unexpected, unwanted extra guests

Margaret24
Level 1
Austin, TX

unexpected, unwanted extra guests

I have two bedrooms listed with beds for two people in each. I do not want extra people in either room. Yet I had a guest book 4 adults but show up with 5.

When I checked my listing, it showed no charge for extra guests. NOT what I want it to say. But I had checked nothing for extra guests because I did not want any.

How can I handle this in the future?

Thanks.

Margaret

35 Replies 35
Donna15
Level 10
Delft, Netherlands

@Margaret24, unfortunately, the 'extra charge' option is misleading. 

 

There's a way to get rid of the problem. (A strategy I learned from one of the more experienced hosts here.)

 

In your settings, enter an extremely high price into the extra guests charge box (e.g. $250). 

Save the change.

 

Next time you look at your listing page, you'll note that the extra guest box has disappeared. 

 

To reinforce this, you could mention in your House Rules - which could stand to be made more comprehensive and firm - and elsewhere in the listing that the number of guests is limited to 4. Maybe add that if an attempt is made to bring in an additional and undisclosed guest, AirBnB will be notified and the booking will be cancelled. 

We had a booking request from a (limited english) korean woman  for 1 person, two nights in our apartment which sleeps two comfortably and four snugly. She admitted, after I had accepted the booking, that she wanted a holiday with her family. When I asked her how many people, she vaguely said maybe 2 others for one night. She accepted the extra cost for 2 additional people for two nights, but then turned up with another 2 people on top of the four and said they'd all only be staying for one night and were prepared to trade the extra guests for the extra night's tariff. We're new to airbnb, so are unsure how to handle a situation like this. Knowing that it was within our rights to refuse the additional guests, but not wanting to be inhospitable or ungracious, we allowed them to stay. Can someone please advise me on how to handle the review process in this case? We've accomodated them but feel that the experience has left a bitter taste. We've ony had positive experiences until now.

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Sallie1 .....Yeah Sallie, you are going to get this every now and then! A lot of people think they are booking a 'space'.......not as a person number, so they don't place much importance on how many people utilise this 'space'!! Maybe they are trying to get something on the cheap....maybe not, but you have to let it go! It's much like guests travelling with infant children! They consider a child more as an item which just happens to be with them....like a suitcase, rather than an additional guest!!

On many occasions when I receive a booking, it is for 'One' person.....although they do say that there will be another in tow, and we just accept that because, the amount of room reparation is the same regardless of whether it is one or two people. I have a cot and I have even put in a sofa bed recently to accommodate more than two, but I don't make any adjustment to the price....the cottage is utilised, we are being paid, and that's that!

Sallie, handle the review process on how they treated your accommodation....not on the number of them! Remember, what you write will stay with you for as long as you host. Think carefully about your reviews because many people, both hosts and guests, will judge you by the words you choose. Before you write that review, make yourself a cup of coffee and leave that 'bitter taste' in the kitchen!!! Good luck.....

 

I sincerely hope Sallie this post is not seen by others as sanctimonious, in-accurate, or self congratulatory!...It is purely offered to try and help you with the question you have raised!.....Rob

Hi Robin,

I've read your response, Sallie's and Maragaret and each is helpful.  I understand the "rented space" vs "per person" pricing. The main thing I'm gleaning from these posts is that Airbnb assumes no responsibility for guests who bring extra friends. Is that correct?  In other words, Airbnb will do not collect a post-stay payment from the guest for bringing extra people.  So I'm out the expense of the extra linens, towels, trash, the longer housekeeping service, etc.?  I'm just trying to know my options.  The couple staying this weekend was in town for a rock concert and brought three stray people back to the B&B after the concert.  The booking guest even said in our email exchange that the 3 extras "needed a place to crash." And she also indicated she assumes no financial responsibility, which I'm seeing in your posts, that neither she nor Airbnb does take responsibility. Any replies from you guys will be appreciated, as to Airbnb's policy.  Thanks!  ~ Naomi

The City of La Quinta, CA, has regulations that limit the number of guests allow in for transitional occupancy, i.e., one bed only two guests,  two beds only 4 guests up to 4 beds maximum 8 guests. The regs are referring to real beds, not couches or sleeping bags, and my business license requires I use real beds.  It is possible that there are city regulations where you're located as well.  Therefore, I have no trouble in setting limits as my license is on the line.  Guests, even concert goers, seem to be able to respect that.

Annette16
Level 2
Saint-Vincent-sur-Graon, France

I am currently in the situation of having more guests in my property than on the reservation. I am not turning a blind eye as it's not the first time. I contacted air bnb who agree with me. It's against their policy to just let it go and I was told allowing extra guests could affect a claim on their caution should I need to make one.
There's a simple procedure to change the booking. If guests don't like it they shouldn't breach their contract. As for being scared of bad feedback, two choices, don't leave any for them and theirs isn't published or use the public reply box explaining what happened and why.
Lisa0
Level 6
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

@Robin I don't recall @ Sallie asking you what's ok for you and your listing. This is her listng and She is clearly bothered by the fact that this guest booked for 1 and turned up with 6. The guest fully knowing she was tueningup with a gaggle of people she didnt want to pay for. Just because you don't care what people do in your space, I guarantee you that it's NOT OK with a helluva lot of hosts. Of all of the hosts I know globally, yeah it's not OK for any of them. And 6 people use  heck of a lot more utilities and make much more mess than 1 guest!

 

@Sallie, I'm sorry you were put in such an uncomfortable position. It's very important to highlight what the guest did to warn other hosts. If the leave the place in good condition and nothing is damaged, you could start off with something like 'Guest x was tidy and left the flat in good condition, however, she turned up with 5 additional undisclosed guests which exceeded our maximum and wasn't appreciated.' If they nleft the place in crap condition, then fire away with a negative. Review all around. I guarantee that if they tried this with a host that has been hosting long term they would have been turned away. It's very important to let other hosts know via a review. 

 

To the OP and Sallie, if you add it very clearly in your description and house rules that only registered guests will be granted access into the apartmet. If undisclosed guests attempt to enter witout payment(or if exceeds your maximum) that the reservation will be terminated immediately and no refund given. Please bear in mind that a lot of hosts space share in their own homes and having a random undisclosed stranger enter would be terrifying to some hosts. Especially single females living alone. There's also the little tidbit about host guarantee not extending to non registered guests, so if non registered guest cause damage you're on your own. 

 

If you clearly state it in your rules, Airbnb will stand behind you all the way. I know lots of hosts that have exercised denied access to nonregistered guests and they still got paid and Airbnb stood behind them. 

It's useful to have a good initial email chat and ask them outright on the first message if it is just 1 (or 2,3) whatever they're requesting. And they will confirm one way or admit there's more people. Make the amendment to reservation and have them accept. Or they can decline and go somewhere else. 

 

Best of luck! 

Hi Lisa, 

 

Good tips in your response. Thank you! I was wondering if you had advice on whether or not I should add a fee for extra guests?

 

I ask because a guest left just this morning with an extra guest. I had left a key for them when entering so I didn't see the three of them at first. I didn't see them the entire 2 days because I worked. This morning though, they stayed 2 hours past check out time and I was almost late for work because I wanted to make sure they left. I think they were wanting for me to leave so that I wouldn't see there was an extra guest. If they hadn't been so nice/polite and grateful and left my extra room in such great shape I would say something to AirBnb. But they were really awesome otherwise.

 

So I figure there are a few different ways to handle this for future references:

 

A) State there is a 2 guest max. No fee for extra guests, but if extra guests enter I can cancel and no refund is given. 

B) State the 2 guest max. List a high fee for $250 for extra guests as to deter them from trying to bring a new guest. If they state 2 guests and show up with 3 then I request the $250 and don't cancel the reservation unless they refuse to pay the $250. 

 

I ask about these options because I don't want the guest to pay the $250 but then feel like they're entitled to extra things in my home because they have this feeling like "Well then I'm going to get my money's worth"  Does that make sense? I don't want to give them motivation to steal from me or take extra because they're paying a fee for something completely different. 

 

I guess I'd rather not list the extra fee per person and just reduce the possibility at all and just cancel if they don't abide by the rules. But I'm open to suggestions if you have any that might allow me to change my mind. 

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

Sarah

I'm also wondering, (assuming we are not charging an extra guest fee), even if we are there at check in to make sure there are only 2 guests, but then at check out there are somehow 3 (if they had a friend join them at some point during the reservation) and it's too late to cancel what happens at that point? I don't want to add the extra guest fee at all because I don't want it to even be an option. Additionally, since we don't have an extra fee listed do we just pray they didn't damage our home? If it's explained that only 2 guests are allowed and that third guest appears and seems to have damaged any part of our home will Airbnb cover it because we didn't agree to and didn't know about the third person until check out? 

 

So sorry for all of the questions. We've hosted before in another state several times but this has never happened and I want to make sure it doesn't happen again. 

Aude58
Level 2
London, United Kingdom

Hi Lisa, thanks for this:

 

"if you add it very clearly in your description and house rules that only registered guests will be granted access into the apartmet. If undisclosed guests attempt to enter witout payment(or if exceeds your maximum) that the reservation will be terminated immediately and no refund given."

 

However, how do you make people leave if they don't want to leave / or look menacing / or threaten to damage your place ?

How do you get your keys back from them if they don't want to leave and cooperate ?

 

My experience with Airbnb is that they tell you to charge for the guests when they show up at check in - this does not work either because in most cases they have already planned to sleep on the floor by bringing sleeping bags or air mattresses. We have had to kick out multiple groups and received no support from Airbnb at all. In most cases they did not even respond to our issue until days after the incident. We had to do it ourselves - and we used our house rules that the guest had already agreed to in order to ask them to leave. The only problem with this is that the guest can still review you because at the point of check-in it is almost impossible to cancel a reservation and to get anyone from Airbnb support to help. By the time they respond the check in period is already over.

 

In our case just extorting the guest for more money is not the solution at all - these Airbnb users are breaking the rules they agreed to when they put in their reservation. Airbnb needs to do something differently here if they want to keep their culture of a community where the guest and the host agree to respect the rules.

I understand how hard is to balance hospitality without feeling we're taking advantage of. If you have a maximum of 4 people, you have the right to refuse the extra guests. It doesn't matter if they want to pay extra. You just don't have the space, beds, etc.

 

About a week before arrival I send an email, with check-in and out dates, amount of guests, my address, cell phone. It reitares the amount of guests I'm expecting. I understand that sometimes people are added as a last minute to trips. Sort of OH, you got an apartment in NY, can I come? For the most part, my guests are honest of who stays in the apartment and they don't bring more than the maximum allowed.

 

Good luck and be honest with the review. I don't know if you would have allowed the booking if another host mention. I rented for 2 and 5 showed up.

Just tell the truth. I will start with the positive experiance if you have any and then write "guest booked for 4 people and showed up with 6 people with no advance notice" good luck.

Lisa1598
Level 1
London, United Kingdom

As From experience any hosts arriving from China, Japan and Korea ALWAYS bring extra guests. I had 3 Chinese students bring an additional 6 people!! I was joking with my husband  that the Korean guests we had arriving who had booked for 3 will bring an additional 5. And guess what!! They did!! I now tell them they need to leave. They know exactly what they are doing so don’t be fooled. I tell them they have to pay an additional charge or leave. I also ask them to pay there and then because again from experience if you leave it they won’t pay. I have a strict rule on my listings to cover me. Extra people creates extra stress and means you don’t trust the people in your home. Its not fair and I don’t tolerate it any more.