WWYD - Family booked your AirBNB and backed out without paying

[Anonymous]

I would never even expect a discount over a vacation week.I would treat it as a business.

I hope you can get a last minute rental. Lesson learned for the future.

[Anonymous]

Drag your feet to rent to these people again.

[Anonymous]

This is a lesson-learned. Just put it behind you.

We owned an investment property at the beach for about 20 years. We had a strict no friends and family rental policy, and I think it served us well. I NEVER went to the beach during the high season, why on Earth would I rent it to my family during that time and risk losing out on income. If people asked once, we'd tell them it was already booked (which was usually fairly true). If they asked twice, we'd explain it is an investment property, that we only use it a couple of times per year (to close it / then reopen it), and can't make it available to family / friends.

If you use it frequently, and it really isn't an investment property, then, you may have to field more questions. Only our closest family and friends know we own a house at the beach since we don't use it frequently to vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is nothing wrong with telling friends and family that the house isn't available during the busy season. Since they are family, let them know you lost a lot of money because of their thoughtless behavior. There's no reason to spare feelings here.

This. I would also not allow friends/family to book prime weeks anymore.

[Anonymous]

Valuable but not free lesson from the school of life.

If you take the lesson, it was worth the price you paid.

[Anonymous]

I have family with a beach house - we are only offered it on low periods and even have been bumped at the last minute if someone wants to rent it. Once we were offered it during a high period when someone dropped out at last minute.

It is a luxury when we get it, but we know how it works. The beach house is a business, family needs to remember this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe you charged family members. What is with you people? Are you the same poster who lended her friend money? Same principle applies, gift it or don’t give it at all.

Agree 100%. Op, you could've said "no". If your place is so rentable, why wasn't it booked when your family asked to stay?

+2 I’d let this go and follow the rules we have for our house in Nantucket - full pay for anyone through the summer (including all deposits), otherwise free in the off season. Only one family/friend has rented during the summer and they were the worst renters by far. Even though they agreed to full rates they tried to buckle and dime everything - they’d clean the house so no cleaning fee, wanted to use our car because they knew it was in Island, etc. some people are just users and/or cheap. It’s best to completely avoid going forward.

We love offering our house, but need that rental income to pay for college. It’s a business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe you charged family members. What is with you people? Are you the same poster who lended her friend money? Same principle applies, gift it or don’t give it at all.

Agree 100%. Op, you could've said "no". If your place is so rentable, why wasn't it booked when your family asked to stay?

You both are ridiculous. We have friends with rental properties in very desirable ski locations. They are very generous and offer to let us use it in summer and fall rent-free, and we've taken them up on it (we pay the cleaning fee, and get them a nice gift card for their favorite restaurant). But if we wanted to stay there over Christmas week, or President's weekend, of course we'd pay. That'd be thousands of dollars out of their pockets otherwise

[Anonymous]

All these people questioning charging family or friends obviously don’t have rental properties. Our place rents for $ 5,000+ per week. Would you give that kind of money to family? a discount is generous and how we handle. I would take it as a lesson learned, not rent to them again.

[Anonymous]

Let it go. It was an expensive lesson but you needed to learn it. This is a business and there are blackout dates where friends and family can’t book it. In the future, don’t offer discounts for preferred weeks to anyone. Remember, it’s your business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone with a rental property, I would charge too in high season. All these “only give it for free” people are nuts. I would have given them the choice of a free slot in the fall or pay for spring break. So don’t feel bad about this. They are the jerks.

100%. It's nuts to ask someone to give you a free booking that would otherwise earn you $1000-$2000 (or more). It takes a lot of chutzpah to ask for it.

[Anonymous]

We have a summer beach rental. We book 2 weeks for ourselves and rent the remainder. We INVITE family to come during our stay. If they come, they are our guests and we don’t expect anything. If they want to rent during the rental season, they would pay full price, which is posted online. We pay cleaning fees as per usual. If they want to use the house off season, then I would ask that they pay the cost of the cleaning service. In your case, I would charge a cancellation fee and would be very interested to hear how they handle it.

[Anonymous]

What is cancelation policy on the rental for non family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another voice here that is shocked you charged family in the first place, even at a discounted rate. You should have just said spring break is blocked on the calendar because it’s high season and offered up a different period of time instead, for free.

Either way, I’d express disappointment with the last minute cancellation but I wouldn’t ask for more money or anything like that.

You’re being ridiculous. Not everyone is made of money. Clearly the moochers didn’t want to pay the full price by going elsewhere. No one is owed free accommodation.

[Anonymous]

You should’ve just said it was booked OP.