Texts from hosts and misleading title/description

Answered!

Texts from hosts and misleading title/description

When is it ok for the host to text you during your stay?  

 

Also if it’s a multi family dwelling shouldn’t this be clearly stated in the title and description?

1 Best Answer
Bes175
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

When is it ok for the host to text you during your stay?  [OP]

 

All all times. From asking 'how are you, do you need anything,

to reminders, criticisms and complains'

[you can do the same to them]

 

Also if it’s a multi family dwelling shouldn’t this

be clearly stated in the title and description? [OP]

 

YES!

 

it should have been stated- very very clearly.

Difference between

an entire house & flats/ units, can change entire situation.

Maybe you failed to read listing properly,

Maybe the Host was careless or this was deliberate;

only you have to find this out now.

View Best Answer in original post

13 Replies 13
Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@DeAnn300 

 

What kind of text/message are you referring to ?

eg: A host can sent a message to ask if everything is OK. Which is rather common.

 

What is the URL to the listing and what exactly is your complaint regarding multi families living there ?

The text was  asking why the back door was open.   My complaint is that the title and description indicated it was the entire house.  There is a unit below us and this is not clear at all.  The person below told the host the back door was open.    If a guest is looking for a place to stay that is private they should know this upfront.   Providing the url would just point out the exact host which wasn’t the point of my question. 

 

And why the back door was open? I would also text you for something like that, it's not only energy wasteful if the heating or AC was on but also a security risk. Be a responsible guest and the host will not text you

I don’t think this is the type of site I should go on for understanding.  The heat was down the screen was shut. I don’t think Airbnb is what it used to be. 

@DeAnn300   if you after a site where you accuse hosts of bad behaviour, with zero proof, and you get unconditional support, then go to Reddit.  Otherwise share the listing so we can be sure. You are a 0* new guest so it's a possibility you chose poorly (based on price), and you don't know how to spot bad hosts. We'd give you plenty of support and advice were that the case, because it's not fair when newbies fall prey to these types of hosts, we hate them too!

 

here's the thing, we are mostly hosts here and have between us all 100s of 1000s of experiences and the #1 song on the jukebox here is: guests don't read.   With a flip side of: guest gave me bad review for something I never offered! 

We won't ever defend a bad host, but we don't accuse people blindly without proof. 

@DeAnn300  our guests leave doors open too, and then later they'll complain about insects inside the house 🤦🏻‍♀️  or that it's too hot. I haven't ever actually told them to shut the door though, as I feel that might be too intrusive or big brother type behaviour. I do have a note about doors and windows in the guest manual, so if they complain I usually point to that.

host solution: self closer on the back door. 

 

If there are shared spaces that should be disclosed. However, we can't comment on that because we haven't seen the listing to be able to know if the host was misleading or not.  

To be clear the screen door was shut (glass portion closed).  I didn’t leave the actual “door open.”  I guess they expected both doors to be closed all the time? It just seemed really rude to text me about it especially on thanksgiving. 

@DeAnn300 was it a rude text? Like "hey, get your sh** together and close that door" or more like "happy thanksgiving! Please close the door when you get a chance!"?

 

Anyway, its just a text, not a big deal either way I think

 

 

@DeAnn300 I tend to agree with this. it's Thanksgiving, why are they monitoring you?? 

I guess because you are a new, 0* review guest they are feeling apprehensive. Have you said anything to put them at ease, to reassure them you are a competent person?  All too often I encounter newbie guests who seem clueless to the idea that they are the newbies, and they need a good first review, and they are young and not homeowners, it's very different to a hotel, there is so much more damage that could happen, and we are trusting them with a major asset. 

 

although you've confused me, if the screen is shut, "glass portion closed" aren't both doors closed? You haven't made anything clear. and i still have no real idea from your posts here that you are a conscientious guest. 

I have two Airbnb accounts and my husband has one.  I am 58 and my husband is 61.  We have been homeowners since we were 25.  This Airbnb account I used is the new one I inadvertently used.  We have used Airbnb for years and we always take care of the homes we stay in. Never a bad thing about us and this host never asked but knows we have a grown family.  A super host is expected to be a “super host” so I am not super impressed with the little extras.  But I do expect honesty in the listing.  We were coming here with our son and my daughter and her family.  The point was for my daughter to have a separate area for her family.  So it makes a difference for me.  We gave this person no reason to think we were not responsible. I also did not indicate they could text me.    There are two doors - a screen door and a wood door.  I don’t get a url when I search for it but it’s called “charming Idaho Springs 3 Bedroom Home”. In Idaho springs Colorado. The subtitle is “entire home hosted by.,,.”  We were very surprised when someone else was in the back yard the first day. I don’t want this person to get in trouble but I feel bamboozled. 

Bes175
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

When is it ok for the host to text you during your stay?  [OP]

 

All all times. From asking 'how are you, do you need anything,

to reminders, criticisms and complains'

[you can do the same to them]

 

Also if it’s a multi family dwelling shouldn’t this

be clearly stated in the title and description? [OP]

 

YES!

 

it should have been stated- very very clearly.

Difference between

an entire house & flats/ units, can change entire situation.

Maybe you failed to read listing properly,

Maybe the Host was careless or this was deliberate;

only you have to find this out now.

Inna22
Level 10
Chicago, IL

@DeAnn300 if you post a link to the listing, we can see if the host failed to disclose it or point you where it is stated so you know next time you book. Generally entire place does not mean that you get a sky scraper to yourself, rather that your apartment is private. It will say "entire rental unit" if it is part of a property or "entire home" if you get the whole thing with no other apartments or unit attached. You can see it under the title.

 

Also, getting even the entire property does not mean that the host is not watching over in some way. They should not be breathing down your next but alerting you to an open door is actually a friendly gesture. 

Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

A classic quandary: the guest may feel like the host has his binoculars on the guest and is micro-managing him if it sends the guest a text on it, especially if done so the minute the guest screws up. Spooky.

 

On the other hand, the host may be coming from the fact that the door should be closed for many real and important reasons (ie: bugs, costs of heating or air conditioning, etc).

 

I am grateful I do not get to watch what my guests are doing; I do however work very hard to make my place 'idiot proof' by having things that come on automatically, close by themselves, etc, etc.