Most guests are friendly, leave the property tidy and write a good review. Yet sooner or later every host has to deal with a difficult guest. Someone who complains about everything, ignores the house rules or causes damage. Such situations are unpleasant, but they are rarely impossible to resolve.
What matters most is preparation and a calm attitude. If you communicate clearly in advance and stay professional when problems arise, you prevent most conflicts. In this article you will read how to prevent problems and how to respond when things do go wrong.
Prevention starts with the listing
Many complaints arise from a gap between expectation and reality. A guest who expects a quiet property and sleeps next to a busy road is disappointed. A family who thought they would get a large garden and find a small terrace feels misled.
So make sure your listing is honest. Show recent photos that present the property as it is. Simply mention the drawbacks: a steep staircase, no lift, limited parking, a railway line nearby. An honest description attracts the right guests and takes the wind out of complainers' sails.
Be clear about your house rules as well. Put them in the listing, repeat them in the confirmation and leave them in the property. Quiet hours, smoking, pets, parties and the maximum number of people certainly belong there.
Setting expectations before arrival
A good message before arrival prevents a lot of questions and irritation. A few days before the stay, send a clear explanation: how the guest gets in, where to park, how the heating works and whom to contact if there are problems.
Also say what the guest can expect from you. How quickly do you reply to messages? What do you do about a problem in the evening? A guest who knows someone is reachable stays calmer when something goes wrong.
Complaints on arrival
Sometimes a guest reports on arrival that something is not right. A bed that has not been made, a lamp that does not work, a room that is not clean enough. How you respond often determines the rest of the stay.
Work in three steps:
- Listen. Let the guest explain what is wrong, without immediately becoming defensive. Ask for a photo if that helps.
- Solve it quickly. Send someone round, offer a solution or propose an alternative. The faster you respond, the smaller the problem stays.
- Document it. Note what was reported, when and what you did. Keep the messages in the platform.
A complaint that is resolved quickly and kindly often ends in a good review. Guests appreciate a host who takes responsibility.
When house rules are broken
Sometimes a guest does not stick to the arrangements. Someone smokes in the property, there are more people than booked or the neighbours complain about noise. Respond quickly, but stay calm.
Send a message through the platform in which you describe the situation factually and refer to the house rules. Ask the guest to resolve the problem. Avoid accusations and emotion. A message such as "We received a report of noise after quiet hours. May we ask you to be considerate of the neighbours from now on?" works better than an angry reaction.
If the problem continues, or if it is something serious such as a party with many extra people, contact the platform. They can mediate and know what the options are within their terms.
Damage: photos and the right procedure
For many hosts, damage is the most stressful problem. Good preparation makes a big difference.
Have photos of the property taken after every cleaning. That way you can later show what condition the property was in before the guest arrived. If you find damage after departure, take clear photos straight away and note what has been damaged.
Report the damage as quickly as possible, first to the guest and then through the platform. The major platforms each have their own procedure for damage after a stay. Those procedures usually work with deadlines: if you wait too long, you sometimes lose the right to a claim. So read your platforms' terms in advance, so you know what to do and how quickly.
Add the photos, a description and, if possible, a quote or invoice for the repair to your report. The better your file, the greater the chance of a smooth settlement.
A guest who wants to leave early
Sometimes a guest asks to leave early and get part of their money back. The reason may be personal, or a complaint about the property.
If it concerns a complaint, look into it first. If there really was a problem you could not solve, a partial refund is sometimes reasonable. If it is a personal reason, your cancellation policy normally applies. You can always make a gesture if the freed-up nights are let again.
Make all arrangements through the platform and not by phone or another app. That way everything stays documented.
When to bring in the platform
You do not have to solve every problem alone. Bring in the platform if a guest does not respond, if they threaten a bad review to get something, if there is serious damage or if you feel unsafe. In acute danger, of course, you call the emergency services first.
The platform has more insight into the guest's behaviour with other hosts. They can mediate and sometimes take measures you cannot take yourself.
Think of the review, but do not be blackmailed
Reviews matter for your listing. Yet fear of a bad review should not force you to give in to unreasonable demands. Stay honest and professional.
If you do receive an unjustified negative review, respond publicly, briefly and politely. Describe factually what happened and what you did. Future guests read your response and see a host who stays calm and professional. That often carries more weight than the review itself.
Calm and clarity
Difficult guests are part of letting. With an honest listing, clear rules, good documentation and a calm tone, you keep most situations under control.
YourDomi communicates with guests 7 days a week in several languages and has a photo check carried out after every cleaning. With smart locks, every guest gets their own code per stay. Would you like to know how that works for your property? Request a personal proposal.
