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?

Sorry have to go - I am making lunch for free for my entire neighbourhood before I go off to find someone deserving who I can give my car to.

Gosh, you sound quite harsh. I find people are quite self centred these days. Personally I gave my children away to a childless couple and let a family of drug dealers live in my house. I live in a tent in the garden now. It's only fair because they have children now, whilst I have none, having given them away.

Pengwynn
I could probably truthfully say that I work Mon-Thurs to pay the bills and on Friday (at the same place) for the little extras.
But if I pay my childcare and train fare to turn up for work on Friday, and it turns out after I arrive Im not really needed, would I really happily walk away with my pay docked for that day?
I don't think many people would

"If the OP had said this was an essential part of her income I wouldn't have suggested she refund. She said this is a way to make a little extra and meet people."

I read that as if the money is not "an essential part of her income" she should be more ready to give it up. Thats how it comes across anyway. Sadly communism proved to not really work so well and most people want to hang onto money they have earned, tax aside.

dementedpixie
You should have given her money back

Why? The OP could have rented her room out to someone else, why should she lose the money?

So why not contact the OP, find out who the person is, and send them 80 quid, as a kindness?

If the OP had said this was an essential part of her income I wouldn't have suggested she refund. All income that she has worked for (she still has admin for AirBNB and housework/washing/shopping to do for her guests) is essential to her. As is yours, I imagine. It's not up to anyone else to demand or expect her to refund her own money that she has worked for. (Aside from the fact that she doesn't HAVE the money - it's held by AIRBnB!

She said this is a way to make a little extra and meet people. And that would include NOT handing over a refund (Which monies are held by AirBNB not her) and meeting people who ADHERE TO THE CONDITIONS SHE SETS OUT.

If you DON'T ADHERE TO THESE CONDITIONS, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN!

Jesus - what part of it do you not get?

But why should the OP be kind to. A CF who has wasted her time, ignored her rules and harassed her to the point she’s had to call the police?

I think it’s fair enough to give a break to those who are deservin, but perhaps this may be a lesson to an entitled CF to be less entitled.

Giving your wages away is a communist thing to do. You said OP should do it. I don't know anyone else who does this, do you?

Sorry but as someone who works for themselves it annoys me when we are taken advantage of, not paid and otherwise messed about and expected to sell ourselves short in a way that no big company ever would be. Why should the OP be "kind" and lose her pay? Travellodge and Premier Inn sure as hell wouldn't and you wouldn't expect them to either. Its the small businesses and individuals working for themselves that get shafted

Would pop back to give flowers and sweeties to all the dozy twats (WITHOUT ensuring that they don't have any allergies, of course, because you can take kindness too far) but have got to go and donate both my kidneys to someone who sent me an email from the other side of the world asking for them and offering prayers in return...

I would have done more than I was obliged to do and not contested a refund. - actually, it is not up to you. It's decided by AIrBNB who gets a refund or not.

Luckily, AirBNB have decided that common sense (and not 'kindness') means that the CF should not be refunded. And she should actually be OUT OF POCKET for what she has done to the OP! (the CF was not kind to the OP - or to her own child - but you don't seem to be berating her for that! Just the OP for daring to stick to the contract for her own home!)

I give my professional services for free to those that I have verified cannot afford it.

But I will not be taken advantage of by scammers and I would certainly not try to make another self employed person feel bad for not doing so. As you have done. See - virtue signalling myself there

I just would have behaved differently myself - and you would have been shafted.

That is what your 'kindness' would have got you.

And the next time - you would have done exactly what OP did.

Pengggwn

But if OP had allowed them to stay it would have been against her contract with Air bnb as she is registered- no children.

So do you think it 'fair and and an act of kindness' that if she had allowed them to stay, she could loose her contract? Is that fair? Who would then be kind to her? Who would then provide OP with her income?

Are you know understanding that it's not about being kind, it's not about being fair, it's about contracts and policies.

The same you kept going on about giving back the refund, when you were told she didn't have the money and she had to refund via the payment method, it's against Air bnb policy to refund via cash.

Its lucky that Airbnb employ saner people than some of the posters on this thread

I just would have behaved differently myself - and you would have been shafted

Maybe, maybe not. You really have no idea.