If a host says this, RUN

You know exactly what I’m talking about - you show up at a BEAUTIFUL Airbnb downtown and you can’t wait to win the job. You know this property will bring in some good cash so you’re thrilled to give the quote.

When the day finally arrives to give an on-site quote, you pull up ready to impress. Everything is going well and you’re feeling GREAT about the situation. But then, something sets off a tiny little alarm in your head that says “uh-oh. proceed with caution.”

What happened? Well, the host who owns the beautiful property, just said a swear word. Yep, she didn’t even excuse her use of the explicative. What did she say? I’m embarrassed to even type it out. She said: “I’m pretty picky and have had to fire my last 2 cleaners.” Gulp 😳 

What started as optimism has now turned to skepticism, fear, and a little bit of annoyance. You know as well as any other cleaner that if a host says they are “picky” in the first meeting, it will be nearly impossible to please them. No matter how hard you work, you might never be able to live up to their expectations.

So you give the quote, accounting for the potential headaches, and leave. In the back of your mind you hope you get the job, but there’s also a little part of you that hopes you don’t. Why? Because some hosts honestly just aren’t worth the money. gasp. I know, but it’s true.

If you don’t believe it, trust me, at some point you will have a host that drives you completely bonkers and you’ll throw your hands up and say “I don’t care what they’re paying me, I’m done.” The experienced cleaners are nodding their heads in aggreance.

So, the host said “picky” what are some other 🚩🚩🚩 you should watch out for? Glad you asked. I made a list:

1. They say “picky, OCD, crazy, etc.” in your first meeting. They aren’t lying. If anything, they are being generous because it’ll be way worse than you expect.

2. They have fired their last 2 or 3 cleaners with no reasonable or legitimate explanation.

3. They make frequent visits to the property to inspect your work. Sounds like this won’t be an issue, but depending on the host, this could be a total nightmare if they have said any of the words in point #1.

4. They have several property-specific requirements (e.g., where each pillow, throw blanket, accessory should be placed). If just one of these is out of place, you’ll hear about it and it won’t matter how clean the property is.

5. They complain about your pricing and try to talk you down. A common phrase is “my last cleaner used to charge X.” To which I say: “Where are they now?” Chances are she quit because of the points above, or the host fired her. If the host fired her, then yes, you should charge a higher price.

If you haven’t experienced any of the 5 above, buckle up. Sooner or later you’ll meet a host that makes you question your life’s purpose. Now, to be fair, this is like 5% of hosts. Most are lovely, understanding, and reasonable. But if your host falls into 1 (or more) of the 5 categories above, listen to the tiny alarm 🚨 in your head that is saying “proceed with caution".

That’s a wrap! I hope you enjoyed today’s edition of Same Day Turn. If you haven’t already, please share this with a friend. I’m on a mission to build the best community of Airbnb cleaners so we can all learn and grow together!

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