I am just curious why some people would limit maximum stay. Isn’t it operationally preferable to have longer term guests than a series of short term guests, each of which require some level of ushering overhead (things like explaining small oddities about the house etc)?
In most states, any guests staying longer than 30 days convert to long term tenant status and may squat because they know they are now entitled to due process such as notice and eviction as would any long term tenant.
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Because if you’ve got a guest whose getting on your nerves, at least you know you’ve not got too long before they leave. Also we don’t allow kitchen use so I fear this would result in bad reviews. Our town is rediculously expensive for eating out, tourists are all so shocked no matter where they come from
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For me, it is tenant laws and potential irritation factor. Plus, I seem to do best with tourists. They are gone all day and happy to be on vacation.
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As a live-in host, I host no more than 5 days. I prefer keeping good memories 
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Another couple of things you have to deal with:
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One cleaning fee for the entire period. Because in the average month you can have, for example, ten groups then there are ten cleaning fees that mount up. (Of course, you can ask your guests if they’d like you to clean weekly for a fee but it’s unlikely they’d take you up on it)
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You have no access to your apartment / room for a long period of time so you’ve no idea if the guests are keeping the place in good shape
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Longer term guests see the place more as their home than your property. My neighbour had a two month guest who painted the bedroom a revolting colour, not just the walls but all the woodwork too
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There’s often a massive clean up job when they leave. Even guests who keep the place tidy and relatively clean are unlikely to clean under the furniture, the tops of pelmets or behind the fridge. There’s also more general wear and tear
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What about the guests’ laundry? Will they launder the sheets (or let you know) if there’s a mishap? You could end up with ruined sheets and towels even if you offer them fresh linens every week - you’ve no guarantee that they’ll use them
Just a few more things to think about 
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As another live in host I find it necessary to minimise the chance for irritating each other. 5 days seems to be the golden number …
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During high season, I want to have guests that check in on Saturday and check out on Saturday. By setting my change-over day to Saturday and my minimum and maximum stays to seven nights, I can allow instant booking. At the top of my listing, I have “Please inquire for longer stays” and will consider them on a case-by-case basis.
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@jaquo summed up our reasons well. We had guests for 3 weeks who got too comfortable, were slobs, moved things, and damaged things. We much prefer the tourists who are out all day, business travelers, or guests visiting family in the neighborhood. They are the best! There’s little wear and tear and cleaning has been easy because they tend not to cook.
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Because guests staying longer often get too friendly and really make themselves at home.
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We have a two week maximum and the reason for that I explained to the last person who applied for 37 days:
“The maximum stay in our apartment is 2 weeks. This is due to the fact that we share our home and living space with guests, and one can never know in advance if there is enough mutual understanding to spend more time together. It’s a really small apartment and we really live together with our guests. I hope you understand our point of view. You will however without a doubt find offers of places with slightly more independence that might suit your needs better.”
I also didn’t want him to stay really: Began his message with “Dear Isabel” when there is no one by that name here / He was shopping around . Wanted a discount (alert!) / Didn’t have any reviews / Just one verification / Had sunglasses on in his picture / Didn’t explain anything of the purpose of his visit or about himself/ … It didn’t feel good. If al impressions had been good, I still would have considered, but all red flags to me. He never responded to my message, so bad manners as well.
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Im getting bad feeling about my next set of guests that are being very difficult about providing a check on time. They keep saying ‘we’ll arrive between 9 and 10’. This kind of vagauery doesn’t work well for me and to be honest I don’t see what’s difficult about giving a sepecific time. I am getting close to calling Airbnb to cancel them as I already feel this will end in unhappiness on both sides …
@Zandra, to me that sounds quiet specific. What transport are they using to get to your place? They are probably just unfamiliar with the time it takes for their transport (traffic jams / public transport / …). Could it be that?
I would be different if they said: We’ll be arriving somewhere in the afternoon.
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No idea what transport they’re using. There are plenty of apps that will plan your journey for you using bus / train / tube timetables. I’ve been hosting 2 years and the exact time has never been an issue
I don’t have a doorbell accessible by the public. And I sure as hell am not going to wait on the street for an hour in case they turn up any time between 9 and 10.
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Maybe your location allows for perfect planning (in theory), but to be honest, I think I myself am quiet organized and able to find all timetables, but when arriving for the first time in a city I wouldn’t be able to pinpoint exactly at what time I would be arriving. I can’t imagine what it must be like for less organized people. E.a. time to leave the airport, time to find the tube, time to buy a ticket, time that it takes to get from one station to another, time for walking, time for finding your place, etc. … Many variables.
What I tend to do in Lima is ask where they are coming from, bus company or airline, expected arrival hour,… Then I advice them on the expected time needed and tell them what time they will probably get to my apartment. But I can asure you that there are so many variables that I would thank god for a just-1-hour-time-frame. I understand that Lima and London are worlds apart.
In your case, if you don’t live to far, if you get a “between 9 and 10” reply, why don’t you ask them to call you e.a. 30 minutes before exact arrival, depending on where you would be coming from. Or just when they are at the door. Just explain the reasons and people will totally understand. In any case, to me this doesn’t sound like a red flag.
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Interesting different attitudes to this one; I’ve travelled a lot including a recent 6 month trip all on Airbnb. Always gave an exact time and always at the door at that time. If I arrive early I take the time to look around the local area and then am at the door for the time agreed. I suppose always travelling with only hand luggage makes that easy.
I always assume there will be delays and always assume I will need time to orientate myself. So I always choose a time that gives me time to do all that (namely land, be delayed through immigration, have a coffee while I work out my next move. Eat depending on the time etc etc).
since I’ve done it myself over 20 times at various Airbnb’s all over the world, I see no reason a guest can’t manage it to my relatively central place in London.
It requires planning; not too hard in my opinion.
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I see and understand your point of view.
When I hear travel I think if me traveling around with my heavy backpack and an extra daypack with valuables. I think of arriving at difficult to predict hours (It’s impossible in Latin-America) in places that aren’t always safe for european (rich) tourist, and I think about really not wanting to hang around for half an hour in an unknown street until my host arrives.
If I think about doing a city trip in Europe with only hand luggage and if I am assured of a good pub close by where I can kill the waiting time I would mind much less. So in your case, maybe it’s a case of better communication in advance and for the percentage of guests that will never understand pre-reservation communication :(( you will need some better post-reservation communication and “tactics”. Like in this case you could tell them in a nice way: I am sorry I will only be arriving at 9h55. If you arrive early there is a lovely pub on the other side of the street where you can relax and have a really good coffee.
So although I understand your point of view and your inconvenience, I still don’t see any reason to cancel these people.
I used to do the same. I now increased this to 7 days, but I might revert to the old rule “maximum 5 days”. If people stay in my flat for a longer period of time, they tend to feel more like they are at home, and I don’t want them to feel that way. I want them to feel like honoured guests in my home, which means they treat it respectfully.
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Do you specify latest possible check in time? Guests must check in by blah blah. Sorry, Later check ins cannot be accommodated.
Make sure guests don’t get the upper hand. We will tell YOU when we will be there. Um. No. Not a hotel. An Airbnb, remember?
I do now … recently changed the check in to 8pm at the latest.
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