Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To have turned away this airbnb guest?

999 replies

Hiptrip · 07/01/2018 09:05

I have been doing airbnb for a while and have found it a great way to meet new people, and earn a little extra. That is until last Friday night.

Despite my house rule of no children, a woman wrote to me and asked if I could make an exception, promising that her two-year old son would be very well behaved. My house is not set up for children, and I simply don’t want toddlers here so I replied and said no.

She said that was okay and booked anyway, saying she had to come to my town for a wedding, and that she’d find someone to look after him.

Then she turned up with her child at 9.30pm saying she couldn’t find a sitter, and had hysterics as she pleaded with me on the doorstep, to allow him to stay. I refused and in the end called the police because she said she wouldn’t leave until I gave her, her money back in cash because she needed it to stay elsewhere. As she was starting to cause a nuisance, they got rid of her.

She’s taken this to airbnb. My argument is that she was told she couldn’t bring her child, and did anyway, so she should lose her money. Not unreasonable?

OP posts:
DGRossetti · 07/01/2018 11:02

She’s running a business, not a charity,

Is offering a spare room via AirBnB "a business" ? With adherence to relevant legislation, insurance, liability cover and taxes paid ?

BashStreetKid · 07/01/2018 11:04

I suddenly remember, my OH booked a BnB last year for an event and the rules was very clear that he and friend needed to arrive before 8pm. Unfortunately, the flight was delayed and then had problems with the car. They tried to call but neither their phone (work) allowed them to call abroad. They arrived at 10:30 and amazingly, were welcome in and treated very well.

The simple fact there is that, at 8.05 p.m. the host wouldn't have been able to re-let so would have been cutting off their nose to spite their face by refusing to let the guests in at 10.30. Plus when you take that sort of booking you know full well that people may be affected by flight delays. It just isn't a comparable situation in any way.

iBiscuit · 07/01/2018 11:04

If indeed that woman attitude had been 'stuff her, I don't care, I'll show up with my kid anyway and there's nothing she can do about it', then yes, I would have felt differently

That's exactly what she did! Confused

Rachie1973 · 07/01/2018 11:04

SukiTheDog
And, some people don’t like kids. At least OP is honest about it and therefore wouldn’t set herself, or her home, up for them. I’m not keen on other people’s children... love my own, of course

I hear you! I love my own, and my grandchildren but I find the older I get the lower my tolerance levels are! I get endless babies shoved under my nose and of course, they are beautiful and I'm so happy that they're hearty and well. But no.... I'm not worried about not having a cuddle, and no, I don't want to have them all to myself for an hour whilst you shop, and no, I don't want you in my house for hours at a time with your baby poo on my carpet.

MiddleClassProblem · 07/01/2018 11:05

I just can’t help but reiterate if she were genuine why book a child free accommodation?

If she had somewhere her child could possibly stay then why couldn’t she too?

Why did she intend to palm off her kid?

Because it’s a scam

RebelRogue · 07/01/2018 11:05

@swingofthings which pArt of "the OP did not have the money to give it back" do you not understand?
AirBNB had the woman's money. It's also them who can and will refund her if they deem necessary.

IWannaSeeHowItEnds · 07/01/2018 11:06

swing it is not 'misfortune' when someone deliberately ignores the rules and expects to be accommodated anyway.
The scam element has been explained to you repeatedly.

The OP runs a child free service. Her other paying guest, you know the one who respected the rules would have had legitimate cause for complaint had the OP allowed the child to stay.

The OP says her business is not child friendly. What happens if child has an accident? OP won't be insured for guests who are not supposed to be there.

MozzchopsThirty · 07/01/2018 11:07

What is a CF?????

OP YANBU, she was in the wrong, she chose to put her child in that awful position too.
You shouldn't feel guilty, she should

BashStreetKid · 07/01/2018 11:07

If indeed that woman attitude had been 'stuff her, I don't care, I'll show up with my kid anyway and there's nothing she can do about it', then yes, I would have felt differently but firstly, OP doesn't know that was the case, and secondly, that scenario makes no sense as as mentioned, why would she have taken the chance when there are supposedly other places she could have booked that allowed kids.

It's fairly obvious that it was the case. If it had been a genuine, last minute emergency there is simply no good reason for the woman not phoning OP to explain the situation and ask.

She probably took the chance because OP's room was cheaper than hotels, and airbnb bookings for two people are also more expensive than bookings for one.

Pengggwn · 07/01/2018 11:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsLinManuelMiranda · 07/01/2018 11:08

Cheeky f**ker

DivisionBelle · 07/01/2018 11:08

Swing would you actually do this?

And as it happens, your late arriving DH was lucky. He could just as easily have found his host went out for the evening at 8 and was not available

A guarantee that you will break the rules can never be part of establishing them, and cannot be assumed or expected by guests.

BashStreetKid · 07/01/2018 11:08

Is offering a spare room via AirBnB "a business" ? With adherence to relevant legislation, insurance, liability cover and taxes paid ?

Yes

CuppaTeaAndAJammieDodger · 07/01/2018 11:09

Can imagine her talking to her friend/family/SO “ahhh, I know she said no kids, but what is she gonna do if I just turn up with ? She can hardly turn us, a woman and her small child, away, can she?” ... uhhh, yes she can! Well done for sticking to your guns - she created this problem, not you, you couldn’t have been clearer!

swingofthings · 07/01/2018 11:09

I didn't say anywhere I thought she should have given her the cash, just to say that she would agree that she would be reimbursed.

Anyway, who knows, maybe she'll have another story to tell and will indeed get her money back from airbnb.

By the way, whoever said that the situation with my OH was different, it wasn't. They broke the rules so the guy could have said, sorry, rules broken, not letting you in and too bad you lost your money' .

BashStreetKid · 07/01/2018 11:10

I doubt most Airbnb rooms are properly insured anyway. Certainly lenders won't accept the house being used as a business.

Irrelevant. And occupiers' liability insurance is not the same as property insurance.

Snowman41 · 07/01/2018 11:10

really don't get this. What scam? A scam is when you cheat people for your benefit. What benefit was she to get?

Getting a cash refund on the doorstep and then going through air bnb for the 'official' refund.

Massive scam.

Plink42 · 07/01/2018 11:11

Sorry #Hiptrip sum on here have high moralistic values -
#Swingonthings If this was a premier inn or travel lodge and she turned up with say extra ppl & was turned away she wud still be charged.
#Hiptrip didn't take another booking becuz of her,so she in fact is in the right!

Snowman41 · 07/01/2018 11:11

Fair enough to turn her away, but keeping her money just because the 'rules' say you can is just money grabbing.

Show me a hotel in the uk that lets you be refunded for cancellation at 9.30pm ON THE DAY.

It's not money grabbing it's how the business works ffs.

Hoppinggreen · 07/01/2018 11:11

As bash said he yes it is
We are insured via Airbnb and pay tax at the appropriate rate

Pengggwn · 07/01/2018 11:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AnnieAnoniMouse · 07/01/2018 11:12

Of course you didn’t do anything wrong & the woman does not deserve a refund. There’s no way you should be out of pocket because she chose to bring her child, which you had already said, wasn’t allowed.

swingofthings · 07/01/2018 11:12

Swing would you actually do this?
As said, I've been treated by a lot worse than OP as a Landlord! You run a business, you accept that some people misbehave, but you also accept that in some cases, people do find themselves in a bit of bother and you close your eyes to the rules, ie. when tenants come up with stories about why they will late to pay rent, which could be true, most likely are not, but you just get on with it without making a huge fuss.

Maybe I'm a softie by nature but I rather that than thinking I did help someone in genuine difficult circumstances.

aaaaargghhhhelpme · 07/01/2018 11:13

Middle class - totally. So what did she think was going to happen?! She stay at ops house. And her two year old stay somewhere else?! Where and with whom? It would have to be someone you'd trust implicitly with your toddler - so family or close friend. Then why didn't they say hey stay too. Who in their right mind would offer a bed to a toddler (who would most likely flip at being apart from their mum for so long) and not to their mum?

The only other option is that she didn't mean to bring the toddler. Maybe a local friend/family member to her was going to have the toddler. But if that fell through she would have known before setting off for the ops. And surely having already explicitly had the conversation where kids are not allowed, at the very least you would ring up to check/plead. Not just rock up regardless and assume you can break the ops terms and conditions.

None of it makes sense. Which is why I also think she's a scammer.

Op you've done absolutely nothing wrong. Hope Airbnb sort it out quickly

ForalltheSaints · 07/01/2018 11:13

I think the police should be taking further action against her. I am sorry a child has a mother setting such a poor example.

The OP was being reasonable.