Booking was for 6. 7 showed up. Now there is 8! We let the first extra Guest go because 2 of the Guests are little girls under 5. But this morning we walk out to an 8th Adult Guest in the living room. This morning we also realized the 2 teenage boys will now be sleeping on the couches in the living room because of the 8th Guest changing the dynamic. The couches are not listed for potential bed use! How do you approach the Guest who booked? I want to be nice but firm. Hoping for some exact wording from fellow hosts who have encountered this before! We do not have a security deposit to pull from!
You share the space with the guests? Nip this in the bud right now and pull the main person who booked aside and say “I’m sorry but I do not allow anyone to sleep on the couch. It is too intrusive and I use that space all the time” (say this even if it’s not true!) Then you must discuss the extra charge for the 8th person (since you already let the 7th go, which I don’t think you should have in the first place). I agree you should inform airbnb this is happening and that the guest has violated your terms. In case the guest gets testy, you’ll need to cancel them entirely.
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I’ve hosted about 180 groups of guests so far. At the beginning I was easy going and let things slide until things got so egregious I came time my senses. I do not let any little thing slide anymore but the key is to speak up immediately once you discover the offense. I’ve had no problems with any guests this year (other than the 2 girls who each showered twice a day but technically they didn’t violate any rules LOL) and I’m still a super host who gets great reviews!
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It’s our first time dealing with this situation so yes was hoping to solve this with not escalating it. Guess that might not be possible. LOL The listing is private room listing. Not entire house. (Which I think the guest who booked didn’t pick up on that). But the private room listing is 3 extra spare beds that come with 2 private bathrooms, plus over 1,500 sq ft of space inside the house common areas plus a patio/pool.
We technically do not share the space bc our master bed/bath are on the other side of the house and we leave the house at 9am and don’t return until at least 9pm or later on a regular basis. So there’s room for everyone but…the guest clearly did not see the Private Room listing or the under Interaction with Guests note that clearly states we are on site hosts that sleep at the house. I know she’s pulling a fast one here but would like the right words to handle it as kind as possible. I know crazy right??? I should talk to the Guest first? Tonight is the 3rd night of a 6 night stay.
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I’m actually a big wimp myself when it comes to these kinds of things. You must message them through the airbnb system so there is a record. If anything bad happens Air isn’t going to back you up. Send them a charge through the system for the extra people for all six days.
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First, I would take @KKC 's advice and call ABB ASAP. I would also wait to talk to the guest until more experienced hosts chime in here and give you advice on exactly what words you should say, personally, I would script it out on the ABB messaging system, prefacing it with “Per our in-person conversation, I would like to review what we discussed.” Then literally read the rest to your guest, as soon as you are done speaking, hit SEND, so they get the message and it’s in the ABB messaging system so ABB can look at it. Hang in there a bit, you will get more advice.
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Thanks everyone! brook2adks - thanks for that advice. I was just about to message the Guest but wasn’t sure it was the best option to start dialogue via messaging. Don’t things to blow up. I would love some exact wording! And don’t get me wrong, I’m VERY upset that this Guest misrepresented her booking so erroneously.
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We just had this happen a week or so ago. Your situation is slightly different, though, because it sounds like you share a common space with the guest. How have your interactions been with them thus far? It also sounds like you do not live alone with the guests. So, this is a positive.
What have you said to the guest thus far about the extra persons? Did you even mention the 7th person, or am I to understand that it wasn’t addressed when the 7th person was found by the, “we let it go” portion.
First - Document the situation in the messenger. Offer them an opportunity to pay your extra guest fees for the stay.
Second - Pick up the phone and let Air know what is going on. They can make tactful inquiry of the guest to verify they are in compliance.
If they don’t pay, you can invite the entire party to leave.
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Felix - there are common areas, but when Guests are staying when we (my boyfriend and I) get home (always after 9pm) we grab waters from the fridge and quickly say Hi if anyone is around - then go directly to our master bed/bath where we stay until the morning. We do not watch TV in the main living room or cook…we do not use the common areas. We literally come home to sleep.
You are correct we did not mention the 7th Guest at all. Our interaction so far has been mainly with the parents of the Guest who booked. Because of schedules, we just met her this morning for the first time along with that 8th surprise Guest at the same time. Her parents are lovely people who I think were surprised as well that we are at home hosts! They both asked me on separate occasions 'So you live here year round"? LOL
Remember also, you are learning to be a host, and it sounds as if these folks are learning how to read, ok, meant to say learning how to be good ABB guests. Your desired approach of tact and kindness are good ones, but you are going to have to be firm. Like I said, hang in there, you will get more advice shortly 
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Thank you! Tactful is the right word we would like to be!
I wouldn’t avoid speaking to the guest in person. You don’t know how many times I have sent an airbnb message thinking the guest staying with me read it but when I saw them in person they said “oh I don’t check my messages when I’m on vacation.” So send the message when you know you have direct access to the main person who booked, so you can immediately pull them aside, say what you have to say and then end with “I also sent you a message through the airbnb site just in case I didn’t see you!” (But you secretly planned to see them…)
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You will just want to send them a message asking them to verify that their reservation is for six people, and send them a reservation modification request showing the actual number of persons. It can be initiated from either side.
What is your extra person fee?
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Ohh we can send a revised reservation? Should I just do that so she knows I recognize what she’s trying to do? The extra person fee is $20 (ducks and runs). I know it’s low. $85 for the first 2 then $20 PP per night after that. So we’re not looking to make a million just bring in a little extra.
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Crazy to not have a deposit. I have a £75 deposit and it’s just a private room.
Will for sure add a deposit right now !
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I just asked my guest to pay for the extra: would you like to pay me by cash or though airbnb. if you pay by airbnb you and me have to pay a transactionfee. The guest tried to argue that a child of 3 years old could not be counted as a person but i insisted because the child made much more trouble than an adult like it may make the blanket dirty with coulor pens, shit everywhere …you should charge them
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I recommend spending some time reading the AirBnB terms of service. AirBnB won’t back you up if you accept any payment outside of the system.
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when everything is done with cash, no body can prove it!
Handle no payments by cash. Ever. Accepting a modification request is admission of guilt. Adding the two people properly through the modification also affords you insurance benefits if something were to happen to them…
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