Guest wants a ‘partial refund’ because mom is visiting

We have a private room type listing. My boyfriend’s mom is going to be visiting and will be sleeping in our master bedroom on an air mattress and using the bathroom in our room while these people are here. They’re only staying for one night and said they will check in late and check out early the next morning. Mom told us last minute that she was coming and the guests say they are uncomfortable with her being there due to her age (kind of weird?). I’ve read in Airbnb’s rules that you have to disclose everyone who is staying at the listing. Do you think this would count as a travel issue that would entitle a guest to a refund?

I’m no expert on the Airbnb small print but this really smacks of guests trying their luck. That’s pretty outrageous to suggest that you shouldn’t have a family member staying in your own home. If you had an entire family of aunts, uncles and cousins all vying for bathroom space then maybe they’d have a point. But I think they’re pushing their luck and you should use the charming British phrase, “on yer bike mate!”

Or perhaps something a little more polite and professional - but don’t offer a refund.

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My boyfriend told them to just cancel if they are uncomfortable. They responded that Airbnb offered them a coupon so they will still be staying. Hopefully they don’t come up with a list of other complaints. I feel like we could actually report them for claiming to be uncomfortable with a person due to their age according to Airbnb’s non discrimination policy! Will try it if they mention it in a review.

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I would definitely not offer a partial refund. Did your guests book IB? If so you might be able to get rid of them because make you uncomfortable.
Did you check their past reviews of hosts? If they are as nit-picky as they appear, more reason to getting rid of them.

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They didn’t have any. They did instant book so maybe we could try doing that. They booked months ago when we first started doing Airbnb when our rates were very cheap and their argument is they won’t find another place that isn’t 3x more expensive. We gave them about a week’s notice that she will be here.

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Why? It’s none of their business who is visiting you unless it directly affects their space. If the bathroom and bedroom are still just for them then they are getting what you offered when they booked.

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It’s because I read the fine print when we had a similar situation a few months ago. These people were upset that we had another person staying in the listing that they claimed made them uncomfortable. They left and tried to threaten us with a bad review if we didn’t refund them. Technically having someone else at the listing that isn’t disclosed counts as a travel issue and can be an argument as to why someone deserves a refund. I wanted to avoid that happening again.

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Politely decline and re-iterate they are getting an excellent deal. Show your willingness to refund them IF and only if they cancel. Then call Airbnb and tell them that due to the long winding haggling of the guests you feel uncomfortable and you don’t want them staying.

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DO NOT REFUND. I would claim “uncomfortable” with these guests and cancel them. Stand Up To Threats and stop worrying about bad reviews. Like kidney stones, bad reviews will pass.

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Of course, you don’t want to have guests who are unhappy about your accommodation even before they arrive but I don’t see why you should lose out on the money for the stay. They’ve nothing to complain about and actually, I WOULD report them to Airbnb for being ageist.

Some hostels (especially in Europe?) sat that they have age restrictions (60 for example) but that’s usually because the accommodation involves bunk beds and climbing ladders, I suppose.

But saying they are unhappy with the accommodation they have booked because of your boyfriend’s mum is totally ridiculous and definitely not in the spirit of Airbnb.

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I don’t know where you are hosting but perhaps your low prices are attracting these kinds of guests. Raise your rates. You’ll get better quality guests IMHO

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We did. This is the last booking from when we had the stupidly low price.

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Cancel them. Report their unfortunate comment regarding your private space to airbnb.

I’d send them a note: “Your attitude is disgusting and I suspect you are too.”

( Ah well host family – I feel a tad feisty today…)

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The thing is that they probably won’t even see her. She goes to bed quite early most days unless they happened to see her in the morning briefly before they left. Crazy people.

What the heck were they planning to do in YOUR home that they thought would freak out or bring down the wrath of Mom? So if they won’t go elsewhere, what’s their preferred solution – Mom sleeps on the balcony? In her car? Yeesh, so sorry you are enduring these people.

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They’re going to bring down my wrath if they wake me up trying to have a party because I wake up at 5:00am to get to my nursing clinical! I will probably see if we can cancel them penalty free.

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CANCEL CANCEL CANCEL IMMEDIATELY.
YOU are uncomfortable with THEM !
They got their free coupon. Cut them loose and they will learn a lesson.
Don’t allow them to cross your doorstep. Especially for cheap money.
Enjoy your mother in law, give her a room to sleep in and have great family time, instead of these jerks.

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I say in my house rules, ‘as this is my home, I may have friends or family visit or stay occasionally’

In your case these people sound like fools. Get Airbnb to cancel them, let them find another place and give your MIL a nice bed for the night. Say you would like Airbnb to cancel due to their discriminatiory comments about your elderly MIL and you are very dustessed and offended by this. Turn it on the guests do you are not penalized.

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I burst out laughing when I read this- golden

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Just a thought but MIL might not be exactly ‘elderly’. If @Sarah_39 and her boyfriend are in their twenties then mum might only be in her forties. But even if she’s in her fifties, sixties or seventies, it’s still discriminatory. What on earth do these potential guests think the problem could possibly be? Don’t they have parents or grandparents? If they are lucky, because it’s better than the alternative, they will be ‘old’ one day so let’s hope that karma is out in force and they are discriminated against.

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