Would you host these folks again?

1

This is high season for us, and most of our income for the year comes from 1 month rentals during the next three months.

It’s a senior community, and our typical high season guests are older active adults that may invite their friends or kids and grandkids up for a weekend or two while they are here, and that is expected. Often folks rent for the same month or two months year after year.

The great thing about returning seniors is they tend to take care of the property like it was their own. When we come in to clean and turnover the property usually it is fairly neat, there may be one bed worth of sheets and some towels to launder, and dishes are all either put away or in the dishwasher clean.

We were shocked to walk into one of our houses at the end of Jan to smell and see wet coffee ground sprinkled throughout the house, not even on the way to the garbage or front door, but throughout the house. Towels were dropped though out the house, (twice as many towels as the maximum number of people staying) and dirty dishes were also sprinkled throughout the rooms.

Nothing was damaged, it just required a lot of cleaning. If this was the only house to be turned over in this 28 hours, this wouldn’t be a big deal. But many, many rentals are turned over at the end of the month. The cleaning crews are booked for 6 houses on the 31st and another 6 houses before checkin on the 1st. This particular house was scheduled for the 1st, but I couldn’t wait for the cleaning crew, and had to mitigate the coffee grounds immediately.

All told my husband, cohost and I spend 8 hours working to get this house ready, not including the cleaning crew. If both my houses were left like this there would have been no way to have them ready for the incoming people on the 1st.

Now they would like to return for the next year. And if the Feb folks opt out, would like to pick up that month too. That is a lot of money.

Would you go ahead and book them for the following year? Putting notes in your calendar to expect a ton of cleaning, and perhaps outfitting with less towels and the backup sheets so you’d be able to re-outfit with all the good stuff for the next folks without a laundering frenzy? Then book the cleaning folks to hit there first, and if it’s a disaster bring in back up then?

Or would you say no and hope you will find a new renter that is better?

2

If you typically get good renters then I’d wait for good ones. A year from now is a lifetime away these days. I’d also tell them that I’m declining due to the condition in which they left the house. OR, if other than the cleaning everything was fine and you’d actually like to rebook them then tell them prices will be x% higher next year due to expected high demand.

8 Likes
3

If they were otherwise non-objectionable other than the mess they left, I might explain to them that they may not have understood that when people rent an Airbnb, the expectation is that they leave it basically clean and tidy, that it’s not like staying in a hotel.

That you were quite dismayed at the state in which they left it, and as long as they are willing to make sure to clean up before they check out next time, you will accept their new booking.

Then, depending on the response you get, make your decision. It may just be a matter of educating them as to your cleaning expectations

4

I say pull the plug on them. I had a similar experience that I posted about. I gave them a second try, and requested that they to do better with cleaning up after themselves. They did not.

2 Likes
5

Since Covid hit, nothing is as it was in year’s past.

If this is the main time of year you make the majority of your money, and you have an offer (money) on the table, I’d take it. Who knows what is going to happen next year? I feel there are going to be some dark days ahead of us and money won’t be flowing as it has been.

I’m assuming of course, you have a non refundable policy.

After they check in, I would have my manager give them your “new Covid tour” and then go over the “new cleaning guidelines” and inform them about your new cleaning fees for “excessive cleaning”. Let’s face it, you already have their money and they’ve not going to change their plans on check in day over some cleaning they’ll need to do. (That is expected of them and all guests.)

Also consider scheduling one of the cleaning services now.

But yeah, take the money… “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”

1 Like
6

Yep, sounds like hotel syndrome. If you want to avoid, say, “We’re not sure of our schedule next year and regrettably can’t offer you an advance booking.” Or if allowing them back, raise rates and ask for a deposit. You might add “Reminder: Because this is an Airbnb-style listing, not a hotel, our guidance requires clean swept floors, dishes washed, and used towels placed in the hamper upon departure. Guests agree upon booking that if the house is not left in that condition, an extra cleaning fee will be assessed.”

5 Likes
7

It all depends on how much you need the income from those slobs. If it’s a few thousand dollars, that’s hard to give up. I would raise the cleaning fee for them to make up for the extra cleaning. Also, don’t leave them so many extra towels. The more you leave out for them, the more they will use.

Just reach out to them after a week to drop off clean towels and pick up the used ones. At least some of the laundry will be under control.

Best of luck. Hope it works out.

1 Like
8

It is more than a few thousand dollars. I think I’ll leave it up to my. Co-host, as he’s the one that deals with responding to bookings. If he’s confident we can replace them with some one more respectful of the property, we’ll go with that. Otherwise we’ll go with bullet-proofing for them, and saving the high end linens and such for the folks that appreciate them. And definitely cut back on the towels…

5 Likes
9

A serious concern is the “wet coffee grounds throughout the house”. Would not host again.

Agree with @dpfromva - give a gentle excuse now.

2 Likes
10

Coffee grounds can stain carpet and linens. Why host them again and support their bad behavior?

11

Decline on the grounds (all puns intended) of the condition in which they the place. I expect my guests to act like responsible adults, not uncaring teenagers, you should to. Next year is a LONG way out; you can certainly find another guest set.

4 Likes
12

I require a cleaning every week for every group that books longer stays, in order to prevent this sort of surprise. These people need a weekly service. I would rent to them, but only if they have the cleaners come every week…and of course they pay up front for the cleaning service in the increased rental rate and you explain it to them. It is mandatory. This protects your property from damage, and eliminates surprises on the final turn day. Then if they refuse to have weekly cleanings, or if weekly cleanings are out of their budget, I would not take them back. Since there were no repurcussions this year for there sloppiness, they will only get worse next year unless you change methods. And still expect to be hands on for turn day, because they depart early morning and wont leave the house in standard condition.

4 Likes
13

The weekly cleaning for longer term bookings is a good idea, but not now, during a pandemic. Not safe for the cleaner to go in less than 3 hours after others have been in the unit.

14

I disagree on principle, but that is another discussion entirely, and not one that needs a response or needs to be debated. We just have to agree to disagree. On topic however, is the supposition that it is most likely to be completely safe by february of 2022 to clean a home, especially with senior citizens who have been vaccinated.

15

Has nothing to do with principals, has to do with science. Unfortunately there seem to be a lot of people who can’t understand the difference.

And not up to you to dictate what requires a response

3 Likes
16

It is unknown if people who have been vaccinated can transmit the virus. In addition the vaccines are not 100% effective. Every expert agrees that one should still follow all precautions for the time being.

This may change as we get more data.

A host may decide that it’s within their risk tolerance to enter a home in which guests are staying but “likely… completely safe,” it’s not. For example, I’m thinking that it will be within my risk tolerance to host back to back guests after I get the vaccine. However, with more information about the variants I might change my mind and decide to wait.

3 Likes
17

Hmm. Maybe you know something health professionals don’t, because the vast majority of sources say that no one really knows yet as to whether a vaccinated person can still transmit Covid.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/can-you-still-spread-covid-19-after-you-get-vaccinated-11610379107

“But there’s not enough evidence yet on whether the vaccines also prevent asymptomatic infection and transmission.”

JF

2 Likes
18

FYI, the WSJ is behind a paywall for non subscribers.

1 Like
19

I have a question. What would happen to cause coffee grounds to be spilled throughout a house?
When I first read it, I remembered there was a cleaning trick that involved something along those lines. Maybe they were trying to clean something up.
No, wait. It’s a sweeping trick, and it is not wet coffee grounds but dry tea leaves. So not that.
Anyway, can’t fathom it. One of them was holding the coffee filter when hit with a sudden urge to dance is all I can come up with.

1 Like
20

Maybe they were using them to counteract another odor like smoking weed in the house. Of course they should have swept them up. But if they were high they probably forgot. :upside_down_face:

2 Likes