With the ability to connect millions of hosts and guests worldwide, Airbnb has developed into one of the top names in the iRenting sector. Airbnb has surpassed well-known hotel brands like Hilton in terms of popularity, largely due to the fact that customers frequently receive more value for their money and can stay in homes owned by locals, providing a more genuine experience than booking a hotel room.
It's crucial to comprehend some of the most frequent complaints made by Airbnb guests and what you can do to address them, whether you're thinking about opening a new hospitality business with a room or property that has an Airbnb license number or are considering paying the Airbnb management fee to offer various short term rental properties to visitors on the website. With millions of guests using Airbnb worldwide and hundreds of thousands of hosts, the stakes are high and your success can depend on how well your guests rate you.
Upperkey looks at some typical grievances lodged by Airbnb visitors and offers advice on how to respond.
Property Didn't Meet Expectations
Due to the growth of the proptech sector, guests now have more options than in the past, when conventional hotels were frequently the only ones available. The most popular choice for visitors looking to stay in alternative accommodations, such as serviced apartments, villas, existing home rooms, and more, is now Airbnb. Since Airbnb properties are not standardized like hotel rooms and sometimes function as private homes, it is a typical criticism that the property is not as advertised.
Be as open and honest as you can when establishing your Airbnb listing to avoid this problem. Unhappy guests increase your likelihood of receiving a refund from Airbnb and are more likely to leave negative reviews, which can have an effect on how successful your future listings are. It's always preferable to be upfront about any information that potential guests might need to know before making a reservation, such as whether you have pets, how far the property is from the town or city center, or anything else. This will help to ensure that you only receive bookings from satisfied visitors.
Nothing is working in the Airbnb.
As an Airbnb host, you must take all necessary measures to guarantee that all amenities and features are in good working order and are simple for visitors to use. If you don't address problems like a broken TV, unreliable Wi-Fi, or a dishwasher that isn't cleaning the dishes properly right away, you risk getting a terrible review from a guest or even losing money if Airbnb decides to provide a full or partial refund.
For any stay, it's crucial to make sure everything runs properly, but long-term visitors will depend more on these aspects, therefore it's much more crucial. A long-term lease is what? This often refers to a lease lasting a few weeks or longer and is very popular among business travelers who depend on facilities like quick Wi-Fi. To ensure there are no concerns and to respond fast to any that guests may report, make sure everything in your home is well-maintained and tested frequently. Your guests' experience could be improved and your star rating maintained depending on how soon you respond and address the problem.
Legal Concerns
Legal disputes with visitors are the last thing you want when renting out your home on Airbnb. This could not only result in major issues for you as the host, but it might also lead to the closure of your property to visitors.
In recent months, legal troubles involving Airbnb rentals have made news in a number of locations, including New York and Paris. It's crucial to confirm that your rental complies with all applicable rules and regulations. Most of the time, if the host is also present throughout the visit, renting out a spare room is completely lawful wherever you are. However, depending on where you live, it might not always be allowed to short-term rent out a full house or apartment.
Although staying in a property that violates the law is unlikely to result in a penalty, it can be unsettling, especially if officials show up while the guests are there. As a host, it's crucial to confirm that any accommodations you post on Airbnb abide by all applicable laws.
Unexpected cancellations
A last-minute cancellation is never pleasant for the guest and is discouraged by Airbnb. While last-minute cancellations are occasionally unavoidable, they can result in a low star rating, a negative reputation on the site, and the inability to get or retain Superhost status, all of which can affect the bookings you receive.
It's crucial to note that you should never cancel a reservation unless there is an emergency or you have exhausted all other possibilities. Additionally, you might want to provide your visitor with some sort of compensation or, at the absolute least, make sure that they receive a full refund right away to make it simpler for them to choose alternate lodging.
If you have more than one rental home available, it might be worth working with the visitor to move them into another one of your properties if the one they originally booked isn't available. You might also provide them links to nearby places that are comparable and might be more acceptable.
Avoiding offering your home for rent on many websites is one of the best ways to prevent visitor cancellations as this raises the possibility of double booking. If you do decide to rent from other real estate listing websites, make sure your calendars are synced so that any dates reserved on one site are also taken by the others.
Check-in and Major Issues
If visitors come at the property and must wait a while to be checked in and put into the room or house, they might grumble. Including a self-check-in option is one of the key defenses against this.
Self-check-in is giving visitors a code they may use to get into the house or putting the key in a coded lockbox so they can get in without having to wait for the owner to get there. Self-check-in will be a requirement if you want your listing to be considered for Airbnb Plus status. In the event that a visitor misplaces their key or locks themselves out of the house, it's crucial to have a spare set of keys for the place on hand. To make it simpler for visitors to keep track of the key and prevent them from losing it, you might want to think about utilizing a big keyring or perhaps a tracking device.
Conflict Among the Visitors
Another reason why some guests can complain when you rent out rooms in a home or a spare room in your property to Airbnb visitors is because of disputes amongst guests. While the host can't always prevent this, there are a few things you can do to ease your visitors' stay and make sure that everyone gets along.
If there are disputes that cannot be settled during the stay, guests are recommended to first contact the host or Airbnb for assistance in mediating. By being aware of certain frequent areas where problems could arise and having measures in place, hosts can take a few steps to assist prevent disagreements from occurring in the first place.
To make it simpler for guests to have their own room to put their food and other stuff, it is recommended designating cupboard space and having several refrigerators in the kitchen if possible if they will be sharing a kitchen with you and other guests. The inclusion of facilities like refrigerators, microwaves, and kettles in each room in large buildings with communal areas would assist to reduce conflicts over who gets to use what.
Airbnb host leaving a negative review about guest
You may already be aware from your experience as an Airbnb host that not all visitors will be wonderful. A visitor could occasionally damage your property, break something, or act generally rudely. You can leave evaluations of each visitor you host, just as visitors can do for your property, to give other Airbnb hosts more details. When reviewing a guest with whom you didn't have a positive experience, you should exercise caution because doing the same to you could result in retaliation, which would have a greater impact as other potential guests would read it.
Be professional and fair if you do need to write a less-than-flattering assessment of a specific guest. Within thirty days, both hosts and guests have the option to contest a review on Airbnb.
Being aware of the most frequent complaints and knowing how to respond to them is becoming increasingly crucial for hosts as Airbnb becomes a more popular option for guests to locate a place to stay.
Leave Hosting to the Experts
If the idea of hosting or dealing with guest complaints has you worried, you can leave alll the work to UpperKey. With comprehensive Airbnb concierge services, they can manage every aspect of hosting for you. With top guest services, routine maintenance and superior cleaning, guests will have no reason but to leave a 5-star Airbnb review. Contact UpperKey today to learn how they can relieve your hosting needs.
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