Post by High Priestess on Feb 18, 2016 4:48:07 GMT
Vanessa and Rachid shared October 2015
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-176642
New $10 cleaning fee has a guest in an outrage
I started hosting in March and had lots of reservations. As things go, slow season came in September and most inquiries stopped. So I lowered my price $10 and added a $10 cleaning fee. In my mind this gives short stays of 1-2 nights the fee for the extra work or quick turn around and a bit of a discount for longer stays up to a week. Being this is my airbnb account I have made many alterations trying to have a better listing and clearly want to do what I think works for me.
So I had a guest book 2 nights a week or two before I lowered my price from $59 a night to $49 and added the $10 cleaning fee. The day after I lowered my price this guest asked for a discount because I lowered my price. I told her I reformatted my payment structure and do not offer discounts as my room is very reasonably priced. She was not happy with this answer. So I offered to give her a free ride to the parks one day as that is the reason for her visit. No response for almost a week. I was expecting her to cancel. Well this morning she has sent 3 more messages and it seems like she thinks I am trying to get over on her. Regretfully, I caved in a gave a $10 discount, too! However, red flags are waving everywhere! Honestly I want to tell her to cancel and book elsewhere as there are so many options in this area. Yes, in Orlando you can book a private room for $29-45 easy but I have excellent amenities and a great location and should not have to debate my price with a GUEST!?! Can I politely ask this guest to cancel and rehome with a more suitable place? I just feel its not worth my time to debate $10 or less on several occasions with ANY guest! Did I wake up on the wrong side of the bed or does anyone have any valuable feedback?
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Evelyn
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Linda
Linda5 months ago
Something very similar happenwd to me. Do not cancel your guest. You have experience with her previously so one mire time you will be able to take it if her stay is less than a week. However, in the furure just make your place unavailable to her. You set your price and don't give discounts anymore. Some people don't appreciate kindness, they take for weakness and then try to walk over you.
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Rick
Rick5 months ago
I wish you hadn't caved to her demands. Lesson learned, I hope. The fact that she didn't cancel, means that she knew she already had a great deal & was trying to push You further. She always has that option. If she doesn't like it-- move on
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Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
Thank you! You are absolutely right, lesson learned!
Helen
Helen5 months ago
Have you ever cancelled before? I'd totally want to cancel this guest too -- the money isn't worth the psychic costs of feeling taken advantage of by a person like this. Who would want to open their home to someone who has behaved so aggressively and ungraciously. The problem with using your first free cancellation is that in case of future emergencies, you will have to cough up $100. I'm sorry you're dealing with this -- most hosts tinker with their prices and many lower their rates as dates get closer as standard business practice. It's not something you have to feel apologetic about nor rationalize.
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Andrew
Andrew5 months ago
A host cancellation is not well advised here. Even without the cash penalty, a lot of good guests won't book a place when they see the record of the cancellation displayed in the reviews. Makes a reputable and committed host look flaky.
Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
I have never canceled and don't want the negative stuff that comes with the cancellation but man do I want to just based off of principle!
Andrew
Andrew5 months ago
Here's a response you can try if this sort of thing happens again:
"Hi Guest, I see that you've noticed my new off-season rates. You'll be pleased to know that, should you decide to extend your reservation, the additional nights will be available at the new rate. The price at which you booked the current reservation is final. However, if you feel that the place no longer suits your needs, you may cancel the booking by following the instructions here: www.airbnb.com/help/article/169 ."
Caving in to unreasonable demands and rude requests often seems like the easier thing to do at the time, but we all eventually find that it's an express train to Doormat City. I don't believe in rewarding people for whiny, entitled attitude - the one concession I'm willing to make is a full refund, to spare myself the pain of hosting the douchebag.
Reply Like 1 reply•14 likes Delete
Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
Thank you for such spot on advice! You are absolutely right and next time I will ask your advice prior because that response could not have been written any better!
Robert
Robert5 months ago
Absolutely not. They saw the price at the time of booking. They booked. Post-booking is not the time to start negotiating.
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Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
Thank you all for such excellent advice!! I am unable to respond via the phone app so I am sorry for the slow response. I wish had posted my concern when she started this behavior weeks ago and could've replied with Andrews response. Perfectly said! Lesson learned! Caving in really does make things worse and is the "express train to Doormat City".
Reply Like Delete
Nancy
Nancy5 months ago
There are cultures where haggling is customary for them but certain personalities also will continue to negotiate long after its comfortable. Unfortunately they've found from past experiences if they keep pushing eventually they will get their way - most of the time.
I try to stay neutral to their efforts, not take it personally and keep telling myself it's about their need to ensure they are getting the best deal. At some point they will recognize you are not going to give in and then that's that. They can be quite pleasant once the matter is settled. I can't imagine putting someone through that just for a few dollars but it's a tactic not personal.
If you can, put the experience in that perspective before she arrives so you can enjoy hosting her. Hard to do when we are holding onto angst about the booking experience.
Reply Like 2 replies•1 like Delete
Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
Thank you I really needed that advice. It makes perfect sense and I hadn't thought of looking at it that way. I will put this experience into perspective quickly and believe all will be ok now. Her last message to me was "Roger, Vanessa"! Haha
Andrew
Andrew5 months ago
Yes, hopefully with a positive attitude you can put it behind you...right up until the point that you write your review. I do think it's worth warning your fellow hosts that the guest engaged you in prolonged and unpleasant communication to pressure you into extending a discount after the booking was already confirmed.
Paul
Paul 5 months ago
Believe me, I very rarely discount. In this case, since you had lowered your price and she had discovered it I would have honored the lower price. However, I would have also told her she would get charged the $10 cleaning fee since that was also a part of your price change. In my opinion that would be a fair compromise. If that is what you actually did, perhaps I misunderstood and in that case I stand corrected.
Reply Like 2 replies Delete
Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
Yes, this is what I actually did. I felt forced into it and feel I should've stood my ground though. I had many reservations, hers included, set out weeks and months in advance. If there is an agreed upon amount for a reservation I feel its haggling to start an endless dialog for $10 bucks weeks after the agreement was made. Oh well, lesson learned.
Andrew
Andrew5 months ago
The thing is, if you look at the Pricing Tips, you'll see that Airbnb actively encourages hosts to vary prices according to seasonal demand and other variables. I've gotten suggestions to list my room at anywhere from 30 to 79 EUR per night, sometimes the whole range in the same week. That's all to say, it is absolutely not the right of the guest to assume that a lower price for any given set of dates is retroactively applicable to different dates that are already booked. That's just as true for hotels and airfares as it is for us.
Helen
Helen5 months ago
Hosts routinely lower prices for fast approaching dates - so youre suggesting that guests can check a week (or a day?) before their arrival to secure a discounted rate even when they were able to secure desired dates weeks before?
Reply Like 1 reply Delete
Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
Thank you Helen! That is exactly how I feel! She had booked weeks before and her reservation is during the period where I had 7 weeks booked nearly solid.... Lesson learned, never again.
Susan
Susan5 months ago
I don't know....I would probably have discounted her the extra $10 for the two nights vs. your new rate plus the cleaning fee. Maybe I'm a woose, the $10 isn't worth the arguement to me. At least your guest was up front about it rather than slamming you in a review!
Reply Like Delete
Serafina
Serafina5 months ago
I have somewhat wildly varying rates, depending on where my guests are coming from. I fail to maximize my income, but I'm more interested in hosting guests I want to be around.
Reply Like Delete
Deborah
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-176642
New $10 cleaning fee has a guest in an outrage
I started hosting in March and had lots of reservations. As things go, slow season came in September and most inquiries stopped. So I lowered my price $10 and added a $10 cleaning fee. In my mind this gives short stays of 1-2 nights the fee for the extra work or quick turn around and a bit of a discount for longer stays up to a week. Being this is my airbnb account I have made many alterations trying to have a better listing and clearly want to do what I think works for me.
So I had a guest book 2 nights a week or two before I lowered my price from $59 a night to $49 and added the $10 cleaning fee. The day after I lowered my price this guest asked for a discount because I lowered my price. I told her I reformatted my payment structure and do not offer discounts as my room is very reasonably priced. She was not happy with this answer. So I offered to give her a free ride to the parks one day as that is the reason for her visit. No response for almost a week. I was expecting her to cancel. Well this morning she has sent 3 more messages and it seems like she thinks I am trying to get over on her. Regretfully, I caved in a gave a $10 discount, too! However, red flags are waving everywhere! Honestly I want to tell her to cancel and book elsewhere as there are so many options in this area. Yes, in Orlando you can book a private room for $29-45 easy but I have excellent amenities and a great location and should not have to debate my price with a GUEST!?! Can I politely ask this guest to cancel and rehome with a more suitable place? I just feel its not worth my time to debate $10 or less on several occasions with ANY guest! Did I wake up on the wrong side of the bed or does anyone have any valuable feedback?
11 comments•1 like
Follow
Like
Evelyn
Delete
Hide
Linda
Linda5 months ago
Something very similar happenwd to me. Do not cancel your guest. You have experience with her previously so one mire time you will be able to take it if her stay is less than a week. However, in the furure just make your place unavailable to her. You set your price and don't give discounts anymore. Some people don't appreciate kindness, they take for weakness and then try to walk over you.
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Rick
Rick5 months ago
I wish you hadn't caved to her demands. Lesson learned, I hope. The fact that she didn't cancel, means that she knew she already had a great deal & was trying to push You further. She always has that option. If she doesn't like it-- move on
Reply Like 1 reply•1 like Delete
Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
Thank you! You are absolutely right, lesson learned!
Helen
Helen5 months ago
Have you ever cancelled before? I'd totally want to cancel this guest too -- the money isn't worth the psychic costs of feeling taken advantage of by a person like this. Who would want to open their home to someone who has behaved so aggressively and ungraciously. The problem with using your first free cancellation is that in case of future emergencies, you will have to cough up $100. I'm sorry you're dealing with this -- most hosts tinker with their prices and many lower their rates as dates get closer as standard business practice. It's not something you have to feel apologetic about nor rationalize.
Reply Like 2 replies•1 like Delete
Andrew
Andrew5 months ago
A host cancellation is not well advised here. Even without the cash penalty, a lot of good guests won't book a place when they see the record of the cancellation displayed in the reviews. Makes a reputable and committed host look flaky.
Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
I have never canceled and don't want the negative stuff that comes with the cancellation but man do I want to just based off of principle!
Andrew
Andrew5 months ago
Here's a response you can try if this sort of thing happens again:
"Hi Guest, I see that you've noticed my new off-season rates. You'll be pleased to know that, should you decide to extend your reservation, the additional nights will be available at the new rate. The price at which you booked the current reservation is final. However, if you feel that the place no longer suits your needs, you may cancel the booking by following the instructions here: www.airbnb.com/help/article/169 ."
Caving in to unreasonable demands and rude requests often seems like the easier thing to do at the time, but we all eventually find that it's an express train to Doormat City. I don't believe in rewarding people for whiny, entitled attitude - the one concession I'm willing to make is a full refund, to spare myself the pain of hosting the douchebag.
Reply Like 1 reply•14 likes Delete
Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
Thank you for such spot on advice! You are absolutely right and next time I will ask your advice prior because that response could not have been written any better!
Robert
Robert5 months ago
Absolutely not. They saw the price at the time of booking. They booked. Post-booking is not the time to start negotiating.
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
Thank you all for such excellent advice!! I am unable to respond via the phone app so I am sorry for the slow response. I wish had posted my concern when she started this behavior weeks ago and could've replied with Andrews response. Perfectly said! Lesson learned! Caving in really does make things worse and is the "express train to Doormat City".
Reply Like Delete
Nancy
Nancy5 months ago
There are cultures where haggling is customary for them but certain personalities also will continue to negotiate long after its comfortable. Unfortunately they've found from past experiences if they keep pushing eventually they will get their way - most of the time.
I try to stay neutral to their efforts, not take it personally and keep telling myself it's about their need to ensure they are getting the best deal. At some point they will recognize you are not going to give in and then that's that. They can be quite pleasant once the matter is settled. I can't imagine putting someone through that just for a few dollars but it's a tactic not personal.
If you can, put the experience in that perspective before she arrives so you can enjoy hosting her. Hard to do when we are holding onto angst about the booking experience.
Reply Like 2 replies•1 like Delete
Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
Thank you I really needed that advice. It makes perfect sense and I hadn't thought of looking at it that way. I will put this experience into perspective quickly and believe all will be ok now. Her last message to me was "Roger, Vanessa"! Haha
Andrew
Andrew5 months ago
Yes, hopefully with a positive attitude you can put it behind you...right up until the point that you write your review. I do think it's worth warning your fellow hosts that the guest engaged you in prolonged and unpleasant communication to pressure you into extending a discount after the booking was already confirmed.
Paul
Paul 5 months ago
Believe me, I very rarely discount. In this case, since you had lowered your price and she had discovered it I would have honored the lower price. However, I would have also told her she would get charged the $10 cleaning fee since that was also a part of your price change. In my opinion that would be a fair compromise. If that is what you actually did, perhaps I misunderstood and in that case I stand corrected.
Reply Like 2 replies Delete
Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
Yes, this is what I actually did. I felt forced into it and feel I should've stood my ground though. I had many reservations, hers included, set out weeks and months in advance. If there is an agreed upon amount for a reservation I feel its haggling to start an endless dialog for $10 bucks weeks after the agreement was made. Oh well, lesson learned.
Andrew
Andrew5 months ago
The thing is, if you look at the Pricing Tips, you'll see that Airbnb actively encourages hosts to vary prices according to seasonal demand and other variables. I've gotten suggestions to list my room at anywhere from 30 to 79 EUR per night, sometimes the whole range in the same week. That's all to say, it is absolutely not the right of the guest to assume that a lower price for any given set of dates is retroactively applicable to different dates that are already booked. That's just as true for hotels and airfares as it is for us.
Helen
Helen5 months ago
Hosts routinely lower prices for fast approaching dates - so youre suggesting that guests can check a week (or a day?) before their arrival to secure a discounted rate even when they were able to secure desired dates weeks before?
Reply Like 1 reply Delete
Vanessa and Rachid
Vanessa and Rachid5 months ago
Thank you Helen! That is exactly how I feel! She had booked weeks before and her reservation is during the period where I had 7 weeks booked nearly solid.... Lesson learned, never again.
Susan
Susan5 months ago
I don't know....I would probably have discounted her the extra $10 for the two nights vs. your new rate plus the cleaning fee. Maybe I'm a woose, the $10 isn't worth the arguement to me. At least your guest was up front about it rather than slamming you in a review!
Reply Like Delete
Serafina
Serafina5 months ago
I have somewhat wildly varying rates, depending on where my guests are coming from. I fail to maximize my income, but I'm more interested in hosting guests I want to be around.
Reply Like Delete
Deborah