So discouraged with too high expectations

Ah, so essentially you aren’t really a host…

JF

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I don’t know about where you are, but where we are we have a lot of programmes on hospitality with the theme being how it’s going wrong, and how it can be improved. For example Four in a Bed, where hosts to to stay at each others houses and rate them, and then pay what they think they’re worth: the one with the highest percentage of price is the winner. So of course they go searching for dust and nitpick. These programmes are on all the time and often on repeat so I think people are getting the feeling that a tiny bit of lack of lustre on a mirror or a spot on a mattress is cause for a money reduction, or a refund, regardless of the price in the first place.

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I had the extreme misfortune to be in the vicinity of a television, a few years ago, while that programme was on.

Most of the folks came across as pompous twats. Maybe it was just that particular episode, but I don’t think I’d have wanted to stay with any of them. A serious overload of “twee” comes to mind.

:grinning:

JF

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I’ve been hosting remotely since day one, and have a camera at the front door. It discouraged a pimp, but I’ve found that what happens inside the house is what matters. I wish that I could feel comfortable putting little cameras inside! Lol! No, I would not.
My cleaner just cannot be trained to audit damage, theft, etc when she goes to the house.
I’ve given her checklists, emails with check-out instructions, sending the House Rules, send texts, multiple pleas to check for damage…offers of money!
Bottom line: this is the biggest challenge that I face, believe it or not.:rofl:

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Time to change cleaners.

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Time to do your own cleaning.

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:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

There are a lot of programmes about murder too but we don’t see those as role models.

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dexter…

Then stop expecting your cleaner to do this. It isn’t part of the skill set required to be a good cleaner, just because some cleaners are capable of this. Find someone who’s a real detail person and pay them to do a walk through and report to you.

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I have definitely seen an uptick in more sensitive guests and all 3 the difficult guests were 25 to 28 years old! Sensitive to the smell of the room cleaner, sensitive to the dish rack and doubted the height of my hand rail was high enough!!! and a mouse episode I will share in another string… Two of these guest had 0 reviews the other had stellar reviews. I am thinking it is a generational thing, and what’s terrible is that Airbnb does NOT have our back ( I am also on VRBO).

On a go-forward basis for the folks that inquire who have 0 reviews, I tell them the problems I have had with guests complaints I also remind them I lean toward NOT renting to those people with 0 reviews, and wait for their responses if they “ghost” me - GREAT! if they say , “Thats not me… we really love your place” Then I let them book the place.

I do feel like quitting this as well! These people have not had a n y strife in their lives for them to be critical and with one click of a button we go from 5 stars 4 or even worse!! brutal.

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Once you build up reviews the occasional 4 star doesn’t hurt so much.

It seems to me that there is going to be a surge of pent up demand for travel late next year and into 2022. If you can weather the difficult guests now and keep at it you should be able to profit from being better positioned than all the people who will be trying to become STR hosts 9 months from now.

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Hey KKC!, Thanks for the reply, I Have over 125 5 stars plus at least 100 direct bookings, but haven’t heard this (hopeful) projection of the upcoming season and beyond, now that you say it, it makes total sense! I agree with you 100% your comment motivates me to stick around. I am trying to build up my direct business. these review policies too strongly favor the guests with 0 reviews!

Every host and situation is different. I’ve hosted over 800 guests, have over 600 reviews and off the top of my head I’d say at least one third of my guests had no prior reviews. They have never been my problem. All 8 of my less than 5 star reviews were from people with prior reviews.

I’m sorry you’ve had this experience, and unfortunately I’ve had it too.
EXTREMELY strange comments/complaints that haven’t ever come up before, while also acknowledging the “amazing” amenities and quick responses…so the overall tone seems extremely petty. It makes me wonder if this is the response to my hard inquiries about their purpose of travel and health questionnaires upon arrival?

I will add that my partner and I also run a successful outdoor beverage/event establishment, and all of our staff reported the same things you are (so we’re not going crazy!!!).
People’s expectations are up, they REALLY want their sense of escapism, and no matter how many times we can try to tamper their expectations or provide transparency, they’re deliberate in being unhappy. For instance, folks at our work have been complaining about a lack of shade availability or heaters…on a 15,000sq rooftop space…in Brooklyn…that they made a reservation to come to…
Hospitality is an extremely strange and trying business to be in right now. Cheers to all of us trying to make it through and sharing tips while we’re doing it!

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I’m thinking the uptick in fussy, complaining, entitled guests has to do with the reasons that people are booking now (of course this also depends on your location). Many of these guests are totally new to the platform, are clueless about what booking an Airbnb means, and when they went on holiday before, it was because they actually had vacation time off from work and would have gone somewhere there were things they wanted to do- go skiing, go to the beach, go to a big city and see all the sites, the museums, attend concerts or plays, etc. They were eating out, and not hanging around their hotel room, or lodging all day. Maybe pretty much just a place to sleep and get clean, maybe make coffee or breakfast before heading out for the day.

Now they’re doing “staycations”, but it isn’t because they have vacation time off from work- they’ve been working online from home. So they’re hanging out at the house a lot, cooking at home because things are closed down, laying about watching Netflix and they’re also bored. Which is a recipe for noticing things in their accommodation they never would have noticed when on a real, active vacation, having more demands and complaints if things aren’t all to their liking, wishing the place they booked had this or that even though it was never offered in the first place.

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I am a host from 1300 miles away, we spend 2 weeks in May at that house, we do heavy cleaning, maintenance and usually one Nicer add to the property, last year it was a fire pit with benches, this year it’ll be new deck rails. My cleaning lady is my lifeline to that property, we have owned it for 11 years, have only been renting it for 2.5 years, but she knows the house better than I do. She is there at least 3 times per month during slow season and sometimes 5-6 times per month in the busy season. We pay her well ($20 per hour m-sat and $25 per hour Sunday) I never argue if she says she needs something to clean she gets it, new vacuum, shampooer, special rags… whatever she needs she gets. Each year we give her a free stay or cash as a bonus. This year she spent 1 week at our other property in coastal Alabama as her bonus. (She is from Minnesota and had never seen the salt water). My point is you get what you pay for or can afford… it took her about 6 months to really understand her role, she is no longer a cleaner, she understands she is my right hand person (a cleaning manager) managing a property is scary, you have very little control over emergencies, and if your rural, you will be in a world of hurt if you don’t have someone that is invested in the success of the rental. If you can’t find “that person” you are better off putting the property in the hands of a rental agency and letting them manage it, it’s expensive that way, but you have to have the right person representing you or you will sink.

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I also manage remotely…400 miles. This is my 3rd cleaner. I trust her, and she has cleaned Airbnb properties before so she knows what matters, has experience, etc.
I remind her to audit when she’s at the house; give her $25 bonus for getting 5 stars; she’s paid $130 for cleaning plus $35/hr if extra cleaning is needed. My house is 3/2, 1500 sq ft. I sent her a cleaning/audit checklist recently. My biggest concern is damage to carpets in just the bedrooms, and 2 large rugs in dining and front rooms- one was recently a victim of dog pee. I told her that I can file a claim; sent her the invoice for the cleaning and said that if it happens again that I’ll be forced to pack it in= sell.
I consider getting another cleaner. She does errands here and there like picking up a few supplies.
I pay her well, and have offered more money for the audit piece. It IS part of the job as many STR hosts will agree. I belong to the Inner Circle group on the VRMB site for STR hosts. I’ve asked for their feedback.
Just relating what I’ve done. Checked Properly site too. Expensive for 1 listing. Have used a Rental Mgmt company, and they were horrible when it comes to walk-through and damage audits. Checked various site that handle STR cleaning. What a company SAYS that they will do and provide is not always what they deliver.
My listing is my home- not a rental- I’ve lived there and will do so again. Bought as primary residence in 2006.
So back to square one. I keep Helen. Am I missing any helpful tricks? She cleans with another person. I don’t have a dedicated audit person, and my expenses are high already because I use software tools to manage my home. Ideas?

I don’t quite get what Helen is doing wrong. You said there had been dog pee. Did she miss it? Has she missed other damage/significant dirt?

Yes, missed the pee…$500 to take them off site to deep clean; carpet stain from drinks- more cleaning fees there; misc items missing ( have a friend who will do complete inventory soon- paying her); may be more smaller damage- will find out when inventory is done.
The rug cost killed me. I can smell dog pee. Asked her to really check rugs and carpet. I have no food/drink in bedrooms under house rules. She told me at the time there were cheetos in bedroom but said all was fine. Took no pictures. I’ve had guests mention carpet stains…

Carpeting in an STR is a really bad idea, as you have found out. Easy clean floors with throw rugs that can be washed are the way to go.