What if someone smokes in my place?
We love hosting through Airbnb and VRBO, largely because of the wonderful people we've met from around the globe. We love welcoming guests to our city and while we don't always get the chance to meet those who stay with us, the times we do have been rewarding. At least 95% of the guests we have hosted have been honest, respectful of our place, and well-intentioned. But it's the 1 out of every 200 guests who are dishonest disrespectful, and not so well intentioned that have caused us at times to question whether it's all worth it. But thankfully with some trial and error and by developing best practices that we'll share below, we have been able to reduce the number of these dreadful experiences dramatically and deal with them quickly and effectively when they do occur.
Prevent the Problem before it happens
After experiencing the shock of walking into our beloved Airbnb only to be greeted by a strong whiff of marijuana smoke too many times, we asked other hosts what they did to remedy this problem. A friend who also hosts in our city pointed out that four factors made up the large majority of negative airbnb stays:
1) locals
2) no reviews
3) booking the day of
4) booking at a lower nightly rate
After reflecting on our experience we found that we had experienced the same. All of our negative guest experiences shared at least one of these four factors and the more that were present, the higher chance of something bad happening. Yet we wanted to believe the best in our guests and certainly didn't want to discriminate against people, especially because they lived in our city! We took note of these factors but were slow to implement changes. But after a couple more smoke-filled rooms, these four factors became red flags and eventually hard and fast rules.
One change we have made is to set a minimum nightly rate. We used to think that some money was better than no money and put a priority on >5% vacancy. But today we realize that those who are seeking an Airbnb to smoke in are usually not willing to pay much for the opportunity. We also made the tough decision to decline all requests from locals with no reviews on the day of. I'm sure there have been legitimate requests, perhaps who had their A/C go out or needed to get away from their roommates, but we simply can't afford to take the chance any longer. When we receive a request in advance from any local or someone with no reviews we send a message that outlines our house rules and the charge for smoking inside. We mention that the message is not meant to be rude and that if they would like to choose another place for any reason that is ok (many do). This last practice has almost completely eliminated the problem, but in the rare occurrence you can make it worth your time.
Follow these tips when starting an AirCover Request
Gather Evidence. Cleaning and deodorizing a room that has been smoked in is a significant more amount of work and you (or your housekeepers) should be paid accordingly. Airbnb has a feature called AirCover that seeks resolution from your guest for this or other issues (broken items, damage, etc). Most guests that have smoked in our place deny it after and so it is important that you gather evidence to build your case. Usually photo or video evidence of ashes, cigarette butts, or marijuana remains is enough for Airbnb. Also include estimates or receipts of the extra cleaning services (either from your housekeepers or from your personal business).
Wait to start the AirCover request. You have 14 days from when the guest checks out to submit the request. We recommend gathering evidence and cleaning immediately, but wait the full 14 days (or after they submit a review) to request funds for the damage. This minimizes the revenge factor from your guest. Many times when we've requested funds the guest will remember lots of small details they were not happy about and leave it in their review. They have 14 days to write a review so if timed right there is no time to execute retribution.
Get the right tools
One of the most frustrating aspects of deodorizing and cleaning early on was the impact it had on future guests. We tried leaving windows and doors open for hours but this made it hard to get the temperature right for the next guests in summer and winter (and the smell still lingered). We tried sprays and fabric cleaners, but then there was a mixed smell of the cleaner and smoke––not the most welcoming experience for the next guest. But thanks to a friend who has longterm rentals and has had to deodorize between tenants suggested getting an Ozone Generator. Ozone reacts directly with contaminents in the air, water, fabrics, and walls to destroy instead of mask them. WARNING: All ozone generators are meant to be operated in unoccupied spaces only. Remove any people, pets, or plants. The space may be re-occupied after 30 minutes of "airing out". The apartment then has a smell like the popular product Ozium for a day or two. We find this to be a neutral smell that isn't a problem for the next guests. You can choose an Ozone Generator designed for the size of your space. We found one on Amazon for about $60 that works well in our studio apartments and 2-bedroom house.
By following these three tips you'll be well on your way to providing 5-star stays and becoming a Superhost. For more hosting hacks, sign up for one of Airbuild's Services below.
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P.S. We also have found Febreze Odor-eliminating Fabric Refresher to be helpful in eliminating (not masking) odors. Many guests find plug-in air fresheners to be off-putting and we have found neutralizing smells more effective. And by the way, we are not paid or sponsored by any of companies listed here, but recommend them highly!