I fell for it…don’t ask me how. Guest had a 5 star rating from anorther host (only one) r equested a stay, and I agreed. Then minutes before check in, has to go because “her mother is in hospital” and could her daughter and partner stay? Stupidly, I agreed.
But on reflection, I see they 'pulled a swiftie" to use Aussie parlance, presumably because the daughter couldn’t book in under how own name.
Well, lesson learned, I suppose. But it won’t happen again - no more swapping out guests.
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How did the stay go?
What was the problem? Didn’t you get paid?
Got paid, and they left on time, leaving the place in reasonable condition (but with lots of ash from funny cigarettes and a broken towel rail). But they’re gone, thank goodness.
I had some young guests about 6 years ago who, I think, burned sage in the room. There was definitely an odd smell I couldn’t identify. Because of the ventwork and the room being attached to my home, if there’s a strong smell in the room, I can smell it in my part of the house. In the room they left a nice note and another sage bundle. So I think they smudged the room. All these years I’m still not sure how I feel about it. LOL.
Please mention in the review about the last minute substitution on the guests as well as burning something inside the room.
I don’t know enough about illicit drugs to know what the ash was. Oh, and thought it odd, but towels pushed up against back door. Now I realise it was to keep any smell from escaping (I live on site). But found an empty cigarette packet (smoking against house rules). Missing towel and face washer. Fork thrown into trash.
Trust me, it’s all going in the review.
I realise now that she must have got a friend to give her the previous (and only) 5 star review.
Why do they do it? Why do they lie? Couldn’t they go to a motel or doss house or somewhere and stay away from civilized people?
I actually might have done the same as you.
After all, they claimed an emergency. I wonder if they had said nothing whether you would have known that the booking guest was not there.
What would you really do if you had it over again? Treated it as a cancellation and gotten Airbnb involved? Or ask that the daughter register as an Airbnb guest (so that she would receive messages on the platform)?
I think you were in a difficult position and did a very human and kind thing, for which of course as the saying goes, no good deed goes punished.
The guest who booked might have been a good guest herself on some past booking. But this time she booked for her daughter. The daughter may have gotten bad reviews herself and had her account deleted.
If I did it over again, I’d say “I’m sure Airbnb will give you a refund, given the circumstances. Sorry.”
They’ve gone now. Had smoked and indulged in other drugs; items missing; broken towel rail. And had left without letting me know. So my instincts were correct.
From now on, no more letting things slide. I stick to the policies, and they have to as well.
The review will be carefully worded, so I doubt she’ll be able to do this to another host.
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This “type” knows the rules and how to get around them better than any of us normal people. I worked with long-term unemployed once, and was astonished at their mastery of government regulations and how to keep on claiming benefits without actually doing any work. I had a job, a mortgage, and a car to run, so drank the cheap coffee from the staff room. They had $4.50 coffees from the fancy cafe next door. Don’t get me started. Trust me, they know every rule and how to forestall each one.
As many other posts on this site on a multitude of topics have said “Trust your instincts”. If it smells fishy, it probably is. If they look like drug addicts (multiple tattoos, missing teeth, and a certain hesitancy in the way they approach you), they probably are.