Careless and unpleasant guest - first time on Airbnb?

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Jane3552
Level 2
Frankfurt, Germany

Careless and unpleasant guest - first time on Airbnb?

I‘m hosting a 19 year old for 11 nights. It’s a room in my apartment. His parents paid for the booking. His mother originally tried to book via her profile but I explained that 3rd party bookings not allowed. He has only ever used Airbnb with his parents, it’s his first time using Airbnb on his own. 

We are on night 6 and I’m contemplating asking him ( and his mother ) to cancel the remaining 5 nights. 

Before arrival he didn’t respond to my messages on Airbnb and text about when he would check in. I contacted his mother to ask him to contact me , otherwise I would have contacted Airbnb support. I told both of them the lack of communication made me feel uncomfortable and that I would appreciate better  communication. 

 

The next issue was that 3 days in a row he didn’t flush the loo properly after doing a poo (bathroom is shared). After this happened three times I realised it wasn’t accidental and asked him to flush again if the water isn’t clear.  The 4th day the loo still wasn’t flushed properly. The 5th day it was. 

I arranged with him that I would clean his room today ( day 6) i.e vacuum, empty trash etc). The room was such a mess that I couldn’t vacuum. I asked if I can do it tomorrow to which he offered I can do it anytime ( so he expects me to pick up everything off the floor ) and then he also offered that I can leave the vacuum cleaner for him to do it himself. 

That isn’t an option because he obviously won’t clean properly and seems to think it’s ok to leave 10 days of trash and empty takeaway containers  in the room.

The apartment is on the ground floor and today he went out and left the windows wide open. They are large enough for a person to fit easily. Fortunately the room was not locked ( because I was going to vacuum ) so I shut them before I went out. But afterwards I sent him a message that he should kindly not leave the windows open as we’re on the ground floor there are burglaries in the city.

 

After this I came home and noticed he didn’t remove his shoes ( everyone leaves their shoes in the entrance hall ). It’s also written in my house rules. 


I am counting the days until he leaves (another 5 nights) but I’m contemplating asking him to find another place. It is hard to find something in my city at the moment but I did see a hostel and a cheaper hotel available with adequate transport connection,

so he wouldn’t be completely stranded. 

What will happen if I ask him to cut the stay short. Does he get refunded the remaining nights only? Or the whole stay?

 

All the communication was on Airbnb so in case of doubt Airbnb can read about everything I have mentioned above. 

This is the first time I would be asking a guest to leave early , although I seldom have guests staying for more than 3 or 4 nights because of my pricing and lack of kitchen access. 

Also , how would you review this guest ?


thanks. 

 

 

1 Best Answer
Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Jane3552 

 

I would absolutely not agree to a refund of the entire stay. I would explain to the mother that the guest used the accommodation for six nights (or whatever it ended up being), and is therefore required to pay for it, plus created a lot of additional cleaning for you, which you are not charging extra for and that you went out of your way to find alternative accommodation for him, which you didn't need to do. It is well within your rights to ask a guest to leave when they violate the rules stated on your listing. 

 

Honestly, what is wrong with people. If it was my child, I would embarrassed, not asking for a full refund!

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20 Replies 20
Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Jane3552 

 

Shortening the reservation  will useally result in the remaining unused nights being refunded. (except when is it a "long term stay").

If you perform the shortening yourself, then you have full control over the refund and you can also change the calculated price in the  change-form.

Ok thanks. 

Jenny
Community Manager
Community Manager
Galashiels, United Kingdom

Sorry to hear about this @Jane3552 - have you figured out how you'd like to deal with this yet?  

Jenny

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Jane3552
Level 2
Frankfurt, Germany

Thanks Emil and Jenny. I shortened the reservation after checking that there was cheaper or same price accommodation available at short notice so the guest wouldn’t be stranded. The mother wants a full refund for the entire booking  but I explained that I’m only willing to refund the unused nights. 

 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Jane3552 

 

I would absolutely not agree to a refund of the entire stay. I would explain to the mother that the guest used the accommodation for six nights (or whatever it ended up being), and is therefore required to pay for it, plus created a lot of additional cleaning for you, which you are not charging extra for and that you went out of your way to find alternative accommodation for him, which you didn't need to do. It is well within your rights to ask a guest to leave when they violate the rules stated on your listing. 

 

Honestly, what is wrong with people. If it was my child, I would embarrassed, not asking for a full refund!

Gillian166
Level 10
Hay Valley, Australia

@Huma0  I would be mortified!  but some parents treat their kids like Gods Gift to the World.... and he's clearly been over-parented his whole life if he can't even flush a toilet properly.  

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Gillian166 

 

The toilet thing is baffling. I could see it happening once, but when the host has reminded you about it a few times?

 

I know what you mean though about some parents treating their kids like they are god's gift and then expecting everyone else to do the same... It's sad because they don't seem to realise that they are actually disadvantaging their kids by brining them up like that.

Gillian166
Level 10
Hay Valley, Australia

@Huma0  frankly there's NO excuse for it. We live in a world oozing with self-help advice, through books, podcasts and youtube, plus i'm sure there's stuff on tiktok too. Zero excuse for this kind of parenting, and everyone knows that pandering to your kids makes them less than spectacular adults. 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Gillian166 

 

Well, everyone SHOULD know that, but unfortunately some don't seem to...

 

If you think you have a 'golden child', then they will always be golden. Nothing they can do is wrong. Everyone else must be wrong. Right?

Gillian166
Level 10
Hay Valley, Australia

@Huma0  *sigh* yes. that is exactly how it happens. I wonder if she'll try to write the review for him as well. 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Gillian166 

 

Quite likely!

@Gillian166 @Huma0 

I suspect she might draft the review unless

he says no. I think she might have written his booking request because the subsequent messages were in a different style. 

 

@Jane3552  Why does his mother think she's owed a full refund for nights he already spent at your place?

She thinks it’s the “gracious” thing to do after being “harsh” and “cancelling the stay for a “small thing” ,leaving “a mother’s child stranded” in a “strange country” ( he’s been living in Germany for more than 2 years). And the reason he left the windows wide open was because he had a migraine and had to get food because I don’t allow use of the kitchen. So ultimately all my fault.