Thank you for the suggestions, @GutHend and @Allison_H. You think calling is better because I’d have a better chance convincing an agent verbally? Does anyone know if it’s ok for someone in India to contact the US number? And if so, would they pick up with reasonable speed? US 800 numbers are free on Skype.
Just give it a try and see what happens. Our experience with calling AirBnB a few times has always been good.
I would call instead of write, because it will be easier to get your despair across 
.
1 Like
I find with a phone call everything is settled at once vs. e-mails back and forth (sometimes they take a day or so to respond).
Worth a shot calling the US number! Worst thing they do is transfer you.
Well, I tried calling the Airbnb support number mentioned in my listing. I did get through to someone with (if I understood) the unlikely name of Princess (from Canada?), but nothing was settled. She said a case manager would contact me to assist me. I asked her if she was not a case manager. She said she was, but that someone else would be handling the query. It was a really terrible connection. Maybe I would have been better off using Skype.
What an unpleasant and pointless waste of time.
You could try the chat function on the website. I’ve had good luck with that.
I’ve never emailed or called Airbnb.
It’s amazing how many misunderstandings work to the guest’s advantage
Hi @faheem
I am sorry you are having a difficult time. Things can get on top of you when life becomes stressful.
I agree with everyone else your objective should be to get Airbnb to cancel the booking because you are uncomfortable with this guest.
While it is unfortunate you didn’t pick up this guests error earlier, you accepted a booking for the dates booked with an agreed check out of 11.00 a.m. on the 1st, which means he isn’t entitled to stay a full 12 hours later.
As we discussed before there will be left luggage places in Bombay so no reason the guest can’t check out on time. take his stuff to left luggage until he is ready to leave the city.
However you are now in a situation where this guest will be unpleasant and will more likely than not leave a negative review if he stays, so the objective must be to ensure Airbnb cancels the booking.
It wasn’t a waste of time for you to call Airbnb you will get a case manager contact you back. If you don’t hear from them in 2 hours call again. Just emphasise that the guest is making you uncomfortable and is demanding to to stay a full 12 hours after check out because he has an evening flight when you have the room booked for someone else who is checking in at XXX.
In the meantime I would write back to the guest and confirm that he booked from 28th March to the 1st of April and you are providing him with accommodation for the nights he booked.
Tell you are sorry there has been some confusion, but are puzzled as to why he thought he would be able to keep the accommodation for 12 hours after the latest check out time that you offer.
Finish by letting him know as he has stated that he needs to be accommodated till nearly midnight on the 1st April he would be better booking accommodation from the 29 March to 2 April so he can do this. (Do a search for accommodation in Bombay for these dates and send him a link to available properties).
5 Likes
I’m going through something similar right now with someone who wants to book, check in in an hour, and is using a 3rd party account, and is a local who won’t answer my basic “intro email” questions. I’ve had a lot of luck just calling AirBnB and stating my case. Since it’s a room in my home, and I’m a woman living with my cat (she gets the best feedback), they are very understanding. Plus, I had a late checkout today and the room isn’t ready and I’m trying to work my real job. Good luck! I’m getting on the phone with Air now…
2 Likes
Thanks for the kind message, @Helsi. I feel like I should say something like - long time no see, because it has. And, yes, things can get on top of you pretty much sums it up.
I’ll follow up with Airbnb soon if I don’t hear back, but not now, because it’s the middle of the night here. I might even try calling the US number.
I’m not sure what the point of messaging the guest again. I already tried twice, and he’s not just being unreasonable, but also borderline incomprehensible. It’s not very satisfying trying to communicate with someone when you’re not sure what they are saying. Or is this for Airbnb’s benefit?
I’m not in the US either, and that’s the number I have called on a couple of occasions. I used Skype, which has my phone number associated with it, and the Airbnb rep recognized it as a superhost number as well.
Sorry to hear of your headache. Do you have IB? Hosting can be a rough gig.
Well, I could also tell them that I’m all alone here, and concerned about my security. Though a single man rather than woman, and no cats (I like cats, but I have allergies). This isn’t exactly true, but close enough.
I think women have a bit of a advantage in this, because men (or at least me), are just not very good at sounding scared. We’re conditioned to do the whole laid back, tough dude thing.
Hello @faheem, how lovely to hear your voice again! I suspect you have been missed, although I haven’t been around much for a while until this past week. I’m so sorry to hear you are experiencing being snowed under.
As ever, @Helsi’s advice is faultless. When I have issues with bolshie guests trying to book, I prefer to call than to email. Calling allows you to take the measure of the person on the other end of the phone, and whether or not they are receptive of your problems, or are just going to give you bored bs. I find a good approach is to be pleasant, try to entertain them and be reasonable; they have the most awful jobs really. Dig into who they are, even be a tad eccentric, whatever makes their day better and you will get this cancelled.
The guest booking sound s an absolute twat, and nasty with it.
Keep us posted and take care of yourself. x
2 Likes
Such memories of our two aged ones who died in October last year. George The Cat got by far the best reviews, far better than mine, with Princess Sophie, Duchess of Guston, not far behind. But the number of people turning up claiming we had not told them we had cats was astonishing! “Hey, see these photos? Did you not look at them?”
2 Likes
no it is not pointless and waste of time. the case manager will get back to you in a couple of hours so be ready and have your story ready. they will call you.
Hi @faheem
Ah thanks I have had a busy years buying a new (Victorian) place which I spent four months restoring.
And absolutely the message to the guest is for Airbnb’s benefit 
My cats are the stars of WeChat (Chinese Facebook). Sometimes incoming and departing guests have ooh’d and ah’d over each other’s pix and photographed Olive with a little straw hat on.
2 Likes
Paging Superman!111
oh never mind, you probably can’t pick up specific cases like @faheem 's.
1 Like
We’ve had a similar issue before. I’ve rung Airbnb and told them that the guest was being painful and that I no longer felt comfortable with the booking. Airbnb then sorted the cancellation for me and I was able to rebook that night again.
We have to feel comfortable with who we allow to stay in our homes, and I’ve always found Airbnb really supportive in that way.
He sounds like he’s being dodgy by checking out just before midnight and asking not to pay the extra night. Seriously?? Who does that? And what happens if he runs half an hour late and ticks over to the new day?
I’d definitely suggest escalating this to Airbnb -‘d getting them to sort it.
Hi @Yabster
Where are you located? I’m in India. The kind of support one gets might be dependent on ones location.