Hi Everybody,
I just got a request from a current guest to extend for the rest of the month and can they get a better rate. I am already booked so that’s not my question. What if he won’t leave tomorrow? Wouldn’t you think they would check the airbnb calendar and see I already am booked out? It looks like they’ve been doing week by week bookings since last month. It just feels weird and I want to be prepared with insight from my long-time host compadres.
Thanks,
Pam
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You’re an innkeeper and they would be trespassing. When you call the police, make it very clear that it is a short term rental, you are not a landlord and they are not a tenant.
Try not to worry about it unless and until it actually happens – it’s unlikely.
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No one can tell by looking at your calendar. For all he knows you’ve just blocked it off for some reason.
Is there some reason you would think that he wouldn’t?
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Maybe a symptom of covid is paranoia? I don’t have a good reason, just a feeling. Don’t people check the availability? I guess I am making assumptions. I will think positively.
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You should ask the guest if he checked it.
Maybe you could put a notation on your listing that if a date appears to be unavailable that means it is definitely booked or blocked by you and you are unwilling to host on those days.
I message all my good guests and tell them to please check with me if a day appears to be unavailable because it may just be blocked, not booked. Me encouraging guests to do that probably leads them to do it to hosts who find it annoying, like you.
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I give a handful of guests the option to call if I looked booked too. One reason is that there are handful of people whom we let stay if we are not home. Many people believe the old saying “It never hurts to ask”. It may be as simple as that and he’ll be on his way. I actually had a guest act like I should feel guilty that he could only stay one night, couldn’t find another vacancy and was leaving for home a day early.
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I do this too! In fact I just got a booking starting Saturday (even though the calendar is blocked) from a repeat guest who checked with me.
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Just message the guests back and say you’re sorry it’s not available and remind him of your check out time and procedures .
Let him know you/your cleaner will be arohf 15 minutes after your check out time to prepare for he guests arriving that day.
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Thanks for the support all. I did explain I need to clean for the next guest after his departure. I do let my regulars know to ask directly just in case. He just pulled away!
Honestly I think being a tracer all this time has gotten to me. Job hunt is on!
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Did you say “Sorry I can’t extend the booking as I have new guests coming that morning with their two dobermans. The dogs don’t like strangers apparently. To be on the safe side be out by 9am”
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It’s extremely common for people to ask if you are available for dates that are blocked - and also very common to get asked if you are available on dates that are open! In other words - they either don’t look (incredible likely - PEOPLE DON’T READ), or they don’t believe.
I think hosts like myself who encourage guests to ask are partly to blame.
Or they ask you to cancel the other booking because they want to stay!
A guest (or potential guest) cannot send a Reservation Request for a set of dates unless those particular dates are available. If they’re asking to stay longer in the messaging app, that’s different. I’ve had guests ask me if they can extend their stay, and I just refer them to the calendar. Whether it’s blocked by me or another guest is a moot point. It’s none of their business why the dates are blocked.
If you’re concerned about them not leaving, I just inform them that the next guests might not feel comfortable sharing a bed with them. That usually gets them to leave.
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And then, follow up by doing exactly that.
@Helsi is more generous than I am. I tell them that housekeeping starts at 11.05. Then, at that time, I go to the apartment and let myself in. (Note that I talk loudly to my phone as I do so - I don’t want top catch anyone naked or whatever).
I have my arms full of fresh laundry and if the guests are there, I apologise profusely and offer to help them carry their bags to their car. I’m as nice as pie. 
(That’s another of my mottoes - ‘it’s not how you start it’s how you finish’ courtesy Gordon Ramsay.)
Wish them a safe journey and ask them to tell their friends about us. Everyone’s happy.
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I’m glad I can now go back to going in as soon as the guest leaves. Today I found the quite damp towel draped over the wooden chair back rather than on one of the 6 metal hooks or two towel bars available.
I can also wipe the water spots off the sink and shower before hard water deposits can form and makes cleaning easier if I don’t get back in there for an hour or so until after they dried.
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