Let’s talk pets! Having issues with guest not adding their pet to the reservation.

Answered!
Lindsay240
Level 2
Idaho Springs, CO

Let’s talk pets! Having issues with guest not adding their pet to the reservation.

Hi fellow host!

 

I would like your input on a issue that seems to be very common and is a definite problem. 

I allow two animals max. I have a flat pet fee and a list of pet policies and rules I send out to each guest before their arrival. I do this to avoid any misunderstandings and this allows the guest to prepare themselves and animals before check-in.  

Here is the issue I seem to be having. Guest are not adding their pets to the reservation. It seems to be a consistent problem lately. I also have guest that tell me they are bringing their dog, but not add the animal to the reservation (nothing about a service or emotional support animal). I am constantly chasing after people for the pet fee after they check-out. This is definitely upsetting many guest as they say they didn’t know there was a fee. It does state that in my description (but we all know most people don’t read all the info anyways!) 

 

Here are my concerns and feedback from guest:

 

1) Guest who actually do add their pet to the stay are marking me down under “value”

The pet fee doesn’t show up separately in the breakdown for guest, so by the time the review process comes around, guest are valuing my place and forgetting that there was a pet fee added into that price.

 

2) One guest got upset and said I shouldn’t charge a fee and that I should add it into the nightly rate  so there are no  hidden charges. I explained if I raised my prices to reflect a pet fee, that would be unfair to the guest who do not have pets and I would also loose bookings because my prices would be too high. 

3) I also understand that I can not charge for service animals/emotional support animals. That’s completely fine, but don’t the owners still need to let us know that they are bringing a dog and doesn’t the same pet policies/house rules  apply?

 

I wish that guest had to answer a few questions as part of their stay and were not allowed to skip this part. 

 

*Are you bringing a pet? Yes or No

*How many pets?

*What type of pet?


How do I get guest to add their pet to the reservation?

 

How do I get them to understand that there is a separate pet fee that goes towards all the extra cleaning and work it takes to allow them to have their pet?

 

Allowing a pet, is allowing guest to travel with their best buddy/fur baby’s. I provide a  safe, welcoming home for all to enjoy. I would just think that the small pet fee is worth having a fun and memorable experience with their animals. 

Any advice is very much appreciated!

 

Thanks & Happy Hosting. 

 

 

1 Best Answer
Lorna170
Level 10
Swannanoa, NC

@Lindsay240   A lot of guests will begin their search with only the number of humans involved...and then they mention their pet.  I have it in my property description that my Pet Fee is X dollars. Nothing hidden there.

 

When I respond to a guest thanking them for their booking, I reiterate that their booking is for arrival date to departure date, that it is for X number of persons and NO pets.   Surprise!  Most guests will now let me know that Fifi is coming too.

 

If they have mentioned bringing Fifi, I will advise them that the Pet Fee will be charged via the Resolution Center prior to their receipt of the Welcome Package with the door code.  I have not had any pushback from the guests as they can go back to my description and can see that there is indeed a Pet Fee.  

 

It is a problem that AirBnB has decided to roll the Pet Fee into the nightly rate.  The guest does not see the Pet Fee as a line item when looking at their bill, so they are not sure that they have paid it, and (drum roll...) WHY ARE YOUR FEES NOT THE SAME AS ADVERTISED!!!  I send a detailed Welcome message to the guest reiterating that they rented for X dollars per night, the Pet Fee (and cleaning) is B and C, the Taxes are D and the AirBnB Service Fee is E for a grand total of $$$.  A PITA to do, but again, the guest is clear on what they are paying for.  

 

For those guests who are too darn cheap to pay a Pet Fee because Fifi is "mommy's little ESA", the guest receives my Pet Addendum whereby they agree that their animal meets the ADA description of a Service Animal and that they will follow certain rules (never left in the property alone, leashed at all times, they dispose of all pet debris, etc.)   It is surprising how many guests own up to "it's a family pet" and pay the fee.

 

Communication.  Keep up the communication.

 

 

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8 Replies 8
Debra300
Level 10
Gros Islet, Saint Lucia

@Lindsay240,

 

You should research your state's requirements regarding the disclosure and acceptance of emotional support/service animals.  Whenever I need to get a response or action from a guest I usually tell that they need to complete the request to avoid delays in receiving the door code (for self check-in) or checking in and gaining access to the rental.  Last month, Airbnb removed the feature for pre-booking messages for Instant Booking, and have told hosts that we can ask questions in automated messages after the booking has been made.  This has prompted some hosts to turn off Instant Booking to force guests to submit booking requests, and allow the host to vet them.

They sure have made it complicated!  

So, if I send a request to the guest after booking  and then they tell me they are bringing a pet, do I need to ask them to update their reservation by adding their pet? Will the reservation then update the price with the pet fee? 

Debra300
Level 10
Gros Islet, Saint Lucia

@Lindsay240,

 

Yes, it is more difficult to get information and the correct payment for a reservation. I did a search and saw a great post from @Suzanne302 that she wrote last year.  Click the link and see the reminder message that she sends to guests.

Lorna170
Level 10
Swannanoa, NC

@Lindsay240   A lot of guests will begin their search with only the number of humans involved...and then they mention their pet.  I have it in my property description that my Pet Fee is X dollars. Nothing hidden there.

 

When I respond to a guest thanking them for their booking, I reiterate that their booking is for arrival date to departure date, that it is for X number of persons and NO pets.   Surprise!  Most guests will now let me know that Fifi is coming too.

 

If they have mentioned bringing Fifi, I will advise them that the Pet Fee will be charged via the Resolution Center prior to their receipt of the Welcome Package with the door code.  I have not had any pushback from the guests as they can go back to my description and can see that there is indeed a Pet Fee.  

 

It is a problem that AirBnB has decided to roll the Pet Fee into the nightly rate.  The guest does not see the Pet Fee as a line item when looking at their bill, so they are not sure that they have paid it, and (drum roll...) WHY ARE YOUR FEES NOT THE SAME AS ADVERTISED!!!  I send a detailed Welcome message to the guest reiterating that they rented for X dollars per night, the Pet Fee (and cleaning) is B and C, the Taxes are D and the AirBnB Service Fee is E for a grand total of $$$.  A PITA to do, but again, the guest is clear on what they are paying for.  

 

For those guests who are too darn cheap to pay a Pet Fee because Fifi is "mommy's little ESA", the guest receives my Pet Addendum whereby they agree that their animal meets the ADA description of a Service Animal and that they will follow certain rules (never left in the property alone, leashed at all times, they dispose of all pet debris, etc.)   It is surprising how many guests own up to "it's a family pet" and pay the fee.

 

Communication.  Keep up the communication.

 

 

Hi,  @Lorna170 

 

The info you suggested is so helpful! I am definitely going to take your advice and start sending more of a detailed welcoming message. I received a message the other day stating that the “pre booking message” is now available again. I am also going to use that to stay on top of this pet issue.

 

 

I feel like Airbnb really needs to make a change in how they structure    pet stays. It is easy for guest to skip right past the  Who’s Coming section that asks “Pets - 0 +” because right below that, it says 
Bringing a service animal? It then says “service animals are not pets, so no need to add them here!”

 

So pretty much anyone can claim they are bringing a service animal and beyond that section of the reservation, they are never asked again anymore info about their service animal/pet. So the guest gets away with not having to pay the fee, and we are left with the headache of figuring out if the animal was in fact a “service animal,” or someone’s pet. Then the chase begins! What a mess this has become! 

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Hi Lorna, 

Super great advice! You're all over it. 

Do you mind sharing the language from your pet addendum? I received my first booking request with an ESA and now have to prep a host of pet rules, I would love to see what you've got, seems like your bases are covered.

 

Thanks in advance! 

Gaby

@Gaby259   As so many persons do not want to understand the ADA definitions, they are included in my "Animal" Addendum.  

 

Service and ESA Animal Addendum

You have advised [name of] Cabin that you will be bringing an animal that has been classified as either a Service Animal or Emotional Support Animal (ESA) meeting the definitions of the ADA or the Fair Housing Act and are claiming exemption from the advertised Pet Fee.

 

Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs [or other animals] whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.

 

Emotional support animals are companion animals who help their owners cope with the challenges associated with emotional and mental health conditions (such as depression and anxiety) by providing comfort with their presence. Unlike service and therapy dogs, emotional support animals are not expected to perform specific tasks related to their owner’s condition, nor must they adhere to any behavior standards or training. While the Fair Housing Act does protect a person's right to have an emotional support animal when renting or buying property, it doesn't necessarily extend to vacation rentals. This is due to the fact that the FHA covers all “temporary or permanent dwellings,” but not accommodation classed as “transitory.”

The following rules apply with respect to service and assistance animals visiting [name of] Cabin, a transitory vacation rental property:

 

1. A Pet Fee shall not be assessed for service or assistance animals, but guests are financially responsible for any injury to persons or damage, repair or replacement of property relating to the behavior of any service or assistance animal.
2. Guests are responsible for sanitary disposal of all waste products of their service or assistance animals, including removal of waste materials from outdoor areas and disposal of such waste in trash receptacles.
3. The guest shall provide evidence of current immunization and veterinarian contact information if requested by [name of] Cabin.
4. Service animals will be in the company of the guest at all times.
5. Assistance animals are not to be left alone in the accommodation unless crated.
6. All service and assistance animals must be properly leashed when outside the accommodation and must not be left unattended when outdoors.
7. No animal, either service or assistance, will be permitted to sleep or lie on any bed or furnishings in the accommodation.

 

The forgoing provisions are necessary components of the reasonable accommodation that is the subject of this Addendum. Noncompliance with this Addendum constitutes a violation of the host rules and may set in motion the remedies for violations, including compensatory fees, eviction and/or cancellation of the remainder of the reservation.

Thanks so much, @Lorna170!