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Hello all,
I am a newbie host welcoming my 11th guest in the US.
I currently have a guest who had booked 6 weeks ago and decided to alter the date one day before the check-in.
I had to reject her request as it was too last minute. I had explained the reason for the rejection but she was continuously demanding to accept. Nonetheless, I rejected and she is here. I guess she realized her mistake and didn’t want to pay for the penalty. lol
Since the check-in, she had been complaining about all things that none of previous guests ever had. I had offered her alternative solutions to help her settle but she is simply ignoring them.
The last bomb is that the guest suite was partially out of power last night around 11 PM. Of course, she complained and I had to step out in the midnight to run a temporary power outside of the house. After inspecting for the reason of power outrage, I figured out that the guest has been overusing that the electrical panel got shut down automatically.
I have reached out to Airbnb but it is taking them forever to resolve.
I simply don’t know what to do with this crazy guest.
Please help me with any solutions, ideas!
My previous guest had 3 ladies. They were cooking with electrical stoves and microwaves, taking showers, using hair dryers, irons, heaters, etc., the list can go on forever but I didn’t have any power issue.
But this guest has been complaining about 1) no hot water 2) no power 3) no parking instruction (when it is clearly posted on the listing) 4) room temperature (there is heater in the guest suite)
I don’t know if she is coming up with all the little things she can find to report to Airbnb and get her full refund.
I hope you are communicating with the guest via Airbnb so there is a record.
When she complained about parking and room temperature or other things where information (I presume) is contained in your guest book, I would just say you are always willing to help but it is quicker and easier for her to check her guest book first, as it will answer most of her queries.
Was the issue of the hot water connected to the lack of electricity ?
If she blew a fuse, that might affect the water heater and the space heater. So she really might have cold water and no heat. Did you check the fuse panel?
That’s really bad. Sorry to hear about that.
Other hosts will have better ideas on how to deal with her than me.
I normally allow a guest to cancel if they are pushy about it. I have a strict cancellation policy, but still will allow it. This is because I don’t want tp deal with a crazy, agro guest.
I have in every case been able to rebook the apartment for the vacant nights.
In one instant where the guest wanted to cancel quite a few nights very close to the date I compromised with the guest that they will get a refund only if I rebook the same dates at the same price (ie I didn’t make any additional money from them). They could see on my calendar if the dates were rebooked and they had it in writing I would pay them.
Everyone thinks I’m a big softy. Even the Airbnb CS say I’m very generous, but actually, I’m not. I’ve never lost a cent this way. One time I actually made money (since the gests who rebooked it stayed longer) and I am less stressed with crazyness.
This works for me, but obviously every situation is different and you are certsinly entitled to refuse cancellation.
Thank you for your words.
I guess I am learning the lesson in the hard way.
I truly think it is the best to avoid these shitty crazy guests in the future.
I have changed my cancellation policy as well but it sucks to hear that I have to make exceptions.
I hate the fact Airbnb is in a way to push the hosts to accept these dirty exceptions.
Yes. I am calling a tech over to inspect it so I can have a very solid documentation proof for Airbnb.
If I do find out the outrage was due to overuse, I am so ready to charge the guest!
What rehome fee? Never heard of such a thing. The guest will be refunded for any unused nights.
Personally I would want to be rid of her ASAP. It won’t get any better.
I don’t where you are located, but a guest’s electricity usage should not be able to cause damage and it should be unlikely to even trip a circuit breaker (or blow a fuse). If that actually happened, it’s a lot more likely that you have a problem with the circuitry in your listing than the guest actually doing something wrong.
Every time she complains, make certain that you answer her complaint (whether by text, in writing, or verbally) on the AirBnB platform! Keep all communications on the AirBnB messaging platform, so that it’s visible to your fictional case manager.
If she keeps tripping breakers, she must be plugging in something that trips it, especially if other guests with many appliances have not been able to do so. Make certain that the electrician who visits has her plug in EVERY thing she is using. I’ll bet that she has a faulty appliance with an internal short that trips the breaker.
