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“April, her mom, Debra, her daughter, Makella, her son, Justin and their 3 little dogs seemed to be the perfect guests, even letting me know that Phillipe, Justin’s friend was came to hang out for a few hours until dinner the day of check-in. Since she let me know, and it was for a short time, I did not charge the extra guest fee. However, it turns out that he never left and she never paid the authorized guest fees so I had to request the much more expensive unauthorized guest fees indicated in the House Rules. So, instead of being honest and paying $60 for him for the 3 nights, it came to $150. Other hosts are welcome to contact me to see how she handles the situation when determining whether or not to accept them at their house, since I felt like I needed to write the review before charging her, in order to avoid a bad review.”
Obviously most of us agree that it needs to be shorter. An additional negative detail to note is that although they were great about all going to the road to smoke (no smoking allowed anywhere on the entire property per House Rules) there were several times where her mother would light up on the porch (right in front of the camera) before walking out there. And a minor complaint is that several of them slept either on top of the top sheet and under the comforter (blankets are in the closet if they want them since it is summer) or on top of the comforter (only because it just isn’t how bedding is supposed to be used).
On the positive side I expect it is a glowing review as she was nothing but complimentary to me the entire time and I had actually offered to her to contact me directly to save when booking in the future. Had I not found out about the lying with the unauthorized guest I really would have been happy. She left her review on Wednesday at 1551 and I have 2 days to leave mine.
Finally, I am trying to decide on actually charging her BEFORE writing the review so that if she pays it I can change the review to include how she handles it, if she does before my review deadline. IF I knew there was NO WAY she could change her review I would prefer to charge first and review after.
Thoughts and suggestions, fellow wise hosts? Thanx in advance.
Cannot recommend exact guest name to future hosts. Broke house rules with regards to smoking adjacent to the property and brought an (undisclosed) additional guest.
You’ve got, I believe, sixty days from check out to send a payment request via the Resolution Centre. How she handles it is irrelevant, she broke your house rules.
So you don’t think lying about it is the bigger problem, like I do, since you don’t even mention it at all?
I very much do think how she handles it is relevant. The fact that she broke the rules is fact that is in the past. How she handles being charged for it tells me even more. For many hosts they don’t care about unauthorized guests or smoking. But certainly how a guest handles the situation of being charged for breaking them in accordance with the House Rules should be very important to them, I would think…
As long as the guest count does not exceed the maximum I would smile and let it go. I have this happening now, booked for 4 adults and it looks like there are 5. My price is the same for 2 or 6 just for this reason. Smokers are going to smoke, have a butt can so they do not start a fire. I have better things to do than chase people for fees. Next time I would book this group directly.
Yes it was! I have a provision in my rules for extra guest fees but I have never tried to enforce it. It is there just in case someone really pisses me off.
I try not to take it personally, they lied vs undisclosed guest as John put it. Makes it easier on me and IMO better for my business.
We definitely have different hosting styles, listings and ways of looking at things. I always enjoy the back and forth, I have learned a thing or two from you @Militaryhorsegal .
“April, her mom, Debra, her daughter, Makella, her son, Justin and their 3 little dogs seemed to be the perfect guests, even letting me know that Phillipe, Justin’s friend was came to hang out for a few hours until dinner the day of check-in. Since she let me know, and it was for a short time, I did not charge the extra guest fee. However, it turns out that he never left and she never paid the authorized guest fees so I had to request the much more expensive unauthorized guest fees indicated in the House Rules. So, instead of being honest and paying $60 for him for the 3 nights, it came to $150. Other hosts are welcome to contact me to see how she handles the situation when determining whether or not to accept them at their house, since I felt like I needed to write the review before charging her, in order to avoid a bad review.”
I first I thought you should post a shortened review:
“I would have happily recommended April and her family (including the dogs) until upon checkout I discovered the approved day guest became an unauthorized and unpaid full time guest.”
Mentioning the bedding and the smoking issues makes you sound like you are petty/picky - I’m sure you didn’t mean it that way but I definitely wouldn’t mention them.
However, now I think you have two issues and you may want to simply not review (I know, not fair to future hosts but a CYA moment) and not request additional funds.
Biggest issue : YOU offered to go off platform for future bookings. If in the dispute over additional fees or if you mark her down on stars/not recommend and she mentions this YOU could be thrown off the platform.
Next issue - if you bring up the nonpayment of fees while it is an active case, Air can remove the review.
(Those who are more familiar with the TOS would you please fact check these items, my brain is very tired today!)
I like your shortened review. And yes, I said it needs to be shorter thus asking for help fro, you all who are impartial.
I had no intention to mention the bedding (although maybe the smoking, even if only privately). It was provided here for additional context. But, yes, many here on the forum know of my pickiness (I don’t worry too much about that though because it is in the rules (well, ok, I don’t have in the rules that people need to use bedding properly, i don’t have a camera in there to provide the evidence)).
Not reviewing is not going to happen and should not be a recommendation.
The biggest issue you mention is NOT an issue at all because there is nothing in the ToS that forbids direct booking for future bookings. One day they may but right now they don’t. It is not like Rover or DogVacay where they speciifcally forbade hosts from direct booking in the future be requiring all bookings now and in the future be through their platform.
Why on earth would I NOT request the additional fees that she agreed to in the House Rules?
You could be right about removing my review if i mention a nonpayment of fees on an active case however, i have not had that experience being successful because the guest would have to request it first of all and second of all I would likely word it in such a way (hence my thought about encouraging future potential hosts to contact me instead of actually putting her actions in there, if they are negative (decline to pay)). And they would likely only remove it if they were going to cover the fees for the guest, in which case it would almost be a moot point for me personally, but certainly better than a bad review for me and no payment.
I appreciate it too! And it always boggles my mind that people so often put stuff in their house rules that they have zero intention of actually enforcing…just not how i grew up (as a kid or an adult, lol). I’m glad your way works for you. I know my way doesn’t always work for me because AirBnB doesn’t follow their own policies but in general I am not afraid of the confrontation…
I take that back, I don’t really like it but I am courageous enough to go forth with it anyways…courage is facing the fear head on…
Speaking of, I’d always be happy to see what you earned from me (public or private).
Keep it short, simple and factual:
Cannot recommend Guest. The family seemed to be perfect guests; however there was an unauthorized extra guest who came for dinner and never left – for the remainder of their stay. * Guest* has made no attempt to pay the Unauthorized Guest Fee. At this time we are still trying to recovered the additional funds.
My effort at unboggling your mind … I added some rather strict verbiage that I don’t really intend to charge the fees unless someone seriously abuses the privilege
I did so to deter those, BEFORE they book. I’m very OK with guests having friends or family come by to visit and only added this when I had a guest use the site for business purposes with multiple people coming onsite.
Yes, I was going to suggest much the same, Ken. As a host reading a guest’s reviews, why would I care to know the names of all the family members? Nor do I need to know how much the extra guest fee was. I don’t need a detailed short story, all I need to know in this particular booking is that the guest lied.
I don’t even care if this guest left the house clean or whether they pay up when asked to. She said the guy was only staying for dinner and he stayed the whole time. She lied and I have no interest in hosting liars.
That is pretty much what mine says but I have every intention of enforcing it when they chose to ignore it anyways. I guess it’s a difference of people always speaking with intention or not.
I have always subscribed to the philosophy that each guest should be named individually because some guests are good while others are bad and some people lie as well. This is most common with not perfect stays. Also, the reviews CAN (if the primary properly added each additional) go in each of those people’s profiles. Bad guest Tim should be called out separately than good guest Tom so a host can see that if it’s just Tim this time maybe define but definitely accept Tom.
This also applies with pets. I get quite a few reservations for people in town for dog shoes or competitions or lessons. They often have different dogs and although they could also lie about them I like to distinguish not only names but maybe size, breed, age, color, activity level, shedding level, noise level, house trained level, etc. so if bad dog Spot is being passed off as good dog Buddy it is a little more discernible.
Yes I realize I put a lot more thought and analysis in than probably is called for but that is who I am and how I operate.
but I definitely wouldn’t mention them.
… I added some rather strict verbiage that I don’t really intend to charge the fees unless someone seriously abuses the privilege
