The Airbnb platform does the best it can to make sure there’s no friction between the host and guest once a booking is made. That being said, that doesn’t mean that you may not encounter an undesirable guest during an Airbnb stay. The reality of being a host on Airbnb is that you’re inevitably going to run into a bad Airbnb guest at some point, especially with the number of guests that you may have coming through at any given point. Let’s take a closer look at how often a bad guest experience happens, what to watch out for when guests book your Airbnb listing, and how to deal with them.
Frequency of Bad Guests
While there are a host of statistics regarding the Airbnb experience, there’s not a lot surrounding Airbnb issues that host experience. Looking a bit further into it, hosts who use Airbnb detail that bad guests could make up anywhere from 5 to 10% of the bookings or the bulk of the bookings. The reason why this qualitative data about guests and hosts fluctuates so much is because of two things: the area where guests have a property on Airbnb and the attitude of the host. If the host is very nitpicky, it doesn’t matter what potential guests act like; they’re going to find something to complain about when it comes to their experience with Airbnb. Of course, if you own an Airbnb in an area where crime rates are higher, guests may not be so inclined to follow the rules, even if breaking them seems harmless when they stay in an Airbnb.
Put simply, we don’t have any real data about how many hosts have poor experiences and how often these happen. But we do know that it mostly trends on the low end. This should be reassuring if you’re hoping to use the Airbnb platform and make money off of your Airbnb rental.
Types of Bad Guest Behaviors
Bad guest behaviors can range from generally harmless to out of control. On the lower end of the spectrum, you have behaviors like:
- Not cleaning or taking care of the home.
- Smoking indoors.
- Being reckless or using certain items in your home improperly.
- Not communicating well.
- And so on…
On the other end, you have behaviors like:
- Engaging in illicit drug use.
- Damaging property.
- Hosting parties that go against Airbnb policy.
- Actively disobeying noise ordinances.
- Harassing neighbors.
Hosts want to experience the former and not the latter if they do happen to come across a guest who is not as they advertised themselves to be when they first sought out Airbnb accommodations. That being said, it’s best to be aware that guests can engage in any number of activities, especially if rules and policies were never going to stop them in the first place. Being aware of these various behaviors can help you plan so that you can take action if you see these types of behaviors.
Impact on Airbnb Hosts
The most obvious impact on Airbnb hosts when guests engage in bad behaviors is the impact on their property. Guests who don’t follow the rules and who don’t treat their surroundings with care may naturally cause some type of environmental damage. For example, in the case of smoking, smoke fumes may end up sticking to the walls and lingering in the air, which could lead to bad reviews in the future from other guests. Another example is that guests could end up destroying property, leaving you with a bill that you need to take care of as you work to get your short-term rental back in peak condition.
Of course, that’s not the most concerning impact a host may face. You could be held liable for certain guest behavior, whether it’s fair or not. If a guest manages to take advantage of a defect in your home you didn’t know about and hurt themselves (without allowing you to document anything), they could try to sue you to get money out of the situation. Even more problematic, guests who engage in dangerous and illegal behaviors and put your neighbors at risk could pose a legal threat to you as well.
Bad guests are representative of so much more than an undesirable experience. They can cause a lot of trouble during their stay in your vacation rental and even put you in harm’s way. Fortunately, there are things that you can do about it.
Dealing with Bad Guests
So, how exactly do you deal with bad guests? Here are a few essential tips and tricks.
- Take Preventative Measures: The best way to deal with bad guests is to avoid them in the first place and to protect yourself by outlining the ground rules and communicating with them. Take preventative measures and leverage the information that Airbnb provides to make the most of the host experience.
- Document Everything: From communications to evidence about damaged property, documenting everything keeps you protected and provides you with evidence in case you need to communicate with Airbnb or the authorities.
- Contact Airbnb When Necessary: If you need to escalate a case, reaching out to Airbnb is the best course of action. Airbnb may step in when guests aren’t behaving properly or trying to refute evidence that they behaved poorly during their stay.
- Contact the Authorities When Necessary: If a guest is engaging in illegal or dangerous behavior, it’s up to you to get them out of your property and make sure the situation is handled. Sometimes, that involves contacting the authorities.
- Leave an Honest Guest Review: A negative review is never petty or unwarranted when it’s honest. Leaving a bad review ensures that this guest will be flagged by future hosts or even when they’re trying to stay on another property of yours. This benefits the whole Airbnb community.
How Often Do Airbnb Hosts Encounter Bad Guests? The Numbers Change, But the Approach Does Not
Some hosts may experience bad guests frequently while others only see them once in a blue moon. Regardless of how it has been for you, consider the above to help you identify what type of trouble guests can get into and how you can respond. Remember, you have more power than you know, and Airbnb offers a host of resources and guidance to help you navigate bad guest experiences.
