Post by High Priestess on Sept 20, 2015 6:46:19 GMT
I rent a couple of rooms in the home I live in. I make it clear in my house rules that if a guest has any outside visitors, the Airbnb guest must inform me.
I prefer not having a lot of people going in and out of my home. A potential Airbnb guest indicated she read my house rules but she asked if she could have a guest now and then. She said she would text me when her guests would go and come. Would it be inappropriate for me to ask what she meant by "now and then" or what is the frequency of "now and then?"
I have a concern because of a past experience. I rented a room from a landlord and saw first hand how that it could get out of hand. The landlord in this case was taken advantage of; her guest invited a guest that ended up spending seven days/nights. Not that this would be the case, I would, however, not want a Non-Airbnber coming in my home frequently. I know I can't set a frequency of visits. The Airbnb'ers guest will likely visit when I am at work; the Airbnb would work at night. Any advice would be appreciated.
Reply
Not inappropriate to as the guest at all! It is your home so you set the rules. Sounds like she's a long term guest? I typically accept only short term stays and prohibit non registered guests in my flat. It can open a big can of worms without clearly set out ground rules.
It's your decision at the end of the day, and as long as everyone has a crystal clear expectation then all should be fine. I would absolutely expect extra mess, extra utility usage etc with another person hanging about though. Especially seeing as you won't be there when this guests friend is there. I would proceed with caution on that one if I were you. And ask her if they can meet where her friend stays.
Good luck
Reply
I think that would be a huge red flag for me. You could ask for to give you some more info, is the visitor a relative maybe or an old school friend over for coffee for instance and harmless. A more frequent visitor needs to be put on the reservation.
You are quite within your rights to stick to your rules and decline
Reply
I have in my rules: "No non-registered guests"; period!! I think that if guests know that they could be evicted for having visitors, they will behave...Otherwise...they might try & take advantage of your good nature...
Reply
It's too much uproar for the (in-home) host, the pets to even have school friends over for coffee etc., let alone overnight or vague guests/visitors, so I have a blanket prohibition.
Reply
Yes, you could ask your guest what she means by "now and then" but I would guess that what she is asking for is some flexibility to just have someone over on the spur of the moment, when she feels like it, and as infrequently or frequently as she feels like it. Having someone come over "now and then" is, in my view, the first stage in your losing control over the visitors and number of visits. She says she will text you when her visitor comes and goes -- and maybe she will, but maybe she won't. Particularly if she knows you are at work and won't be around, I would guess that she wouldn't bother, as she may think to herself, "why do I need to text her everytime my guest comes and goes?! " She may feel that she is being monitored too much. That you are being too controlling.
I bring this up just to indicate why I think it is better not to allow guests to have any visitors at all. It can just very easily become too complicated to allow that, which is what you are starting to see. Once you allow guests to have visitors, then you need another rule about how frequently they come, or how many visitors she can have. And then you need a third rule about being notified about it. And then you need perhaps a fourth rule about hours during which visitors can come (eg not late at night or not overnight), and then you'll need a fifth rule in which you tell guest that if they have a visitor over, they have to advise visitor of all your house rules, and be responsible for their visitor,...and then perhaps you need a sixth rule which gives you the right to ask a guest's visitor to leave...and on and on it goes.
It just can get way, way too complicated to allow guests to have visitors, which is why I strongly recommend hosts dont' allow it. Let them go to their friend's home --- presumably the friend has a permanent residence in the area, and thus it makes more sense for them to go there, than to bring their friend to YOUR house, which is NOT their permanent residence.
Reply
Just imagine the worst outcome of every rule being broken that Deborah mentions that then requires you coming up with another, like #7, what activities and where in the home are they allowed. Then ask yourself would you be okay with it going down that way. What benefit are you going to gain if you do okay her request? If I answer my own question that came to mind, "Why, Ms. Guest, do you need a blanket visitation allowance?" The only answer I come up with is that she wants "resident privileges" as in "roommate" as opposed to "guest accommodations" that both you and she signed up for.
reply
I think you begin to answer your own question when you say, " I would, however, not want a Non-Airbnber coming in my home frequently. I know I can't set a frequency of visits. The Airbnb'ers guest will likely visit when I am at work; "
The fact is that once you open the door to a guest having visitors, it is hard to close that door. You specify that the guest may not have "frequent" visitors -- "frequent" is subjective -- guests who want what they want and are annoyed that you are trying to control them, may be tempted to push the envelope and then you end up with the same scenario that you describe you experienced before, where the renter takes advantage and asks for an inch and takes a mile.
If you dont' feel that you can set a frequency of visits, then I just really recommend you not allow any visits at all -- I think you'll resent the guest if you do allow them to have visitors and they end up taking advantage of you. And you could end up with a problem that is hard to undo.
Reply
I do not allow additional guests, period. Revise your House Rules to limit occupancy to only those guests registered on the booking and no one else. Be sure to also include the penalty for infraction of House Rules.
Reply
Under no circumstances do I allow visitors. I believe all Airbnb hosts also need to consider the impact on our neighbours. Of course perhaps only relevant if you live in very urban built up area, but in London we are seeing a big, big movement of the anti airbnb brigade, neighbours fed up with the intrusion of 'random people coming and going all the time.' Visitors only exacerbate this issue.
Plus I have had similar requests in past, the visitor ends up staying overnight, once, then more frequently, and you are being taken for a fool. The reasons I have a total 'no visitor' policy.
Reply
At least the guest has asked which gives you the opportunity to confirm that you do not allow non register guests. Like the other hosts that have responded - I do not accept guests visitors. Just too disruptive to all concerned.
Reply
I host longterm guests, share the flat with them and allow visits and overnight stays of spouses or a close Friend but ONLY by strict approval and only If it suites me. They have to ask me in advance (and they do because it is usually for a weekend visit and their friends have to book a flight or train) . I have denied it twice when I had a stressful time and could not cope with having more people around and guests were totally understanding. When I get questions about this before a booking I spell the "approval" out: Not more than 1 person at a time, no kids and visit announcement in advance to ensure that I (!) dont have friends over (for dinner, reading Circle etc. ) at the same time and it would feel crowded and uncomfortable for all of us. In the latter case some people decided not to book with me - which is for sure a good Thing for me.
Bonita
Lisa
Stan and Maggie
Rick
Jeannette
Deborah
Rene
Susan
Sandra
Salvia