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 ?

Join a local Facebook group to find a local dog lover who will watch the dogs either at the flat or in the car park (in shade of tree etc) at the wedding.

I think yabu people go away all the time and bring their dogs but I think I agree with other posters that's it's the owners right to request to ask the dogs not to let unattended

I am currently in an air bnb house with my sister and her dog. We have left him alone every day for periods of time. It's been fine.

You can't leave them unattended in a hosts property, she's not being unreasonable, you are. One of you will have to stay with them.

To be honest I wouldn’t expect to be able to leave dogs alone. Having said that if she didn’t state that initially and you can prove you mentioned the dogs then I don’t think they can do much.
Are you 100% confident they won’t whine or cause any damage?

One person leaving a dog in onw airbnb and it being fine is totally irrelevant here.

The host has reminded you of their rules, I haven't stayed in an one but it seems entirely reasonable that the guest complies with the house rules. It's a pain for you but I'm sure you can understand why they have that rule.

I am an Airbnb host and love and welcome dogs, or I used to til they would often be left for long periods where they would howl and bark upsetting the neighbours (including us) and their dogs.

I also ask people not to leave their dogs alone and some will say well no thank you then (we have plenty of dog friendly pubs in town) which is fine by me. It is so distressing listening to distressed dogs and not being able to do anything.

On a practical note find a local dog walker or someone who loves dogs who will take your dogs out for a walk during your time out or sit with them.

It all comes down to whether it is written somewhere that dogs are allowed but not to be left unaccompanied somewhere and you missed that part.

Of course she is not to deduct that it was you intention. It could be a wedding where only one of you is invited or a dog friendly wedding!

Ultimately, not much you can do. Let's hope you know for a fact that your dogs won't get bored or spooked by being somewhere they don't know and do decide to start shewing on things, wee or poo, or cry the whole time.

Btw i never used to specify that they shouldn't be left alone as, naively, it didn't occur to me that anyone would go to the trouble of bringing their dog on holiday to leave them alone in a strange environment for long periods. I have had dog guests who don't howl of course which is fine but please try to imagine what it is like to listen to dogs howling for hours!

Airbnb are good in a dispute but I have gotten quicker responses using the Airbnb community forum (so advice from fellow guests and hosts), it is unlikely you will get anywhere over the next few days with Airbnb so figuring out a practical solution is your best bet (kennels, walker etc)

I don't mind if the dogs are well-behaved. Here is an excerpt from my Airbnb listing. I think the host is being unreasonable

Tbh most b&b's don't allow you to leave a dog in attended it it. For obvious reasons.

I feel you should have thought of this when booking.

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

^ Agree with this!

Don't change your plans or feel bad about it, YANBU. You are likely to receive a bad review though, so be honest in your review too.

I've never stayed in a dog friendly property that allowed you to leave the dogs unattended!

Personally I think you're massively unreasonable for booking this accommodation knowing you were going to leave your dogs all day without asking the owner first - that's cheeky fuckery!

Dogs are a tie and you should have arranged for them to go to kennels or had one of you stay with the dogs during the day. Personally I don't think it's appropriate to leave your dogs all day anyway, let alone in a strange environment and especially not when you haven't even asked the host!

Every holiday let we've been to with our dogs has had a clause not to leave dogs alone in the property.
Which is quite reasonable. From the dog's point of view they would be left in a strange place, which is quite different from being left alone in their home. This could result in anxiety for even well behaved dogs, which could manifest as barking or whining, destructive behaviour or soiling.
If your weekend away included leaving your dogs alone for a whole day, surely the best option for your dogs would have been to find them a dog sitter.

I think that it’s acceptable to leave them, especially because you are close by and will be going back several times during the day to check on the dogs. It’s much better than leaving the dogs in a car for hours which will potentially make them very very unwell in this weather.

We have had lots of people leave their dogs for the day whilst they've been off doing an activity in our accommodation - the whining and barking is actually not common (no way could we leave our own dog though as she isn't one that would cope).

When we’ve rented holiday accommodation with dogs we have always crated them if we have left them.

They feel safe & settled and don’t bark or whine.

Thanks everyone it seems like half and half with the responses. Usually when we go away we have a dog sitter come to our home and had we known that there would be this issue here, we would have done exactly that. I am going to raise this with air b&b. I feel this should have been in the "house rules" and been a lot more clear at the time of booking, as when we have stayed in other dog friendly accommodation, this hasn't been an issue. For those of you concerned that the dogs would be left for the whole duration of the wedding - the wedding ceremony and reception is within waking distance of this accommodation, which was taken into consideration when we booked it and made the decision to bring the dogs. We planned to go to the ceremony, one of us come back for the dogs for quick walk, go to the meal, return for the dogs, and then me and my daughter would come back after maybe an hour of the evening reception. I am not a drinker and I feel it would be a long day for my daughter as it is. Thanks for your replies.

They "specify" the dogs should never be left unattended, so that if they are, it's at your risk.

If you know the dogs will be ok then carry on with your plans.

Just continue on with your original plan.

I wouldn't bother contacting Airbnb at this stage. What do you actually want them to do?

I take my dog away several times a year (lucky dog!) you can never leave them unattended in holiday lets! It is standard rules. It's not the hosts problem, you need to find a kennel for them

I can't believe people take their dogs away then leave them alone in a strange place! I would never ever do that.

When me and DH go on holiday with our dog he comes everywhere with us. One holiday was too hot to take the dog out during the day so we all stayed at the cottage every day and just went out in the evenings.

Another holiday it rained literally non stop every day so if we wanted to get anything to eat or drink out we had to sit in the rain.

Yes those things are a pain and can restrict a holiday but that it what you do when you have dogs.

Starting back from your original post: YWNBU to open a claim if the property doesn't meet pictures/description. To do this, you'll need to contact air BnB and have plenty of pictures /proof that it doesn't meet the listing. We've had this mainly when it's been very old/lots broken and air BnB has been very helpful.

Regarding leaving the dogs; that's a standard part of all letting agreements to not leave them and YABU to leave them alone.

Yes those things are a pain and can restrict a holiday but that it what you do when you have dogs

But you really don't have to, depending on your dog. We have a very nervous dog - no way could we leave her. We have plenty of guests who have dogs who can happily chill out in the accommodation whilst their hours are out skiing etc. It is actually less common for it to be a problem, hence we don't mind people leaving their dogs but will contact guests if we do hear them whining or barking and ask them to come back.