I had one man stay with me two nights while visiting his son (I list my spare bed and bath within my home, and I live alone). I just turned over the bedroom and vacuumed up what looked like beef jerky bits off the floor. Firstly, I have a no food in the room policy (so not to attract pests, and avoid major messes). Secondly, I got to thinking - I had a full bag of beef jerky in the fridge (actually left be another guest), so checked the fridge. Bag is gone. Checked the trash, no empty bag. Now, I wasnât going to eat it anyway, but the fact that someone perused my fridge (in was in a drawer), and helped themselves has me ticked off. I do allow guests to use a portion of my fridge to store items if they wish, and also my kitchen for preparing meals if they choose, but my listing states that I donât provide breakfast; only tea and coffee. Should I address this or let it go? Itâs not a huge deal, but in three years of hosting, Iâve never noticed anyone else taking food/beverage. I should note, he has used Airbnb for travel before, so isnât a newbie.
I would put this in the review honestly. Rummaging through your stuff is never good, plus he broke the rule on food in the bedroom.
If someone took and ate an expensive lobster or something that Iâs planned to use for a dinner party that evening, Iâd be annoyed. Although with a stranger in the house I would have probably put a label on the lobster saying âeat this and I shoot youâ or something.
But to take something I wouldnât eat anyway? I wouldnât worry about it. Just my way 
With homeshare though, I agree with @Jess - Iâd be inclined to warn other hosts. It could be lobster next time!
Iâve learned to be honest for the sake of other hosts by this point, but my first thought was to be quiet as heâll be visiting for the next four years while his son is at the university here . . . and I may have him book frequently. But then I thought, why would I want someone whoâs eating out of fridge back?!? Thanks, Jess1!
Address it in the review. That is a nono to take the hostsâ food of it hasnât been explicitly offered. I would rate him lower in âobservance of house rulesâ and mention it in the public part of the review. You donât have to accept him back into your home if he wasnât a good guest! Youâll get other guests who will book if he doesnât.
Pretty entitled and juvenile on his part. Reflect it the review on house rules and at least privately if you donât want him back. Once they cross a line, what else is possible?? He simply broke your trust. What would have happened if you took HIS food? The sky would fall.
You are so right! I realized this morning Iâd left my work bag hanging by the entry with my wallet and deposit bag from my business (I usually bring that, my laptop, and such to my room each night), and believe that I checked the contents! I really dislike feeling distrusting of people . . .
One manâs jerky is another manâs lobster.
Iâd send him a charge for it, and would do so before reviews are posted.
I would also message him saying, âI noticed my bag of beef jerky is missing from the refrigerator and found crumbles of it in your room??â
Doesnât matter that it was left by a previous guest. He should pay for it.
Edited to add: Unless it was stored in the guest section of the refrigerator and he thought the last guest had left it for the next?
The only problem with this is it might prompt him to write a bad review.
guests have access to the fridge, maybe the supplier of the beef jerky mentioned to the eater of the beef jerky, that there was some beef jerky going for free.
Beef jerky.
Guest section of the fridge is outlined in my pre-check in email and upon the âtourâ if I am home (he checked in very late due to a delayed flight, so no tour). Jerky was in the drawer where butter and cheese is kept, so clearly not fair game. And def not left by previous guest as I sweep and vacuum after each guest, even if itâs just a one night stay.
I am preparing a message which I will send through Airbnb messaging! He was a nice guy, and I would have welcomed him back . . .
Best to have a separate small fridge for guests. I have one in my utility. I stock it with milk, spreadable butter, jam etc. for the guests to help themselves for their breakfast. They have no excuse to go in my fridge!
I offer a shelf to each guest for their drinks and snacks.
Jess1 - so true about prompting a bad review! AND . . . he has 11 previous good reviews, so I would look like the one out of character saying something negative, I fear.
If he admitted he took it and paid for it, I wouldnât give a negative review and I would have him back, and would be very clear where the boundaries are.
Some people really are clueless. No need to over react.
I should add: I recently had a guest who took a pillowcase and a towel. I messaged him after check-out, he confessed he had taken them, paid the replacement fee I sent him, and afterwards we gave each other 5* reviews. If he hadnât paid, he would have had a poor, thumbs down from me.
TuMo - Iâve had a guest take the towels once, and thankfully caught it before they were too far out of town. He (they were in his luggage) had his girlfriend drive back and return them!
Hereâs my message to him:
XXXXX,
I missed saying goodbye on this âSleep in Sundayâ. I hope you enjoyed your stay, and your visit with your son!
I feel a little funny bringing this up, but when sweeping and vacuuming the guest room earlier, I noticed some bits about the floor that appeared to be beef jerky upon a closer look. I tossed them into the trash without much thought, realizing not all guests read my house rules about no food upstairs, but when making breakfast this morning I noticed that the bag of beef jerky that was in the fridge was gone. In my three years of hosting, Iâve never noticed something like this taking place, but I always feel that being upfront, open, and honest is best, so I have to ask.
If Iâm mistaken, I wholeheartedly apologize, but do feel like I need to inquire, because if it was taken/consumed, maybe my listing isnât specific enough about guest access, and beverage/food that is/isnât included with the stay, and I need to edit it?
It was truly a pleasure meeting/hosting you this weekend, and I wish you safe, and uneventful travel home today!
A lot of trouble will disappear if everyone learns to talk to each other instead of talking about each other âŚ
I like what you wrote so much better than calling this over-step out in a public or private review. A little bit of education can go a long way.
He was a good guest otherwise and you would welcome his business again. Depending on his answer you can then make up your mind if indeed you want to welcome him back.
Annndddd . . . his reply:
âOh crap, that was my bad. And I did not read house rules, also my bad. I will make sure to reimburse you. At last AirBnB, it was specifically stated to âhelp yourselfâ to anything in fridge, bad assumption on my part. I profusely apologize.â
Hmmmm . . . and entire, large bag of beef jerky?!? Not buying it, but appreciated his overall honesty and I let him know it.
My reply:
âXXXX, thanks so much for your honesty! I find that many ppl donât read all the details, and I understand how different each Airbnb is from another as a 7+ year traveler with it in the US and abroad. I will proceed with a glowing 5 star review - I enjoyed having you and meeting you and your son, and if thereâs anything he needs while here, away from home, donât hesitate to ask. I have a few other university kids whose parents check in with me for different things from recommending a mechanic, a dentist, and more. Been a local most of my life, and as mom, I love to help!â