Little TWERP of a guest

1

December has not been my month. Last night I had a guest checking in for ONE night. A young boy who Instant booked. I called to talk to him before and he seemed respectful enough. Anyhow, it’s one night… how bad could it be?

I waited for him until an hour after check in. Everything was spotless. The housekeeper came and I tidied up as I waited. I had to get to class, so I left about an hour later.

At 11pm I get a text from him saying he’s not staying, but thank you. Obviously I call him right away and he is very short with me. I ask if anything is wrong and he said, “no, it’s just smaller than I thought” very rudely.

I call air bnb to make sure he can’t leave a review. He can’t due to their no stay no review policy.

TODAY I GOT A MESSAGE SAYING HE CONTACTED AIR BNB VERY ANGRILY SAYING HE WAS UNABLE TO STAY BECAUSE OF A CLEANLINESS ISSUE.

WHAT?!?!!!?!!!? He was unhappy, so he’s trying to make it my fault that he didn’t read the listing. Little. Freaking. Twerp.

I immediately ran over and took photos to air bnb proving that the apartment was clean. I did a walk through at 1:30 am last night and texted today’s guest telling them to check in whenever they please, so I had proof the apartment wasn’t touched.

I am now sending a message to every single guest (48 hours after booking so they can’t cancel without being charged due to my strict cancellation policy if they didn’t read)

“Hello, I am very excited about your upcoming stay at my AirBnb! I am sending this message to those with upcoming reservations at my listing. While the ratings and response to my listing has been overwhelmingly positive, I have hosted several guests of late who did not read the listing description in it’s entirety and were unsatisfied by either the size of the apartment or the sleeping area. As mentioned prominently in my listing, this is a SMALL micro studio apartment. It can comfortably accommodate 2 people, but please understand that this is not a typical one bedroom apartment. Additionally, the sleeping loft is accessed by a small staircase and has very limited headroom. As per the listing description, no refunds will be issued for complaints either about the size of the apartment, issues with the sleeping loft, or anything specifically mentioned in the listing description. While I strive to accommodate all of my guests to the best of my ability, there is nothing I can do for guests who are upset over things explicitly listed in the description. Thank you for your understanding and please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.”

All of this is literally IN CAPS AND STARRED in my listing already

People stink.

2

What? That’s not their policy. Check this thread.

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3

Hmm, weird. They said that since he didn’t spend the night, he doesn’t have the right to review. At leastThat’s what they told me on the phone last night.

4

Why are you calling guests? Just make Airbnb stick to the no review policy. He was probably using the cleanliness issue as a ruse for a refund. He might just have got lucky.

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5

Because I wanted to make sure there was nothing I could do to make him happy, it was late at night.

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6

Based on the reported interactions with Airbnb CS agents they are as worthless as can be. But if he can review you, you can review him. You know what to do.

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7

That was my immediate thought too.

I’m also confused about the review thing. I had someone recently who booked but for a third party. I told the guest that he’d need to have the person who was staying book for themselves. He didn’t. But he was still able to leave a review. (Luckily, just to say that he didn’t stay but communication was good and that we were helpful).

8

Do you guys never call guests? If I can’t get ahold of them on the platform (which I couldnt with him initially and had to make sure he had the lockbox instructions) I send them a text or call which they are normally very responsive to.

2/10 guests don’t respond to me at all on air bnb messenger.

For me, if anything goes wrong air bnb has accepted screenshots with the guests registered phone #

9

So, mallNSweet, so what rubs me wrong about your new message is, that you have an acknowledged problem regarding some aspects of your listing, whether it is the micro size of it or issues with the headbanging sleeping loft AND then you purposefully wait 48 hours to send your message.
If I’d receive said message I might just be tempted as a guest to cancel the stay … .
Perhaps you can find a nicer way to present your problem areas, and IN CAPS AND STARRED … just screams red flag for listings for me.

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10

I have a 4.9/100 reviews and photos accurately showing everything. There’s no need to get catty.

It’s obvious the guest is booking a tiny house. If the guest can’t look or read an extremely detailed description, it is 100% their fault.

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11

Brilliant. People should read the damn listing.

RR

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12

Exactly. If they want to cancel after they read my message that is their fault BECAUSE THEY DIDNT READ THE DAMN LISTING.

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13

Not to mention the title says LITTLE in capital letters.

14

Never. Texts are okay if screen-shot, otherwise keep communication in the app. How do you prove anything if it’s by phone?

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15

I guess. I just don’t think the worst of people. I know I should because guests can be sneaky little gremlins, but if someone needs help/isn’t happy my first instinct is to just call and see what I can do.

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16

H[quote=“SmallNSweet, post:1, topic:28095”]
Hello, I am very excited about your upcoming stay at my AirBnb! I am sending this message to those with upcoming reservations at my listing. While the ratings and response to my listing has been overwhelmingly positive, I have hosted several guests of late who did not read the listing description in it’s entirety and were unsatisfied by either the size of the apartment or the sleeping area. As mentioned prominently in my listing, this is a SMALL micro studio apartment. It can comfortably accommodate 2 people, but please understand that this is not a typical one bedroom apartment. Additionally, the sleeping loft is accessed by a small staircase and has very limited headroom. As per the listing description, no refunds will be issued for complaints either about the size of the apartment, issues with the sleeping loft, or anything specifically mentioned in the listing description. While I strive to accommodate all of my guests to the best of my ability, there is nothing I can do for guests who are upset over things explicitly listed in the description. Thank you for your understanding and please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.”
[/quote]

Each person’s perception of small differs. I lived comfortably for 6 months on a 36 ft sport fisher (approx 300 sq ft interior space—tiny V berth)

May I suggest some wordsmithing of your message? Shorter is more likely to be read & adding breaks (white space) makes it easier to read. if you are not interested, it’s ok, just ignore.

Suggested message:

Hello, I am very excited about your upcoming stay at my AirBnb!

It is important to me that you are happy with your rental. Please read the listing description in it’s entirety.

This MICRO studio apartment can comfortably accommodate 2 people. This _____ sq ft area, offers a unique sleeping loft accessed by a small staircase and has very limited headroom (____ft height)

Please note: Airbnb’s policy is to not issue refunds for complaints about items specifically mentioned in the listing description such as apartment size, loft headroom & bathroom downstairs from the loft.

Thank you and please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
I am happy to accommodate all of my guests to the best of my ability.

PS I might leave out the paragraph about Airbnb not issuing refunds. You will have communicated/informed the important items in your email & listing. Airbnb will administer the cancellation policy as they see fit.

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17

I’ve called guests when I needed an immediate answer or when I thought the guest did not/could not text at the moment. At the end of conversation, I tell them I will do a quick summary on the Airbnb website for their records.

My summary starts with “Hi _____ thank you for talking to me at —time— today. A summary of that call follows. Let me know if you have any questions.”

Yes, keeping things on the platform is preferred but sometimes a conversation is needed.

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18

I refuse to speak to guests on the phone, and I have 550+ 5* reviews for communication. I also live an hours drive away and a good percentage of the time I am not even in the same country, my guests don’t need to know any of this.

I don’t answer the phone to numbers I don’t know and my message says: If you are calling as a guest please contact me through the Airbnb platform.

I have this in the itinerary:

Contact:

I believe my guests want complete privacy so I will not contact you unless it’s important but please message me here if there is anyway I can help you.

Airbnb Terms of Service require all communication between guests and hosts take place through the Airbnb message system. This message platform is the best way to contact me.

Please be aware that I can’t offer after hours assistance, if there is an emergency please call 000.

The after hours reference is because a guest had a go in a review that I didn’t respond to a 12.30am message until 7.30am!

19

Now guests can leave reviews even if they didn’t stay and even if they cancelled

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20

Ok. Hosts can manage as they wish. I’m glad you’ve found a process that works for you. It wouldn’t work for me so I use a process that does. As long as guests needs are met it is all good

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