AirBnB guest - think this is really cheeky?

[HotCoffee22]

I appreciate this is insignificant in the grand-scheme but here to have a quick rant nonetheless.

Run a small Airbnb space, static caravan style. Had a guest negotiate a lower price because they wanted a longer stay, 5 nights. We usually have 2-4 night bookings.

Guest spent two nights with us, didn’t hear anything from them. Then cancelled saying they wanted to leave and cited a few reasons that we could have easily addressed - they said the space was insufficiently heated, then said they had bought a heater themselves and also used our heater, I offered to provide a second heater from me (but third in the space) we use the space ourselves - it does get cold owing to its nature but soon heats us using an oil filled radiator. They also said the bed was two small and they’d had to borrow bedding to use the sofa bed too - we have plenty of spare bedding as often get guests staying as friends rather than a couple - all they needed to do was ask and it’s actually stored in the space so they could have helped themselves.

We usually get along with our guests really well, make them aware we’re available (the house is about 400m away) but try and give them their privacy as the space is private and we know that’s why alot of people visit - to relax in privacy. So am really surprised they didn’t feel we were approachable. We’ve had some guests for dinner, usually workmen, who stay pretty frequently.

Just annoyed they’ve negotiated a lower rate, taken advantage of it, then abruptly cancelled. The cancellation policy is flexible so they were able to cancel with one days notice. I turned down someone who books with us regularly to honour this booking, it would have been more profitable for me as they just pay the usual rate.

I didn’t realise you could cancel once you are there. Our last Air BnB was crap, looked fine on the surface but really poorly kitted out (I.E no baking trays, tea towels, cooking utensils in the kitchen), smelled a little damp and blown bulbs, broken blinds in most rooms. Huge patio but nowhere to sit outside. I wish I’d known I could cancel and go somewhere else.

I do have to wonder if you knew how many were staying why not put spare bedding out and also put two heaters in the room from the beginning? I do find Air BnBs hosts often lack experience and the standard is then quite basic.

They were staying as a couple - there was no apparent need for the bedding. But have an open door policy if anyone asks.

Someone last week asked to sellotape, I took some over. I can’t anticipate every need.

This is the first bad experience we’ve had in a stream of positive stays and we have a fantastic rating (which I am keen to maintain) so I go absolutely above and beyond. I leave milk, cookies and some beers in the fridge which generally goes down a treat. the kitchen is stocked with tea, coffee and sugar.

I suspect this person just wasn’t realistic about what to expect from a November staycation, the weather has been pretty rubbish and so made up a weak excuse and left.

I think your being a bit over sensitive about it. They stayed for 2 nights and realised it was too cold for them with already 2 heaters going, why would they want a 3rd in what already sounds like a very small space.

I also don’t think it’s unreasonable to not want to stay the remaining nights as a couple when they can’t even sleep in the bed together and one has to sleep on a sofa. They were able to cancel and leave, so they did. You can’t please everyone all the time.

Air BnB hosts UK chat group.

I appreciate that you can’t anticipate their every need but I don’t think they could anticipate that they wouldn’t be able to sleep in the bed together and that it would be very cold. Even if you said the bed is 150cm by 200cm or whatever, people probably can’t visualise this or just assume a double is a double. You could solve the cold maybe, but not the bed issue so what’s the point of asking you. I wouldn’t want to deal with an uncomfortable sleeping arrangement for a week if I had a get out clause. I don’t think they’ve done anything wrong honestly. I am sure lots of people love your accommodation but it won’t be for everyone.

It depends on the hosts cancellation policy.

However if you are unhappy with a stay or it doesn't match the description you can contact Air BnB whatever the cancellation policy is.

I don’t understand your cancellation policy. Surely it’s cancel before the holiday, even the day before. I have never known one where you can cancel in the middle of a stay, e.g cut short the holiday and cancel those days. That is insanity. This is the problem here.

I do agree you can’t complain after if you haven’t given the owners the chance to fix your issues.

Thanks at @Movinghouseatlast, I won’t be using Air BnB again though. The issues we had in that Air B&B I didn’t feel were worthy of complaining to Air B&B about. I did message the host to ask where the kitchen items were and if we could have some replacement bulbs, he never replied. They also had left it for us to empty the dishwasher on arrival 🙄. Individually too small to complain about, but add up to be annoying.

We aren’t problem guests. I read listings carefully, we turn up on time, leave the place clean and tidy, take the rubbish out, but the last couple I have stayed in have just lacked care. The other one had mould in the shower and the drain flooded the patio every time you washed up, told the host about the drain, no reply and I didn’t feel I could say anything in the reviews about either property because they might leave a nasty review back out of spite. I assume reason no one else said anything.

Sounds like a bit of a scam on their part to justify getting the cheaper rate.

@TheWurst I am not disputing you’re a great guest - but FYI the host can’t see your review until they’ve reviewed you, so you won’t get a poor review out of spite.

Could you not say to them that as they only stayed two nights then it’ll be the original night rate owed now as the the 22% deal was for five nights only not for two?

By and large guests asking for a discount tend to be poor guests IME. When I get a request I explain that we don't jack up the price to accommodate discounts. The price offered is fair.
99% of guests are brillient, the 1% we shrug off and at feedback stage, check the box to say we wouldn't host them again. I might also add a 3* to adherence of the rules to warn other hosts.

Reddit board for Airbnb hosts is good for what to look out for and how to handle it
www.reddit.com/r/AirBnBHosts/

i could, but I doubt I’ll get a positive response so better to leave it down to a bad experience.

I was going to meet them halfway with the days they had cancelled, as I was trying to be reasonable but they cancelled in the meantime.

DH and I had a night away booked recently and our DS was ill, we just wrote off the money - didn’t realise Airbnb allowed guests to cancel midtrip which is my error as I say.

Thank you. It’s the first time anyone has asked for a deal - we’ve had around 50 bookings so relatively new - but it’s definitely something I won’t entertain again. Tbh this time of year the cost of the electric heaters is so dear it’s not worth offering discounts. That together with the hassle means I don’t mind it being empty instead.

I’ll look at that group, thanks again.

I agree re red flags on booking. We have stopped taking private bookings now, because we found those that tried to go around the system we're doing so thinking they were doing us a massive favour and expected 20% off or so.
We're very good value as we are.

I even had a (grown man) guest who was irritated that I was making interest on his upfront payment (I'm not, Airbnb are) and so his mother created a false booking request just so she could contact me to tell me that I was out of order! 😳 I really should have listened to my gut, but I didn't. They were the worst guests we've had, and stayed 1 more night than they had paid for.

I should balance this by saying we've had very very few bad experiences.