Help! Currently in an air b&b and having a dispute with the host!

[UpsetMummyofOne]

Hi all, advice much needed ! Currently in an air b&b, a whole flat rental, with my family and two dogs. The listing said dogs and small pets would be considered. I booked this back in November as soon as we got the save the date, and in my very first message to the host I said we had two dogs. Since then, we have had messages back and forth about the keysafe, provision of towels, linen, amenities etc. We arrived earlier this evening and settled in, met the neighbours and let the host know we had arrived via message on the app. A few hours ago I have received a message from the host saying that we have been seen with dogs that we didn't declare and she has respectfully asked that we don't leave the dogs alone in the property while we are here as previous guests dogs have whined when they have been left. I have wrote back apologising that she didn't realise we were bringing dogs and that wasn't my intention and I mentioned them in my very first message to her ! We are here for an event which takes place tomorrow that the dogs will not be able to come to and I am not prepared to leave them in a car for hours, especially with this heat we have been having. Any advice where I stand with this ? I am tempted to open a dispute with air b & b - not familiar with this process. The property was described as modern in the listing - it is farm from modern, quite worn and dated like a lot of dog friendly accommodations are that we have been to before! I am upset that the host thinks I tried to sneak dogs in behind her back. I have looked back at our correspondence and the dogs have definitely been mentioned. Where do I stand and what should I do next ?

If you still have the original email/message, I would show that to her. It’s her mistake so I would not change your plans unless it’s convenient to do so. Some people just shouldn’t run air bnbs

The original message is still there - if the host scrolls back they will see it, as will air b&b as it is via the official app. I was happy with the accommodation when we got here and now I'm really upset. This impacts significantly on our plans for tomorrow.

Leave the dogs behind. What can they do?

Did you mention in your first email to the host that the dogs would be left alone in the air b&b for a day? Or did you just mention that you would be bringing dogs?

Honestly feel like a naughty school girl that's been reprimanded by a teacher !! Has anyone had this problem before, or a problem with air b&b in general?

Stick with your plans.

@mabelmylove I didn't go into that much detail about our plans. I said my name is, husband, six year old daughter and two dogs travelling from X for a wedding.

The wedding is walking distance from the property, and we planned to come back and forth to take the dogs out so they wouldn't be left for hours on end. We sat out in the garden last night for dinner, which is quite a way away from the flat (I had the door locked as we couldn't see the property from how far the garden is) and the dogs didn't whine. They are content older dogs. It would be very out of character for them to whine due to being left alone.

The few times we have traveled with pets, the accommodations have always had a rule that you can’t leave pets unattended. Is there a written policy in your agreement?

I've been to several dog-friendly holiday places in Australia, and every one of them says you can't go out and leave the dog, and it's about the animal's welfare and the potential nuisance to other guests as the bored pooch goes ballistic.

YABU.

I'm afraid that I agree with the others who say that it's totally normal for pet friendly accommodation to specify that they are never left unattended. I can't think of anywhere I've been with my dog(s) that hasn't had that rule. You need to try and find a last minute pet sitter or kennels.

Me too ... all of our dog friendly accommodation has not allowed dogs left alone.

I mean you don't have much choice now do you .....

Local kennels?

Agree with the local kennels idea. Do a quick search, find somewhere close and take the dogs there on the way to your event.
You can’t leave dogs unsupervised in a strange place.

It's perfectly reasonable for dog-friendly accommodation to have a rule that dogs mustn't be left alone. They could trash the place. You aren't being asked to leave or pay more. Just to abide by their normal rules.

You won't be able to get anything 'proper' sorted at no notice but all you need is a teenager with no social plans to come and chill out and watch TV while you are at the wedding. The wedding venue may be able to help you - one of the staff members will have teens happy to earn some extra cash.

Surely though, if you told them that you were bringing the dogs and you told them you were there for a wedding the owner should have put 2+2 together and realised you would not be taking the dogs to the wedding, and therefore raised this earlier.
Seems very unfair to raise this now while you are already there.

Flat owner needs to put in their AirBNB conditions that dogs are not to be left alone in the flat. Are you expected to have a crystal ball to know these things.

Review the property accordingly using the star system when you leave and give the reason why.

If the host didn't say you couldn't leave him. Leave him at the flat.

Please, for the love of puppies, do not hire some teenager you don't know from Adam to dog sit in someone else's income-generating flat for the evening.

Unless you want to be stuck with the bill when the place is destroyed by the teenager and 499 of his best friends.

i travel with a dog and same as the others most state upon arrival they are not to be left unattended.
you and your partner will have to take turns dog sitting.

When we had our older dog, we left him alone in the accommodation for a couple of hours occasionally when we went away. No one would have known as he was an old boy, non destructive, would have just slept. No way would we be able to do it with our current dog.

You know your dogs. My question would be, how will the owners find out if the dogs deffo won’t whine or cause a commotion / damage?

Host did not state you couldn't leave dogs when you said you were bringing them and you are unable to take the dogs to the wedding. Would keep the tone friendly and say that there is nothing you can do but if owner knows of local dog-walker sitter then you would be ok with them hiring one to pop round and check on the dogs.

I run dog-friendly accommodation and we do not mind dogs being left but do text the guests if they are whining/barking and sounding in distress and stick our heads in to check on them etc.

Tbf it isn't an unreasonable request, although it doesn't take much intellect to deduce from your original message that they were intended to be left behind. I think this is 6 of one and half a dozen of another.

How you go on from here I have no idea. Can you talk to her, reassure her they are elderly and used to being alone? Can you ask her what she suggests, given that you have it in writing that you pre informed her?

You advised you had dogs in your first message, and they still agreed to rent their property to you. The problem is theirs, not yours.

I suspect they have neighbour issues actually, but that certainly isn't your concern.

Leave the dogs where they are safe inside, with lots of water, and continue with your plans.

It’s not an unreasonable request but it should have been made clear at the booking stage that dogs shouldn’t be left unattended. Too late for them to add conditions now. They’ve been polite about it so don’t get upset or angry, just don’t say anything and stick with your original plan.