No visitor rule

In another thread, Xena mentioned the idea of having a “No visitors.” rule.

This rule seems to combine “no parties” and “no unregistered guests” into one rule that can’t be argued with.

Has anyone implemented a No Visitors rule? How did it go? How did you word it? Did you ever take guests to task over it?

Thanks

Yes. I have it in my house rules. Sometimes people do it without asking and you have to confront them about it. But if you tell people right when they walk in the door then they know they’re doing something wrong. With unregistered guests that people try to sneak in, confront them immediately and send them an alteration for them to pay for them or ask them to leave.

Here’s how we have worded it: “All guests have to be registered. The reservation should include the total number of guests – max is 4. Exceeding agreed-upon guest reservation is cause for cancellation and removal. Visitors are not allowed unless pre-approved by Peggy and Mike.”

Because we are on site hosts they can’t slip people by, but we have found that people feel like they can just invite anyone up for the day or to come on over if they have local friends. This wording has helped uncover those circumstances and we’ve been able to manage the times where it was okay and some where it was not. We also added (after reading this forum) that breaking this rule is cause for immediate cancellation and removal so the consequences are clear.

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We have it in writing too but we know people don’t read the listing. Do you verbally tell people too when they arrive?

I don’t allow guest visitors at my homestay. There are plenty of cafes and pubs guests can meet people in. I have a rule that guests ask me before anyone comes to my door for them. My dog is a great excuse. Usually if they have a taxi or something they communicate by phone. Perfect - quiet, peaceful, secure and no room for confusion.

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Do you have to confront people who bring them without asking?

It hardly ever happens because it’s in the rules. The dog would normally confront them, just by way of barking at the irregularity of a guest letting someone else in - the cheek of it lol. I then go and settle the dog, remind the guest and it never happens again! Dogs have a strict sense of right and space.

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We have had quite a few situations where people do not read the rules and just bring people anyway without asking. Once my boyfriend gave them permission to bring ‘ a couple’ of people over and they had a big dinner party where they invited at least five more people. So now I just tell people when they walk in no extra guests.

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Just to clarify… No guests or no visitors?

It’s up to the host’s discretion. Some people allow daytime visitors as long as they don’t stay overnight. Others like me and Jess prefer that guests of guests do not enter our homes at all. It’s a liability thing for me and I just don’t want people coming and using the amenities in my house for free/damaging things.

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Yes it’s also a security issue.

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Yeah, this is how I handle it, too. My listing is small. The family room area only holds four comfortably and there are scads of coffee shops, breweries, and restaurants in walking distance where they can meet friends.

It’s a liability issue for me. It also side-steps any of those “is this a party?” grey area situations. If four people are on the reservation, I shouldn’t see more than that on the property. Anyone else needs to be added to the reservation or asked to leave.

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Just to show that there are also more easy-going and relaxed hosts, here are my rules:

“We always enjoy meeting nice people and are pretty easygoing.
Please, no smoking in the house and no drugs whatsoever. Just smoke outside”

I started hosting in 2012 and have only marginally changed my rules. This was for my ‘home-sharing’ rooms with a guesstimate of 99.5 % tourists that either fly or out of the country. Only once did I have a guest think it was a good idea to bring a sex-worker.
A couple of times guests bring by someone of the local family and I always welcomed that, by all means that is part of travelling.

Now different situations, but Fahed, while you mentioned that your investment property is upscale in London …why do people go to London? Only shop their wits out? Or business, and if business they might just want to have a private place for negotiations and if you can offer that (with having say a maid present) you might find that it is quite a niche with all other listings prohibiting visitors.

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I also allow visitors and if the visitor stays overnight (it’s happened once in 400+ stays) then I charge a second person fee. However…I have a small one bedroom with ensuite. There is no living or sitting area, there is only one desk chair. When visitors have come over they never stay long. I think it’s unreasonable to prohibit visitors and would avoid such listings for my own travel needs.

A short story here: similar set-up to mine. Live in host. A guest of hers had inquired with me also, but booked her room which is right in my neighboorhood. Me being my usual helpful self and because we had a common language, took this guest around and helped him purchasing a motorcycle as he wanted to tour Costa Rica with it. All very harmless and I had the time.
At the end of our shopping spree and after having just purchased the bike he got a free helmet and a bunch insurance documents. We decided to drop them off at his room. I was interested to meet her as she was doing Airbnb and a bit of networking never hurts. She was home, but did not show herself. We were in and out within less than 5 min.
Next day she had kicked him out and said could not stay any longer. No problem because he went on his tour anyways.

If you want to be that kind of person, be that person. Not my style though.

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Simply due to you coming by for a short while? Maybe she thought of you as a spy?

Among hosts as well as all humans some people are much more paranoid and fear based. It’s never been my style either.

Less than 5 minutes.
It was mind-boggling and I guess it still is.

I don’t want to be a drag, but I don’t want to upset neighbours, ruin the house, exceed max numbers etc. Having a “no visitor” policy seems to be the easy way of achieving that.

How about, “The house may only be used as personal accommodation for guests at the time of booking. Visitors are not allowed without prior approval and I’ll usually be fine with it. If you’re not sure, please message me before you book. It’s the only way I can prevent parties and unregistered guests.”

No “unregistered” guests. or visitors. As in the example I gave you earlier, the brother told me she was simply “a visitor”, and no, she wasn’t staying. After I asked her to leave, I went up to our suite to tell Mr Joan he could come down now, then found the brother bringing his friend up the stairs to his room.

No guests, not visitors, unless paid for.

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It’s hard to enforce boundaries when someone has a visitor and there’s the potential of them causing damage and then refusing to pay. Also since our listing is also our home people having a ton of extra people over can really inconvenience us in our own home so we prefer not to allow it after experiencing it a few times.

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