Rude, overfamiliar house guests

I currently have a guest who brought a beer into my house to drink, took off his socks and picked at his feet in front of me and repeatedly swore about how good the “f-in” beer is. I am shocked and horrified by this person’s overfamiliarity and louche behavior. I suppose there is nothing to do about it…there is no polite way to tell someone to stop swearing in front of me or to put their shoes back on their stinky feet…right? I suppose all I can do is be equally annoying in return in some passive aggressive way.

Oh dear. And be careful where you complain. You will very quickly get the “you mustn’t have made sure he had reviews or communicated with him properly before accepting the booking” brigade, insinuating that this person’s behavior is something you could have ascertained via ‘gut feeling’ through the Internet first. I know better from personal experience, and bet he seemed perfectly nice during the booking process, with everything checking out fine.

It’s a very tricky situation. The joys of airbnb. You are now stuck with this charming person right in the sanctity of your place of rest, and without him doing something outright obscene, you must now tolerate his vile behavior for the duration of the booking, or lay down some new rules, possibly resulting in a bad review for embarrassing or making him uncomfortable.

What you will discover, the more you host, is that people have completely different ideas about how to behave in another person’s home. Many behave just as they do in their own home - which is quite horrifying to say the least, because none of us would want to live with so many other people and their disgusting habits.

I see I haven’t been too helpful. I personally struggle with the passive aggressive thing, because no one understands what it is you are trying to communicate. He might think it was because he left his bed untidy, and the next morning it will be made, but the toe picking and swearing continues, because it’s totally normal for him, and he’s just trying to be relaxed and himself around you. Confronting is very hard too, but depending on how much it is upsetting you and how long the stay, it could be done in a way that isn’t too hurtful. Something like ‘I appreciate that you feel relaxed in my home, but I would prefer you kept your drinking to your room, and I don’t mean to come across too conservatively, but I would appreciate if you tried to cut down on the swearing when talking with me as I am sensitive to that kind of language’. I can’t say I have ever done it, but when I have a guest that I find offensive, I literally don’t ever dome down to see them ever again. If I had to, because we shared a space I may have had to have a talk, but I’m not sure. It’s so tricky.

My thoughts are with you! All the best.

Thanks for your words of support. I suppose it is just one of those bite the pillow and think of the cash your making scenarios.

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Lol, hilarious CS. At least you have some humor about it. Yes. That’s how we find a good many of the guests to be honest. There’s a lot of teeth gritting, jaw muscles flexing, and muttering going on behind closed doors! That’s really the reason we choose not to share the kitchen. You’re going to need some privacy from those that aren’t so wonderful other than locking yourself in your bedroom until it’s over. It’s totally ok just to offer the room, and not share your living space or kitchen. This would be my option if I just had a room in the house. It would be ‘you can use the room and bathroom, but the rest of the house is not for guest use’, clearly communicated in the description. You can set up a little coffe and tea area. Of course airbnb’er mantra is that we should all be making out like big happy families, which sounds idyllic, but in practice is far from it.

Another way to deal with his swearing, drinking and toe picking, is to politely take your leave soon after the behavior begins, so that he gets the picture you’re not enjoying the tete a tete as much as he is. But again, this means you are allowing him to take over your space.

This is repulsive and gross. My hats off to the hosts who actually have them inside your own personal home. I personally could not do it or I would have also rented my boys’ room upstairs here while they are at college. I would only consider renting out a separate and lockable room on Air…never one I would have to share with guests such as this clod. No wonder hosts are beginning to burn out. My sympathies …I’m sure you have the countdown timer on until this trailer trash checks out.

CS, on second thoughts, after talking with my husband, we really felt the picking the toes and swearing/drinking, and not getting the hint that you’re not his drinking buddy is really awful.

Personally next time he decided to engage you in a little relaxing chat, I would suddenly find my self very busy elsewhere, I’m sorry you are in this position. Otherwise, it really is time for a chat. How long is the stay. Short I hope.

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old thread i know, but i need to rant lol
New guests in for 2 days now. Have been out the max 2 hrs in 2 days. (they missed their tour today as they were messing about last night till 1am, so slept in)! Sitting taking over living room. They can see we have our TV on trying to watch something, but they put their laptop or phones on, blaring either their music or Chinese TV programmes, which drowns out our sound! Driving me crazy. Absolutely no common sense!! They’ve a perfectly good, comfortable room of their own they could use! And what’s with the showers at midnight and the slamming of doors! I’ve already had a go at them for not putting their dirty dishes away when theyve been told 3 times already! No energy left. Draining! Such sweet girls though so i’m trying to bite my tongue! AGHHHHHHHHHH roll on holidays!!!