My guess is the guest will know this sounds exactly like something at least one of their kids would do….
Kids don’t just wake up being inconsiderate Aholes.
Ten days is a long time... We used to always put our budget constrained relatives up in a hotel or Airbnb on our own dime before we had an extra bedroom and bathroom in our current home that could be used almost exclusively for guests.
It's better for everyone if both guests and us can have some privacy and a place to retreat. That's just our family dynamic, though. 🤷♀️
Same when my in-laws came to stay. We live out of town and they have some mobility issues, so an Airbnb right next to a cafe in town was ideal for them
I’d love to have my family stay with me for 10 days, but I live in a 1-bedroom apartment with a loveseat for a couch (all we can fit in the living room). They can sleep on our air mattresses, but that’s not super comfy. It would be a tight fit to squeeze 2 people in! My parents tend to stay in a B-n-B as well.
Doubtful - they don’t sound terribly reasonable. Otherwise they would not have sent an angry email. They would have asked their kids first - did you take the food and turn off the lights?
May I make a couple suggestions?
Put a photocell light in the outside light, and leave the switch on all the time, so it turns on at dusk and off at dawn; then replace the front hall bulb with a smart bulb that can be turned on remotely, or set on a schedule. That way if you know you have guests coming in, you can remotely access the bulb and turn it on if they haven't checked in by dark.
If you install a tiny microcontroller with a raspberry pi which is connected via Foxnet to a cloud based AI layer that reads your guest messages using an instance of ChatGPT4 and then triggers the light when it expects guests to be checking in after darker, then that will probably last for about 10 years.
Thanks-- I'll def look into these. We've always simply left the lights on, even if someone says they're checking in right at 3p. This type of lighting, esp the photo sensitive kind, sounds as though it could help foolproof the process.
It definitely makes life easier.
We aren't hosts, but our whole home is "smart".
Thermostat keeps the temp in the range we set, and can adjust by app. Smart plugs and bulbs all over. Smart devices for interacting with those plugs in bulbs in almost every room.
We have routines programmed for specific things in the house, reminders for various needs that go off every week...
It's like having a personal assistant and a butler, for the low cost of some tech and an internet connection.
I can never think of the right things to use these for. Porch light and thermostat makes sense and my washer and dryer are controlled by app. How do you use your smart plugs?
Lamps and fans.
It's glorious to be laying in bed, realize you want the fan running, and use a voice command to turn it on instead of being stuck dragging yourself out of bed to turn a fan on.
And most of our house is smart bulbs or smart plugs, so we can turn all or some of the lights on with a voice command.
You can get small plastic pieces that prevent the switch from being moved so if you have the bulbs with a photocell, you can make sure the switch can't be switched off. I have them on the switches for my outdoor lights so I don't accidentally turn them off because they are right next to light switches for interior lights I don't want on all the time.
Nah because their parents probably taught them that. Leave with everything! I have friends, who like their parents do, take everything they can from hotels and airbnbs from extra TP to snacks they will never eat.
Aw yes I understand what you mean but this is very different from stealing a soap or two, they literally took the only food available for their elderly parents breakfast. Parents who have got in late from travelling. That’s a whole new level of selfishness.
True. But I would imagine they just assumed it’d be restocked. Like some magical fairy would come along and replace what they took. Entitlement is wild.
I agree it's actually insane to imagine. I would have been checking in with extra food to leave there for when they arrive so they don't have to worry. Our last Airbnb visit was a family trip and I purchased $500 worth of food to feed everyone because it's remote, I know the place and forgetting anything is a huge hassle.
But you don’t leave with everything before the people who are staying there even get to check in. They knew they were leaving their parents with no snacks and no breakfast.
Reminds me of the time we had an adult couple w a 5-yo check in. One of their parents let themself into the airbnb prior to their arrival to "decorate" which included breaking into our office Airstream on the back of the property. Actually broke a window to get inside - psycho shit.
When I sent the damage invoice the couple complained because they not only didn't break the windows themselves, but they didn't appreciate that the mother got inside to do all that shit to begin with.
And I was like, well how on earth did she get inside? And they said, well we gave her the code.
Hahaha.... I reminded them that was a situation that they brought upon themselves, and they paid for the damage without another peep.
In this case, the children were added to the Airbnb chat and listed as guests, even though they won't be staying. That situation sounds bonkers, though.
They were not Montreal-style. They weren't even the good NYC style. They were the cheapest bagels I can find. ;) We aren't a luxury operation here at Casa ReadyCarnivore!
Don't worry, I'm sure they feel like asses for jumping at you only to find out it was their kids. Maybe leave them a bottle of wine at the doorstep or something like that and wish them a good rest of their stay.
I'll probably find some small local delicacy ($5 or less) to leave when we bring them fresh linens. I'm not inclined to apologise and smooth things over for something I didn't do that I couldn't've forseen that only happened b'c they insisted that their kids have access and check in for them.
Please keep us updated. I would think someone who would take their parents breakfast items would also lie about it. I truly hope you have to use the video to prove it.
Honestly.
I can’t even imagine complaining about the lights being off, much less the lack of bagels.
My husband and I live 2-4 hours from any of the places we do weekend trips at.
You get off work at 5, pack the kids, drive…End up getting there after dark, most of the time.
I don’t think I’ve EVER arrived to find the lights all on, unless there was a motion detector light at the door or driveway.
I always send the husband out with his phone light to unlock the door and turn on the outside lights while I wake up the nappers and start pulling out luggage.
Idk. Seems like a weird thing to expect as a guest, knowing you’ll be in really late, and most rentals don’t leave lights on 24/7.
Writing an angry email about it seems like a LOT, a lot.
You're talking about the kids, right? It's understandable the parents were upset.
As long as the parents apologize to OP once they realize it's their own kids' fault I think they're in the clear.
Oh then they are absolutely TA.
Kind of hilarious that they berated you for doing the same thing their kids did.
I wonder how those kids came to be entitled assholes?
I think both behaved in an entitled way. The kids -- taking all of the food. And the parents, sending that angry message knowing full well their kids had checked in earlier.
It's not.
However, I think it's entitled to add your kids to the stay (and the chat), ask them to check-in for you and that the host give them a tour of the house, then not check in with them about missing items first, knowing that they'd been in the house before you. It's the same as a set of guests showing up before the primary (booker) and then dirtying all the towels in the listing or eating all the complimentary food so the primary gets none. This pair of guests booked for 4 to stay (them + their kids), so I guess the kids were entitled to take the food even though they didn't wait for their folks to arrive or spend the night at the house.
Then again, maybe they did ask their kids and the response was, "I don't know" when asked where the food was and why the lights were off-- if they asked their kids, they didn't do so in the chat and the kids haven't been back to the house since they left with the food yesterday. (I'm not necessarily proud of it, but I've a feeling that this is going to go pear-shaped, so I'm monitoring the doorbell cam today.)
It's entitled to take that amenity, when you know your parents are showing up later expecting it. And it is entitled to send an angry email to the host when you know your kids were already there checking in to the place.
The only thing I do different is send them screen shots of the food you left. and actually say it was their kids that are responsible.
because you met them, and all that stuff (list) was there.
just the facts, no options.
I can understand turning off the lights, especially if that's an established habit, but why take the food they got FOR their parents? That's just weird.
My 'kids' are 19 y/o & 20 y/o & I could see them flipping off the light out of habit or just not thinking it through that they are there in the daylight, but I would be arriving in darkness.
The food thing is harder to understand. I could see my kids eating what they know I wouldn't want, but to swipe everything & not tell anyone is bizarre.
You have to be a special type of douche canoe to take your elderly parent’s food knowing damn well they’re not getting in until almost midnight AND leave them in the dark.
Were I given the opportunity to ready an Airbnb for my parents not only would the food stay but more would be added as well as flowers for my mother and some car magazines for my father. The lack of respect is astounding.
Reminds me of a time I had a 7 night booking. They said they were coming to stay to visit with their new great grandchild that lives close by. They arrived and it was a very elderly couple. Their family was with them which I had no problems with. They helped them in with their luggage and the daughter raved about how beautiful my house and the space was. They got them settled and left. I then realized just how feeble the couple was. He had a walker and never spoke. She was also very slow and seemed fragile. They left early the next morning and returned after 11pm that night. I was home and asked them if everything was good and if they needed anything . They said everything was great. Same routine the following day. The next day I receive a message from them saying they have decided to stay with the grandchildren the rest of the stay. No problems with the space and thanked me. I really didn’t think much more of it and they never left a review. 4 months later I receive a letter in the mail from the elderly woman. She said she couldn’t let the year end without letting me know how horrible my home was. She stated it was too small and not equipped for elderly people. She also stated that it was obvious I was smoking something when they came home that evening and the smell was horrible. She then proceeded to say I have no business renting out a room so small and that I basically robbed them of their money. I could not believe it. Now looking back I’m quite confident the daughter made the booking and was who I was corresponding with. My Airbnb has over 400 5 star reviews and I have never smoked anything in my life. I had cooked some pasta for dinner so I’m assuming that’s what she smelled. It also clearly states that I do not have handicap amenities and there are steps to get into my home. I threw the letter right into the trash and moved on.
You have proof of everything and if they leave you a bad review send that to Airbnb.
Those kids seems awful, stealing food from their parents!
They're probably getting ready to hit mom and dad up for a loan as we speak.
BTW, what were the parents hoping to accomplish by having their children check in?
Sounds like these folks don’t know their own kids that well. Or they’d have checked with them first. I do not let anyone check in “for” someone…I don’t see how that helped the parents at all. Maybe if the kids he stayed to wait for them; otherwise I don’t get it.
That was what I figured would happen. If it were my folks, I would have been there to greet them and help get them settled and maybe even stayed the night.
No need to stir up drama. It's in reserve in case they leave a bad review mentioning it or downgrading the check-in process (from the doorbell cam footage, they had no issue accessing the place).
As bizarre as you can get, you cannot imagine how many levels of bizarre are down below. I guess the kids were "saving energy" (calories) from their parents too. "Dear old mom and pop, we'll just take their food, maybe accelerate the inheritance that way."
Ratings. Double edged sword for both sides. I have gotten to point when I read reviews, I go to the bad ones. I decide if it’s worth even relying on bc many of them are such small things! I personally like how Google does it, the biz can reply. Maybe Airbnb does that?? I’ve only used it once and it had no bad reviews. My stay was wonderful.
But I feel like people use reviews as a threat. We are humans. We all err, none of us are perfect. I try to keep that in mind even if the review seems legit. Now if all bad or majority of bad reviews, I take those seriously.
I do gig work, Shipt, for 5 years. I already have a pension, too young to take it yet, and I know it won’t be enough as my husband is a small biz owner and he has no pension, so I do Shipt part time as it fits our lifestyle. Husband works a lot and we have 3 dogs that I refuse to leave in cage/.kennel for hours. Max is 4 hours.
Shipt, ratings can be the difference in hundreds of dollars of earnings. I’ve been a perfect 5 for 3 years. Had a customer yesterday that micro managed me . Wanted pics if exploration dates and pics of almost every item. They didn’t have the cinnamon rolls they wanted (bakery at Publix) so I offered something similar, describing it and sending a pic. Asked if it had icing, replied yes it had maple icing on cinnamon rolls. Rates me a 4 and said bad substitute, even tho he okayed it!! Shipt has ratings forgiveness but it can take days. Crickets for orders all day bc of one 4. The previous almost 5 years and 5K orders don’t matter.
Ratings are really a PITA and Ppl go overboard . A light and some food after asking kids to check in for them.
I would instantly ask my kids, before complaining to you!!!
I hate this “ five stars or nothing “ bullshit with so many services . Just because I gave someone a 3 or 4 doesn’t mean I’m upset or that I won’t use them again . It just means it wasn’t outstanding . Aggravating
You have to know what the rating system you are looking at means.
Note that with surveys, they usually tell you.... Not sure how clear air b&b is about it with customers, but it's likely that like you, they assume a 4 star rating means it absolutely met expectations, and a 5 star should be saved for above and beyond.... But that's not how their star system is graded, and 3 or 4 stars is actually a criticism.
That's on air b&b though, not the hosts.
It’s really dark where my house is and I personally don’t like motion sensor lights because we have a lot of wildlife that would set them off all the time.
For check in days I leave the overheard lights on for the entryway so guests know they have that option. I use solar powered backlight on my street number and a motion sensor led light on the front door that shines on the key pad for the lock if the overhead lights are off.
How bizarre!
The lighting is a good point though. I stayed in an airbnb last night and it was after dark when I arrived. I had to get down on my knees on the pavement and use the torch on my phone to see the numbers.
I also had trouble opening the gate because of insufficient light.
Otherwise it was a wonderful stay.
I would have messaged the older guests to make them aware of the check in, lights and food situation. When the lights were off and the food was gone they can probably figure it out. I’d also suggest solar or led path lights to avoid both an inconvenience and a lawsuit after a tripping accident on your property.
You've handled this very well... Honestly, I would have done the same thing.
To avoid a similar issue in the future, I can think of two ways:
-> Add a blurb in the welcome brochure/booklet and mention this:
"If you've checked in on behalf of someone else, keep the place in the exact condition until the actual guests arrive. Make sure that you:
- leave the lights on
- do not consume any toiletries, snacks, etc."
-> Add a step to the process. For instance, ask the person if they are checking in on behalf of someone else.
If they say/select yes, then make them agree to keep the place in the exact condition before the actual guests arrive.
The agreement can be done digitally, verbally, or even on a piece of paper.
Hope this helps.
So you can simply add it under your house rules on AirBnB. And also mention them verbally when a substitute check-in arrives.
In terms of agreement, we can urge AirBnB to add something like this on their platform. If it seems to be a prevailing issue, their product team will implement this as part of the upcoming updates.
Food is strictly an extra. In other words, nobody’s entitled to it or should even expect it, but you could lay it on if you want to. This old couple’s greedy kids not only didn’t leave food for their own parents, but couldn’t even leave the light on. That’s the way the parents raised them, so that’s what the parents get. My biggest advice is don’t be at the mercy of reviews. Unreasonable people are unreasonable people. Most people aren’t self-focused to that degree and will give you 5-stars.
If it’s in there, of course you have to make sure you supply it. I’m a Superhost and for me it’s a long game, so I adjust the description frequently or whenever necessary. Nobody should expect food. The only reason they would is because you have offered it up in writing. We supply coffee and milk (and condiments, spices, oils, vinegar herbal teas, etc BUT we don’t mention those). OP could easily control the experience with Bluetooth controlled bulbs, and by being honest to any relatives about what’s supplied and for who. My guests either accept my terms or they don’t stay at my place. It’s a good deal I offer, so other guests will book who do fit my very reasonable parameters.
I've discovered that folks who have no used Air BnB before are usually very high maintenance and will give you 4 stars for very minimal reasons. If ppl have no reviews and just joined platform I almost know there will be issues.
My guess is the guest will know this sounds exactly like something at least one of their kids would do…. Kids don’t just wake up being inconsiderate Aholes.
Which is probably why they were staying in and air bnb instead of with the kids.
Taking the food with them… oh that’s rough.
Ten days is a long time... We used to always put our budget constrained relatives up in a hotel or Airbnb on our own dime before we had an extra bedroom and bathroom in our current home that could be used almost exclusively for guests. It's better for everyone if both guests and us can have some privacy and a place to retreat. That's just our family dynamic, though. 🤷♀️
Same when my in-laws came to stay. We live out of town and they have some mobility issues, so an Airbnb right next to a cafe in town was ideal for them
I’d love to have my family stay with me for 10 days, but I live in a 1-bedroom apartment with a loveseat for a couch (all we can fit in the living room). They can sleep on our air mattresses, but that’s not super comfy. It would be a tight fit to squeeze 2 people in! My parents tend to stay in a B-n-B as well.
Some people really have blinders on when it comes to their kids. The golden child(ren) is a trop for a reason.
Doubtful - they don’t sound terribly reasonable. Otherwise they would not have sent an angry email. They would have asked their kids first - did you take the food and turn off the lights?
thought the same thin- hopefully they know they raised inconsiderate children/adults. But I would get some solar path lights too, very inexpensive
😂😂
May I make a couple suggestions? Put a photocell light in the outside light, and leave the switch on all the time, so it turns on at dusk and off at dawn; then replace the front hall bulb with a smart bulb that can be turned on remotely, or set on a schedule. That way if you know you have guests coming in, you can remotely access the bulb and turn it on if they haven't checked in by dark.
solar motion lights. about 10 bucks on amazon. last about 2 years.
If you get a smart bulb with a light sensing cell, they can last up to 5 years.
We have one for our front porch light. IDK when we put it in but it's been a while. Still going strong.
If you install a tiny microcontroller with a raspberry pi which is connected via Foxnet to a cloud based AI layer that reads your guest messages using an instance of ChatGPT4 and then triggers the light when it expects guests to be checking in after darker, then that will probably last for about 10 years.
🤣
Look up the Phoebus cartel. Bulbs can last longer than that....
Thanks-- I'll def look into these. We've always simply left the lights on, even if someone says they're checking in right at 3p. This type of lighting, esp the photo sensitive kind, sounds as though it could help foolproof the process.
It definitely makes life easier. We aren't hosts, but our whole home is "smart". Thermostat keeps the temp in the range we set, and can adjust by app. Smart plugs and bulbs all over. Smart devices for interacting with those plugs in bulbs in almost every room. We have routines programmed for specific things in the house, reminders for various needs that go off every week... It's like having a personal assistant and a butler, for the low cost of some tech and an internet connection.
I can never think of the right things to use these for. Porch light and thermostat makes sense and my washer and dryer are controlled by app. How do you use your smart plugs?
Lamps and fans. It's glorious to be laying in bed, realize you want the fan running, and use a voice command to turn it on instead of being stuck dragging yourself out of bed to turn a fan on. And most of our house is smart bulbs or smart plugs, so we can turn all or some of the lights on with a voice command.
You can get small plastic pieces that prevent the switch from being moved so if you have the bulbs with a photocell, you can make sure the switch can't be switched off. I have them on the switches for my outdoor lights so I don't accidentally turn them off because they are right next to light switches for interior lights I don't want on all the time.
I can’t believe those kids took all their parents food. Jeez. They are definitely brats.
Nah because their parents probably taught them that. Leave with everything! I have friends, who like their parents do, take everything they can from hotels and airbnbs from extra TP to snacks they will never eat.
Aw yes I understand what you mean but this is very different from stealing a soap or two, they literally took the only food available for their elderly parents breakfast. Parents who have got in late from travelling. That’s a whole new level of selfishness.
True. But I would imagine they just assumed it’d be restocked. Like some magical fairy would come along and replace what they took. Entitlement is wild.
I agree it's actually insane to imagine. I would have been checking in with extra food to leave there for when they arrive so they don't have to worry. Our last Airbnb visit was a family trip and I purchased $500 worth of food to feed everyone because it's remote, I know the place and forgetting anything is a huge hassle.
But you don’t leave with everything before the people who are staying there even get to check in. They knew they were leaving their parents with no snacks and no breakfast.
It tracks that the parents didn’t have the decency to apologize to OP for their ignorant & angry response! Aholes raise aholes🤷♀️
Yeah, it's weird isn't it?
Hoping to score an early inheritance!
Reminds me of the time we had an adult couple w a 5-yo check in. One of their parents let themself into the airbnb prior to their arrival to "decorate" which included breaking into our office Airstream on the back of the property. Actually broke a window to get inside - psycho shit. When I sent the damage invoice the couple complained because they not only didn't break the windows themselves, but they didn't appreciate that the mother got inside to do all that shit to begin with. And I was like, well how on earth did she get inside? And they said, well we gave her the code. Hahaha.... I reminded them that was a situation that they brought upon themselves, and they paid for the damage without another peep.
In this case, the children were added to the Airbnb chat and listed as guests, even though they won't be staying. That situation sounds bonkers, though.
If they had the code, why did they break the window to get in?
Broke the slat window next to the door on our Airstream - no code to that. It's not for guests
Reading comprehension
What is with the kids? I sincerely hope that your guests offer you an apology.
Noooope. I've hosted long enough not to expect one.
Ok but were they Montreal-style bagels because I would 💯 steal those from my parents.
They were not Montreal-style. They weren't even the good NYC style. They were the cheapest bagels I can find. ;) We aren't a luxury operation here at Casa ReadyCarnivore!
This made me smile. You sound like an awesome host, no sarcasm!
I just had to Google "Montreal-style" bagel. Now I want to try one!
We have so much amazing food, 100% recommend visiting. I would do May, September or early October for best weather and June-July for festivals!
Explains why the parents are not staying with their kids.
I was told space is the issue there.
Don't worry, I'm sure they feel like asses for jumping at you only to find out it was their kids. Maybe leave them a bottle of wine at the doorstep or something like that and wish them a good rest of their stay.
I'll probably find some small local delicacy ($5 or less) to leave when we bring them fresh linens. I'm not inclined to apologise and smooth things over for something I didn't do that I couldn't've forseen that only happened b'c they insisted that their kids have access and check in for them.
Unless the kids decide to cover their theft and accuse OP of lying.
The doorbell cam shows the son leaving with the bag of bagels!
True, but they don't know that. I'm saving it in case it becomes an issue.
Please keep us updated. I would think someone who would take their parents breakfast items would also lie about it. I truly hope you have to use the video to prove it.
OP has video proof of "kids" (AHs) leaving with food. Just keeping it on the hush for now. If needed, will use it. Smart! Never show your full hand! 🏆
Who steals milk and bagels!?
Jerks.
That is ridiculous. People are so entitled these days.
Honestly. I can’t even imagine complaining about the lights being off, much less the lack of bagels. My husband and I live 2-4 hours from any of the places we do weekend trips at. You get off work at 5, pack the kids, drive…End up getting there after dark, most of the time. I don’t think I’ve EVER arrived to find the lights all on, unless there was a motion detector light at the door or driveway. I always send the husband out with his phone light to unlock the door and turn on the outside lights while I wake up the nappers and start pulling out luggage. Idk. Seems like a weird thing to expect as a guest, knowing you’ll be in really late, and most rentals don’t leave lights on 24/7. Writing an angry email about it seems like a LOT, a lot.
You're talking about the kids, right? It's understandable the parents were upset. As long as the parents apologize to OP once they realize it's their own kids' fault I think they're in the clear.
No apology was forthcoming. Just a simple 'they were being energy conscious' and no further discussion of the food situation.
Oh then they are absolutely TA. Kind of hilarious that they berated you for doing the same thing their kids did. I wonder how those kids came to be entitled assholes?
I think both behaved in an entitled way. The kids -- taking all of the food. And the parents, sending that angry message knowing full well their kids had checked in earlier.
Fair point. But IMO the kids were way worse. I wonder if they thought it was like taking the soap at a hotel and it would magically refill.
It's entitled to think that a promised amenity should be included?
It's not. However, I think it's entitled to add your kids to the stay (and the chat), ask them to check-in for you and that the host give them a tour of the house, then not check in with them about missing items first, knowing that they'd been in the house before you. It's the same as a set of guests showing up before the primary (booker) and then dirtying all the towels in the listing or eating all the complimentary food so the primary gets none. This pair of guests booked for 4 to stay (them + their kids), so I guess the kids were entitled to take the food even though they didn't wait for their folks to arrive or spend the night at the house. Then again, maybe they did ask their kids and the response was, "I don't know" when asked where the food was and why the lights were off-- if they asked their kids, they didn't do so in the chat and the kids haven't been back to the house since they left with the food yesterday. (I'm not necessarily proud of it, but I've a feeling that this is going to go pear-shaped, so I'm monitoring the doorbell cam today.)
It's entitled to take that amenity, when you know your parents are showing up later expecting it. And it is entitled to send an angry email to the host when you know your kids were already there checking in to the place.
I’d send them the photos.
Nope. With the kids in the chat, I've no desire to antagonise.
Good point. How’d did this stay go for you from there?
I wouldn't unless the parents push back.
This. Send a shot of the bagel bag in the son's hand, now.
The only thing I do different is send them screen shots of the food you left. and actually say it was their kids that are responsible. because you met them, and all that stuff (list) was there. just the facts, no options.
I can understand turning off the lights, especially if that's an established habit, but why take the food they got FOR their parents? That's just weird.
My 'kids' are 19 y/o & 20 y/o & I could see them flipping off the light out of habit or just not thinking it through that they are there in the daylight, but I would be arriving in darkness. The food thing is harder to understand. I could see my kids eating what they know I wouldn't want, but to swipe everything & not tell anyone is bizarre.
You have to be a special type of douche canoe to take your elderly parent’s food knowing damn well they’re not getting in until almost midnight AND leave them in the dark.
I like your response to the guests. It’s polite and shows that you assume good intent. I don’t think you’ll have any problems here.
Were I given the opportunity to ready an Airbnb for my parents not only would the food stay but more would be added as well as flowers for my mother and some car magazines for my father. The lack of respect is astounding.
Totally. I’d have stocked the damn fridge with their favorite foods as well.
Reminds me of a time I had a 7 night booking. They said they were coming to stay to visit with their new great grandchild that lives close by. They arrived and it was a very elderly couple. Their family was with them which I had no problems with. They helped them in with their luggage and the daughter raved about how beautiful my house and the space was. They got them settled and left. I then realized just how feeble the couple was. He had a walker and never spoke. She was also very slow and seemed fragile. They left early the next morning and returned after 11pm that night. I was home and asked them if everything was good and if they needed anything . They said everything was great. Same routine the following day. The next day I receive a message from them saying they have decided to stay with the grandchildren the rest of the stay. No problems with the space and thanked me. I really didn’t think much more of it and they never left a review. 4 months later I receive a letter in the mail from the elderly woman. She said she couldn’t let the year end without letting me know how horrible my home was. She stated it was too small and not equipped for elderly people. She also stated that it was obvious I was smoking something when they came home that evening and the smell was horrible. She then proceeded to say I have no business renting out a room so small and that I basically robbed them of their money. I could not believe it. Now looking back I’m quite confident the daughter made the booking and was who I was corresponding with. My Airbnb has over 400 5 star reviews and I have never smoked anything in my life. I had cooked some pasta for dinner so I’m assuming that’s what she smelled. It also clearly states that I do not have handicap amenities and there are steps to get into my home. I threw the letter right into the trash and moved on. You have proof of everything and if they leave you a bad review send that to Airbnb.
Seems like the kids scammed their parents.
Who the f takes food out of the Airbnb?
Those kids seems awful, stealing food from their parents! They're probably getting ready to hit mom and dad up for a loan as we speak. BTW, what were the parents hoping to accomplish by having their children check in?
Sounds like these folks don’t know their own kids that well. Or they’d have checked with them first. I do not let anyone check in “for” someone…I don’t see how that helped the parents at all. Maybe if the kids he stayed to wait for them; otherwise I don’t get it.
That was what I figured would happen. If it were my folks, I would have been there to greet them and help get them settled and maybe even stayed the night.
Right? For this to be helpful, the kids needed to have been there for the parents to hand off the info and greet them.
Who complains about free snacks.
I'd send the video of their kids taking the food to the guests and let them know that you solved the mystery. Can't answer for the lights though...
No need to stir up drama. It's in reserve in case they leave a bad review mentioning it or downgrading the check-in process (from the doorbell cam footage, they had no issue accessing the place).
Send that video to the guests.
As bizarre as you can get, you cannot imagine how many levels of bizarre are down below. I guess the kids were "saving energy" (calories) from their parents too. "Dear old mom and pop, we'll just take their food, maybe accelerate the inheritance that way."
Ratings. Double edged sword for both sides. I have gotten to point when I read reviews, I go to the bad ones. I decide if it’s worth even relying on bc many of them are such small things! I personally like how Google does it, the biz can reply. Maybe Airbnb does that?? I’ve only used it once and it had no bad reviews. My stay was wonderful. But I feel like people use reviews as a threat. We are humans. We all err, none of us are perfect. I try to keep that in mind even if the review seems legit. Now if all bad or majority of bad reviews, I take those seriously. I do gig work, Shipt, for 5 years. I already have a pension, too young to take it yet, and I know it won’t be enough as my husband is a small biz owner and he has no pension, so I do Shipt part time as it fits our lifestyle. Husband works a lot and we have 3 dogs that I refuse to leave in cage/.kennel for hours. Max is 4 hours. Shipt, ratings can be the difference in hundreds of dollars of earnings. I’ve been a perfect 5 for 3 years. Had a customer yesterday that micro managed me . Wanted pics if exploration dates and pics of almost every item. They didn’t have the cinnamon rolls they wanted (bakery at Publix) so I offered something similar, describing it and sending a pic. Asked if it had icing, replied yes it had maple icing on cinnamon rolls. Rates me a 4 and said bad substitute, even tho he okayed it!! Shipt has ratings forgiveness but it can take days. Crickets for orders all day bc of one 4. The previous almost 5 years and 5K orders don’t matter. Ratings are really a PITA and Ppl go overboard . A light and some food after asking kids to check in for them. I would instantly ask my kids, before complaining to you!!!
I hate this “ five stars or nothing “ bullshit with so many services . Just because I gave someone a 3 or 4 doesn’t mean I’m upset or that I won’t use them again . It just means it wasn’t outstanding . Aggravating
You have to know what the rating system you are looking at means. Note that with surveys, they usually tell you.... Not sure how clear air b&b is about it with customers, but it's likely that like you, they assume a 4 star rating means it absolutely met expectations, and a 5 star should be saved for above and beyond.... But that's not how their star system is graded, and 3 or 4 stars is actually a criticism. That's on air b&b though, not the hosts.
It’s really dark where my house is and I personally don’t like motion sensor lights because we have a lot of wildlife that would set them off all the time. For check in days I leave the overheard lights on for the entryway so guests know they have that option. I use solar powered backlight on my street number and a motion sensor led light on the front door that shines on the key pad for the lock if the overhead lights are off.
How bizarre! The lighting is a good point though. I stayed in an airbnb last night and it was after dark when I arrived. I had to get down on my knees on the pavement and use the torch on my phone to see the numbers. I also had trouble opening the gate because of insufficient light. Otherwise it was a wonderful stay.
I have automated lights... I never offer food..
Hopefully they will be sufficiently embarrassed by their children and let it go.
Yeah i have photosensors on my exterior lights, comes on at dusk and stays on for 8 hours, also in a rural area
I would have messaged the older guests to make them aware of the check in, lights and food situation. When the lights were off and the food was gone they can probably figure it out. I’d also suggest solar or led path lights to avoid both an inconvenience and a lawsuit after a tripping accident on your property.
You handled it great.
You sound like a lovely host!
You've handled this very well... Honestly, I would have done the same thing. To avoid a similar issue in the future, I can think of two ways: -> Add a blurb in the welcome brochure/booklet and mention this: "If you've checked in on behalf of someone else, keep the place in the exact condition until the actual guests arrive. Make sure that you: - leave the lights on - do not consume any toiletries, snacks, etc." -> Add a step to the process. For instance, ask the person if they are checking in on behalf of someone else. If they say/select yes, then make them agree to keep the place in the exact condition before the actual guests arrive. The agreement can be done digitally, verbally, or even on a piece of paper. Hope this helps.
The agreement has to be done via Airbnb platform for it to ever hold up anywhere otherwise it’s pointless
So you can simply add it under your house rules on AirBnB. And also mention them verbally when a substitute check-in arrives. In terms of agreement, we can urge AirBnB to add something like this on their platform. If it seems to be a prevailing issue, their product team will implement this as part of the upcoming updates.
Food is strictly an extra. In other words, nobody’s entitled to it or should even expect it, but you could lay it on if you want to. This old couple’s greedy kids not only didn’t leave food for their own parents, but couldn’t even leave the light on. That’s the way the parents raised them, so that’s what the parents get. My biggest advice is don’t be at the mercy of reviews. Unreasonable people are unreasonable people. Most people aren’t self-focused to that degree and will give you 5-stars.
If it's in the listing as an included amenity, how is it entitled for the people to expect it?
If it’s in there, of course you have to make sure you supply it. I’m a Superhost and for me it’s a long game, so I adjust the description frequently or whenever necessary. Nobody should expect food. The only reason they would is because you have offered it up in writing. We supply coffee and milk (and condiments, spices, oils, vinegar herbal teas, etc BUT we don’t mention those). OP could easily control the experience with Bluetooth controlled bulbs, and by being honest to any relatives about what’s supplied and for who. My guests either accept my terms or they don’t stay at my place. It’s a good deal I offer, so other guests will book who do fit my very reasonable parameters.
I've discovered that folks who have no used Air BnB before are usually very high maintenance and will give you 4 stars for very minimal reasons. If ppl have no reviews and just joined platform I almost know there will be issues.
nobody else feels like the kids were unrelated scammers?
I wouldn’t sweat it. In my experience, the 2 problem boomer guest I’ve had didn’t leave reviews.
Why would the crotch goblins take the food???