Post by High Priestess on May 28, 2016 2:02:12 GMT
Martha shared on Hosting 911 May 2014
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-90812
What to do about sudden rodent problem that came with colder weather?
I just moved into my house in June, and have been hosting with Airbnb to supplement my income. We've gotten great reviews and it's been going really well; however, with the colder weather we have found ourselves with a rat problem. We have a pest/rodent control extermination program in place, but I have a guest scheduled 5 days from now and am not sure how to handle this. I feel that I need to make them aware of this issue if it is not resolved before they arrive and give them the option to cancel; however, knowing that they are in town for a football game and all of the hotels are booked, I feel I am putting them in an inconveniencing situation and leaving them stranded. What should I do?
20 comments
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Like
Norma and Patrick
Norma and Patrick2 years ago
For us on a farm they are a fact of life. We keep pellets behind all drawers in the kitchen and a mouser
Reply Like
Martha
Martha2 years ago
I do live in a home close to downtown, so there are sewers, and I believe that is where they're coming from. I feel it is my duty to make them aware of this issue, though, in case they are ultra-sensitive to this.
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Fleur, Dan and kids
Fleur, Dan and kids2 years ago
Can you find where they are getting in?
Reply Like
Martha
Martha2 years ago
I've worked with the exterminator to seal up areas that they may be entering through (porch, etc), and I have a meeting with them tomorrow to approach this issue in a more aggressive way, so I'm hoping this gets resolved before the guest arrives, but if it doesn't, do I have the duty of informing the guest? I'm not worried about the money-- all I want to ensure is that my guest is comfortable in my home.
Reply Like 1 reply
Fleur, Dan and kids
Fleur, Dan and kids2 years ago
Maybe let them know. Just be careful if you use rat poison and have plastic water pipes in your house instead of copper as the rats will chew through them and could cause water damage. I hate using poison, it's really a last resort. I'm lucky we have lots of snakes around that deal with rodents (I do need to let guests know about the big pythons though!)
Susan
Susan2 years ago
how present are they in the house? do you just see a few droppings or do they sit on the Kitchen counter and stare at you when you are making dinner? How likely is it they will see one? If it's not too likely then: Maybe you could say that you've recently seen a rat or two "in the yard" (?), and have had a professional visit, but can't 100% guarantee they won't spot one. Then give them the option of canceling as a good will gesture?
Reply Like
Salvia
Salvia2 years ago
I am in complete agreement with Susan how to address this issue.
Reply Like
Martha
Martha2 years ago
I've only seen one on a trap. Otherwise I've heard them traveling above the ceiling tiles in the guest bedrooms. They probably wouldn't see one, but they would likely know they are there. I will tell them. Thank you!
Reply Like
Deborah
Deborah2 years ago
I have rats from time to time, since I have chickens, and it is not possible to put chicken food out for the chickens during the day and not end up attracting rodents to the chicken food from time to time. I have tried all manner of methods of removing rodents, and have found that traps just don't work very well. Rats are smart and if they see another rat in a trap, they will avoid the trap. If you do use poison, which I find is often unavoidable, try placing it inside a container with a hole only large enough for the rat to get in. This prevents other animals from being able to access the poison and be harmed by it, such as squirrels or raccoons.
Reply Like
Serafina
Serafina2 years ago
I, too, had a rodent problem in my rental, but the rodents in question were chipmunks rather than rats, which thank goodness the guests who informed me about the problem were rather charmed by. (They didn't even tell me until after they left, alas.) I was a bit nervous about informing the next guests, who arrived the same day, but I at least had a game plan for addressing the issue and accommodating them elsewhere if need be. They said they'd be more upset if I trapped them while they were there than if they saw one in the house!
Reply Like
Martha
Martha2 years ago
This is what I wrote to the guest: "Hi Elizabeth, I wanted to reach out to you about your stay this weekend. With the colder weather, I've noticed a few rodents in the yard. I've set up an aggressive rodent control program with my exterminator; however, I can't 100% guarantee that you won't see/hear one. I know that people have varying degrees of tolerance for that sort of thing, as I am a little skittish about those things myself. I felt compelled to tell you about it as a good will gesture in case you would prefer to cancel the reservation. There would be no penalty to canceling if you chose to do that. Please let me know- thank you and sorry for any inconvenience!" She was very understanding and said that she would keep the reservation and that I inform her if things took a turn for the worst, which I don't think they will. Thank goodness for understanding guests!
Reply Liked 4 likes
Deborah
Deborah2 years ago
For my listing which is closest to my backyard, I state in the listing that having a rat or two in the yard is unavoidable due to having chickens, and that if anyone would be bothered by seeing one of these, that they should not book my place.
Reply Like 1 reply
Deborah
Deborah2 years ago
I am mainly trying to avoid getting guests who wrongly assume that any sighting of a rodent equals a homeowner who is irresponsible and maintains unhygenic conditions, eg, the rat indicates "something is wrong with this place." Such a guest and such a viewpoint could cause problems for me, so I attempt to screen out people who aren't comfortable with nature, and don't understand that having a rat in the yard is not the same as having a rat in the bedroom.
Sheryl
Sheryl 2 years ago
Martha. that is great wording! I have a very low tolerance for rodents. But I would love, love, love a host who would be so considerate as to give me an out of the reservation if I felt I needed one. It shows consideration and addresses the issue that Deborah identified by letting the guest know that you are a host who is on top of her home maintenance game!
Reply Like 1 like
Danny
Danny2 years ago
Perhaps AirBnb could add another category to the listing of amenities: check off whether you have a] rates, b]mice, c]snakes, d] spiders (G)! Don't think it matters whether your listing is in the country or right down town, rats are a fact of life. Hotels and restaurants don't advertise that possibility, why would we. Life happens.
Reply Like
Sheryl
Sheryl 2 years ago
Actually, they are not a fact of life in every home. And while no one needs to announce the possibility, if there is a known problem, I think a mention is in order.
Reply Like
Maya
Maya2 years ago
Although we don't have them at all inside the house, there is a real creek bed on our property, my next door neighbor has chickens & guess what? Raccoons & possums & mice/rats make their nightly rounds over the fences, creeks etc....I REFUSE to put out poisons that will vector out into the pet population (I'm not killing my cat, the neighbors' puppy, etc) I see no reason to pretend I have complete control of wild animals. But we do let people know not to leave food out as that will attract the beasties, generally.
Live & let live....but a few traps and the exterminator won't hurt. Do know the scent of a rat dead & rotting in the walls is going to be worse than the possibility of them overhearing one. Good news is you're doing everything right!
Reply Like 1 like
Jane-Marie
Jane-Marie2 years ago
My cats routinely bring in mice, often half alive, and deliver them to guests they especially like. Most find this pretty amusing, and a few even get that it is an honor. I once quipped, "I did promise fresh local foods."
Reply Like
Martha
Martha2 years ago
Well, that took a sudden turn south. The guest just emailed me (one day AFTER check in- she told me yesterday something had come up and they wouldn't make it the first night) that her boyfriend saw my nice, good will email about the rodents (written above in comments) and that he refused to stay here. At this point, with the rodent control program in place, I haven't seen one in days, and if I did, it was dead on a trap being removed. I'm really upset because I think she is assuming she will get a refund. Based on the refund policy, it's not, but what will happen if she goes to Airbnb saying they canceled because of a rodent issue? This might not go well for me! This girl had never used Airbnb before so I'm afraid her expectations are unrealistic. What should I do- refund the money or stand by the refund policy?
Reply Like
Maya
Maya2 years ago
Martha; honestly I would refund ...only Bc Airbnb policy is if they SEE anything like that it's more or less automatic. Gesture of goodwill, mostly.
Reply Like 1 reply
Martha
Martha2 years ago
She never even showed up, so how would that Airbnb policy apply? I haven't seen or heard any evidence of rodents in several days, and now I feel like an idiot for ever even mentioning it. See my response below.
Martha
Martha2 years ago
At this point I've offered for her to request a refund through Airbnb as canceling the second day of your reservation doesn't fall under the flexible cancellation policy associated with my listing. I don't even think this falls under the Airbnb Guest Return Policy. She kept the info I sent her from her boyfriend, who apparently has a phobia of rodents. If it's as extreme as a phobia, I feel like I gave her more than reasonable time to reconsider the reservation. She could have told her boyfriend 5 days ago, and canceled the reservation with no penalty. She could have canceled 24 hours before the reservation without penalty. It's not my fault that she did not share that information with him, and I feel like I've held up my end of the bargain. This weekend is the busiest football game of the year- I could have easily gotten another guest if she had canceled when I told her about the problem, but instead she chose to keep it. That's not my fault! I'm sticking to my guns here- the customer is not always right.
Reply Like
Martha
Martha2 years ago
Just so you all know, Airbnb host support is awesome. I contacted them for advice on this situation. They agreed with me that the guest should not have their funds returned, and also disabled her ability to review me. If you ever have questions that these groups don't seem to answer, contact Airbnb. They are very helpful!
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-90812
What to do about sudden rodent problem that came with colder weather?
I just moved into my house in June, and have been hosting with Airbnb to supplement my income. We've gotten great reviews and it's been going really well; however, with the colder weather we have found ourselves with a rat problem. We have a pest/rodent control extermination program in place, but I have a guest scheduled 5 days from now and am not sure how to handle this. I feel that I need to make them aware of this issue if it is not resolved before they arrive and give them the option to cancel; however, knowing that they are in town for a football game and all of the hotels are booked, I feel I am putting them in an inconveniencing situation and leaving them stranded. What should I do?
20 comments
Following
Like
Norma and Patrick
Norma and Patrick2 years ago
For us on a farm they are a fact of life. We keep pellets behind all drawers in the kitchen and a mouser
Reply Like
Martha
Martha2 years ago
I do live in a home close to downtown, so there are sewers, and I believe that is where they're coming from. I feel it is my duty to make them aware of this issue, though, in case they are ultra-sensitive to this.
Reply Like
Fleur, Dan and kids
Fleur, Dan and kids2 years ago
Can you find where they are getting in?
Reply Like
Martha
Martha2 years ago
I've worked with the exterminator to seal up areas that they may be entering through (porch, etc), and I have a meeting with them tomorrow to approach this issue in a more aggressive way, so I'm hoping this gets resolved before the guest arrives, but if it doesn't, do I have the duty of informing the guest? I'm not worried about the money-- all I want to ensure is that my guest is comfortable in my home.
Reply Like 1 reply
Fleur, Dan and kids
Fleur, Dan and kids2 years ago
Maybe let them know. Just be careful if you use rat poison and have plastic water pipes in your house instead of copper as the rats will chew through them and could cause water damage. I hate using poison, it's really a last resort. I'm lucky we have lots of snakes around that deal with rodents (I do need to let guests know about the big pythons though!)
Susan
Susan2 years ago
how present are they in the house? do you just see a few droppings or do they sit on the Kitchen counter and stare at you when you are making dinner? How likely is it they will see one? If it's not too likely then: Maybe you could say that you've recently seen a rat or two "in the yard" (?), and have had a professional visit, but can't 100% guarantee they won't spot one. Then give them the option of canceling as a good will gesture?
Reply Like
Salvia
Salvia2 years ago
I am in complete agreement with Susan how to address this issue.
Reply Like
Martha
Martha2 years ago
I've only seen one on a trap. Otherwise I've heard them traveling above the ceiling tiles in the guest bedrooms. They probably wouldn't see one, but they would likely know they are there. I will tell them. Thank you!
Reply Like
Deborah
Deborah2 years ago
I have rats from time to time, since I have chickens, and it is not possible to put chicken food out for the chickens during the day and not end up attracting rodents to the chicken food from time to time. I have tried all manner of methods of removing rodents, and have found that traps just don't work very well. Rats are smart and if they see another rat in a trap, they will avoid the trap. If you do use poison, which I find is often unavoidable, try placing it inside a container with a hole only large enough for the rat to get in. This prevents other animals from being able to access the poison and be harmed by it, such as squirrels or raccoons.
Reply Like
Serafina
Serafina2 years ago
I, too, had a rodent problem in my rental, but the rodents in question were chipmunks rather than rats, which thank goodness the guests who informed me about the problem were rather charmed by. (They didn't even tell me until after they left, alas.) I was a bit nervous about informing the next guests, who arrived the same day, but I at least had a game plan for addressing the issue and accommodating them elsewhere if need be. They said they'd be more upset if I trapped them while they were there than if they saw one in the house!
Reply Like
Martha
Martha2 years ago
This is what I wrote to the guest: "Hi Elizabeth, I wanted to reach out to you about your stay this weekend. With the colder weather, I've noticed a few rodents in the yard. I've set up an aggressive rodent control program with my exterminator; however, I can't 100% guarantee that you won't see/hear one. I know that people have varying degrees of tolerance for that sort of thing, as I am a little skittish about those things myself. I felt compelled to tell you about it as a good will gesture in case you would prefer to cancel the reservation. There would be no penalty to canceling if you chose to do that. Please let me know- thank you and sorry for any inconvenience!" She was very understanding and said that she would keep the reservation and that I inform her if things took a turn for the worst, which I don't think they will. Thank goodness for understanding guests!
Reply Liked 4 likes
Deborah
Deborah2 years ago
For my listing which is closest to my backyard, I state in the listing that having a rat or two in the yard is unavoidable due to having chickens, and that if anyone would be bothered by seeing one of these, that they should not book my place.
Reply Like 1 reply
Deborah
Deborah2 years ago
I am mainly trying to avoid getting guests who wrongly assume that any sighting of a rodent equals a homeowner who is irresponsible and maintains unhygenic conditions, eg, the rat indicates "something is wrong with this place." Such a guest and such a viewpoint could cause problems for me, so I attempt to screen out people who aren't comfortable with nature, and don't understand that having a rat in the yard is not the same as having a rat in the bedroom.
Sheryl
Sheryl 2 years ago
Martha. that is great wording! I have a very low tolerance for rodents. But I would love, love, love a host who would be so considerate as to give me an out of the reservation if I felt I needed one. It shows consideration and addresses the issue that Deborah identified by letting the guest know that you are a host who is on top of her home maintenance game!
Reply Like 1 like
Danny
Danny2 years ago
Perhaps AirBnb could add another category to the listing of amenities: check off whether you have a] rates, b]mice, c]snakes, d] spiders (G)! Don't think it matters whether your listing is in the country or right down town, rats are a fact of life. Hotels and restaurants don't advertise that possibility, why would we. Life happens.
Reply Like
Sheryl
Sheryl 2 years ago
Actually, they are not a fact of life in every home. And while no one needs to announce the possibility, if there is a known problem, I think a mention is in order.
Reply Like
Maya
Maya2 years ago
Although we don't have them at all inside the house, there is a real creek bed on our property, my next door neighbor has chickens & guess what? Raccoons & possums & mice/rats make their nightly rounds over the fences, creeks etc....I REFUSE to put out poisons that will vector out into the pet population (I'm not killing my cat, the neighbors' puppy, etc) I see no reason to pretend I have complete control of wild animals. But we do let people know not to leave food out as that will attract the beasties, generally.
Live & let live....but a few traps and the exterminator won't hurt. Do know the scent of a rat dead & rotting in the walls is going to be worse than the possibility of them overhearing one. Good news is you're doing everything right!
Reply Like 1 like
Jane-Marie
Jane-Marie2 years ago
My cats routinely bring in mice, often half alive, and deliver them to guests they especially like. Most find this pretty amusing, and a few even get that it is an honor. I once quipped, "I did promise fresh local foods."
Reply Like
Martha
Martha2 years ago
Well, that took a sudden turn south. The guest just emailed me (one day AFTER check in- she told me yesterday something had come up and they wouldn't make it the first night) that her boyfriend saw my nice, good will email about the rodents (written above in comments) and that he refused to stay here. At this point, with the rodent control program in place, I haven't seen one in days, and if I did, it was dead on a trap being removed. I'm really upset because I think she is assuming she will get a refund. Based on the refund policy, it's not, but what will happen if she goes to Airbnb saying they canceled because of a rodent issue? This might not go well for me! This girl had never used Airbnb before so I'm afraid her expectations are unrealistic. What should I do- refund the money or stand by the refund policy?
Reply Like
Maya
Maya2 years ago
Martha; honestly I would refund ...only Bc Airbnb policy is if they SEE anything like that it's more or less automatic. Gesture of goodwill, mostly.
Reply Like 1 reply
Martha
Martha2 years ago
She never even showed up, so how would that Airbnb policy apply? I haven't seen or heard any evidence of rodents in several days, and now I feel like an idiot for ever even mentioning it. See my response below.
Martha
Martha2 years ago
At this point I've offered for her to request a refund through Airbnb as canceling the second day of your reservation doesn't fall under the flexible cancellation policy associated with my listing. I don't even think this falls under the Airbnb Guest Return Policy. She kept the info I sent her from her boyfriend, who apparently has a phobia of rodents. If it's as extreme as a phobia, I feel like I gave her more than reasonable time to reconsider the reservation. She could have told her boyfriend 5 days ago, and canceled the reservation with no penalty. She could have canceled 24 hours before the reservation without penalty. It's not my fault that she did not share that information with him, and I feel like I've held up my end of the bargain. This weekend is the busiest football game of the year- I could have easily gotten another guest if she had canceled when I told her about the problem, but instead she chose to keep it. That's not my fault! I'm sticking to my guns here- the customer is not always right.
Reply Like
Martha
Martha2 years ago
Just so you all know, Airbnb host support is awesome. I contacted them for advice on this situation. They agreed with me that the guest should not have their funds returned, and also disabled her ability to review me. If you ever have questions that these groups don't seem to answer, contact Airbnb. They are very helpful!
