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Original poster

Would you put your spare room on air bnb?

582 replies

EachandEveryone · 03/07/2015 15:23

We are twenty minutes from Central London. My friend and I are sick of looking for flatmates and would quite like a break from living with other people! What do you think to letting out the spare bedroom?

OP posts:
EagleRay · 09/10/2015 23:39

Yes thank you am getting fatter

Nearly 10w now

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 10/10/2015 05:42

Great news!!

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 10/10/2015 10:23

That's brilliant!

Someone's just asked for Christmas and new year. I'm actually going away Boxing Day. What do you all think? It's £400 for ten days.

OP posts:
ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 10/10/2015 10:25

I have listed my place as the whole house for the Xmas week as we are away. I have increased the price as there will be a lot of cleaning involved to get it to the right standard and added a security deposit. I would do it but only with a guest with good reviews and after some good chatting back and forward to find out about them, who they are visiting etc.

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 10/10/2015 10:43

I had to ask my guests to use plates for their toast this morning. They were buttering it directly on the table. They're French, and they eat their dinner on plates, so I don't think it's a cultural difference! They have been wiping the table after breakfast every day (no know why) so it's not even a laziness thing as the wiping cancels out the extra washing up I think...

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 10/10/2015 17:46

This article a,used me. Ps check out his New York airbnb I'm green! gizmodo.com/5918204/read-these-tips-or-nobody-will-ever-let-you-be-an-airbnb-guest-again

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ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 10/10/2015 20:33

Just noticed guest sitting outside the front of the house smoking a fag. House rules state explicitly to smoke in back garden only. I'm so cross. Just read the fucking rules! I only have 3!

Pigeonpost · 11/10/2015 18:50

Great article!! Did you say something about him smoking there Obsidian?

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 11/10/2015 20:43

Yes, I was so cross! They were 5 days into a 7 day stay so who knows how many times he has sat out there smoking. Grr.

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 12/10/2015 09:05

I'm waiting for my first feedback. Do the guests get prompted to leave one or do we leave one first?

OP posts:
Pigeonpost · 12/10/2015 10:23

Feedback is published simultaneously. You will get a notification and emails from AirBnB asking you to review X now that they have checked out. You leave your review but it doesn't get posted until they have left theirs. They will get several email remainders over a two week period reminding them to do it and you can't review past that 2 week period.

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 19/10/2015 09:34

The two girls that stayed originally for a month haven't left feedback. They left us a beautiful letter as well. Such a shame as that would've been our first one.

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EagleRay · 19/10/2015 10:04

You could send them a polite reminder? I think the average guest wouldn't realise the importance of a review, especially for new hosts.

I think I read somewhere too that some nationalities less inclined than others to leave a review...

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 19/10/2015 11:45

Have you reviewed them? Most guests don't review until they receive one. I would email and ask them nicely myself

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 19/10/2015 15:06

Yes reviewed them straight away it will be two weeks since they left this week.

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Pigeonpost · 19/10/2015 23:44

Oh that's really irritating. You only get two weeks from check out to review so might be worth emailing. We had an overly gushy couple stay last month who were very complimentary but didn't review. Although the puppy pooed in the dining room as they were having their breakfast just before leaving so perhaps it was best they didn't review!! I've had 3 non reviewers now out of approaching 30 sets of guests so I'm not too bothered but it would be annoying if it was my first guests and they had been there a month!!

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 20/10/2015 01:07

I know. A very quiet man has just stayed for two nights. We never really saw him but I notice he'd opened the bag of ear plugs we'd left so I don't really know if I want a review off him or not! I will review him though. I can't find how to get the email address of the guests that stayed for a month. I have someone staying for four weeks tomorrow and then no bookings. We really need to start getting some reviews.

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Pigeonpost · 20/10/2015 13:27

You should be able to send a message via the AirBnB messaging system still. I don't think the conversations close after check out as I messaged a guest a few days after he'd left about preparing some fish he'd caught and left for us.

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 20/10/2015 19:47

The quiet man has put in a complaint and wants his. £70 back he said there were hairs in the rug (the cleaner had been that morning) our furniture wasn't new (ikea 3 months ago) there were scales in the kettle so he couldn't have tea. I descale that kettle every month. And that there was noise outside. Our listing says it's on a main road.

OP posts:
ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 20/10/2015 20:09

Oh dear he sounds like a twat. Airbnb will decide. Hopefully you won't get stung :(

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 20/10/2015 21:04

We've given him the money back straight away. I didn't want to but my flat mate said it's too early days. He was awkward before hand asking all sorts.

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ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 20/10/2015 21:10

I think I will decline awkward questioners in future. The Chinese guy who kept emailing me screen shots of Google Earth was a pain. He left feedback moaning about the size of the room and turned up with a bag of cooked duck to reheat and eat (bleurgh)
My listing states so clearly that it's a small room, very crowded with 3 people, so I don't charge extra etc etc. I asked him to confirm he had read the listing thoroughly as I do with all requests for 3 adults to stay. My house rules state no access to the kitchen for evening meals for stays of less than 3 nights (this was one) and vegetarian only.
I hammered them a bit in private feedback and gave low stars for house rules but guests don't have a public star rating sadly.

EagleRay · 20/10/2015 21:39

Obsidian I would love to smack your guest around the chops with his cooked duck Angry

EachandEveryone really sorry you've had such trouble with the guest. And at £35 a night in London FFS!! I think that's the problem though - the London market seems to be very different to the rest of the UK. I've just taken a quick look at listings in London and the star ratings are much lower than I've seen anywhere else. I feel so bad for you when I know how much thought and care you put into everything.

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 20/10/2015 21:40

Well I hope he doesn't leave us a review as we won't be leaving him one. I had a gut feeling.

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EagleRay · 20/10/2015 22:45

If you aren't leaving him a review, then his review is irrelevant as they only get published once both completed.