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I went away last weekend, and just before I left I got a request from an older working lady to stay 3 nights. Sure, why not, I’ll clean etc before she arrives and my family can check her in.
I came back Sunday evening (she was to leave Monday morning) - and no sign of her at all. I’ve never seen her - and none of my family seemed to remember her coming or going at all. Very strange, I thought.
Then on Monday when I go to clean - I find she has reconfigured the beds completely! The dining area becomes a king bed. Odd…I begin to wonder.
Then today her review comes through - glowing. “Me and my kids had a wonderful time…” WTH???
No wonder she came and went under cover of dark. She was sneaking in extra guests!
Given that the current, winter price is less than $35 a night, and I charge $10 extra per guest over the standard 2, I’m feeling a little sore…
I’d ask her to cough up the money. What was her story when she booked?
Are you verifying the total number of guests before accepting booking? Before I accept any reservation I always ask if there will be any visitors during the stay, and for the ages of any infants/children. If they initially inquire and say it is just the two of them, I still verify it is only two guests and no children/infants.
I would call Air and see if you can send something through the resolution center. Even if she doesn’t accept the charges, it is worth a try.
Maybe you can charge them for the extra guests against the damage deposit if you charged one, and if you have an additional charge listed for extra people. I recently had a situation where a family exceeded my limit in the house but I did not say anything because the AC broke during the visit and they were quite nice about the situation.
Message her through the platform “I see you brought your children - so glad you had a wonderful time…how many were with you?”
Wait for an answer - if no answer - through the platform
“I guess you didn’t realize that you needed to make your reservation for the proper number of guests. Since there were xx more of you, your nightly rate is $xx so you owe an additional $xx. I’ll put through the resolution request now”.
Then put in the request for the extra money. Chances are it will work out totally fine.
I’m intrigued to know about your listing. Who let her in? Who did the meet-and-greet and tour? I assume this is just a room and not a whole house because of the price?
It sounds as though she is new to Airbnb, is that right? It seems strange that she would mention her kids in the review if she knew it was wrong. In view of the fact that the bed was moved, what sort of review did you leave her?
Considering her friendly manner thus far, she could be unaware of the process, so giving her a chance to make things right (politely), may resolve the matter.
Hi everyone - thanks for your thoughts. Her story when booking - coming to visit family in a nearby suburb. I don’t have a damage deposit, but I do charge for extra people, as AirBnB can see.
I know not seeing her comings etc seems strange - my listing is a self contained caravan on the driveway in front of the house. That weekend my dad was confined to barracks with the kids because none of them are old enough to be left without an adult. So, because of the way the caravan sits (the door faces away from our house to give them privacy, and guests park behind it)… It’s not hard to see how they could come and go without being seen.
Unfortunately for me I’d already reviewed her - a generic one liner iirc.
Here’s the message I sent through the resolution centre…
Hi Guest, I’m glad you and your kids had a great stay while you were here. However, the reservation was for one guest only - and beyond 2 guests, I charge $10 a night per extra guest. I’d appreciate it if you’d cover the $30 difference because of the wrong # of guests in your original reservation Kind Regards, Sonya & Family
I would not say anything, just let it go and remember to put it in the rules to book the correct number of guests. I have done this and it rarely happens to me that they bring in extra guests.
I would just bite the bullet and let it go. So your don’t risk a bad review.
I know she already left you one but just a heads up for next time
I would be more firm. “I’d appreciate it if” sounds so wishy washy.
Allow her to save face and say, “perhaps you weren’t aware but… i charge an an extra guest fee of $10 per person per night.”
please pay the extra guest fees, thank you.
Good for you for speaking up and saying something. This is such a major issue in this industry. Although I know some guests innocently think their children might be free…too many purposely omit them unless directly asked. Then when the guest gets away with it, they continue to do it at the next place, and so on.
This is the same reason guests consistently show up early and pretend they didn’t know. They got away with it at the last place.
Ah, someone else posted a picture of an RV; got the different threads mingled. You have a true trailer; what a nice front design; is that a storage compartment in the front or protector? Who makes it? I am an RV ‘enthusiast’, having used them for years.
Yes there is a pretty decent storage compartment in the front over the A frame
They’re made in the UK - and made quite comfortable, all of them are insulated and double glazed. And the doors are on the right side of the road for us too
Very, very nice design and the low-wind-resistant slope in the front is exceptionally smart. I really missed my days traveling in an RV parked in the middle of the most beautiful of places in the great American West.
/ Oh this thread was about someone sneaking kids in - how easy we drift.
I think it’s best to not let extra guests go even after check out. It lets the guest think it’s ok to try it again with another host. We’ve had 2 situations so far with the booked guest bringing ‘extras’. One stay was out right cancelled and the other was settled during the stay through modifying the booking. Thankfully both worked out but I’m just waiting for the day it doesn’t. But nonetheless I’m speaking up to the guest right away!
Kind Regards, Sonya & Family
