No photo no booking - period!
I guess they could make guests read and agree to that before booking. How would you define it though? Between the hours of 7 and 10 am and between 5 and 9 or something? You have more than one guest right? Would you have to allocate slots? If I were you, I know that I would like a space of time cleared for me so I wasnt bumping into people all day.
I want to restrict my laundry hours and cant seem to do that!
This was my first laugh for the day! If it were so easy!
My kitchen times are 6-10 for breakfast and 6-10 in the evening. I only allow microwave etc so they’re not in my way. With laundry I allow one load each a week and they message me to arrange a time.
Curious as to how you handle “Oh I forgot to get soap”. I get this 99% of the time especially the first time. Sometimes that is the only time they will do laundry. And that can add up. But I feel like a miser if I tell them they have to go out and buy it when we are standing right there looking at mine. Should I just include it? And buy some cheap stuff for their use?
I just provide the soap. I buy in bulk. Its only 1 load pp per week. Linen I combine as well in my big machine. The main saving is not keeping on running the machine for stupid little loads.
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I am thinking of a lock on my laundry room door. I hate having to police people.
But people are wacky.
Perhaps if I’m away for a month, I would feel the need to do laundry while on holiday, but I do not get guests doing a load per day beginning 3 days after they arrive. What is with that? Does anyone else see this?
I use the laundry if available while traveling, I like to come home and unpack clean clothes. At hotels I pay for it, but I have had hotels (Hilton) hand me a handful of quarters and a box of soap not that I expect that.
RR
Its unacceptable. I would install a coin op on the washing machine.
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We have a lock on our laundry room door because it’s just easier than trying to enforce limits on laundry. Every time we’ve allowed people to use our machine they wash things like crazy with no regard for wasting water. So now we tell them there’s a laundromat five minutes away and to go use that.
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One load per week stay I don’t mind. But one wash per day of 10 socks and 2 shirts I don’t get. One full wash per day I don’t even comprehend.
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I would if I thought it cost efficient and not a PITA to retrofit my ancient machines with such a device!
I am thinking of doing away with the laundry amenity. The one problem is that the laundry room is directly on the other side of a door to the suite so you can obviously hear it going. But I suppose they don’t need to know whether I run a laundry service myself out of my house or just terribly territorial of my machines. 
You’re under no obligation to let people use your machines. I guess it helps that there is a laundromat five minutes away which makes it a little less inconvenient for guests.
The disgusting guest who had to leave last week wanted to use it on her first morning! (then reserve a second and third time over her week stay even though her whole suitcase full would have fitted in my machine). People are chaotic, disorganised and thoughtless. Oh and did I say entitled.
But did your last guest talk in a little girl voice with an even higher inflection at the end of every sentence so much so that you assumed she was always asking a question?
Did they then giggle at random, inappropriate times throughout the conversation, say “like” every 2nd word and run to greet you like a pomeranian on crack every time they saw you leaving the house?
If you guessed that guests age to be 15, you would be wrong! This was a woman in her late 20s.
I wish you could rate guests on vapidness.
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Mine was a gaunt, miserable junkie lookalike. Gave me a spitefull 1 star overall of course, even though she had to give me 5 stars for most categories. There goes my superhost again. I am disgusted at the power given to these excuses for human beings.
Oh @Jess1 you do seem to get more then your fair share of problem guests. This must be so frustrating for you.
I am not sure how you vet your guests - but I am wondering if it would be worth you doing some additional vetting to help manage expectations and help you get guests that are the right fit for you?
I include a number of questions which guests on IB need to answer or I can cancel their booking. This helps me understand whether they will be a good fit.
I don’t let guests use my washing machine at all and don’t allow guests for more than two weeks or so.
I do allow kitchen access as you know but do restrict the sort of food they can cook as it’s an open plan kitchen/dining room/living room and strong smell foods that linger don’t make for a pleasant environment.
I do get marked down for location even though I make it clear throughout the listing that it’s an inner city area that is a little scruffy around the edges, but get mostly five stars with some four stars so haven’t lost my superhost status since gaining it three years ago.
Happy for you to PM me your listing if you like and see if there is anything I can suggest that might help?
Hi Helsi I am moaning here about the same laundry-itis guest again, not another one. She was specifically asked to read the rules and just didnt. She looked at the tick on amenities and assumed it was free and unlimited. I should have just cooly said it was £10 (since the tick allows for a fee) a wash after the first one. My mistake was to explain, discuss and expect reason. I need to just tell people how things are, however my personality defect is I am collaborative.
Re your area I like it and think your description is good. You can’t get people to read! My area is expensive but I still get location issues (people book North when they want West blah blah) so you just cant win.
My plan is to charge more for less, and keep the guests out of my space more, but that’s a two year plan - Return On Investment all the way. Airbnbs lack of support and race to the bottom has made homestay unrewarding. The sad thing is I get about 90% saying my hospitality is outstanding, but I cant be doing with any ******s like her.
I know this is politically incorrect but 3 of the 4 guests over the years who had to leave have been Hungarian, dare I say a cultural thing?
Interesting some of my absolutely best guests have been Hungarian. In fact I am going to stay with one of them next summer. And her daughter who works here drops in regularly still for a coffee or glass of wine. My Hungarian guests have been warm, friendly lovely people.
I would never stereotype and say guests we have difficulty with are down to cultural issues. But then I am not English and having put up with other people’s prejudices most of my life have little tolerance for those who put issues down to cultural differences or race.