Client asks for STR Discounts we said no and now he is complaining about everything

Kansas City, Missouri
Short-Term & Vacation Rental Discussions
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Client asks for STR Discounts we said no and now he is complaining about everything

Shanel Dial
Member since 2021 · 21 posts · 3 votes

We have someone staying in our STR this weekend. They asked for a discount before booking and we didn't give it them. Now that they there are there they have complained about bulbs being out and other small things and also say the internet doesn't work. We are not in town since it is a holiday weekend, however we did check the internet on Monday and it worked just fine. Wondering how you all would handle this as it felt from from the start he was trying to get a discount.

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John Carbone
Realtor · Gatlinburg · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 957 votes
3y

The way I handle guests who ask for a discount is i wait a few hours to reply, and either increase price or block off their dates so it can’t be booked. then the next day I open the day back up if I blocked it. I don’t want people like this staying at my properties for this exact reason.

Just today I raised my pricing yesterday due to high demand for summer and a guest messaged complaining the price went up and demanded I lower the price to what it was when they saw it last week. My action? I added another $100 to the night for the days they requested. 

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  • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
    Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
    3y

    These people exist unfortunately....try to document everything in case it gets worse (and it may). Ask for pictures from them as proof. If it looks at all legit, send over a handyman and have them document as well.

    If it keeps going south, offer them a partial refund and let them leave early.

    I hate people asking for discounts...what kind of mindset is that? A price is a price. Do they go into a restaurant and ask for a discount on their steak dinner? 

    7Reply
  • Don KonipolBusiness Member
    Investor · The Woodlands TX / Avon, CT · Member since 2009 · 6k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

    These people exist unfortunately....try to document everything in case it gets worse (and it may). Ask for pictures from them as proof. If it looks at all legit, send over a handyman and have them document as well.

    If it keeps going south, offer them a partial refund and let them leave early.

    I hate people asking for discounts...what kind of mindset is that? A price is a price. Do they go into a restaurant and ask for a discount on their steak dinner? 

    People make offers below “asking” rent because in the U.S. real estate transactions in all forms are considered negotiable.  Most “big ticket” items are.  
    Private Mortgage Financing Partners, LLC
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    1Reply
  • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
    Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Don Konipol:
    Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

    These people exist unfortunately....try to document everything in case it gets worse (and it may). Ask for pictures from them as proof. If it looks at all legit, send over a handyman and have them document as well.

    If it keeps going south, offer them a partial refund and let them leave early.

    I hate people asking for discounts...what kind of mindset is that? A price is a price. Do they go into a restaurant and ask for a discount on their steak dinner? 

    People make offers below “asking” rent because in the U.S. real estate transactions in all forms are considered negotiable.  Most “big ticket” items are.  

    I've never heard of rent being debated. Sure wouldn't be on any of my properties/

    3Reply
  • Shanel Dial
    OP
    Member since 2021 · 21 posts · 3 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

    These people exist unfortunately....try to document everything in case it gets worse (and it may). Ask for pictures from them as proof. If it looks at all legit, send over a handyman and have them document as well.

    If it keeps going south, offer them a partial refund and let them leave early.

    I hate people asking for discounts...what kind of mindset is that? A price is a price. Do they go into a restaurant and ask for a discount on their steak dinner? 


    Thank you. Appreciate this. 

    0Reply
  • Shanel Dial
    OP
    Member since 2021 · 21 posts · 3 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:
    Quote from @Don Konipol:
    Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

    These people exist unfortunately....try to document everything in case it gets worse (and it may). Ask for pictures from them as proof. If it looks at all legit, send over a handyman and have them document as well.

    If it keeps going south, offer them a partial refund and let them leave early.

    I hate people asking for discounts...what kind of mindset is that? A price is a price. Do they go into a restaurant and ask for a discount on their steak dinner? 

    People make offers below “asking” rent because in the U.S. real estate transactions in all forms are considered negotiable.  Most “big ticket” items are.  

    I've never heard of rent being debated. Sure wouldn't be on any of my properties/


    0Reply
  • Shanel Dial
    OP
    Member since 2021 · 21 posts · 3 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Don Konipol:
    Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

    These people exist unfortunately....try to document everything in case it gets worse (and it may). Ask for pictures from them as proof. If it looks at all legit, send over a handyman and have them document as well.

    If it keeps going south, offer them a partial refund and let them leave early.

    I hate people asking for discounts...what kind of mindset is that? A price is a price. Do they go into a restaurant and ask for a discount on their steak dinner? 

    People make offers below “asking” rent because in the U.S. real estate transactions in all forms are considered negotiable.  Most “big ticket” items are.  

     Interesting. I never thought of it that way.

    0Reply
  • Shanel Dial
    OP
    Member since 2021 · 21 posts · 3 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Shanel Dial:
    Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:
    Quote from @Don Konipol:
    Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

    These people exist unfortunately....try to document everything in case it gets worse (and it may). Ask for pictures from them as proof. If it looks at all legit, send over a handyman and have them document as well.

    If it keeps going south, offer them a partial refund and let them leave early.

    I hate people asking for discounts...what kind of mindset is that? A price is a price. Do they go into a restaurant and ask for a discount on their steak dinner? 

    People make offers below “asking” rent because in the U.S. real estate transactions in all forms are considered negotiable.  Most “big ticket” items are.  

    I've never heard of rent being debated. Sure wouldn't be on any of my properties/



     Agree!

    0Reply
  • Ken Boone
    Investor · Greenville, SC · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    3y

    In my market it is not uncommon for guests to ask for a discount.  Some of them are simply savvy shoppers in which case their thinking is - it doesn't hurt to ask, and in other cases, they are just cheap.

    It is not uncommon for guests to ask if we provide military discounts, senior discounts, first responder discounts, last minute booking discounts, etc..

    So the asking doesn't bother me and you can choose to answer however you want.

    If the guests is what I call the cheap guests then it is a problem.  They don't want to pay your price, they don't get the discount but they think they are still entitled to stay at your place at a discount.  They book at full price anyway and then nit pick away at every little thing they can find to complain about the cleanliness, condition, etc.. about your place, in hopes of getting a big discount back either from you OR form complaint to the OTA.

    The first thing I do is acknowledge their issue and then let them know I will send someone over to take care of it.  What I have found is that if it is a legitimate issue, then they will say yes that will be great.  If it is not legitimate and they are just trying to milk you for a free or discounted visit, they will say they are trying to take a nice relaxing vacation and have had enough problems since they got there and they don't want to be bothered.  - In other words they are lying and don't want you to send someone over to see that they are lying, and that they snuck a dog in there, and that they have been smoking in your place etc.  Never give a discount without having someone go onsite to either attempt to resolve the issue or at least verify that there really is an issue.

    If the guest doesn't get what they want they threaten with a bad review.    If I detect I have a bad guest I will offer a discount if they check out that day because I want them out of my property.  However, they don't ever take this offer, because it really isn't as bad as they claimed.

    Odds are, they will give you a bad review but if you do a good job keeping everything good at your place, your 5 star reviews will outshine a lone bad review that will obviously be very different from all your other reviews and people can spot that kind of stuff when they read them.

    Fortunately these types of guests are few and far between, but they do show up from time to time.  Hope things end up working out for you.

    4Reply
  • John Carbone
    Realtor · Gatlinburg · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 957 votes
    3y

    The way I handle guests who ask for a discount is i wait a few hours to reply, and either increase price or block off their dates so it can’t be booked. then the next day I open the day back up if I blocked it. I don’t want people like this staying at my properties for this exact reason.

    Just today I raised my pricing yesterday due to high demand for summer and a guest messaged complaining the price went up and demanded I lower the price to what it was when they saw it last week. My action? I added another $100 to the night for the days they requested. 

    9Reply
  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    3y

    Are they Airbnb people per chance?

    2Reply
  • John Carbone
    Realtor · Gatlinburg · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 957 votes
    3y
    Quote from @John Underwood:

    Are they Airbnb people per chance?


     Yes indeed 

    0Reply
  • Rosa Regier
    Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2015 · 73 posts · 54 votes
    3y

    @John Underwood you don't experience this on vrbo?

    0Reply
  • Gerald Pitts
    Lender · Asheville NC · Member since 2016 · 469 posts · 317 votes
    3y

    I would say out of the maybe 5 times folks have asked for a discount and I've given it, 3 of them were a pain. Same went for when I lowered my prices too much at the beginning of COVID.  Life's too short. 

    0Reply
  • Brooklyn McCarty
    Investor · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 754 votes
    3y

    If you give a mouse a cookie… 


    if you give a guest a discount, he’ll want a (fill in the blank). 

    Discount guests are typically the worst.  best thing you can do when a guest inquires for a discount is give them every reason NOT to book.  Our internet is out, TV’s don’t work, hot tub is broken, a rabid raccoon lives on the front porch. You get the drift. 

    3Reply
  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Rosa Regier:

    @John Underwood you don't experience this on vrbo?


     Better class of guests as a whole in my experience. 

    4Reply
  • Andrew SteffensBusiness Member
    Tampa, FL · Member since 2022 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    3y

    This is rampant on Airbnb as ABNB has fostered a guest focused environment to an extreme point.  We do about 100 reservations on average per month and about half of them are Airbnb the other half a mix of our own bookings, Booking.com, Marriott, VRBO.  At least one Airbnb guest per week is demanding a refund for things beyond our control or are so nitpicky its insane.  The rest of the channels combined maybe once per month or less.  Unfortunately Airbnb is likely to intervene in their favor.

    We tell them that all request for compensation are handled at check out.  Make sure to get whatever you can documented.  Be fair with them but do not give it all away.  If Airbnb intervenes make sure to get a supervisor and stand your ground as best as you can.

    [email protected]813-563-0877
    Vacation Rentals of Florida53 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    2Reply
  • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
    Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Ken Boone:

    Odds are, they will give you a bad review but if you do a good job keeping everything good at your place, your 5 star reviews will outshine a lone bad review that will obviously be very different from all your other reviews and people can spot that kind of stuff when they read them.

    I've found that guests may threaten but rarely act on their threats to give you a bad review. Because they know that your retalitory 1 star review averaged on their 3 reviews will ruin them, whereas a 1 star review on a hosts 100 reviews does absolutely nothing.


    1Reply
  • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
    Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @John Underwood:
    Quote from @Rosa Regier:

    @John Underwood you don't experience this on vrbo?


     Better class of guests as a whole in my experience. 


    Absolutely! ABNBs whole concept attracts younger/cheaper/entitled folks. You can rent a tent, a single room or an RV in a driveway. 

    VRBO allows only complete separate dwellings to be rented out to guests. This will obviously attract a 'higher class' of guest. In my experience and in my humble opinion.

    I am weaning off of ABNB as quickly as possible and every other smart host should as well.....

    1Reply
  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Andrew Steffens:

    This is rampant on Airbnb as ABNB has fostered a guest focused environment to an extreme point.  We do about 100 reservations on average per month and about half of them are Airbnb the other half a mix of our own bookings, Booking.com, Marriott, VRBO.  At least one Airbnb guest per week is demanding a refund for things beyond our control or are so nitpicky its insane.  The rest of the channels combined maybe once per month or less.  Unfortunately Airbnb is likely to intervene in their favor.

    We tell them that all request for compensation are handled at check out.  Make sure to get whatever you can documented.  Be fair with them but do not give it all away.  If Airbnb intervenes make sure to get a supervisor and stand your ground as best as you can.


     Great advice!

    I really like the bit about compensation handled at checkout.  Hopefully I never have to use it.

    0Reply
  • Andrew SteffensBusiness Member
    Tampa, FL · Member since 2022 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @John Underwood:
    Quote from @Andrew Steffens:

    This is rampant on Airbnb as ABNB has fostered a guest focused environment to an extreme point.  We do about 100 reservations on average per month and about half of them are Airbnb the other half a mix of our own bookings, Booking.com, Marriott, VRBO.  At least one Airbnb guest per week is demanding a refund for things beyond our control or are so nitpicky its insane.  The rest of the channels combined maybe once per month or less.  Unfortunately Airbnb is likely to intervene in their favor.

    We tell them that all request for compensation are handled at check out.  Make sure to get whatever you can documented.  Be fair with them but do not give it all away.  If Airbnb intervenes make sure to get a supervisor and stand your ground as best as you can.


     Great advice!

    I really like the bit about compensation handled at checkout.  Hopefully I never have to use it.


     My pleasure! The idea behind that is because once you give an inch (say a 10% refund) and they are still occupying they will find more and demand more

    [email protected]813-563-0877
    Vacation Rentals of Florida53 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    3Reply
  • Mark S.
    Real Estate Investor · Saint Paul, MN · Member since 2017 · 543 posts · 474 votes
    3y

    @Rosa Regier I sure do. In fact, my worst guest in the pst year was on VRBO.

    0Reply
  • Rosa Regier
    Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2015 · 73 posts · 54 votes
    3y

    Thanks @Mark S. I suppose we simply need to establish best practices regardless of vrbo or airbnb bookings.

    @John Underwood seems to be an advocate for vrbo and I see fewer complaints about that platform.  

    All good tips posted in this thread!

    0Reply
  • Ken Boone
    Investor · Greenville, SC · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Rosa Regier:

    Thanks @Mark S. I suppose we simply need to establish best practices regardless of vrbo or airbnb bookings.

    @John Underwood seems to be an advocate for vrbo and I see fewer complaints about that platform.  

    All good tips posted in this thread!

     Maybe it’s location based but I am in 100% agreement with @John Underwood s take on VRBO and Airbnb. 

    2Reply
  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    3y

    I also have more issues with AirBNB guests than VRBO. I have only had one guest ask for a discount and I told them nope. They never booked. Otherwise no one has asked.

    1Reply
  • Shanel Dial
    OP
    Member since 2021 · 21 posts · 3 votes
    3y
    Quote from @John Underwood:

    Are they Airbnb people per chance?


     Yes

    0Reply
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