Post by rhonda on Feb 20, 2019 7:38:24 GMT
Please allow me to vent in my attempt to seek a monetary resolution to a never ending issue Airbnb customer service has suggested.
My listing reads:
House Rules:
Estimated time of arrival to the home must be received at least 24 hours prior to day of check-in and follow-up if delays arise.
Check-in time is stated 4-11 pm.
Per past experience this allows me as a host to cancel the reservation if I become uncomfortable with guest.
Ex: They obviously had not even read the first line of the House Rules.
Quite Time is listed as 11 pm-7 am; in my setting it is not fair to the other guests to be checking-in and settling-in at all hours of the night.
My StupidHost status would not be removed, the guest would be refunded in full, and I loose the night's rate due to this potential disrespectful guest.
So there's been a slew of delayed flights. I'm OK with that, albeit exhausting. What I am not OK with is "I'll be there at 4." I bust a nut to have their room and house in tip-top shape and VOILA! 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm rolls around, I say what's the update?
We're at Walmart, be there 7:30.
OR....A huge majority of my guests refuse to answer the ETA question which is a pre-populated Airbnb question that is supposed to be answered at the time of Instant Booking.
Today's little Sweetheart rings me up from the driveway at 7:30. I ask her where is she? I've been waiting all day. She is totally unapologetic, denying it is stated in the listing to clue me in, so I show her the House Rules which I copied, pasted, and have so unattractively displayed on my refrigerator. "Oh, I'm Sorry." I asked her when did she arrive on the island? Two days ago. Staying no more than a 3 hour slow drive away.
Obviously this has become a problem for me on many different levels.
Guests just will not read the listing and will do and help themselves to whatever suits them.
I have turned the stove/oven off in the main kitchen as "No Stove" is apparently too vague.
"There is laundry usage available." is also too vague and I have to turn them on and off like a hawk.
I'm swamped with guests due to our busy season and have refrained from closing the electronic gates after purchasing a new Control Panel to the tune of $300 as too many guests attempted to force the gate open instead of the clear instructions that include "DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PUSH OR FORCE the gate open. It is electronic and will not open manually."
So back to the fee. My rooms are in the $100+ range.
I charge a cleaning fee of $10 which is pretty low when ya get so many red-dirt hiking, beach-sandy guests.
My goal is to stay as fully booked as possible for 2019.
I'm sure my electric bill is greater than $10 when I have to unexpectedly turn over a bedspread and pray I'm witness to a miracle of the stains coming out.
So, my question is do you think adding to the above statement listed under House Rules on the first line to be read "or a $50 Late Check-in fee will be assessed."?
OR.....shall I word it as "a fee equal to one nights stay will be assessed."
Earlier in the week a Customer Service Rep asked me if I wanted to send a request for money to a guest and he would tell me how. Unfortunately I cut off him off from providing the instructions as I knew the situation would not warrant the claim. #1: I had never mentioned a fee in my listing; and #2 I rang Airbnb up to begin taking more pro-active steps. The case at the moment was a delayed flight where the guest had indeed kept me informed of the continued delays from LAX. I also know the procedures for requesting money from a guest.
I understand how proper our wording must be in order to convince any Airbnb rep to honor us hosts, our listings, and our wishes.
Delayed flights would most likely fall under Extenuating Circumstances....BUT.....I'm not sure of this which has also been a thorn as the flight may be unexpectedly delayed until 8 pm, but my guests have now chosen to stop for dinner and drinks.
All feedback will be appreciated specific to the question.
With much aloha,
Rhonda
My listing reads:
House Rules:
Estimated time of arrival to the home must be received at least 24 hours prior to day of check-in and follow-up if delays arise.
Check-in time is stated 4-11 pm.
Per past experience this allows me as a host to cancel the reservation if I become uncomfortable with guest.
Ex: They obviously had not even read the first line of the House Rules.
Quite Time is listed as 11 pm-7 am; in my setting it is not fair to the other guests to be checking-in and settling-in at all hours of the night.
My StupidHost status would not be removed, the guest would be refunded in full, and I loose the night's rate due to this potential disrespectful guest.
So there's been a slew of delayed flights. I'm OK with that, albeit exhausting. What I am not OK with is "I'll be there at 4." I bust a nut to have their room and house in tip-top shape and VOILA! 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm rolls around, I say what's the update?
We're at Walmart, be there 7:30.
OR....A huge majority of my guests refuse to answer the ETA question which is a pre-populated Airbnb question that is supposed to be answered at the time of Instant Booking.
Today's little Sweetheart rings me up from the driveway at 7:30. I ask her where is she? I've been waiting all day. She is totally unapologetic, denying it is stated in the listing to clue me in, so I show her the House Rules which I copied, pasted, and have so unattractively displayed on my refrigerator. "Oh, I'm Sorry." I asked her when did she arrive on the island? Two days ago. Staying no more than a 3 hour slow drive away.
Obviously this has become a problem for me on many different levels.
Guests just will not read the listing and will do and help themselves to whatever suits them.
I have turned the stove/oven off in the main kitchen as "No Stove" is apparently too vague.
"There is laundry usage available." is also too vague and I have to turn them on and off like a hawk.
I'm swamped with guests due to our busy season and have refrained from closing the electronic gates after purchasing a new Control Panel to the tune of $300 as too many guests attempted to force the gate open instead of the clear instructions that include "DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PUSH OR FORCE the gate open. It is electronic and will not open manually."
So back to the fee. My rooms are in the $100+ range.
I charge a cleaning fee of $10 which is pretty low when ya get so many red-dirt hiking, beach-sandy guests.
My goal is to stay as fully booked as possible for 2019.
I'm sure my electric bill is greater than $10 when I have to unexpectedly turn over a bedspread and pray I'm witness to a miracle of the stains coming out.
So, my question is do you think adding to the above statement listed under House Rules on the first line to be read "or a $50 Late Check-in fee will be assessed."?
OR.....shall I word it as "a fee equal to one nights stay will be assessed."
Earlier in the week a Customer Service Rep asked me if I wanted to send a request for money to a guest and he would tell me how. Unfortunately I cut off him off from providing the instructions as I knew the situation would not warrant the claim. #1: I had never mentioned a fee in my listing; and #2 I rang Airbnb up to begin taking more pro-active steps. The case at the moment was a delayed flight where the guest had indeed kept me informed of the continued delays from LAX. I also know the procedures for requesting money from a guest.
I understand how proper our wording must be in order to convince any Airbnb rep to honor us hosts, our listings, and our wishes.
Delayed flights would most likely fall under Extenuating Circumstances....BUT.....I'm not sure of this which has also been a thorn as the flight may be unexpectedly delayed until 8 pm, but my guests have now chosen to stop for dinner and drinks.
All feedback will be appreciated specific to the question.
With much aloha,
Rhonda
