Extra guests?

[Bunny]

I can sleep 6 in the main beds but a 7th or 8th guest has to sleep on either a pull out guest bed, a sofa bed or a travel cot. All options of which, take up more floor space. So the reason I will not go over 8 of any age, is having had a fire inspection, it is all to do with the time it takes to evacuate. The less floor space and the greater encumbrances there are (i.e. more furniture to move around without clear runs to exit doors) and having persons who cannot evacuate themselves, all takes longer. Hence the importance of not allowing over occupancy.

[kg1]

I often surprise myself at how touchy I am on this topic.

First of all, i never do over-occupancy. If the cottage sleeps 5 + cot, that's it. Max.

When the booking is being confirmed, i insist on knowing the number of adults, the ages of any children under 17, and the names of all guests. From this information, it is relatively easy to guesstimate the party profile, ie mum/dad/2 kids, or mum/dad/grandma/1 kid, or party-time for 4 blokes.

I agree that more adults are better than more kids.

I understand the desire to attract any bookings when you are just starting out, but don't go down that route. IMHO, it can end in tears far too quickly(noise, damage etc, etc), and if you upset the neighbours early on in your venture, due to over-occupancy or poor party profiling, you may never get them on-side.

As an aside, I currently market via HolidayLettings/TripAdvisor. On the question of party profile, it bugs me that their systems do not talk to each other.
A TA booking enquiry could say 4 adults, but when it gets handed over to HL, the system could say 2 adults/1 child. I have pointed this out to HL/TA, but they ignore it. Yet for me, knowing the party profile is very important because I want to have the option of declining enquiries if I think the party profile does not suit the layout of the property, location, etc. Therefore I check every HL/TA booking enquiry with the enquirer before confirmation.

Obsessive? Paranoid? Bossy? Do I need help? What do you think?

I'm glad there's someone else like us! Funny this post should come up now, as we have a similar problem right now. We have an older couple in now & again in 2 weeks time, they come from the US to see an elderly relative in the area and do a bit of travelling around to other relatives, only this time the relatives are coming to them - or rather us. They added a casual byline to an email the day before they departed that there would be some relatives staying over. I emailed back & asked for details of additions. It transpired that 1 relative was staying the entire week & that there were a potential other 5 who would be going in & out over this week & the 2nd one. To say we were not best pleased would be putting it mildly. They had been given a hefty discount because we were told there would only be 2 guests. We have emailed our displeasure & await their response!

[russellt]

They added a casual byline to an email the day before they departed that there would be some relatives staying over.

I suppose it's a question of whether a renter believes they are renting the property, and can do whatever they like with the property during the rental period, or are renting accommodation for a specified number of people, over a specified period of time.

Inevitably, some people will try to take advantage. My T&Cs specify named guests and no changes without prior agreement. It tends to put off the hen/stag parties. You can tell by the way they reply if they're being evasive.

I'd rather forego the income than risk damage, problems, etc.

[kg1]

They added a casual byline to an email the day before they departed that there would be some relatives staying over.

I suppose it's a question of whether a renter believes they are renting the property, and can do whatever they like with the property during the rental period, or are renting accommodation for a specified number of people, over a specified period of time.

Inevitably, some people will try to take advantage. My T&Cs specify named guests and no changes without prior agreement. It tends to put off the hen/stag parties. You can tell by the way they reply if they're being evasive.

I'd rather forego the income than risk damage, problems, etc.

Yes, ours says the name - named guests only.

[Bunny]

Yes, ours says the same - named guests only.

Ditto, but it doesn't seem to stop some trying it though. My T&Cs also state that if they receive an under occupancy discount, it will be forfeited if they subsequently request additional guests to stay. I've also learnt to reiterate it when I quote. Belt and braces and all that, but some still don't get it or think they can get away with it.

[Casscat]

I'm Meldrew. I don't agree over-occupancy and I don't discount under-occupancy. Bah humbug!

[Essar]

+1

[Sam V]

Yesterday I had an enquiry in Spanish, via HA for four adults, four children aged 16, 13, 6 and 2 for 23-26 March. I replied we only sleep 6. Then this evening via Clickstay/Rental Systems, whichever they are, an enquiry, same dates, four adults, four kids 16, 13, 5 and 1, asking if we had a cot, if not they would bring one and the five year old would sleep in bed with the parents, and a quote in euros

[aussiefrog]

If a property is set up for a maximum X number of guests (adults plus children) then what more is there to be said?

If I were happy to consider taking extra guests on airbeds, in hammocks and in hanging baskets then I would say so in my listing details.

Otherwise the answer should be NO.

+1

[Gordo]

I have listed the property on AirBnB as holding a maximum of 5 people. It is quite a spacious 2 bedroom apartment (1 king and 1 twin/superking) with a small double sofa bed in the large lounge

Regardless of there being only 2 bedrooms I'd read that as:

1 king = 2 people
1 twin/superking = 2 people
double sofa bed = 2 people

So if there are physically only 5 sleeping places might be worth changing the descriptions in order to filter unwanted enquiries.

The first I rejected (3 couples)

They may have read it same as me!

.

[Stewart]

Resist the temptation. We did not in the early days and more often than not the place was dirtier, messier, scuffed, stained and more stuff will get broken.

People have less ability to co-exist in a space that is too small for them. You also get the chancers who simply want an extended party venue for the lowest per head cost. Not surprisingly there is also a higher chance of bad and noisy behaviour.

Enjoy!!

[Sam V]

Yesterday I had an enquiry in Spanish, via HA for four adults, four children aged 16, 13, 6 and 2 for 23-26 March. I replied we only sleep 6. Then this evening via Clickstay/Rental Systems, whichever they are, an enquiry, same dates, four adults, four kids 16, 13, 5 and 1, asking if we had a cot, if not they would bring one and the five year old would sleep in bed with the parents, and a quote in euros

[kg1]

Resist the temptation. We did not in the early days and more often than not the place was dirtier, messier, scuffed, stained and more stuff will get broken.

People have less ability to co-exist in a space that is too small for them. You also get the chancers who simply want an extended party venue for the lowest per head cost. Not surprisingly there is also a higher chance of bad and noisy behaviour.

Enjoy!!

Totally agree. Which is why I will offer a discount for couples just using one bedroom. Less work on changeover and much less chance of problems. Although I don't make up the other beds, just in case they forget😉

[Fleur]

There's always the case that a couple may prefer to sleep in separate rooms / beds and want to use more than one room.

Kyrenia girl what happened when you queried your recently proposed over occupancy ?

I seriously think some people do consider they are renting the house / property and can then invite extra people to come and go as they please.

[PW in Polemi]

There's always the case that a couple may prefer to sleep in separate rooms / beds and want to use more than one room.

I seriously think some people do consider they are renting the house / property and can then invite extra people to come and go as they please.

Many of our couples specifically book a two bedroomed place because one snores/thrashes around/reads late/whatever!

After a bad over-occupancy episode in our first season, we changed our contract so it now stipulates that only those guests named in the contract may stay and any alterations are with our prior approval only. No over occupancy problems since then.