Starla is a valued contributor to the Sampling America writing team, passionately sharing captivating narratives from adventures across the country and beyond.
If you’ve gone on a trip within the last few years, it’s probably safe to assume you’ve rented an Airbnb. And if you haven’t used the short- and long-term rental service yet, you probably will eventually — Airbnb has over 150 million users worldwide, a statistic that continues to increase.
If you use Airbnb, use it well, striving to be the best guest possible. Besides, hosts get to rate their guests, and too many low ratings can get you kicked off the platform. Keep your guest rating positive by checking out the list below — a round-up of 10 things Airbnb hosts hate.
Poor Communication Skills
Everyone loves responsive Airbnb hosts, but it’s a two-way street. Guests have to return the favor by answering their host’s messages promptly. It’s hard for a host to ensure the most enjoyable stay without clear, open communication, so please reply if your Airbnb host reaches out!
Last-Minute Cancellations
Your booking impacts your Airbnb host’s availability and revenue. Leaving them high and dry at the last minute means they’re stuck with an empty room someone else could’ve paid for and filled. Sometimes life forces plans to change, and a late cancellation is necessary. But if the situation allows, honor your reservation; your host will be grateful.
Disrespect
Hosts spend a lot of time ensuring their property is up to par and take great pride in it. So, treat your temporary home with care. Damaging an Airbnb or its appliances is a pain in the butt for hosts. Plus, they’ll have to repair or replace whatever you broke, and you’ll likely have to foot the bill!
Unauthorized Parties
Each Airbnb host gets to set occupancy and gathering rules for their property, and like them or not, you must obey them. Bringing additional people without prior approval can create extra expenses or logistical issues for the property owner. There’s also the risk of damaging the property and inconveniencing the host or neighbors.
Disregard of Safety/Security Measures
Hosts don’t write out safety or security rules to ruin your fun. They establish them with both your and their well-being in mind. Ignoring those rules can create problems for you or the property owners, and you probably won’t be welcomed back.
Leaving Things Behind
Your Airbnb host has already put everything they want in their room, house, or apartment. They don’t want you to add anything extra, so take all your belongings when you check out! Extra effort and expenses are required to return forgotten items, so some hosts don’t bother; they toss them into the garbage! No one wins when you leave something at your Airbnb; do yourself a favor and double- or triple-check the space for belongings that might not have made it into the suitcase on your way out.
Discount Requests
The cost of your home away from home is what it is for a reason. Airbnb hosts have to be able to stretch a payment enough to do things like hire a cleaning crew, replace old or used amenities, and make a profit. We’re betting your host thought long and hard about the ideal nightly rate of their properties, so don’t hound them for a discount if you don’t need to.
Unrealistic or Excessive Demands
Having realistic expectations is a must for Airbnb renters. Understand the property’s limitations and avoid asking your host to provide services or goods that exceed them. Besides, guests who require constant attention or message one demand after another can easily stress a host out, causing them to leave you a low rating or prohibit you from booking their property again.
Messiness
We get it. You’re on vacation, and the last thing on your mind is cleaning — you do enough of that at home! But leaving an Airbnb worse than you found it is plain rude behavior. Sure, someone will come to clean the property after you check out, but that doesn’t mean you can trash it; keeping your mess to a minimum is good manners, especially when renting a listing with shared spaces!
Tardiness
A host’s responsibilities include coordinating check-in and check-out times. If you aren’t in or out when you’re supposed to be, you can throw a wrench in the host’s entire schedule, especially if they have multiple properties to manage or are expecting a new arrival shortly after your departure. Help them stay on track by doing the same; respect your host’s time by arriving and leaving on time. And should your plans change and you need a later check-in or check-out time, let your host know ahead of time so they can plan accordingly.
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