This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
I have a current guest who checked in on the 17th In our 4 bedroom listing. She just sent me a message saying that one of the beds was not made. This is a lie, she also sent a photo that shows the bed unmade with one of the pillows covered in a pillow case. My housekeeper did not take a picture after cleaning.
She is asking for an extra sheet. !
I do not want to provide extra sheet because they must have soiled the previous ones. I am not sure what they have done with them. But my dilemma is that I do not have the photo to back up what I know.
Just apologize and take them a sheet. They’re not asking for a refund or anything. You’re making it worse by being defensive.
BTW, it seems you don’t personally check on the cleaner’s work. Have you considered that your housekeeper did make a mistake or may have given the job of cleaning your listing to somebody else without telling you?
Hi Brian, you are possibly right. The reasons for my deduction is ; I have used the services of this cleaner since we started. I have inspected her work and watched her work on several occasions. She has OCD, literally and very meticulous. Thats why I have retained her services. She has a pattern of cleaning that she uses all the time. If the bed was not made, there would not have been pillow case in one of the pillows. And the bed would have had 4 bare pillow cases instead of 1.
I live away from my listing and we have a camera. I monitor my cleaner when she goes in and out and I also go out and perform random inspection. Along with my co-host. She does the cleaning by herself.
Guests usually will not wait till almost check out day to complain of anything. They do it as soon as they check in.
I guess because I have house rules; no eating or drinking anything whatsoever in the bedrooms. I never felt the need to leave extra sheets. I leave extra everything else in the drawer in every room.
But like someone pointed out, I will have to change that. It saves me the stress of having to worry about situations like this.
I’ve never understood rules that are unenforceable. If it was a home share and you could watch guests take food into their rooms, I guess you could have that rule. If I rented an entire home I’d eat in the bedroom if I wanted to and assume you’d never know. It sounds like they may have made a mess since they are also requesting a broom and mop. I agree with others that some spare sheets make sense. Don’t punish all guests for the mis deeds of a few.
After looking at the picture, it does seem like your cleaning lady forgot to make that bed. Do you do a walk through before check in? If not, how can you be so sure that bed was made.
I would have simply apologized and went over myself to make the bed. I actually feel bad for the guest because it seems like you automically assumed that she was lying and didn’t even consider that the cleaning lady might have forgotten.
Cleaning ladies rush through their chores because they clean sometimes 3 or 4 houses a day. An oversight can easily happen.
True. Thanks guys!! I get so stressed when some situations arise. I figured that I will get an honest feedback here from other hosts. And honestly, it helps relieve the stress. And the feed back was quick too. Everyday is a learning experience and I will make adjustments as necessary. Thanks again!!
Not really. That was my first assumption but I took time to call my cleaner, and actually look carefully at the picture. She does a walk over and typically sends a picture after each clean!! I have a Camera which helps me a lot. She is so meticulous that she changes Carbonmonoxide monitor battery and other things when they need to be. And a host of other things. I go after she leaves as much as I can to check on her work and her claims. She does a few repairs on minor things like fixing the toilet vent after a guest. I was there and I know her work ethics.
But I can see how anyone can think the housekeeper might not have done her job well.
I’m guessing of course, but I imagine that a four bedroom house would be quite expensive. When I rent a place (and I just got back from one yesterday) I expect to be able to do what I want (and I do )
If that involves having a bottle of water on the nightstand, or a glass of wine as a nightcap then I’m going to.
Looking at that bed skirt (at the bottom of the bed) I suspect that the cleaner forgot to finish that room The bed skirt wouldn’t get so crumpled in just a couple of days.
Also, isn’t that a cleaning spray on the dresser?
@epadat All kinds of things can happen. Just because you have a meticulous cleaner, and never had complaints, maybe she got a phone call when she was almost done with the cleaning and beds that distracted her and she just totally forgot that she hadn’t finished making up that bed.
Of course the guest could be up to shady business, but like others have said, I certainly woukdn’t argue about providing another sheet.
Yeah. I saw those, my thought was that the guest probably made a mess and tried to do some cleaning themselves.
I don’t wash the bed skirt after every guest or instruct the cleaner to do so. It makes sense that it can be improved in looks and steamed down. Thanks for pointing that out.
She typically sends a picture and this time she didn’t… it isn’t a stretch to think that perhaps this time she also missed finishing the bedroom.
I agree- if she normally sends a photo, and didn’t this time, it tells me she was rushed for some reason.
“Mom, it’s starting to rain, my soccer practice got cancelled. Can you come pick me up?”
“I’m almost done here, I’ll be there in 15 minutes.”
She rushes to get the towels out of the dryer and put them where they go, totally forgets she was in the middle of bed-making and doesn’t have time to take photos.
Not understanding the issue about supplying extra sheets…?
The pillow with the case could be the guests.
The mattress protecter looks pristine.
I would be there sorting out the issues immediately.
It really isn’t a big deal.
I would also send a message like “Oh, I most certainly wasn’t implying that you were lying. I was just caught off guard, because I have a stellar cleaner and nothing like this has happened before. I’ll assume she had to leave in a rush for some reason and totally forgot she hadn’t finished with that room. So sorry about that. Clean sheets are on the way.”
@epadat I would start damage control now, profusely apologize and bring sheets, make the bed and leave wine. It may be too late to salvage the review as it is.
Understandable but in the case of not having food or drink in the bedrooms then they can enforce (to whatever extent AirBNB CSR of the moment decides to allow) if the room ends up with those items and/or damage from those items in there. Damaged sheets with those items are an example.
However, if I had the time I might take the opportunity of the complaint to go in the house and remake the bed myself so I could also assess the situation of possible mess requiring mop and broom. If they decline then they don’t really want it bad enough and I would ensure it is documented on AirBnB.
However, I have found that the more the guests pay the better they take care of things and more likely they are to follow the house rules. I know the regulars will remember that I generally had low prices and lots of problems. I can say that I have now had people pay more than 10x the prices I listed at initially and my problems are also fewer. I would consider the price they paid as well to consider whether they are being nefarious or not.
I won’t guess as to what did or did not happen with the cleaner. If she is as meticulous as you claim I would also wonder as someone else pondered if she outsourced this particular cleaning, or had an assistant who does not have her attention to detail.
.
Very nice room appointment - rather attractive!
.
As for us, we do provide extra linens, extra pillows (different degree of firmness/softness), extra blankets & throws. Off-hand, I am not aware that extra linens have ever been used so far but we could have missed it, if this happened - it was quite a while back.
.
As others have noted, having extra linens makes sense (and towels - but not “too many”.
.
One time, we did have a couple who used every … single … bath towel / hand towel and wash cloth. It was mildly annoying. But this was about one stay out of 40 or 50 so “it is what it is”.
.
If I were renting a 3-4 BR stay, I would expect extra linens to be “somewhere”, if somehow they were needed. Stuff can happen.
)
