Light bulbs too bright

My last guest was difficult from day one. When booking my place, she thought you added the 15% discount (for being one of the first 6 bookings) plus the 25% discount for booking a whole week together for a total discount of 40%. I should have known she was an idiot then. But I was just starting out, so I helped her figure out the way discounts work. Basic math people!
Prior to arrival she asks for early checkin and late check out -which I worked out with renters on both ends of her dates. She arrived at my rental house. She texted that one light bulb was out. I was out of town so sent my cleaning lady over with a new pack of bulbs. Then I get a call that the new light bulbs are too bright. So I sent my cleaning lady over with another pack of bulbs. Then I get a call that the new bulbs are not bright enough (40W). I told her to change out the one that was out (bedroom) with one from the living room. Duh!
Then she texted me to say the dryer wouldn’t work because it says “empty lint basket.” So I told her to to empty it out. “Where is it? “ Open the dryer door and it’s in front of you on the bottom of the opening. Duh!
The next day I get a call that the AC isn’t working. So I ask her to check the circuit breaker. She said she would. I do t hear anything for 30mins, then she texts back that its still not working. So I told her I would send an electrician out the next day. In the meantime, I told her to open the windows as it’s only 68degrees outside. She told me I can’t expect her to breathe in city air. OMG!
The electrician gets there at 4:30pm and figures out that they pulled both thermostats off the walls and didn’t push them in all the way when they put it back together. Thus the contacts were not meeting. $200 later.
Next day, she calls me about ants in the house. I asked her if she spilled any sugary stuff on the floor. She said her daughter spilled the sugar jar 2days before. So I sent the exterminator over. Stuff happens.
Then she wants the door code changed because the exterminator and the electrician now had them and she didn’t feel safe leaving her 8years girls in the house by themselves (they were in town for the National baton twirling competition). I said I can’t do that as I wasn’t in town (which she knew about before booking).
Then she called Airbnb on me. I had enough by then asked Airbnb to get them out of my rental house and I would issue a refund. Unfortunately there was not an Airbnb to be had in the city that would fit 5 women and their six 8 yr old girls.
So I told Airbnb they could stay if they don’t contact me again -I don’t care if the roof is falling down. Plus she can’t leave me a review, and I wouldn’t leave her one. The Airbnb rep was so happy because they had no other place to put these guests for remaining 3days of the completion that she said it would be worked out.
I was never so happy to get rid of guests. I just knew she would not leave me a good review.

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Please return to let us know if they honor this promise of no review. I hope you have it in writing. I’ve never heard of such an arrangement. I don’t want to be Debbie Downer but don’t be shocked if they do in fact get to review you. If you get notice that they’ve reviewed you be sure to review them back honestly.

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OMG they sound like a nightmare!

I always tell guests to get in touch if they need anything. Some of them give early indication that they’ll abuse this and then I get really careful about drawing boundaries. One guest texted to see if I had an extra cell charger, of a brand I don’t own. It took 15 mins of searching my basement and car before successfully finding it (mini-usb).

He said thanks and that he hadn’t wanted to walk out to his car to retrieve his own. :crazy_face:

That was kind of you to not cancel the reservation! I hope you poured yourself a large glass of wine!

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Sounds like a drink from the bottle situation.

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I can’t belive that guy not wanting to go out to this car!
My awful renter had me so stressed out wondering if I could get an electrician and exterminator out there in one day. I couldn’t sleep. She ruined my vacation with all of these issues.
I modified my listing to state that I do not interact with guest and leave them in peace. Hopefully prospective renters get that I do t want to be bothered either with inane requests.
Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it! She got a huge discount on her rate so it’s not like I made much money after paying the electrician, exterminator and my cleaning ladies to run the light bulbs over. Ugh!

“It was just one glass!”
wine-bottle-guzzle-buddy-300x250

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More than one of us have tried to Airbnb while we travel. It seems like a no brainer…why let the house sit empty when you could be making money on it? However, after having one of my own trips interrupted by Airbnb issues (despite having a co-host staying overnight in the house connected to the airbnb room) I am much more careful about how I structure the stays. Now if I make the room available at all it’s set up so that they have to check in before I leave and stay several days while I’m gone. I need to be here to orient them to the room and then I need a multi day booking to make up for the stress it causes me.

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Facebook has a group called Airbnb guests blacklist.
Hope you have their profile and full name to inform future host since no one is leaving any review.

I’m trying to imagine searching for each prospective guest on a facebook group.

What does this mean?

Apparently they have / made a list, thanks to the moderator which I am sure will be much appreciated to future hosts.

“No one leaving any review”

That is from what I read, the host called airbnb and request no review

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Sadly, everyone gets clueless guests from time to time. But luckily, they are few and far betwe

This, of course, is the answer.

But for future reference (as you’re a new host) I find it a good idea to leave plenty of light bulbs of various strengths in the cupboard in the rental. I also make sure that all the light (and the TV and the AC) are turned ON when the guests arrive. Therefore during the house tour they can see that everything is just fine.

I can’t believe that they wanted AC when the outside temperature is 68! Incredible.

I really truly take my hat off to anyone who hosts remotely when they’re not local. I could never do it. I’m in the same complex as our two rentals (one is right next door and the other is diagonally opposite) so I see just about everything that’s going on. As a natural nosey person, this works well :slight_smile:

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Yes that is very true, last night I Hosted 5 61 year old Koreans celebrating their retirement and reunion.

They bowed when they first see me coming down helping them.
I offered to do half of 1 person laundry because I see all this men travelling north Americas with limited change and stop one night at my place, gave chicken breasts for their ramen noodles.

The guy who booked asked me if he need to pay or sign anything, so sweet.

And I did it happily even when I know how much mess they are going to leave me to clean.
Much of surprise, they left the place clean and left 2 bags of Kenyan coffee as a thank you

Love this type of people. When you give everything you’ve got, they appreciated and grateful.

I just hope he knows how to write review hehehe

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Sounds like the moms were Divas. It’s ridiculous for them to complain about light bulbs. You went above and beyond by having the cleaning lady go there not once but twice!

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About bright lights—my new light fixtures have bright halogen (I think) bulbs so I installed dimmer switches. I labeled the switches “dimmer” because they have the small (easy to not notice) slide bar on the side to adjust the light.

I get calls for “the hall lights barely come on”. Well honey, let’s check the dimmer, is the little bar all the way down?

One of my guests couldn’t figure out to use the wall switch labeled “”fan light” to turn the ceiling fan lights off so he removed the light bulbs from 3 ceiling fans. Of course he didn’t call and ask.

People, just people…whether you leave a variety of bulbs or use dimmer switches, just do the best you can and roll on.

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What patience you had, Susan…and yes, get them out now~! None of the issues need to have happened, if they half a brain, but it cost you plenty! Ugh.
Sorry it happened, and hope they can’t review.

Leaving 8 year olds alone? That would be a possible legal problem here!

@Annet3176 Sounds like it was your guests who were “dimmer” …!:rofl:

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My experience in dealing with people who are categorically rude is to remind them that they are first and foremost guests in my home.

I don’t give a rat’s posterior about their money. I care about what goes on under my roof.

When I assert myself a most curious thing happens. Either they clear out altogether, or they write spectacular reviews. They are bad. They know they are being bad. And a petty review won’t hurt me.

Especially when I write mine.

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Would love to read your bad reviews to guests

This forum taught me to stick to the facts and write when you are less emotional. It takes ages to make them short. I also consider how I might have contributed to the situation. I know people don’t read so the synopsis is in the rules. If they didn’t read them, that is not my issue. But it rarely comes down to that