Post by High Priestess on Oct 1, 2015 3:25:44 GMT
Miriam shared in Sept 2015
Guest with a toddler
Someone just instant booked my listing and said she was coming with her partner and two year old. I wrote her right away to let her know that the place is unsafe for a toddler. She insists it's fine, but I don't feel comfortable with it. My listing says a maximum of 2 people can stay there. This isn't the Holiday Inn where kids stay free. I offered to help her find elsewhere to stay. What should I do? I just started hosting in August and have never had to cancel someone. I was doing so well and almost have enough good reviews and such for Super Host status. TIA.
Keith:
You can now cancel instant book reservations up to 3 times a year with our penalty. However
My house isn't child proof and I've had people with 2 year Olds. If they're a couple you just insist one supervises the child at all times. If it's a single person the child is unattended while they shower and this is when trouble happens.
Carrie:
Keith - that cancellation is apparently only true in some regions - my terms say nothing about cancelling IB. In fact, my terms are pretty clear about cancellation penalties for hosts.
Keith:
Seems odd they'd makes those rules region specific. May want to ask. Perhaps the docs haven't been updated.
Linda :
Well let them know you charge for toddlers and they will need to thoroughly watch their child while renting your place and the child needs to be watched by them at all times. You can get plastic ties at hone depot and just tie the lower cabinets in bathrooms your guest has acess. The ties can be easily cut when guest leave. Also the safety plug protectors can be bought a Home Depot for about $3.00. The child should not have acess all over your home so just do their room and hallway andcthats it.
Carrie:
exact same thing happened to me. call customer service right a way and have them sort it out for you.
i told the guests i can't host children but they insisted the kid will sleep on the same bed and won't be a bother. so i contacted customer service and explained that my listing clearly stated 2 max. these people are violating my rule. airbnb was able to take care of this for me within 24 hours.
Juliet and Ed:
One potential problem with child sleeping in same bed: What if child wets the bed? Presumably the bed does not have a waterproof mattress cover on it, like you would probably want to have on a child's bed.
Keith:
This is why all my mattresses are wrapped in waterproof bedbug protectors. And have washable or waterproof mattress pads o as well.
Juliet and Ed:
Well mine does have a bedbug protective cover, but it's not waterproof. And then there's a quilted (padded) mattress cover on top of that. But I don't host children. I think that enough protection for most adult-related fluids. At least I hope so!
Fleur:
Waterproof mattress protector is essential for ALL guests not just children.
Maria and Lary:
It is a violation of your rules 2 people max. Have Airbnb sort it out . You don't feel comfortable with the situation already; they are pushing their way in knowingly. Red flag.
nathalie:
Agree with Carrie. Call the customer service saying guests booked for 2 but they are 3 in the group. And you want them to cancel (not you).
Fiona:
Yes!
John:
The nightmare of instant booking confirmed yet again.
Rick:
If someone inappropriate (pets, children, too many guests) does an IB, Airbnb will cancel the reservation. I'm sorry you have had problems with IB, but it works well for many of us
Deborah:
BUt if a criminal intent on burlgarizing or trashing your place Instant Books, you can't cancel on them because they haven't committed the crime yet.
Bekah and Brian:
Call airBNB and have them cancel them. Save your 3 penalty-free IB cancellation for down the road for when it happens again
Margaret:
this has happened to me without IB. I just asked airbnb to get them to cancel and told them no way. (In my case several guys booked a room with a single bed for one person and told me that they were bringing their girlfriend and they wouldnt mind sharing the bed. ) I minded and I got them cancelled.
I meant it happened more than once that a guy booked the single room and then announced his girlfriend was coming too.
Andrew:
The exact same thing happened to me before, but without IB. The guests didn't inform me that they were bringing a child until after confirmation. I called Airbnb, and when they saw that the party size exceeded my maximum number of guests, they agreed to cancel the booking without penalty to either party. Which is to say, you needn't do the cancellation yourself.
However, if it were a single parent bringing a toddler, you wouldn't have the same out. So if you're not prepared for hosting small children, it's probably best to turn off IB to screen guests more carefully and/or clearly state a minimum age for guests in your listing and House Rules.
Louise:
I will host toddlers but I warn that the place isn't childproof and actually spell out how dangerous it is and I charge $50 extra for any more than 4 guests.
The same thing happened to me. I simply told the guest that she MUST include the child in the booking numbers and that if she persisted in booking and paying for just 4 humans, then only 4 would be let through the door.
She had used IB with no prior enquiry and had the temerity to give me a blast for 'accepting' her booking! I held the line and told her her choices were pay up, reduce the number of guests or cancel. She insisted I should cancel because it was 'my fault' !?? I told her to naff off and that she had a 4 hour window in which to cancel and if she did I'd waive my 50% penalty. I told CX and copied them on the email exchange and that's exactly what she did.
It's happened on two occasions since (one of which was, shockingly, a fellow host) and on each occasion I've just sent through an alteration request adding the additional person and told them their choices are accept or cancel. If the latter, I'm no longer going to cut them any slack regarding penalties. I state multiple times in my description that all humans go on the booking and I'm fed up with my time being wasted by people who can't be bothered reading the listing description and often have a toxic sense of entitlement.
Suzanne:
Good for you, Louise. I also charge for more than 4 guests; we charge $50 per additional guests, with max of 6 human beings. I also make it clear that ALL humans count. We have a stay agreement that includes many things, including names and ages of all persons staying, and id copies for all adults staying.
Rick:
Although you have not checked "child friendly"-- you might want to be more specific about children. Over 6 okay?? It's too general. I have none under 15.
.
Guest with a toddler
Someone just instant booked my listing and said she was coming with her partner and two year old. I wrote her right away to let her know that the place is unsafe for a toddler. She insists it's fine, but I don't feel comfortable with it. My listing says a maximum of 2 people can stay there. This isn't the Holiday Inn where kids stay free. I offered to help her find elsewhere to stay. What should I do? I just started hosting in August and have never had to cancel someone. I was doing so well and almost have enough good reviews and such for Super Host status. TIA.
Keith:
You can now cancel instant book reservations up to 3 times a year with our penalty. However
My house isn't child proof and I've had people with 2 year Olds. If they're a couple you just insist one supervises the child at all times. If it's a single person the child is unattended while they shower and this is when trouble happens.
Carrie:
Keith - that cancellation is apparently only true in some regions - my terms say nothing about cancelling IB. In fact, my terms are pretty clear about cancellation penalties for hosts.
Keith:
Seems odd they'd makes those rules region specific. May want to ask. Perhaps the docs haven't been updated.
Linda :
Well let them know you charge for toddlers and they will need to thoroughly watch their child while renting your place and the child needs to be watched by them at all times. You can get plastic ties at hone depot and just tie the lower cabinets in bathrooms your guest has acess. The ties can be easily cut when guest leave. Also the safety plug protectors can be bought a Home Depot for about $3.00. The child should not have acess all over your home so just do their room and hallway andcthats it.
Carrie:
exact same thing happened to me. call customer service right a way and have them sort it out for you.
i told the guests i can't host children but they insisted the kid will sleep on the same bed and won't be a bother. so i contacted customer service and explained that my listing clearly stated 2 max. these people are violating my rule. airbnb was able to take care of this for me within 24 hours.
Juliet and Ed:
One potential problem with child sleeping in same bed: What if child wets the bed? Presumably the bed does not have a waterproof mattress cover on it, like you would probably want to have on a child's bed.
Keith:
This is why all my mattresses are wrapped in waterproof bedbug protectors. And have washable or waterproof mattress pads o as well.
Juliet and Ed:
Well mine does have a bedbug protective cover, but it's not waterproof. And then there's a quilted (padded) mattress cover on top of that. But I don't host children. I think that enough protection for most adult-related fluids. At least I hope so!
Fleur:
Waterproof mattress protector is essential for ALL guests not just children.
Maria and Lary:
It is a violation of your rules 2 people max. Have Airbnb sort it out . You don't feel comfortable with the situation already; they are pushing their way in knowingly. Red flag.
nathalie:
Agree with Carrie. Call the customer service saying guests booked for 2 but they are 3 in the group. And you want them to cancel (not you).
Fiona:
Yes!
John:
The nightmare of instant booking confirmed yet again.
Rick:
If someone inappropriate (pets, children, too many guests) does an IB, Airbnb will cancel the reservation. I'm sorry you have had problems with IB, but it works well for many of us
Deborah:
BUt if a criminal intent on burlgarizing or trashing your place Instant Books, you can't cancel on them because they haven't committed the crime yet.
Bekah and Brian:
Call airBNB and have them cancel them. Save your 3 penalty-free IB cancellation for down the road for when it happens again
Margaret:
this has happened to me without IB. I just asked airbnb to get them to cancel and told them no way. (In my case several guys booked a room with a single bed for one person and told me that they were bringing their girlfriend and they wouldnt mind sharing the bed. ) I minded and I got them cancelled.
I meant it happened more than once that a guy booked the single room and then announced his girlfriend was coming too.
Andrew:
The exact same thing happened to me before, but without IB. The guests didn't inform me that they were bringing a child until after confirmation. I called Airbnb, and when they saw that the party size exceeded my maximum number of guests, they agreed to cancel the booking without penalty to either party. Which is to say, you needn't do the cancellation yourself.
However, if it were a single parent bringing a toddler, you wouldn't have the same out. So if you're not prepared for hosting small children, it's probably best to turn off IB to screen guests more carefully and/or clearly state a minimum age for guests in your listing and House Rules.
Louise:
I will host toddlers but I warn that the place isn't childproof and actually spell out how dangerous it is and I charge $50 extra for any more than 4 guests.
The same thing happened to me. I simply told the guest that she MUST include the child in the booking numbers and that if she persisted in booking and paying for just 4 humans, then only 4 would be let through the door.
She had used IB with no prior enquiry and had the temerity to give me a blast for 'accepting' her booking! I held the line and told her her choices were pay up, reduce the number of guests or cancel. She insisted I should cancel because it was 'my fault' !?? I told her to naff off and that she had a 4 hour window in which to cancel and if she did I'd waive my 50% penalty. I told CX and copied them on the email exchange and that's exactly what she did.
It's happened on two occasions since (one of which was, shockingly, a fellow host) and on each occasion I've just sent through an alteration request adding the additional person and told them their choices are accept or cancel. If the latter, I'm no longer going to cut them any slack regarding penalties. I state multiple times in my description that all humans go on the booking and I'm fed up with my time being wasted by people who can't be bothered reading the listing description and often have a toxic sense of entitlement.
Suzanne:
Good for you, Louise. I also charge for more than 4 guests; we charge $50 per additional guests, with max of 6 human beings. I also make it clear that ALL humans count. We have a stay agreement that includes many things, including names and ages of all persons staying, and id copies for all adults staying.
Rick:
Although you have not checked "child friendly"-- you might want to be more specific about children. Over 6 okay?? It's too general. I have none under 15.
.