To have turned away this airbnb guest?

[Hiptrip]

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?

@cherry

They did pay in the end, but they got a(nother) significant discount and it took ages for them to actually pay us. The hotel definitely lost money. It was a smallish independent hotel as well. Not the Hilton or whatever.

I used to work in hotels and we frequently found CFs were the worst people to be kind to

I have to agree, though my own experience was in running/hiring a community facility rather than an hotel

I, too, learned my lesson when instead of showing even the tiniest appreciation, the CFs I helped out turned away with a knowing smirk because they'd once again got away with it

The OP may not have the money, either, AirB&B does. But hey, why not offer the woman a refund, in case she doesn't get one?

Or continue me-railing this and umpteen other threads calling a woman with mental health issues from growing up with alcoholic parents, 4 kids herself and a job a heartless person because she can't take in a 2-year-old with complex special needs . That's such a kind thing to do, too.

I am categorically not saying she had to do anything. I am saying she could have (quite easily) offered a simple kindness.

How on earth would you know how simple it would be fir the OP to remove hazards from her child-free home to enable a child to come in? You’re clutching at straws now.

I think it would be kind to ask the OP how she is feeling after the incident. Calling the police is usually done as a last resort and must have been traumatic for the OP, especially if she had to watch a toddler watch his mum go batshit. I imagine she also had to control herself and language to ensure the situation did not escalate and worsen for the toddler.

So, OP, I hope you're ok

And why not advertise your home as a public toilet, open to all, since you'd let in anyone who asks?

@puzzledandpissedoff

Yes! The smirk! No attempt to hide it either. It was sometimes like they’d won at some game I didn’t even know I was playing .

The OP does NOT HAVE THE WOMAN'S MONEY.

FFS @Pengggwn, have you not read ANY of the thread?!

No way is my house child-friendly. It would take a complete overhaul to make it so.

The OP does not yet have the woman's money, but she will do. As she should have the money of anyone who books but fails to turn up, or books but tries to go against the clearly-stated rules and bring an extra person not listed on the booking.

Pengggwyn Today 9:44 I agree you should have turned her away but with her money. She didn't stay in your home so she owes you nothing. So you have changed your tune then!

I don't have her money, the OP has it.

It's not her money anymore.

Are you really a teacher? I'm worried for the children you teach because I'm so kind.

She paid for a service, which OP was happy to provide on the stated terms. The woman did not want to use the service on the stated terms so she forfeits the money.

So as OP doesn't have her money, and you still feel this women should get the £80, then the best solution is for you to send the money to the OP so she can refund the woman.

You mean you're done completely me-railing yet another thread with your self-righteous virtue-signalling the way you've done here? Okay, then. Let's see how that works. Haahaahaaa! Yes, mighty generous with the 'I would' when it's not you in the situation. Continue me-railing, though, that speak volumes.

Or continue me-railing this and umpteen other threads

^this. It is absolutely me-railing. It feels like we're feeding a GF.

This thread has reminded me of another one from several years ago where people were discussing a news story about an EBFing mother who had tried to sneak her baby into an adults-only health club and spa so she could breastfeed. IIRC, she was staying overnight and had arranged for her husband to bring the baby over at 10.30pm for a feed and got very upset when the health club stopped her from taking the baby to her room. She tried to organise a breast-feeding sit-in and all sorts.

The discussion about whether the health club should have allowed her baby in the building or not was similar to this one. Scam or not, there do seem to be some people who think rules only apply to other people.

If Airbnb think the woman has been unfairly treated then she'll get a refund from them and OP won't get any money. I seriously doubt she'll get a refund though, given her behaviour.