Thanks for explaining. That makes sense to me. And I’m sorry about the disrespectful guests, hope you get better ones going forward. Maybe have one set of things that is used for guests and one set for yourselves, locked away from the guests?
FYI, my guests don’t really feel like strangers to me- I host solo travelers only, get quite a few international guests, and actually like the interaction with them. Plus they have a separate entrance to their room, we don’t share a bathroom, only the kitchen, so it’s not like we are holed up in close quarters or passing each other in the hallway.
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We’re in the Catskills as well, it’s very common for people to Airbnb places that they also use, but aren’t their primary homes. We have a shed that’s locked where we keep our own food, drinks, etc and don’t have personal photos or other common things you’d find in someone’s primary home. We do have our own set of sheets and towels and since most people are only staying for a few days, it’s never been an issue for us to leave our sheets (we don’t leave out extra towels since we’ve found some guests seem to think they need a fresh one for each shower) in the bottom of a dresser that’s otherwise empty for guest use. This last guest was the first to use our personal sheets, and it’s not a huge deal, I only mentioned it in a previous post because it meant doing double the laundry we normally do since her towels also required two washes. I know a lot of people on here don’t seem to mind lots of extra cleaning with guests, but it’s an extra expense, waste of resources and waste of time.
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Only on paper though so it doesn’t really count surely?
We have STR as well, and it sounds like you only use Airbnb for business and it’s not property you use personally. I’m not hand wringing over every broken glass or ruined towel, but a collection of several bad things in one guest is something that doesn’t seem unusual for a host to find frustrating. Regardless, my original post wasn’t asking for thoughts on whether I’m too emotionally attached to my home, it was on more experienced hosts’ advice on guests asking for refunds as that’s a first for me. But I get that people like to give out lots of unsolicited advice on internet forums.
Because there’s no level of protection provided via craigslist? Interesting…
Apparently according to everyone here, but that hasn’t been my experience. I’ve received reimbursement for the three times I’ve requested it in the last year (including just today for this guest), and I am diligent in taking photos when I think there is an issue and in making sure to keep all communication to airbnb so there’s a clear chain for the customer service folks to follow. I find the time it takes to resolve things longer than necessary, but my experience hasn’t been that support is non-existent.
Because CL is known to be riddled with fraud.
I do not rely on air for any sort of “protection”
True I only use Air for business I did not know there was a non business use other than as a guest? I am very invested in my property, I am there everyday, my business office is there, I built the 2nd cabin myself and I am constantly improving on everything. No I do not live there, but I am very attached to the property. I just had to learn, for my own sanity to try not to take things personally.
RR
No of course it isn’t non-existent for people who need it and rely on others to run their businesses. That’s why we have to pay the fees which could be considerably lower.
I guess you are unaware that some hosts who have home shares actually like meeting folks from all over and find cultural exchange to be of value?
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There isn’t. This is all getting very confusing this evening 
Sorry I guess I don’t follow - you said the protections are only on paper so don’t count, I was saying that hasn’t been my experience
Context is key, I said only for business and not that you use personally. There is a difference between a property that’s solely for airbnb and one that a host also uses. It’s a lot easier to tell people to get over it when it’s only a source of income and not their actual home. For one it’s obvious most people care about their home, two it’s unsettling for a guest to be aggressive and threatening when they know exactly where your remote property is.
I agree that there is a non-business use for Airbnb. Many people do it for fun and companionship. Some people do it as a non profit. At least one guy in my city was claiming that all profits went to a local charity. I don’t know if that was true but it could be.
And there can certainly be a non-business use for an Airbnb location. I rent a room in my home. Like others here I have strong emotions attached to my home and I’ll leave out the sappy parts for tonight. I’ve given Air bookings to charity, I don’t charge my friends to stay here. No I don’t want to offer it free all the time and I do like the money but a simple, “it’s a business and all decisions are made from that starting point is not true for everyone.” RR and I have had discussions about refunds that reflect those kinds of emotional differences.
Just as I hope no one is going to attack capitalists for being capitalists here, I hope we can realize there are all kinds of hosts with all kinds of feelings about their property.
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That does not make it not a business. The act of exchanging money for a service makes it a business. Couchsurfing would allow for cultural exchange if that is the only motivator.
RR
But you do, you use it as a protection against at fraud, right? Would you rent to a guest with only terrible Airbnb reviews? If your answer (the only reasonable one) is no, then you are relying on Airbnb for some sort of protection.
AirBnb will not even share the ID or any verifications so idk how they are any protection against fraud. I get ID from all my guests. I do look at reviews after a booking is already in place, I have never turned down a guest though.
I am not sure why you want me to agree with you that I use airbnb for protection but if reading the reviews of a booked guest protects me somehow you can be right. You win, you can even have the last word I am over this conversation.
RR
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This was the alternative:
Maybe not, but your post clearly indicates that you are pissed off, taking it personally, and acting like you can’t continue your business because of this.
I was planning to replace the sofa bed (which the guests broke) with a real bed and I was actively looking for a replacement before the guests broke it. Coincidental, yes. Nonsensical, no.
But someone that didn’t is nonsensical?
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It is 100% nonsense for someone admonishing others to just treat it as a business to then boast about poor business skills, yes.
I am not sure why you want me to agree with you that it offers no protection, so I guess we have one thing in common.
I’m honored.
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I never said it makes it not a business. I was responding to you stating that you weren’t aware that Airbnb had any non-business use.
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That’s not relying on Airbnb for protection, that’s relying on other hosts to warn their fellow hosts if a guest was unacceptable.
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