Would a hotel give a refund ?
Well the result is I get what I need, my resources are not wasted. I know what is going on because I can check on my phone and no unneeded interaction with guests over it. I have thermostats for heat (ecobee) which can detect when the house is empty and change settings accordingly but I do not use/trust that feature so I manage it myself.
RR
1 Like
Ironically we had a new Nest malfunction and while we provided the guest with a new space heater they still complained it was either too hot (using the thermostat adjustable heater) or too cold. It was 63 degrees outside and I was sleeping with the windows open. We rigged up a temporary thermostat while the defective one was replaced. Husband said everything was “fine” later the wife- seeking a partial refund- described it as “rough”. When we suggested we let Air CS resolve- she went crickets. She did not write a review so neither did I. Some people just cannot be pleased. Do what you can to address the issue… document it via communication on the platform… and then let it go.
Welcome to the forum @CMA825 ! Most of us will disagree on this, please always honestly review your guests, it is for your fellow hosts not the guests.
I always wait until the last minute to review if it is not going to be good, I do not want to prompt that guest to review me if I do not think it would be good. This host would like to be warned against a refund seeking guest so I could either avoid hosting her or manage the stay with this in mind.
RR
6 Likes
OK, this guest checked out a few days ago and messaged me, ‘thanks for the hospitality’ as they departed.
Looking back and giving thought to these guests, I wanted to share a couple of points not mentioned in the OP.
Her profile showed location to be the UK. When meeting them and hearing the accents, I’m told that they lived in the UK ‘for awhile’, but were born and raised in Russia and have lived in California for two years. How tough is it to edit your profile to be accurate?
When I initially greeted the couple and gave them ‘the tour’ she didn’t seem interested in what I was saying and interrupted me a number of times with questions such as, ‘can we take the beach towels to the beach?’. And, ‘where is the salt and pepper?’ while I was pointing out where the spices could be found.
Apparently, the guest applied my messaged suggestions and the ‘loud a/c, unbearably hot outside for open windows’ problem was solved. The suggestions included; run the a/c unit on LOW fan speed. Secondly, set the fan to run only when the a/c was cooling which wouldn’t be often as the night time temp ranged from 66F down to 62F. It appears that the newly provided box fan was not used.
They did turn out to be messy guests, opened containers of food were left in the fridge. A small pile of sand was also left in the fridge, presumably was stuck to the bottom of beverages that had been at the beach and returned to fridge? A used teabag found it’s new home to be the under sink floor, not the trash container, dirty dishes in the sink, he missed the toilet, etc.
Of the three recycle bins, only one was used and it contained aluminum, glass, plastic and general trash. I go over the recycling bin routine with guests, most listen.
I’m open to advise on how I should review this guest. I’ve encountered guests that had the same cleanliness and house rules issues in the past and typically would not mention either, just rate lower.
I do feel something should be said as a pre-emptive response to their a/c ‘complaint’. Her past reviews of hosts didn’t hold back when there was something that didn’t please her/them.
The cleaning stuff is minor, 4 stars.
Guests need very quiet environment and will let you know if they need anything.
That would tell me they are whiners.
RR
1 Like
I don’t know since I’ve never tried. I do know that most (65%?) of my guests location in their profile doesn’t match where they are currently living.
As for the messiness I don’t think a laundry list of things they did that are messier than average is necessary but I would mention it. My reasoning is that since reviews are for the next host it can help them be proactive. A number of hosts here think dirty dishes and missed toilets are par for the course.
I would also mention the AC issue in terms of something you dealt with proactively and promptly but not in a snarky way.
2 Likes
Not good for the next host who will get screwed by her too…
3 Likes
Thanks for the input!
You can download apps on your phone that measure decibels and use that to show nose level at varying fan speed levels. If you can accommodate a window fan in the window without to much fuss that would also do the trick. Having said that, some people will not be happy unless they can hear a pin drop. If that is the case you can thank your lucky stars that this is short term accommodation and not a long term tenant.
I’m one of them. The floor around the toilet is going to be thoroughly cleaned at turnover whether or not it’s been peed on. If guests have washed the dishes and put everything away, the dishes still need checking. One of our apartments doesn’t have a dishwasher and it seems that few people are capable of hand washing dishes these days so bowls are often put away with the odd cornflake attached or whatever. (That happens even with the dishwasher in the other apartment. After all, these folks are on a trip and the dishes aren’t their first priority).
I always have. Our window above the bed is always open for fresh air. In one place I lived, a few years ago on the same street, didn’t have locks on the doors (working ones, anyway). I guess I’m not too good at security.
Just adding to the yes-you-must brigade. That’s how the system works.
2 Likes
I wouldn’t say I “got screwed”. I’d say she was my first finicky guest and I gave her the feedback she needed directly; including that she may be better off staying in hotels if she is so rigid as to not appreciate a host’s good faith efforts. I was her 2nd Air experience… and her previous host was so vague as not to be useful. I feel fine with my decision.
You were even more vague…
RR
5 Likes
Don’t you see though that that’s not adhering to the Airbnb system? Giving the guest direct feedback but not warning future hosts is going against what the review system is for.
5 Likes
Well, glad you don’t feel you got screwed but the next host may get fully screwed. Oh well, it’s done now.
1 Like
There is no “one” Air system as is perfectly observable from reading any hosts’ forum. It is not rationale. Had I reviewed her I would have said she was a decent guest but needs to be more communicative with her host. If she had reviewed our place she may have given me lower ratings as she wanted perfection and we were only ‘near perfection’. Guests clearly don’t get how important the star rating is. So in the end it’s like it never happened. And of the many guests I’ve had this is the only one I didn’t review so I like my odds. Frankly, if she comes to your place it’s not like she’s careless or disrespectful… just finicky. We’re going to have to agree to disagree. I’m fine with that.
Her behavior was annoying enough for you to post about it here, yet you don’t feel that other hosts should be warned, even though she tried to scam a refund over it. Glad you feel fine about your decision not to review, now some other host will get to receive the brunt of her unappreciativeness. And I would classify that guest’s behavior very much as disrespectful.
1 Like
And some hosts don’t get how important the review system is, either.
Let me put it to you another way: if this woman were booking with you for the first time, wouldn’t you want her previous host to let you know what this guest was like so you could make an informed decision as to whether or not to host her?
7 Likes
I used this example to illustrate a point to a poster about temperature and finicky guests - there are as many ways to perceive and address a problem as there are hosts- not to avail myself of ridicule. If this forum is so full of judgement and harsh retort it will not be a useful place for people to bring legit issues. If I had a terrible guest I would be sure to let you know.
Please excuse typographical errors
1 Like
You are relatively new to the forum, so I imagine that you still haven’t found your feet. It’s always a good idea to get to know about a place before you go against the grain. You posted a comment which, as you know, goes against the idea of the peer-to-peer business and against what the huge majority of hosts here believe. You cannot be surprised that other members commented against your statement that you didn’t review the guest.
Yes, all hosts are different and are all running their businesses in different ways but at the forum, we do want to show the new or potential hosts who are reading here that adhering to the review system, reviewing honestly and unemotionally are standard behaviours that benefit us all.
9 Likes