Like everything else in life, the Airbnb business is not always rosy. Sometimes there will be issues with the property or the guests. It could also be that the host is facing some problems, after all, they too are only mere mortals. Luckily most of these issues can be alleviated if you know beforehand how to deal with some of the most common Airbnb complaints.
Here are practical tips on how your Airbnb business can deal with five common Airbnb complaints.
An incomplete or inaccurate listing
One of the most important tasks is describing your Airbnb listing honestly. The quickest way to receive a bad review is to be dishonest about what your property indeed has to offer.
If your property is not perfect, relax… In fact, few properties are perfect! So, just make sure that you share all the exact details of your property in your description. It should include everything that your guests can expect such as the type of property and the amenities that it boasts. Your listing should also include the “less attractive” things like the house rules and additional costs to prevent Airbnb complaints.
Issues with the amenities
Right, so you have taken the time to make sure that you describe your property accurately. Now you’ll need to make sure that all the amenities that you have listed actually work. When it comes to complaints about the amenities, there are two important steps – apologize and fix it. It is actually really as simple as that! Also, remember to tell your Airbnb guests that if anything should go wrong or break, they should not hesitate to contact you.
Unfortunately, the reality is that Murphy’s Law is not always too blame… Sometimes guests can break something minor such as a plate (or something much bigger like your newly installed smart home auto-temperature regulation). That is why it is always a good idea to charge a security deposit. Though, hosts should not forget about insurance too! It is strongly recommended that hosts double-check that they do in fact have an appropriate Airbnb insurance policy.
Lack of communication
One of the easiest ways to impress your guests is by just being available. Guests want to know what they can expect, to ensure that you communicate the check-in times to them well in advance. If you are unable to welcome them in person, communicate this to them too and double-check that they know how to access your property.
Noisy neighbors
Just like a lack of communication is a common Airbnb complaint, the opposite is also true… When your neighbors “communicate” a bit too much and too loudly, your guests are sure to complain. It is not the host who is at fault when the neighbors are the ones who are causing sleepless nights, but as host, you are still responsible for making sure that your guests have a memorable stay. The best recourse would be to phone the neighbors and ask them to turn down the volume.
Confusing checkout times
Your guests had a memorable stay and are packed and ready to go, or at least that is what you thought… Many times problems only arise at the very last minute! Too often what was set to be a perfect hosting experience gets ruined at the very last minute, because the host failed to communicate the checkout times clearly when the guest made the booking.
So, to manage everyone’s expectations and prevent any confusion check that you have communicated the checkout times when the booking was made and include it in the house rules again. Another great practice is to send your guests a reminder the evening before their departure to remind them about the exact checkout times. After all, hosts are not the only ones who need to plan – even though your guests are on holiday, they too still need to plan.
The Airbnb complaints that you will receive in the future will still teach you many lessons about what it takes to be a great Airbnb host. There are many steps that you can take to prevent these five Airbnb complaints, though even if a problem arises, the best word of advice is to keep calm and continue being a responsible Airbnb host.