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It’s your property and your rules. If they refuse, they are trespassing and that is a matter for the police. (In just about every country I think?)
Your business license and / or your insurance will show the maximum occupancy for you rental. Have copies of these scanned on your phone.
Explain that it’s not you, it’s your insurance company and / or your local business license.
You enlist the presence of a couple of friends, relatives, or neighbors who look like the kind of guys you wouldn’t want to mess with (even if they are actually gentle, non-violent folks) to stand around in the background looking menacing while you tell the guests they have to leave now.
If guests are annoying, I try to picture the most innocuous explanation for their actions as a check on my rising irritation. I.e., I substitute “clueless people” if my brain wants to go to “jerks with bad intent.” No one knows your property, your rules, and the reasons therefore as well as yourself. People who are traveling are distracted and often not paying attention.
We know how often guests don’t read the house rules and just make assumptions. In this case, maybe the guests were applying a hotel rule of “kids under 12 stay free,” especially as it is their first time at an Airbnb. Maybe they offered to watch their young nephew for the day and he was messy. Did they really “sneak” the child in? Like was he rolled up in a rug or under a tarp? Or did they just walk in with him?
It’s just business. Stuff happens. The probability is you’ll get a few outstanding guests, mostly average decent people, and a few bad guests over time.
Best to address issues during the stay, as other commenters note:
“I was driving by and noticed you had a youngster visiting. As stated in house rules, the property has a no-child rule, both for safety and to comply with [insurance, local lodging regulations, whatever applies]. Please ensure your young visitor leaves promptly. Thank you.”
See what the reaction is.
As to the review:, short and factual:
“Guests brought a young child into the property despite the no-child rule we state for safety and suitability reasons. Extra cleaning was required.”
Two beds used is no proof of how many guests. When you rent your space you rent the entire space.
A quick message to them on the airbnb app after you saw the youth would have been good on your part. Communication is key!
And if it was left like you said it wasn’t all done by the 7 year old. Adults can be very sloppy!
I am sorry this happened to you.
That is a good review line… Very factual.
Stuff happens… maybe so but deceit is a detestable factor in a guest who clearly stated 2 guests. I doubt he’d leave or have kid leave but probably hide the kid and possibly have revenge damages. So I let it slide. Next time i will call airbnb and ask for an extra guest charge… which I just learned I can do… within 14 days.
Haha yes, that sounds like a reasonable plan.
We have a no kids under age ten policy and put it in plain writing on the Air message. Also no pets. Sometimes I wish I could glance inside their car upon arrival, just to make sure about this. No self checkin here. No-one has ever snuck in anyone or dog, except a couple service dogs that arrived unannounced.
If they did I would ask them to leave as soon as I found out.
We have accepted younger kids and that has worked out ok for us.
We also have all irreplaceable one of a kind thrifted type vintage and custom decor, which we take great pride in and have had No Damage in 5 years.
I’m curious if you can add an extra person fee if there’s a guest limit such as 2 and actually get paid by Air for a third guest?? Because they might not be able to input 3 guests… Hopefully if the host has such a limit, and wants to accept / and change the policy for that booking there will be a message to ask for it from the potential guest, ie proof if it becomes a problem.
yes. its the little things that you find a day or 2 later… I added a guest fee to my rules -if this ever happens again but not sure how airbnb would enforce it… I find if they are upfront about a father/son outing - they usually are careful- its the one that tried to hide it a young kid that creates trouble. I also had a girl sneak in a dog that ate my chair leg that I didn’t notice right away, lol… But you are right that would be a useful thing to have in their policy…