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Last week I contact a model and asked her if she wants to trade modeling photos for credit to stay. She agreed but wanted $2,000 for 10 photos. Might e worth it for our IG account BUT… way out of my budget. I said no and said she needs to be in the area anyway and need 5 days at the house. She paid in full - no problems so far.
She went into the house and the day after I started to get a lot of alerts from my security camera outside (yes, it’s in the house rules as well as house manual). When I checked it I saw that another guy came, no problem at all but I saw him dropping shooting equipment as well as she putting in like 5 different boxes and at the end he brought 2 cameras with him.
My house rules clearly speak about no photo-shooting stills or video at the house without permission as well as different rates will apply.
I know it’s being shot, it’s obvious. I happened in the past and I was always right (unfortunately).
What do I do now when Airbnb allow guests to what they want basically unless I have a solid proof? A better questions is What do I do if a month from now she posts a photo in my house on her Social Media? Airbnb would help since the guest broke the rules while staying?
Like I said I don’t have video of her actually taking photos. For me it’s obvious (be amateur photographer helps too).
To call and blame her? She will say, “no idea what you’re talking about. Got footage of me shooting? The cameras inside the house? He was just showing them to me.”
The simplest thing for you to have done at the time, was to contact her and say you are concerned there is a shoot happening contrary to your house rules, as you have seen equipment entering your listing and could she confirm this was not the case.
Did you do this?
What help would you expect Airbnb to offer a month after an incident happened and your guest is long gone.
Airbnb provides a resource for you to market your property and supporting services such as it’s guarantee.
You as the host need to manage the day to day activity around your listing including enforcing your house rules.
It’s sort of too late after she left but you might want to try doing a money request. In your rules you could state No Photo Shoots allowed. If shoots are discovered during your booking you will be fined $500 per day.
She didn’t leave yet. She stays for a few more days.
Current rule says:
No stills or video photo shoots allowed at the house or outside of it (within our property) without permission. Photography restrictions - no production. Shooting must be agreed upon and abides to a different daily shooting rate.
I don’t expect them to offer help after a month BUT this is something to think about and IT IS problematic. I’m not talking about finding a broken glass 2 weeks later here. What would you do if a month after your guest stay you’d see an ad online with someone posing at your house? Think about it. That leaves a big hole in their system. If nothing can’t be done, we’re not protected.
Partially true. AirBnb is a BIG part of us enforcing our rules and supporting us.
The main issue here is that she can deny it at once. All she have to say “I’m not shooting at the house” and it’s over. I don’t have a solid proof. What should I tell Airbnb? “I know the equipment, and I know she’s using it to shoot”?
You asked me a direct question, so I gave you an answer based on my own experience. Anything else would be rather silly.
I’m obviously not giving you the answers you want and you clearly don’t want to tackle your guest about this issue. That being the case it looks like you won’t find a solution.
Everyone is giving you the answer: you have to talk to her and tell her no photo shoot is allowed. If she denies it there is nothing you can do. That is the same for many other things guests might do. If they break your table and deny it and you can’t prove they broke it then you get nothing. It’s a chance you take in this business, especially when you host remotely and aren’t there to take care of things in person.
I have zero problems tackling the guest about this. My issue is different. If she denies it, there’s no case. I was looking for feedback to understand how to act in that part.
