Airbnb properties are quickly becoming one of the most popular vacation options for families and business travelers alike. They offer a more affordable alternative to hotels, but they come with their own set of risks and challenges. Something that all rental property owners have to deal with is complaints from guests about small problems or inconveniences they find in the house.
When you’re hosting people in your home, it’s important to be able to handle any guest complaints that may arise. Guests are often looking for an exceptional experience when they stay at your Airbnb, so it can be difficult if something doesn’t go as planned.
Here, we’ll cover six of the most common vacation rental guest complaints and how you can best deal with them!
- Cleanliness
Guests expect their Airbnb to be sparkling clean, and you must maintain a high standard of cleanliness. That’s why cleanliness is so important to hosts like you, who care about the comfort and safety of their guests at all times.
Guests not only want tidy rooms, they need them quickly, which often means there’s no time for cleaning between guests.
The moment you hear guests complain about cleanliness, contact your cleaning company and resolve the issue as soon as possible. Even if it’s just a corner that needs attention, don’t wait!
Your goal in this situation is to satisfy your guests so that they are more willing to forgive an oversight on your part. Your guests are more likely to ‘forgive’ cleanliness issues if they are resolved quickly.
If all else fails, give some sort of gift, like a free meal or flowers. The guests need something pleasurable; otherwise, everything could come crashing down at any moment.
Hiring a professional cleaning service will ensure that your Airbnb is perfectly clean for each new guest. If you plan to do the job yourself, follow our cleaning guide and make sure your Airbnb is spotless first. You may think that dusting the inside of kitchen cabinets or vacuuming under furniture isn’t necessary, but rest assured, these small tasks can have a big impact on how long they stay at home, especially with fastidiously clean guests that you will encounter from time to time.
- Lack of communication between host and guest
Your guests may be visiting the city for the first time. They could get lost in your neighborhood without any proper guidance, and as Airbnb hosts, they expect you to help them. Writing a letter of welcome to Airbnb is a good starting point to make them feel at home. Or even better, a well crafted guidebook is an excellent idea!
If they aren’t satisfied with their stay or if their communications aren’t responded to promptly, another negative review will put a dent in your Airbnb ratings.
Remember that communication must also go hand in hand when managing reviews, both written comments from guests and verbal comments at check-in and check-out.
You always have to give your best. Respond on time and be courteous in all interactions with them going forward: It’s also important that reviews are positive.
- Wi-Fi Network Problems
In today’s digital world, no one can live without Wi-Fi. This goes for guests of all ages and nationalities!
Your guests may even panic at the lack of internet connection. Unless you are offering a therapeutic stay with no outside access to smartphones and tablets via old-school dial-up modems, then this problem needs to be resolved sooner rather than later.
Technology has become our helper, but it also raises complaints from guests when it is not used responsibly or inappropriately.
Once you’ve welcomed your guests, what better way to keep them happy than by giving them Wi-Fi details first thing in the morning so they can connect their devices. It is important that, even after check-in, there are no hiccups with the Internet connection, because who wants a dissatisfied guest and negative reviews?
Regularly monitor any Internet access issues and don’t hesitate to act quickly and fix them if necessary.
- Amenities
When guests book your Airbnb, they expect to find the same amenities as mentioned in your listing description. If you want guests to come back then don’t disappoint with false advertising claiming amenities that don’t actually exist.
Specifying amenities in your Airbnb description is one of the best ways to attract more potential guests. Honesty is always key. That’s why it’s important to not only specify what’s available, but also make sure that all listed features can be used and are working properly before accepting reservations.
You should also update your description to reflect any changes. For example, if you are thinking of downsizing your property and removing some amenities, be sure to update your description and photos as well.
- Handling and Resolving Emergency Situations
Guests often appreciate attention to detail, so fixing problems quickly will earn their loyalty. For example, if a dishwasher stops working or an air conditioner malfunctions, they’ll probably excuse themselves and leave early.
If you have any problems with food or drink preparation before you come – even something as simple as not having enough forks for everyone at dinner time – it can be quite embarrassing and creates a bad first impression on the entire stay. This reflects poorly on you as a host.
Guests are more likely to enjoy their stay at your Airbnb if you deal with any issues quickly and efficiently.
- Misrepresenting the rental through photos
Airbnb guests’ worst nightmare is reserving a place only to find that it doesn’t live up to their expectations. To prevent this from happening, make sure all your photos are current and accurate!
Always upload more than one photo of your accommodation and try to show different angles. Don’t use stock photos, as well as being deceptive, they are also easy to discover!
It is important that you provide an honest representation and show the true conditions of what guests can expect when they stay with you.
Conclusion:
Complaints from Airbnb guests can be overwhelming, but if you handle them patiently and promptly, they’ll all resolve themselves. Your goal is to ensure customer satisfaction, so direct all of your actions toward one goal: ensuring that every guest has an enjoyable experience at your Airbnb. Doing so will help you avoid guest complaints and bad reviews.
