Unreasonable guest-pectations

[Kathryn49]

My first real disappointment--two young women who seemed generally friendly and polite, if a little needy, stayed with me for five nights.  They asked for a lot more support and amenities than my other guests have, but I'm happy to do whatever I can.  Then at the end of the stay, they presented a parking ticket and told me they expected I pay it--even though they hadn't told me they'd rented a car mid-stay.  My last communication with them before this was my own text saying, "Please ask me any questions that come up!!"  I checked in every day this way.

Well, they didn't ask, and I am not psychic.  I knew they initially didn't have a car based on all the research they had me doing on ubers and lyfts and shuttles and buses--and also because I ask prior to arrival.  And, there are obviously street signs; this is how parking works.  I was honestly stunned at the level of "helpless entitlement" in their expectation that I be liable for their mistakes in the wider world, almost as if they thought this was a guided package tour with me worrying about every variable.  I'm not a camp counselor, my friends.  I don't guarantee your entire vacation--I guarantee comfort and support in my home.  If you trip and fall down the block, I do not pay your hospital bill.

Anyway, I explained that they never let me know they had rented a car and had never asked for any guidance, so I couldn't have prevented their mistake or now pay their ticket for them.  They insisted I was responsible, and then told me they would be contacting me and the company.  

I guess my question is:  Is there anything I should do, preemptively, when she's declared she will take action?  I'm frankly insulted that, after all I did for them--printer, beach blanket, research, guided walk, better printer paper, spring water instead of brita, wooden hangers instead of wire, special tea instead of coffee and, yes, a residential parking pass I buy for guests even though I have no car--they still found a way to feel wronged and felt comfortable trying to make me pay for their helplessness and carelessness.  They are young, so maybe they are used to others taking care of them and handling their mistakes, but that makes them terrible guests in the real world and their inexperience or lack of understanding now threatens to impact me.  Ideas?  I don't want to leave them a bad review; I just want them to go away.  Should I do nothing/is there a risk in waiting for them to make a move?  

[Sandra126]

Since you didn't tell them to park in an illegal space (this happens more often than you think, and I believe hosts are responsible if they do) they have absolutely no cause. I would do nothing, if they take it to the resolution centre I certainly hope Air would speak to you first. As you say, you didn't even know they had a car, and you provide a parking pass in the event of guests bringing a vehicle. Non-plussed. Why would you be presented with this fine?

All the best, let's hope they get nowhere. Don't rise, don't  bite.

''Oh, did you have a car? You didn't say. I would have assisted with best place to park.''

[Kathryn49]

That's exactly the tone I took--noncommital surprise.  They didn't like it, but you're right; thanks.  I'll hold steady until further notice.

[Andrea9]

@Kathryn49

By contacting Airbnb asap to explain situation and that you fear retribution and a bad review from these ladies due to not playing Sugar Momma you will have things on record by having opened a kind of verbal case if you will.  Should these ladies then try to drop their sob story at Airbnb with refund wish, Airbnb will use your report to decide. Better than not contacting and only have their story on record.

[Kathryn49]

Smart.  Thank you.

[Elaine-and-Duane0]

Wow, you certainly did go the extra mile. Guests will likely contact the Airbnb resolution center. You   might give Airbnb a call so they have a record of the threat to report you. You can flag them if you feel things are at that level. You may get a bad review, but you can professionally respond to them with a few lines such as, sounds like Uber and Lyft didn't meet you needs this time around. Glad you were able to rent a car on short notice.  Don't let that darn parking ticket ruin your vacation😀

[Eileen4]

I would definitely go through Twitter and let them know what happened. I've also had a lot of helplessness around parking, which I must say I find odd.

All the parking signs in Montreal are in French, but surely knowing the days of the week in French isn't so difficult, nor is the 24 hour clock which is what gets used most often. But I'm amazed at how people don't bother getting familiar with this very easy info.

Moreover, it does seem that the more we do the more we get burned. I had a group in recently that asked for a few things too: early check-in--and then they showed up an hour earlier than expected--and extra toilet paper (when I provided enough) and other supplies. 

They left me the kind of review that had two negative things embedded in an overall positive one, but even those two mentions could be enough to put off some guests. Parking was one and so I did respond to the review by LOL-ing and suggesting that French days of the week are easy to learn and reminded them that the parking is free, easy to understand and only means that our street gets cleaned once a week, which is when it will be unparkable for two hours. In a jovial way I tried to make it sound as if a bit of low level effort, for their own behalf, might have been worth making, the implication being that they were blowing things out of proportion.

They also left the place very dirty--instead of a 2 1/2 hour clean, it took 4. I dunno, I don't think doing extra is worth the grief. I think I'll be asking for an early check-in charge from now on. 

[Leslie7]

I urge you to absolutely leave a review for these girls. Other hosts need to know how high maintainence they are, and it would also give you another opportunity to let Airbnb know what happened in the section that asks if you want to tell Airbnb anything about the guest that won't be shared with them. Again, protect your fellow hosts and post a review mentioning how needy they are.

[Eileen4]

@Leslie I agree. @Kathryn49 You provided a lot of detail here, but you could keep it simple and say that these girls needed 24/7 concierge service and expected you to pay for a parking ticket. If I read those things in a review, I'd steer clear. 

[Kathryn49]

I'm inclined to agree.

[Kathryn49]

My experience has been totally the same--the more I end up doing for a guest, the more likely he is to be critical in the end.  You feel like you can't win, and I'm trying to hone my intuition about them.  I should have known about this one when she said in her request message, "I make great friends whenever I travel and I know we'll become great friends too!"

Oh honey.  This isn't Single White Female.  

[Christopher75]

Kathryn, I feel your pain. and I love the your term "helpless entitlement."

I know a LOT of people - and political figures - right now that create a lot of suffering because of it, just not their own. 

I am an Airbnb SuperHost with 29 five star reviews - all from a very unique destination with no running water or electricity. 

I have been very lucky to tap into the "Glamping Groups" and have found a way to create Transformative Travel with very little. 

My guests have been remarkable, all of them, and my efforts appreciated. Then came my first  "Environ-Mental-ists."

My version of  "helpless entitlement" was a group of four 20-somethings that created a lot of chaos prior to arrival, showed up 3 hours after their confirmed arrival time on a Friday night, which ruined the plans I had, and completely trashed the place, literally leaving food out, plates in the woods, bedding on outdoor furniture in the rain and burnt marshmallows still on sticks on the furniture in my cottage. The blind could have cleaned better, and probably cared more. I was furious, not to just have all this additional work to do, and the destruction to my place, but the level of disrespect they showed me and my sacred space was most hard to grapple.

So here's what I did and it might be your best move as well. 

1 -Don't write a review, theirs can't get posted if both host and guest don't both write reviews, therefore keeping the bad review they are sure to write, off your listing. 

2 - Provide specific feeedback directly to airbnb on what horrific guests they were and go into detail. This is only info airbnb will receive and will help other hosts avoid a hellish experience down the road with the same group. We thank you in advance!

3 - Tell them directly via text how appalling their behavior was and remind them of the level at which you tried to accomodate them, and be done. Telling them how you feel without getting into a sparring match will make you feel better and keep an unwarrented bad review off your listing.

Then, be prepared to ingnore their response, no matter, because at this point, you've stopped caring about what they think.

Hope this helps - Cheers! 

[Eileen4]

@Christopher0 A review written by the guest will be published after fourteen days whether you write one or not. 

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

Kathryn, 

It is horrific the way some people will take advantage.  There does come a time where there is a diminishing amount of return on all you do and trying so hard to please the un-pleasable is really difficult.

That being said, you must absolutely, positively write a review of the guest.  You must tell other hosts about how much work went into helping them have a great time and that was met with an expectation of more. Stick to the facts, whatever they are, in a neutral tone:  "I created a personalized walking tour; purchased a parking sticker when they decided to get a rental car at the last minute; I researched both Lyft and Uber for them to get them to xx place; They presented me with a parking ticket they received that they expected I pay for them."   Then please end your review with a phrase like, "Based on my interactions with XX, she would be much happier staying at a hotel."  And give her a thumbs down!  Making sure she has a review attached to her profile is important to the next host.  Waiting to respond to her potentially bad review never attaches your assessment of her to HER profile.  Please support other hosts by warning them of this person.

Now you should report her extortion immediately to Airbnb.  Requiring you to pay her parking ticket or else she'll take additional action, is exactly that.  It's against the rules of Airbnb and she should be flagged for this behavior.  

Finally, DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT contact her ever again outside the Airbnb portal.  She's already announced she is going to escalate the situation and this is your only means to keep proper documentation of your actions now that she has checked out and threatened you.  She is no longer your guest.  She is now the responsibility of Airbnb and you should support their efforts to get this resolved quickly without adding fuel to a potential fire.  

Good luck and hopefully it turns out to be nothing but hot air because, it seems likely, she'll want someone else to handle it for her 🙂 

Alice

[Kathryn49]

Done.  I just left the review--neutral, fact-based, unindulgent.  Thanks so much for your counsel--total treasure.  I won't ever contact her, and I will let airbnb know what's happening.  Thanks again.