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.
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.
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/
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/
I've learned from the Airbnb groups on another platform, that the best option is to offer them a full refund to leave immediately if they don't find your place satisfactory on day one when they start complaining. Usually, they stop. Otherwise, you cater to their complaints and then they give you a bad review anyway.
Acknowledge and fix the issue immediately and as best you can. If they leave you a poor review, acknowledge it in a proper, apologetic, and respectful way. The public will overlook it, especially if you seem responsive, positive, and have other great reviews. Things happen. I see a lot of hosts do crazy in review replies and it hurts them. Let the guest do crazy, but not you.
I've never accepted a discount. People should book within their means. It's a bad start and people don't appreciate it from my experience as a 5-star Superhost. People who tend to book within their means fare better experiences and leave excellent reviews. They can afford it, they can pay for it, and they are happy guests focused on their trip.
With that said, if light bulbs are out etc., then the property manager/cleaner needs to do a better job if true. Inspect every room as they clean. What's missing, what needs to be replaced, refilled, etc.? I also leave extras for my guests because things do happen over time (thermostats, smoke alarms, remotes, extra trash, spills, snow/ice, etc.). Light bulbs, batteries (all sizes), trash bags, cleaning towels, ice melt, etc.
I've learned from the Airbnb groups on another platform, that the best option is to offer them a full refund to leave immediately if they don't find your place satisfactory on day one when they start complaining. Usually, they stop. Otherwise, you cater to their complaints and then they give you a bad review anyway.
Acknowledge and fix the issue immediately and as best you can. If they leave you a poor review, acknowledge it in a proper, apologetic, and respectful way. The public will overlook it, especially if you seem responsive, positive, and have other great reviews. Things happen. I see a lot of hosts do crazy in review replies and it hurts them. Let the guest do crazy, but not you.
I've never accepted a discount. People should book within their means. It's a bad start and people don't appreciate it from my experience as a 5-star Superhost. People who tend to book within their means fare better experiences and leave excellent reviews. They can afford it, they can pay for it, and they are happy guests focused on their trip.
With that said, if light bulbs are out etc., then the property manager/cleaner needs to do a better job if true. Inspect every room as they clean. What's missing, what needs to be replaced, refilled, etc.? I also leave extras for my guests because things do happen over time (thermostats, smoke alarms, remotes, extra trash, spills, snow/ice, etc.). Light bulbs, batteries (all sizes), trash bags, cleaning towels, ice melt, etc.
Hope this helps.
I agree with this. I once had a guest claim they felt unsafe for a ridiculous reason. I asked him to leave and he said, how about a discount. I then told him he had 1 hour to vacate and 30 mins later he said he’s fine with everything and they are settled in now. You can’t be bullied by guests, if it was a legitimate issue I’d obviously handle it.