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I have a Airbnb guests who booked for three days, and then extended their stay. There were no issues to start with but then he began refusing to take his shoes off in the house, per my house rules and after the fact that we’ve spoken about it four times.
When I attempted to speak to him about it this morning again, he told me he didn’t believe that his hard shoes would harm my wooden floors. I explained to him it really did not matter what he believed, but that it was my house rules which he had agreed to follow when he booked.
Other issues have been talking very loudly late at night on the phone up until 11:30, some of the time fighting with his girlfriend, and wet clothes hung on the furniture as opposed to the towel rack provided in the room.
As his rental home is not ready yet, I know that he’s going to ask to book again. My issue is it if I refuse to book again I know that he will leave me a negative review, he’s commented on the reviews system several times.
I’ve already had one crazy lady leave me a review, very negative… never used Airbnb before or after that and that a review is still up and it is really hurt me.
I would block out my calendar for a few days after his current stay was due to end and say sorry it is not available. It might be the coward’s option but he is in your home and it is harder to say no if he requests to come back than deal with a guest who seems like he may be difficult and is already disrespecting you.
I would suggest just simply terminating the booking.
Airbnb will allow you to end the reservation without penalty if the guests breaks any of your house rules. It is as simple as that.
I wanted to post an update on this situation- Immediately demanded refrigerator space over and beyond the mini fridge in room.
It was really weird when he asked the first morning if he could taste my breakfast”!
H refused to leave key in lockbox, took it with him. I specify not to do so in my house rules.
He asked me to move a minute while he made a sandwich on my cutting board. I let him, 25 minutes later he had the whole cutting board covered (all 4 feet of it!). I finally told him I needed him to move. He left his bread and a ton of crumbs all over the board and my stuff that was laying there.
Repeatedly coming the in to the house with his shoes on, I spoke to him FIVE times about it. I kept moving his shoes to his bedroom as he continued to leave up to 4 pairs spread all over in front of the door. I tripped over his shoes that were left in front of my desk! This occurred over and over, along with him tracking in all kind of dirt. I had to remove a white rug from his room and wash it, when I put it back and once more asked him to not walk in the house with his shoes on, I once more found the rug dirty with leaves and dirt all over it.
When I lost it and told him I was fed up, he told me he didn’t “believe” me when I said his hard and very loud, dress shoes would harm my very old, restored wooden floors. I reminded him he had agreed to do so when he booked!
Sam asked for a discount when asking to rebook.
Sam monopolized the bathroom for over an hour each morning. When I finally one morning, after being up for 45 minutes, asked to use the bathroom. He refused, saying he was just getting in the shower! This was after the water in the bath had been running for most of the time he was in there!
Halfway through Sam’s stay I tripped and sprained my ankle. After we spoke for the 4th time about the show situation, he came in from work and stuck his head in the door and asked me to walk to the door (on crutches!) and throw his trash way. He commented that he had no way to throw it away himself because I was insisting he take his shoes off!
His VERY load, yelling even, on phone every evening got ridiculous. It went on until 11 to 11:45 each evening. When I asked for it to stop he had a long excuse about how his girlfriend was mad at him, and he would “try” to make sure it didn’t happen again. It did. His excuse this time? He had to yell to be heard over the phone when speaking to his mother in India.
Even when I showed him where the Airbnb guest parking was, I had to get him to move his vehicle out of my tenant’s parking space.
On the morning we finally really had it out about the shoes (4th talk!), he said ok, no problem. He then promptly left his dirty socks and tennis shoes in from of my desk. He continued to walk around the house with hard shoes on, then left. I asked him about all that when he got in from work, he told me he was very confused about where to leave his shoes. I reiterated; in your room, with ONE pair of flip flops by the door. I also told him I did not understand since he has having trouble with leaving his shoes all over, forcing me to move or walk around them…why he did not use the separate entrance I had pointed out to him. I asked going forward that he do so.
He has told me he really liked it here, felt welcome and at home. I saw that the room needed a table to make it easier for guests to manage food prep, he was very grateful. Claims he will leave me a great review, has rebooked 3 times now, extending his stay.
But after the conversation this morning he is being sullen, non-communicative. He leaves at 11:00 tomorrow!!
I realize now that at the first request for special treatment I needed to put my foot down. It’s hard, you want to be accommodating, but house rules are house rules. It’s strange, Sam can be funny, charming…and we’ve had a good time except for his refusal to be respectful and follow the house rules.
He sounds like my uncle, clueless and forgetful, putting his shoes on a table and making terrible mess everywhere he went. Now he passed, but i remeber how he was taking a piece of chicken out of a big plate at the family dinner, biting on it and putting it back on a plate where there was food for everyone.
I had guests like this in a very beginning of my hosting. Thankfuly after that noone repeated this experience,
Or may be because i really did not have long term guests anymore.
There is nothing you can do if a guest is oblivious to his/her surroundings. They just do not notice. They forget, they dont pay attention.I had a guy once who was terrible door slammer. We told him within one hour 4 times to not do it. He kept on slamming doors. It was almost midnight when he did it again and the sound was so strong that i woke up with heart jumping out of my body. I went downstairs and told him that that was the last time he slammed doors in my house. If he does it one more time he is out. He left i a morning, we still heard him, but it was not as bad.
Imagine having someone like this in a house for a week.
The host sets the parameters…if a host can’t speak up for him/herself, then maybe this is not the best way to earn an income. POST THE RULES where all guests can clealy see them! also put in a folder or framed in their room or next to the bathroom mirror. Keep the rules on the positive side , e.g. PLEASE…(do this) rather than Do Not…
Add at the bottom that: This is my (our) home & not a hotel. We strive to makeyou feel welcome/ at home, but we do ask you to respect our household rules --they are for us as well–to keep things running smoothly! Thank you, your host.
I would not put up with any contrary guests for one minute…catch them early–ASK them if the read the rules, if not, show them to them…tell them the reason for the rule…cleanliness, protect the furniture (from wet towel damage), to keep things neat and tidy…what ever is important to you…YOU SET THE STANDARD!! --NOT the guest! Remember that! I have been hosting 3 years -have over 80% 5 stars, and the rest are 4 stars…One thing I like to say is: I like to keep things clean and healthy for you and my future guests! (they cannot disagee with that…in fact, that is the secret…to say only things they can only agree with! (regarding your rules…they are for a reason after all!) P.S, ALWAYS communicate everything in the MOST FRIENDLY WAY! (it really pays off) --if you get burned out on hosting, take some days off now and then…go for a hike, have some fun, or just relax for a few days! No one is forcing you to do this! Hospitality can be challenging! My mission statement is: To make sure my guest has the best experience possible and ME TOO!
Great advice! Thank you for replying. I have made some changes, posted rules in room as well, ask point blank in initial reply to book if they have read the rules. And will allow no wiggle room in rules, no second chances. UPDATE- LOL, he left a review saying I needed to be more flexible wifth my house rules… They are rules for a reason.
