How To Avoid Bad Guests
BY MIKEL HUBBARD
FORMER HGTV PRODUCER | CO-FOUNDER, THE HOST CO |
OWNER, TIMES EIGHT PROPERTY & DESIGN
Your Airbnb is ultimately your property, and you want your guests to care about your property as much as you do! So how do you weed out bad guests? It’s not easy, but there are options.
REVIEWS
Read their former reviews and trust that track record. Hosts don’t ever like leaving bad reviews, so if they have them, that’s a huge red flag. If they have no reviews, you are welcome to wave that guest off until they have some. We’ve never had a bad experience with a review-less guest, but it’s definitely a greater risk than someone with a history of being responsible.
QUESTIONS
Next, let's ask some questions! Sometimes people aren't as forthcoming about their intentions. It is not a good sign if they seem like they are intentionally withholding details or leaving out parts of the story.
Here are some questions that will help:
What is the purpose of your trip? If it sounds sketchy, it probably is. Maybe they’ll fess up to having a photo shoot or an event on your property simply because you asked. Doesn’t hurt to try!
Are you bringing others or pets with you? You would be surprised how many people book an Airbnb under 1 guest but actually have whole families and animals in tow.
How many vehicles will you be bringing? If you make it seem like parking is an issue, they may think twice if their intention is sneak extra people in!
ID PLEASE!
We recommend always choosing the option of requiring an ID during the booking process, something Airbnb offers when setting up your booking conditions. If your guest is too worried about privacy, let someone else take it. Someone you know you can track down if they damage your home or commit a crime on your property!
LET THE COMPLAINERS LEAVE
Got a guest who is immediately unhappy? Can already tell they’re going to be a handful and need to complain about every little thing? Let them leave. Offer to cancel their stay with no penalties so they can find somewhere else they’d be more comfortable. The money isn’t worth a guest who has a terrible time and leaves a bad review, ruins your weekend with endless requests, costs you money sending over repair people and cleaners for little stuff and stresses you at with their needs.
These are some basic basic rules for keeping out the riff raff and letting the great guests come through. 99% of your guests will be fantastic, so don’t sweat it too hard. But it’s that 1% that’s a big bummer and these tips should help keep them at bay.