dartmouth and all it offers.”  Unless you mean that Dartmouth sucks (and it might!) you are using a common misnegation where you mean to say something positive but you are in fact saying something negative about the subject. 😉 

Keep chins up and keep working hard hosts!  This forum is so perfect for rants!  You are not alone!

[Colleen253]

@Richard531 "I really enjoyed Joe’s FAQ for his listing based on lessons learned.  Cleaver idea that I don’t think I would be able to add to my listings because I’m already saying so many other important things (that I know so few people read anyway). "

I think the FAQ idea is great, too. Take a picture of the FAQ's and add it to your photos.

[Qiu-and-Kevin0]

I just had host a group a few days ago, one of them stolen our beach towel and found it lost after they checked out, I contacted the guest who was the account holder, no response, so only I could to do was to report to Airbnb and hope Airbnb could get the guest to pay for the lost item, however, it ended up by Airbnb Host Guarantee payout because the guest simply don't to responded AIrbnb requirement. The item original price was around $29, but Airbnb just like to pay me just $15 because they said  depreciation applied because now airbnb has changed their claim policy! Therefore, I have to folk out an extra money myself to get it replaced. We have requested to place down a security deposit while guest is processing their booking, however, it's simply not work at all under Airbnb's operation ! How hosts could get protected from Airbnb when you list your property thru their platform afterwards?  

[Helen3]

Always good to let off steam by having a good rant 🙂

What measures do you have in place to vet your guests to ensure they are a good fit @David3267 

I'd move the router so it's not available to guests.