Unresponsive guests

[Teslin0]

Hi Everyone,

I have recently re listed my space on Airbnb as I had such a blast hosting a few years ago.  I had one bad experience in 4 years, and I hate to say in the first month of re listing I've already had 2 bad experiences.

The one I'd like to ask about here is in regards to a guest who booked with the instant book feature (which I have since turned off).   They didn't send a message upon booking, which I understand is not a requirement, but a polite thing to do.  4 messages to them went unanswered, and I had to get airbnb to get in touch with them to see if they were even still coming.  My listing is not a self check in suite, as we are more comfortable meeting the people who are staying in our home.  I asked them 3 times at what time they are arriving and at midnight the night before told me they would be showing up after 5pm the next day.  I make sure to be home to greet them, and at 6:30pm they tell me they actually aren't going to make it, can they check in tomorrow instead in the early afternoon.  I said yes and gave them a 2 hour window in which I will be home, and they then asked me if they can actually check in in the evening.  Now I am mad because I plan my work shifts around checkins and took off the evening they were supposed to check in and switched the shift with the evening they now want arrive.  Not wanting to flap any feathers, I agreed and asked them to tell me what time they want to show up, and I will make sure someone is here to greet them.  That was last night.  Still no reply at 10am the next day.  At this point, they have wasted more of my time than their booking is worth, and I'd prefer to just cancel it.  But I know I will be the one penalized.  Is this considered acceptable guest behaviour these day?  If so I'm going to have to re evaluate my listing.  Ugh.  I guess I'd just like to know what others would do in this situation.  Thanks so much!

Teslin

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Teslin0 the first thing to learn is not to make the guest's problem your problem. If you cannot accommodate their twice changed check in then say no to them.

After that as you have turned off Instant book you can now only allow people who are properly respectful to book your place.

[Teslin0]

@Mike-And-Jane0  Thank you!  I needed to hear that.  I was feeling like Airbnb wasn't going to support me, however, it is MY home, and I do have the ability to say no, despite Airbnb threatening me with blocked dates and automatic reviews.

[Huma0]

@Teslin0 

I totally understand your frustration. I also do an in-person check in and have to organise my work around it, so this would not be okay to me either.

I don't know when it was that you were last hosting but, no, I don't think this is something new (although I do think it's more common with instant book guests, as those are often the people who don't see any need to communicate with the host). 

I started hosting in my current house in 2016 and often experienced guests like yours and other issues with check in times. Even though they were not the majority, thankfully, it was common enough to drive me mad. See: https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/How-can-I-stop-guests-ignoring-the-check-in-time/m-p/304...

The only thing I found helped was to be crystal clear and strict about it on my listings. I don't want to seem inflexible, but I'd rather set the ground rules and then make exceptions for the polite, communicative guests, than the other way around. 

So, now my house rules state that guests must confirm their check in time in advance. I also message all guests asking for this prior to accepting their booking (I turned off IB months ago, but this was also in my pre-booking message and all IB guests were asked immediately if they didn't answer that question). 

I know that not all guests will know their check in time when they book, so the rules say either when booking, or at least a week in advance. In reality, I don't stick to that week in advance rule, but I just find it helps a great deal to make it clear that I need to know.

The point is, they need to acknowledge the question, even if it's just to say, "I am not sure yet as I haven't booked my flight, but I'll make sure to let you know as soon as I do." If they do not acknowledge the question within the 24 hour booking window, I will decline their reservation. 

I will check in on them a few days in advance of their stay to ask again if they haven't told me. It might seem pushy, but I don't care. Guests who have no consideration for others and their time are not guests I want to host.

[Fred13]

This not a common behavior by 99% of guests in any platform. I would chuck it up to the thought they are fruitcakes with very disorganized lives and you just happen to be the one they booked with.