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Kindly elaborate a little on this. I don’t quite follow.
Are you saying that despite us disclosing in the listing that there are security cameras on the property, the guest can violate my house rules and then claim a breach of privacy because I’m using filmed evidence of their violations?
So, hosts have literally no means whatsoever to prove a guest’s violation ?!?!
Not sure what’s confusing. Looking at camera footage 24/7 isn’t anything like looking at it when guests are checking in. (which seems like the most likely time to catch them entering with extra guests, undeclared pets, etc.)
You got it!
Do you have the correct wording in your listing regarding the security cameras?
Hosts should greet the guests when they check in and show them around the rental, do a house tour and explain anything that the guest needs to know.
If they can’t do so, then a good and reliable co-host should be used.
Sitting behind a screen and watching guests check in (or anything) seems weird to me. I’ve never used cameras.
$300 is the most the CS reps are allowed to compensate when it is obvious the host got screwed on way more. They apparently won’t charge the guest so eat it in hopes that them giving us $300 will quiet us and that letting the guest get away Scott free will encourage them to continue booking w Airbnb.
Your reasoning makes no sense to me on this one (and I usually think you are pretty spot on). A camera will not stop something in progress. And unless the host is standing next door, watching the camera live, it is only an alert or a record.
Your burglary scenario is pretty much what happens most of the time because we are not there at that moment to thwart the nefarious ne’er-do-well. And only some of the time should we happen to be watching the camera at the moment and see the extra guests or party or theft of your tv or what have you could you actually stop it in its tracks by speaking through the camera remotely.
Yet Airbnb operates this way many times…just frustrating. In my case I have days of documentation in the Airbnb messaging app where the guest admitted and agreed to pay but was waiting on the money to be wired from family because they had used their savings staying in hotels after they couldn’t stay in their house after hurricane beryl.
Interestingly, I received an email today indicating that she had been in the hospital and would ”get it sorted out.” That still is no promise to pay, to me. Her review should address her failure to pay regardless of if/when I do get it.
It’s not that we can’t prove it…because obviously we can much of the time. It’s just that Airbnb refuses to charge the guest unless they agree to pay it. And in most cases, if they had agreed to pay it wouldn’t have been a problem. Sucks really, but is part of the business model Airbnb uses unfortunately.
This is NOT the case most of the time anymore. Self check-in is becoming more and more expected by guests. Many guests will screen for it and only choose that.
I always prefer to do the welcome and tour and check-in in person although sometimes cannot make it work with my schedule or even worse, the guest screws the host over by not showing up when they said they would or whatever. And this is not just nefarious people although they are even worse!
A camera shows you what is happening or has happened. So if the host lives onsite or close by, seeing 5 guests arrive when the booking was for 2 and enter with their luggage, or carrying in amplifiers and party stuff, the host can certainly stop something in progress or within a very short time.
If the host doesn’t live nearby, breaking up a party is a job for the co-host.
I’ve just read so many posts over the years from hosts who were well aware the guests were partying or that 10 people had arrived for a 6 person booking, did nothing about it at the time, then bemoaned the fact that Airbnb didn’t pay for damages or make the guests pay for extra guests.
That’s what I have a hard time understanding- why a host would let unacceptable behavior they are aware of continue, assuming Airbnb is going to enforce extra payments or cover damages.
Every single one of our guests in the last 3.5 years has been greeted by us personally for the reasons you mentioned. We have positive feedback of providing the guest with the attention they deserve and quickly solve any issues if there were any.
However, we do not eyeball our guests after that for example when they unload their vehicle and leave them to it once everything has been explained. Then we use the cameras to ensure that no animals or unregistered guests follow.
As in our previous experience, we had guests waiting 4+ hours after in-person check-in to sneak in their dog which they left in the car during that time. If it wouldn’t have been for the cameras we might not have picked up on the dog until check-out.
We welcome our guests in person (some other hosts do not) so we see what is in front of our eyes at that very moment.
Watching them in person or on camera at the moment they check-in only provides a glimpse of what’s really going on. There is an endless list of guests violating house rules AFTER check-in.
That’s when the cameras come into play - that usually record when motion is triggered so it’s easier to wade through the footage to make sure everything is in order. Hence, no one can monitor the cameras 24/7 as you correctly acknowledged.
As some hosts cannot be there in person at check-in time, even if it’s due to an emergency it’s perfectly realistic that the footage has to be reviewed at a later time. Therefore, I don’t understand the logic behind your statement:
I’m not saying that what you stated is false (!) - I’m expressing my disbelief in that Airbnb flat out refuses to accept video proof of guest violations.
What’s the next step? Refusing to accept photos that document damage that has been caused by guests???
I don’t fully understand what exactly you mean by that - again English isn’t my native tongue so, kindly let me know.
We list our security cameras and their location in our listing (NO interior cameras). We make the guests aware in our printed welcome booklet and in-person when they check-in.
I’m all ears if there is anything else we need to do.
I’m anxious to ask - why?
A 5-star, guest-favorite, Superhost listing gets shut down for ONE guest scamming the system and even if the host has proof of the guest violation, Airbnb seriously considers this to be favourable for their business?
They prefer to keep a scammer, who probably will do it again, instead of keeping an accommodation that has been conducting their business professionally and exceedingly well?
This is what I mean with ‘That can’t be right’.
@Hosterer You are trying to apply normal logic to a billion dollar company. Airbnb doesn’t do what is “right”- they are mainly concerned with profits and guest fees are where they make their money.
There are far more listings than guests to fill them- hosts are expendable, guests aren’t.
You need to mention the location, what they see, if they record sound, how they are activated, if they store video………I am waiting to see if the host has to advise how long the stored video is kept….
Could you provide a link that lists all of those things?
How “useful” to explain to strangers on my property ‘how the cameras are activated’ or ‘what they see’ - I mean geez why not just hand them the keys to my house and invite them to clear it out???
This is asinine.
Any hosts using fake cameras to deter robbers probably also have to disclose that they are not working…
That makes it sound as though the meet-and-greet is for the benefit of the guests, which it isn’t at all.
It’s rather like the mid-stay cleaning / linens change that guests receive. It’s for the benefit of the host not for the guest.
A guest who only wants self-check-in is not a guest I want.
I would say that it’s because while the host does the work it’s the guest who pays the $$ and they would rather keep as many people willing and able to pay $$ than to cut them off from ever providing revenue again. Sadly, we hosts are the ones that suffer in most cases.
No, I understand the purpose. I just also understand the guest side perspective of it as well.