Underage guests

[Natasha45]

I feel physically sick. My listing states no one ages 0-12 (or whatever the standard Airbnb drop down is). Had a guest show up 2 hours ago, there were three of them (she only said 2 guests). The third guest was an 8 year old child. She claimed on the way here she re-read the listing  and saw no kids. She begged me very quietly to please let them stay, and had tears in her eyes. I told her “no”, my rules were clearly stated. Her boyfriend then attempted to charm me into letting them stay. They finally left and I refunded them their money. But I feel sick over the whole thing. 

Is this how you all would have handled it? 

[Alexandra316]

@Natasha45 only you can determine what you're comfortable with. If you don't allow children to stay with you, then it's fine that you enforce your rules. 

However, the guest will be given an opportunity to review you, as the reservation was cancelled withing 24 hours of checkin, and they were actually on site. 

Honestly, I probably would have let them stay, but it's totally your call. The guest obviously didn't read your listing properly and didn't fill out the booking form honestly, so they are ultimately responsible for being asked to leave. 

[Natasha45]

Oh, no. I’m sure it will be an awful review. Sheesh. I did not know that. We live on a lake. There is too much water surrounding the Airbnb and I just don’t feel comfortable with young kids that I don’t know, out there. I know from experience, parents do NOT watch their kids. 

Thabk you dor telling me about the review. I’m about to call Airbnb. 

[Andrew216]

Relax. An absurd negative review is simply an oppurtunity to show future guests your humorous response skills 🙂 
After many years in hospitality one understands that negative reviews are indicative of the guests attitude to life and other people. It rarely reflects any kind of reality of experience.
My pennys worth... No reviews should not be posted until re-confirmed 7 days later. gives people time to calm down. 🙂

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[Sarah977]

@Natasha45  As a host, you of course have the right to turn away guests who show up with more people than booked for, or otherwise have neglected to read that you don't allow children (or pets, as the case may be).

However, since you asked what others would have done in this case, I would have been inclined not to turn them away, seeing as how they didn't get angry or otherwise aggressive, nor were they trying to sneak another adult in, it was their child.  Instead I'd have outlined the safety concerns regarding children,  insurance issues, etc. saying that is why you don't accept kids.  But that since they were already there and had neglected to read that listing info (you really don't have proof that she was lying about that, altho she may well have been), if they will assure you that the child will be vigilantly watched at all times, and that they make sure to leave the place really clean, with no crayon scribbles on the wall, cookie crumbs between the sofa cushions, or a urine.soaked mattress, and are willing to pay for the extra guest not mentioned (assuming you charge more for 3 than for 2), that you'll make an exception for them. 

Of course, if I subsequently saw the child playing on the lakeshore without a parent next to them, I'd ask them to leave, as they were not doing as promised. And I would have mentioned in my review  that they showed up with a child when your listing clearly states that you don't accept children, in order to warn other hosts in case it was a stunt they might try again.

[Natasha45]

I would not have been able to sleep with worry about the child. Parents do NOT watch their kids. I could not take the risk, but I understand where you are coming from. It's not that children are messy, may drop food, or pee in the bed, it is the safety concern of a child near water with lackadaisical parents! 

Thank you for responding! When guests book and am going to ask them to re-read the house rules from now on! I was put in a very uncomfortable situation, which I hope to never repeat. 

[Letti0]

@Natasha45  A young child is inquisitive and can ghost on parents in a heartbeat to explore if the parents turn their eyes from the child for only a second. We've had children race to our playset area without parents even knowing it for a bit. The 2 times it happened that we know about there was someone behind the venue doing something and watched them until the parents realized the children took off on them. Once they knew where it was located they gravitated to it when they see the chance. Last time was 6 - 7 year olds. Took the coach and parents over 10 minutes to find them. 

[Sarah977]

@Natasha45  I do totally get it- I was only responding to your question asking other hosts if that's how they would have handled it. I definitely wouldn't have let them stay had the child been 3 years old, or if they had arrived with 4 kids in tow. But it's true that the parents could have been the kind that get themselves tipsy and don't pay attention to what their kids are doing, and I understand you not wanting to take that risk.

It's easy for us to come up with how we think we'd have handled a situation when we're sitting at home in front of our computers, but thinking fast on one's feet when faced with an unexpected and uncomfortable situation is a different story. 

[Elizabeth429]

@Natasha45,

I would have done exactly the same, except for the refund. I am totally against it even though I myself use the Flexible Policy.

A humble advice: communicate your house rules immediately after you get a confirmed review. I always ask my guests to read my listing again and confirm to have understood my house rules. If they dont agree with it, they can always cancel and save me the hassle.

[Natasha45]

Having guests review the house rules is a great idea!

I felt sick about the entire situation, ugh. I refunded her money becaue 1) They did not stay 2) They may be tight on money and need that money to stay somehwere else in this town. 

Now I am ill because I called Airbnb and because it was within 24 hours of her departure that she cancelled (something like that), and she will havbe the opportunity to write a review. The Airbnb help person that I talked to wanted to know if I had proof that she brought a 3rd unregistered, underage guest. Was I supposed to take a picture?? Lordy, what a mess. 

[Letti0]

@Natasha45  You should have shot a picture. Did she actually at any point enter the rental? If not you have a shot at getting a review removed. She can not review what she has not seen was the result of the last Q & A section. You can send the video to request it be removed if she posts one if she never entered the rental. 

[Natasha45]

They drove up and I was working in my garage. I walked towards the car & the guest jumped out & shook my hand. Then they drove over to the driveway and I went back to working in my garage.

Maybe 10 minutes later, the gal approached me and said that on the way to our place, she read the rules and saw that no one under 12 was allowed and that her and her boyfriend brought his 8 year old child. I immediately told her that all guests must be accounted for through the Airbnb app & that because their child was 8, I was going to have to ask them to leave. She then began begging me to please just let them stay. I said my rules were in place for a reason & that I was going to run in and get my phone as AIrbnb would help her find another property. While I was inside, she approached my husband and pleaded with him to let them stay. He explained the Airbnb was my business and the decisoin was mine but if it WAS up to him, he would ask them to leave as well. 

She went back to Airbnb while I was still inside getting my phone & calling Airbnb help. I walked over to the Airbnb with my phine and the child was alone, inside on the  couch. 

The gal came around the corner a minute or 2 later and told me her boyfriend was coming to talk to me. He just looked at me, without speaking, and so I said "I am going to have to ask y'all to leave" and he said 'We are" and went in the house and grabbed the child. The woman was left to get everything out of the house- they had unpacked food all over the counter. 

I was on the phone with Airbnb as they left and the assured me they would call the guest and place her somehere else in Athens. 

[Fred13]

"Is this how you all would have handled it?" Maybe or maybe not, depending on circumtances, reality, attitude and risk.  Hard too predict really.

[Natasha45]

The risk is the child, who was unregistered by guest, and underage by my rules, may drown in the lake while the parents sit in the Airbnb and drink or whatever...

Thank you for responding! 

[Lisa723]

I understand where you're coming from, not wanting to assume the risk for families you don't know. It's sad though, to see the many ways kids' lives are increasingly constrained in the interest of safety. We welcome kids to our lake homes and I suppose we could regret it one day but a lakeside vacation is a magical memory for families and we love providing it. Too bad you couldn't have sent them our way.  🙂