Surely it's time to give hosts a couple of days a year off from responding?

[anon33287864]

I’m exhausted. I’ve spent most of Christmas Day, Boxing Day and this Sunday morning (so I’ve missed Church again! Grrrr…) trying to help guests who have decided to leave their bookings to the last minute which then means I have to respond to meet Airbnb deadlines on Christmas Day - I’m sooo over it.

Surely it’s time that Airbnb said ‘no booking responses’ are required on Christmas Day, Boxing, Day, New Years Day and Good Friday. Or at least extended the response timeframe so we can have 4 full days a year off from responding to guests? Or maybe let hosts choose a couple of days a yer where their response times are longer? Is that too much to ask?

I’m seriously thinking of giving the whole hosting thing away - I ruined Christmas lunch for 8 other people by being late because of bleep enquiries and deadlines and so sick of being at the beck and call of this platform 24/7, 365 days a year (Yes I know I have a choice - but Airbnb is the most successful platform for us). And the international time differences make it almost impossible to not breach the response timeframes if I want to sleep occasionally.

Thanks for listening to the rant and thanks for any suggestions. (Yes I’ve fed back to Airbnb for what it’s worth).

[Debthecat]

I closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve and made minimum booking length 5 nights!

[muddy]

You can snooze your listing if you don’t want to be disturbed. It’s your own choice if you want to be a slave to requests and inquiries.

@anon33287864

And the international time differences make it almost impossible to not breach the response timeframes if I want to sleep occasionally.

??? We have 24 hours to respond. That’s enough time to respond no matter what time zone a guest is messaging from. I turn off my phone when I go to sleep. If an inquiry or request comes after I’ve gone to bed, I’ll answer it in the morning after I wake up. The guest would then never have to wait more than 8 hours, max, for a reply. If a guest is so clueless that they expect a immediate response when it’s 3AM my time, I’m not the least bit interested in having them as guests.

[anon33287864]

Thank Muddy, I had no idea you can snooze the listing. I’ll look at that as no I don’t want to be a slave to the listing and stupid guests who can’t read.

As to responding to guests in the morning - nope not here - I work full-time, start early and try and check Airbnb during the day but not always possible.

Anyway, I’ll work it out - was just feeling really grumpy after trying so hard to help guests who enquire on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day, want cancellation policy waivers, discounts on top of 30% discounts, and ask stupid questions.

Thanks for your reply - appreciated.

[Helsi]

As others have said you have 24 hours to respond . There was no need for you to ruin dinner or your festive celebrations @anon33287864

I always block out Xmas to New Year.

[Ritz3]

I block my calendar and only host from April to Sept. We need a break. I know that I’m losing revenue by blocking my calendar, but my sanity is worth more than the revenue. Don’t quit hosting, just block your calendar to give you a much needed break.

[Mountainhost]

@Debthecat

made minimum booking length 5 nights!

Agree if you increase minimal booking length over Holidays it makes it easier for you and your cleaning crew. I recently had guests who left 1 day early over the Holiday but I still got paid for that unused night. It may be they could not find a rental with less than the minimum they needed and were willing to sacrifice a night to avoid a hotel. It was a nice holiday bonus.

[Annet3176]

I can empathize with the being “just tired of it all—people, the demands, ridiculous requests”. Been there.

You’ve probably considered the below but sometimes a reminder is helpful.

1. 24 hours response between receiving the booking request or inquiry is the goal.

2. Inquiries require a message to the guest in that 24 hours (not a acceptance/declination of the reservation).

Consider setting up a quick reply something like, “Thank you for your inquiry about my rental. I will be available to answer your questions and give you the attention you deserve after 6 pm. Thank you for your patience.”

The initial response to inquiries now meets the 24 hour requirement with only a few clicks.

3. Reservation requests require acceptance/declination within the 24 hours

Consider setting up a quick response like the one above so the guest knows when they will hear from you. Then follow through.

4. Are you using quick responses for commonly asked questions? They can take a significant amount of time to set up but ultimately will save you time.

I have several to address usual new guest questions like: how close is this rental to shopping & dining? Can we walk to the beach? How does my payment work?

[Annet3176]

@anon33287864

cancellation policy waivers, discounts on top of 30% discounts,

If you are unwilling or unable to accommodate their requests, don’t invest too much if your time. “I cannot accommodate this request. “. Will do.

[jaquo]

@anon33287864

cancellation policy waivers, discounts on top of 30% discounts

It seems that you’re making life difficult for yourself. Just say no to those inquiries. There are some good suggestions above and it seems that you really need to learn more about Airbnb policies and hosting. It’s a great idea to read as much of this forum as you can, plus the Airbnb site. For instance, hosts really should know about snoozing listings. (And the great thing about this site is that you can ask as many questions as you like )

I promise, if you are really organised, you’ll be able to sort it out. There are quite a few of us here who have two or more rentals and can still manage just fine. We’re certainly not superhuman, just organised. You can do it too.

[jaquo]

@anon33287864

I work full-time, start early and try and check Airbnb during the day but not always possible.

You do have a co-host???

[courgette3]

Do you really want to host a possible guest who is so inconsiderate to contact you during Christmas? They will end up your guest from hell anyway!

[Josiah]

Huh?!?! This is the most Karen-like host complaint I’ve seen. I only wish I could host again and help people find a place to stay, but alas, COVID-19 is still a thing and I did the responsible thing and stopped hosting.

But to complain you’re actually working by your own choice is ridiculous. Adjust your booking settings to avoid “last-minute” bookings. Otherwise, being a STR host is a 24/7 gig you signed up for. Airbnb has absolutely nothing to do with you choices, except to hold you to a higher standard than your competition.

[jaquo]

@courgette3

Do you really want to host a possible guest who is so inconsiderate to contact you during Christmas? They will end up your guest from hell anyway!

There are many races and religions that do not see Christmas as a special time. I’ve dealt with guests on Christmas Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving … and Pancake Day. As Josiah says above:

@Josiah

being a STR host is a 24/7 gig you signed up for.

Phones make it so easy these days. I’ve done business from the dentist’s chair, from the supermarket, from the beach… it only takes a couple of minutes.

[gw14G]

What I am over is guests who contact you with a query, to which you respond, and then they just keep messaging you with further queries and you keep responding and then they just disappear… it’s infuriating, I find.

[jaquo]

I guess it happens in every business - like the shoe shop that has people trying shoes on all day but never buying, the bookshop that gets plenty of people browsing but not buying, the café where people sit for over two hours with one small cup of tea…

I look upon those questions as a sales opportunity but another way is to look at them as proposals you prepare and send out. They are a lot more time-consuming and the conversion rate isn’t as good.

[anon33287864]

@jaquo - while that’s true there are many ways to simply be respectful of people’s cultural and faith backgrounds. Hosts should simply be allowed to choose 7 completely free days per calendar year where guests receive an auto-reply and hosts are not penalised - at all. I’m Christian and while I understand we are the most derided faith on earth, my faith is still important to me. I also work full-time so I have trouble getting to the dentist let alone responding to messages during business hours. And the number of times messages and enquiries come through just after I’ve gone to bed is incredible! So add an elderly mother newly in care and it’s recently got very on top of me.

Anyway thank you all - I do realise it’s what I signed up for but I think the increasing pressure not only from Airbnb to be perfect but from guests looking for a 130 year old house to be perfect is very tiring. And the truth is maybe I’m getting too old for this.

I appreciate your ideas and support. Thank you.

[HH_AZ]

@jaquo

I’ve dealt with guests on Christmas Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving … and Pancake Day.

I’ve been very supportive of you @jaquo but I can’t forgive you for being sacreligious.

I’ll give you Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even Good Friday, BUT if ever a day there was for AirBNB to take seconds and thirds it is Pancake Day!

Please reconsider your heathen ways: Tuesday February 21st 2021 is Pancake Day, not be confused with the less orthodox but still important reformed BlueBerry Pancake Day Thursday January 28th 2021.

PS. Anybody hungry?

[NordlingHouse]

Only if they’re sourdough!

[jaquo]

Being English. I’m here to tell you that Pancake Day is otherwise known as Shrove Tuesday or indeed Mardi Gras.

Also that pancakes - not yer American tiddlers - are the full size of the frying pan and should be served with Tate & Lyle Golden Syrup and orange slices.