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OK So I have a first time user who wants to book but is making me nervous. When he first contacted me he kept asking about safe and secure parking. I said I am in a quiet street but do not have a garage available or secure parking but there is plenty of street parking outside my house. I suggest if he wants safe and secure to look at other airbnb properties with drive way parking or who offer safe and secure parking or stay at a hotel.
Then I get a booking request through saying I hope I can find safe and secure parking. I message back and explained again what I explained above. He now wants to speak to me so I explained contact details are scrambled via air messaging and suggest he google earths my post code.
I would decline the request. Obviously, parking is a very important issue for this potential guest, and your airbnb offering is what it is, if it’s doesn’t met their needs, they need to find one that does.
I have now accepted it after telling him before accepting his booking I want him to google earth my street address and make a decision that he is comfortable with.
I had people moving who were concerned about this. I explained about my driveway, lights and security camera and they were satisfied. It’s a legit question but if someone is going to be a big worry about it I’d be tempted to turn them away.
Well, but it’s something you can never be sure about…
I live in one of the safest area in Milano, and about 3 months ago my neighbours got 5 cars stolen in one night in their private underground garage, full of videos and cameras everywhere.
They just woke up in the morning and they had this surprise…
Somebody managed to get false keys, and deactivated cameras.
It’s a one family buliding, they were sleeping at the upper floors, and also the garage is private for the family only, so you never know…
I don’t have a car, nor a place where to park a guest’s car, and in my area they have very strict rules about residents only, so I guess I will (in September I think I will rent a room) take info about private car parks and pass the info, but I really won’t take any responsibility
A lesson learned in trusting one’s instincts. I am taking next weekend off as this guest was high maintenance. He leaves on Monday and I will be pleased to see the back of him.
The moral of this story is trust your gut instinct and if you think they are going to be high maintenance decline decline decline.
I would decline this request. Although our house is relatively safe; there is no guarantee anywhere. I wouldn’t want to be blamed if something happened.
