Guests cooking meals in rooms

[Teresa345]

We have guests at the moment and although they have use of the microwave in the dining room for breakfast, i have said they can use it for the two babies meals. But they are cooking meals in their rooms and eating in our dining room!  My listing states no food in rooms and breakfast only is in the dining room! 

[Julia66]

@Teresa345  You have a lovely suite of rooms and a beautiful garden!

I sympathise with you about guests' cooking and eating pratices.  However, you probably need to make your rules clearer in your listing.  Under 'Guest Access' you say that the second bedroom/sitting room 'has a small food preparation unit'.  But guests won't see the restrictions relating to this 'unit' until they read 'House Rules' where you say that there is 'no cooking in rooms'.  Can they not use the 'unit' for cooking?   The Rules also state 'if you wish to use the dining room for your take-away meals or snack at other times [than breakfast] this can be arranged but please ask.'  

I recommend describing the 'food preparation unit' in more detail, and giving the food/cooking/eating restrictions in the next sentence (and repeating them in the House Rules).

The whole suite set-up is a great facility for guests to have, but it is fairly unusual and guests need to have the rules spelt out to them!

[Teresa345 · Accepted solution]

Thank you very much for your help Julia. I will go through my listing and add more details for the small preparation unit. It is a small cupboard with a toaster, kettle and chopping board on it there is no access to plug anything else into this unless you remove one of the plugs from behind the unit however the only way to do this is to pull the cupboard out

[Teresa345]

Hello Julia, i have read my description and made some changes to the details on Guest Access and also repeated this again in the house rules. Could you have a look at the changes and see what you think, i would greatly appreciate your opinion!

thanks

[Pam169]

I just got a message from a guest coming tomorrow that she intends to bring a hot plate and cook in the space. I am not comfortable with that as if it’s left plugged in it could be a fire hazard. I have to call and tell her and worry she will sneak it in. Should I cancel the reservation?

[David126]

i would tell her you have a Microwave but do not allow cooking.

[Matthew285]

@Pam169 do not cancel, as host cancellations are heavily penalized.

You certainly should tell the guest that you do not allow hot plates in the Guest Suite. Remind her that there is a microwave provided for preparing food, and say that the microwave is the only approved heating device allowed.

(Maybe add "No Hot Plates" to your house rules.)

You are in a little bit of a spot because if the guest is not agreeable and pushes back, you did not explicitly have the rule in your house rules before. If it gets to that, then at that point you should involve Airbnb and ask if they will support you on disallowing the hot plate.

[Pam169]

Thanks for the input. I will give her a call and use your suggestion about the microwave being the only approved cooking option.  I didn’t think I’d have to be specific about no other cooking devices. 

[Matthew285]

@Pam169 you normally dont have to be this specific about cooking devices. This is a bit unusual.

[Pam169]

I left her a voicemail regarding the hot plate and she responded via text that she understands. Fingers crossed I don’t smell bacon wafting from the room! Thank you again. 

[Maxine49]

I have had to learn by bitter experience and put notices on the bedroom doors saying no cooking or smoking .This follows the guests thinking it was ok to bring their own portable cooker and proceed to cook a curry in their room with the window closed! Stunk the house out.

[Quincy]

Hi @Maxine49,

Welcome to the Community. 

How did everything go in the end? Have you spoken with your guest about this?