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Ok the link was generic but I sent you the correct link.
Looking at your listing I would take it as a party place for adults i.e.: the hot tub is the title and the first picture. Not prominent that it is a very wild place. I would not offer this to families with young children as not all parents are like you!
Maybe right up front your listing should state may not be suitable for children under 12. This way you cover your a… s up front.
That said, it’s absolutely beautiful! And a great deal for large groups.
I think these people are just trying to get away with a refund for no reason.
AND, last but not least, you are offering way too much for such a low price. Low prices imho attract greed. Maybe your pricing and the fact that you vacate your home for guests sends a bad message that you are vulnerable. Why not stay put and host guests in the true Airbnb spirit. We’ve hosted this way since 2010 and would never rent out our home and move out for any amount of money. Ok 700 million today’s lottery prize!
Your guests are, to put it bluntly, trying to steal from you. If they believed your listing to be unsafe for children, they would have left immediately. Imagine another business where a consumer says that a product is unsafe, but would be fine at half the price. I recommend that you don’t refund them a penny. Did they tell you that they are happy to stay as long as you refund 50% on the Airbnb email system? If so, you should point that out to an Airbnb customer service representative. You are in no way at fault. If the guests wanted a fenced in property they should have asked.
To answer your question about whether Airbnb has the right to issue a refund to the guest, yes they do and they are known for their capriciousness. However, all the facts weigh toward you.
For the record, wild acres is not a term we use in the U.S. Until your post I’d never heard the term. You might want to use the word unfenced in your listing and say that there is no fence between your property and the road so children must be supervised at all times when they are outside.
I list cottage in the woods which has numerous hazards for children, including a river with “wild”, otherwise known as natural shoreline, not landscaped. Parents are able to see these hazards prior to booking. In my rules, parental responsibility for constant supervision is clearly stated. They are strongly advised to equip children with life jackets. I see no reason to state my place is not suitable for children of any age. As my nephews and nieces, and indeed myself and my siblings managed to grow up here with only minor bruises and cuts, it’s absurd to say it’s not suitable. Our neighbor put up a chain link fence to protect their child, who, like my nephew was age 3. Within 15 minutes of the two children being left in the fenced riverside garden, both had climbed over and were playing in the river. The neighbor was supposedly watching them, I kept an eye on them as I had a pretty good idea of what the kids would do. Laughed at my neighbor’s dismay at the realization that children can’t be fenced in.
By stating “wild”, OP is clearly stating IMO that it’s a natural environment.
I can’t add much more to the great suggestions given to you here except to make clear in your listing as Ellen said, that the acreage is unfenced and children must be supervised. I can’t follow whether your conversation about the guests accepting the property as is was on the Air message system. But in the future to prove your case, you must have the conversation trail to refer to. You may end up losing your shirt on this one but it may have to,be a learning experience.
Please! No more bouncy houses! That is such a liability and just gives guests one more thing to complain about!
Instead of hearing a thank you for your kindness… you will hear complaints…
It arrived late
It left early
It didn’t have enough bounce
It had too much bounce
It didn’t have enough castles
It had too many castles
I said “MAY not be suitable for children under 12” just as a way for parents to consider whether they want to be good parents! If you can, read her listing and see what you can advise. I don’t have a similar listing and we don’t take children but we only offer a room.
Just an aside if my parents acted today the way they did when my brother and I were raised they’d be arrested lol! But we made it!
Lol!! When we were about five, my twin sister and I were jumping on our parents’ bed… when we heard my dad coming down the hall to put a stop to the shenanigans, we both came down for a “landing” and I hit my head HARD on the bookcase style headboard they had. I had to go to the doctor for stitches and I still have a teeny little bald spot in that area, requiring a small combover, bahahah.
No matter what you say, people will try to wriggle a way to blame you. My convo re lifejackets is in Airbnb message thread, so there is no way they can say they didn’t know.
These guests sound exceptionally rude, I’d kick them to the curb. My current guests have two small children, parents are being very caring and attentive. They have also been very generous to me, baclava as a welcome gift, and some Indian food for dinner. What a lovely experience to deal with polite guests.
What I sent to current guests
"Being on the river and in the woods with nature all around includes insects. There are a fair number of mosquitos. It’s difficult to say if there would be too many, as I’m used to them. Also, this is a rocky, river. No sandy beach, so your little ones may find it difficult to play in… It would be very demanding on the adults keeping the little ones safe. If you do book, it’s important that you borrow or purchase lifejackets for them."
Sorry to read you had such horrible guests. You don’t ever need to rent a bouncy castle out for anybody other than your own children. Refund nothing and there are always a few bad apples but you will meet so many wonderful people while hosting. Be really specific in your description so you can never be caught out again even though this time it is not of your making. You sound like a great host, don’t let these people change you.
Do we know what the host’s cancellation policy is? I’m surprised no one has asked! If it is moderate (which is kinda what is sounds like with 50% refund) then there lies the answers, Air BNB may be just going by her cancellation policy.
Sorry I could not respond as I’m new to this forum and I could only post so many times on the first day.
The cancellation policy was set to moderate.
Airbnb have given me the money and said she does not deserve a refund.
Thank you all for your advice. I did not know I had a right to refuse a refund. I thought once a complaint was made I had to refund something. So you all gave me the courage to stand up and say no refund.
I also don’t care about her review. But If she lies in the review can I do anything to get Airbnb to take it down?
Well that sucks. Guests seem to hold all the power and they know it.
This is now the 3rd guests I have had ask for a refund for stupid reasons. One guy left the light on in the house and the window open at night and flies got in and he sent in photos to airbnb requesting a refund.
I always feel like I’m walking on eggshells because the review can destroy business.
I am sorry Cleo it’s so unfair. Maybe you need to rethink who you attract as guests. Is there any parity among the three who asked for a review?
Did you see my thoughts about your listing?
We overcharge by just a bit for our listing but it seems to attract a better caliber of guest. We treat them well when they are here so we kind of under promise and over deliver! So far hosts since 2010 and all 5 star reviews. But as my pessimistic French husband always says, one day we’re going to get a bad review!
Yes maybe your right. I’m going to revamp the listing a little and be as blunt as possible. Try to lower people’s expectations because some of them think they are ment to be arriving at a 5 star hotel with 100s of staff at my disposal to wait on them hand and foot.
Totally unrealistic.
It’s a lived in house, things go on the blink from time to time, plumbing issues pop up, as it does in any house, aswell as a battery running low in the smoke alarm during a guest stay. Some things are out of the hosts control, I’m good but I can’t see the future. People need to be realistic and Airbnb doesn’t help these unrealistic expectations from guests to hosts when they allow them to get 50% refund for silly reasons. It’s very frustrating sometimes. I’m very great full Airbnb didn’t give these last guests the 50%. I was going to pull my listing off the website if they did.
At least now I know I can come on this forum and get some advice when needed. I’m only new to hosting and all constructive criticism is welcome aswell as all advice I can get.
The moment you offered, at your own cost, to produce a bouncy house, you were doomed. This gesture, which you took to be a nice one, was viewed by these guests as desperation and hence, weakness. And then they went in for the kill.
This is a trap that new hosts often fall into. Decide what kind of host you are, what you are willing to offer for the long term, and then stick to it. On occasion, you might actually really connect with a guest, in which case, maybe you do something nice. When I do this, I do ask the guest not to mention it in the review. It is a kindness for a new friend; not an upgrade in my standard offerings.
I suspect that your review from these guests will not include a gushing sentence about the bouncy house, but what if it does? Will every family that comes expect you do the same for them?
And maybe host fewer people. Larger groups tend to be more trouble imho. My best friend is a host nearby and her biggest trouble is with larger groups.
I had a booking of 17 people leave the day before these guests arrived. They had children and they loved it. Thought it was great for the kids aswell. You can see their review. I just feel that there is no pleasing some people no matter what.
But you are right about the castle, that won’t be happening again.
