Guest just checked out - helped himself to food from my refrigerator?

This would imply that the man has reason to return to the area, which could mean repeat business for you. I relish return guests because things are so much easier.

You, yourself, state that “its not a huge deal”, But you have made it big deal, and by doing so, you might be closing the door on this guest ever returning. If he were my guest I’d apologize for overreacting, hopefully welcome him back, and have a bag of jerky waiting for him upon his return.

Penny Wise, Pound Foolish
“making decisions with small amounts of money (pennies) that end up making bad sense for affecting larger amounts of money (pounds, as in Great British Pounds).”

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This issue is not about penny wise pound foolish. It’s about dishonesty, stealing and rule breaking. The man knew he was wrong to steal the jerky (not cheap in the UK incidentally) and eat it in the bedroom, but he did it anyway. This shows contempt and disrespect for the host and her property.
Actually accepting such disrespect might be pound foolish. For example he might have stolen the jerky from a current guest, and that better guest might have been put off booking again. Also his eating in the bedroom could have caused pests or ruined expensive linens. The host was 100% correct to set a boundary with this guest. I wouldn’t want him anyway, unless he changed his behaviour.

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@Tishiekate I find it a bit strange that the guest ate someone else’s food, but you’re being given money for it. It’s like you’re fining people for bad behaviour, and keeping the money ,even if you’re unaffected? “excuse me officer, I caught him breaking and entering, I’ll take care of the fine”!

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Thats not the point. He didn’t know whose food he was stealing. Asking him for the money tells him it’s not ok to steal, and he did get his money’s worth because he ate it! Personally I would spend the money on guest breakfast treats or give it to charity.

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yes, bad taste to pocket ‘the fine’

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How about sending it to the guest that left the jerky?

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Why? He left it behind and is out of the picture. No need to complicate things. Oh whoops, you were being facetious?

@Barns You have assumed that money has been exchanged, but I have not updated this post on the outcome, and that’s not how it was resolved. And it was not about the money, it was about a guest rummaging through my personal food items (within a drawer in my fridge), taking what didn’t belong to him (the entire bag, not just a handful or two), and breaking house rules (eating in the room, which made a mess about the floor). If, as a host, you don’t stand up for yourself, address situations as they arise in a professional manner, and respect your own house rules, how can you expect guests to do the same?

And @HH_AZ, it’s not “a huge deal” compared to things that can go wrong when you welcome an unknown person into your home for a stay (broken furniture, tub left running overnight, mistreatment of pets, and so much more). And who’s to say I want this guest to return? He had stayed in town prior to his stay with me, and I hope it went well for the host and guest alike, but he didn’t return there this time. It very well could have been booked, but there also could have been an issue causing him to seek another stay, I don’t know. I also enjoy and welcome my repeat guests, especially those that are respectful of my belongings, and follow the house rules.

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I can only comment on what I’d been reading so far, ie, claiming for a bag of jerky. Drawers in fridges are not quite as personal as underwear drawers, especially as guests have access to the fridge anyway. I’m surprised you are/were pursuing someone for eating a couple of dollars of another someone else snack. I’m all for claiming for damaged goods, but this comes across as wanting to punish/fine someone for something

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Unless I missed a post somewhere, she didn’t pursue him for the cost of the snack. She confronted him about the missing jerky and crumbs in the bedroom (breaking house rules), and HE offered to reimburse her for the jerky.

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Ah! That’s fair enough then, apologies all round

However he had no business rummaging in the drawer. If he rummaged there where else did he rummage? He clearly has no respect for privacy, property or rules. Why have guests like that when there are decent ones.

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@Jess1 - Exactly! He came home that night from having dinner with his son, and I was on my way to dinner with a friend . . . so he knew I’d be gone for the better part of the evening. I don’t have an outside lock on my bedroom door, or any other door in my house, for that matter. I have to trust that guests respect my personal spaces (fridge drawers, and intimate drawers, alike :grin:) and belongings, as well as shared spaces. I don’t have a shortage of bookings, so prefer to take those guests that honor my house rules, space, and property over those that disregard them, even in such seemingly small ways.

Over the heatwave this summer I put some rather nice gel socks in the fridge for bedtime. I have heard of people putting other lingerie in the fridge too lol.

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especially after madras

I’m one who is avoidant of conflict to a crazy degree, so asking this guy about the jerky would have been nerve-wracking. Who knows what kind of shenanigans he would pull in his response? Or what kind of review he’d write, right?

But then, the start of his response: “Oh crap, that was my bad” makes me immediately feel loads better. Whether or not the person knew they shouldn’t have taken the food, starting their response in this way is EXACTLY what I want to see. Followed up by an offer to make things right. Win. Win. Don’t really care if he is sincere in the “oops I didn’t know” part of it.

Thanks for letting us know how it turned out!

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