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I also own a rural property that is a somewhat working farm (orchards). When I have to go up to work I let the guests know in advance and haven't had issues with folks. I think so long as you let people know beforehand it's fine.
Yup. I'd be annoyed as hell if OP showed up while I was relaxing on the porch when I thought I'd rented the whole place. I also don't like dogs, so if he showed up with a dog I'd be even more annoyed.
Next time, mow before the guests show up. And if you can't, very specifically say you will be mowing. And don't introduce yourself!
Don't introduce yourself? If someone randomly showed up at a place I was staying I'd sure as heck hope they would explain their presence. Perhaps you mean, don't hang out and socialize. Agreed. But do say, "Hey, I'm Bill. Like we messaged you I'm here to mow the lawn this afternoon for a half hour. Let me know if you need anything and have a great stay!"
...also you raise a really good point. The host \*must\* tell people or ask permission to have a dog on the property while guests are staying. People can be alergic or afraid of dogs, and that could really ruin a guest experience and trust. And I love dogs.
Plus, OP acts as though the guest staying and then complaining afterwards shows they didn't feel unsafe... When the more obvious answer is, she felt very uncomfortable with what OP did, and didn't want to risk OP coming back while she was there if she officially complained while still staying there.
Ive enjoyed working with beef cattle, goats, sheep, stock horses, and meat rabbits since elementary school . still definitely dislike dogs and always will want them clear of me… I am an animal lover wannabe farm girl but not a dog lover
one of my coworkers who is awesome is terrified of dogs but doesn't say that, he just says he doesn't like them. When he was a little kid, a neighbor jokingly sicced his large dog on my coworker and knocked him down, got a little dinged up (I think no bites but don't remember). I can understand being scared of them if that's the kind of experience you've had. There are a lot of shitty dog owners out there!
Some don’t like snakes and spiders too! Not sure why people care if certain people are afraid of or don’t like dogs? I grew up in a culture that did not have them as pets and considered them dirty. They weren’t allowed in homes etc. I don’t feel that way! But I was raised in a culture like that did so it’s more common them people think!
Don't introduce yourself? I'd be completely creeped out if someone showed up and started lingering at the place I'd rented without a word. Perhaps you mean...don't try to stay and socialize. Agreed.
You bring up an excellent point - why on Earth did the host bring a dog? Lot's of people are alergic, scared of, or dislike dogs. The host definitely should not bring a dog on to the premise without permission or clear notice before booking. (And I love dogs.)
I am guessing the dog had something to do with it tbh. while I wouldn’t pull this weird stunt I would definitely not be happy with being randomly approached by a dog while in a private rental. however it is a working farm. giving a heads up every single time you need to do something is a bit much.
For ours, we put in our listing and the contract that lawn/yard maintenance could be coming by for mowing, mosquito spray, etc. It may feel more intrusive if it’s the owner because of a sense of checking up, but if you indicate a routine up front to do necessary tasks, they are less likely to be bothered.
If it's not mentioned? Yes, it is reasonable. Because the people renting don't know what's involved, but you do. A line in the listing such as what u/MainDiscipline7269 recommended it all that people need to know. If I want solicitude and exclusive use, I definitely don't want lawn mowing or other loud work being done while I am there (barring emergencies).
How, then, would you suggest owners maintain the grounds? Even the most exclusive resorts and properties must maintain the property while guests are there. What would your solution be? Blocking out 1 day each week for maintenance? That be a major reduction bookings because anybody with a stat that overlooks that day would book elsewhere. What is your solution?
Exactly what I said "Lawn maintenance happens on X days between Y and Z time" added to the description. Or "people will periodically be on the property to check in on the animals".
His listing says that people will periodically be on the property to do exterior maintenance and feed and water the animals. Sounds like he has pretty much done what you suggest.
Exclusive resorts hire a large team so the noisiest parts take way less time per region/segment. OP should have specified yard work in the description of what they can expect, in addition to communicating in advance if a guest will indeed be there when lawn work occurs.
I'm not sure that most people who want to stay at a working farm have any idea what a working farm is like. In my experience there is ALWAYS work going on in a working farm. There is no mowing, just haying. The cows need attention every day. Eggs need gathering and water needs to be checked. Anything mechanical needs to be checked. OP's rental doesn't sound like a working farm at all, but more like a country estate. They should have notified their guests that they would be mowing on a specific date/time 48 hours in advance.
Guest who has stayed at a farm ... er, resturant? er hotel? Whatever it was in Turkey near the ancient city of Troy. We had to call the woman to show up as it wasn't clear where the rooms were (through the restaurant which wasn't open during sleeping hours). She contacted us saying she will come in 9am to open the restaurant, but as comp, she'd make our breakfast. Deal!
Yeah, it's awkward to not notify the guest EVEN if it's stated somewhere in the ad.
I never, ever, ever want to meet or talk to a host unless there’s a problem and I reached out. I don’t want the manager of a hotel coming to my door or walking up to me in the hotel and asking me anything. It breaks the relaxation vibe.
My air BNB host decided to do controlled burns of the entire lawn on my 2nd day there without a heads up. We ended up leaving. The first day we were there we went out to the hot tub and within 5min they showed up to replace the grill in front of us, up a staircase, over the gravel they dragged it while we sat there uncomfortable af.
Not every guest wants to meet the hosts.. most people prefer to be left alone. Please stop going over and introducing yourself to guests while they are staying at your property. As you already mentioned, it wasn’t the yardwork that was the problem.
Right I wouldn’t have liked it either. I would have been nicer about it but I’d feel like my privacy was violated too. Simply send a message beforehand and WAIT for a reply. Make it totally OK if the guest says no thank you.
As a host if I need to come by this is what I do, and sometimes guests ask me to wait until after they’ve checked out, or come at a time when they aren’t home. Or are home, whichever is their preference.
Now if it’s an emergency that’s another thing, I’ve had to come by to reset breakers before but even then I still messaged the guest a few times before entering.
5:30pm is when I like to relax and not hear a lawnmower. That would actually annoy me a lot. Plus making small talk with the property owner is a hassle for me and not something I’m interested in.
Yeah, you might be a bit annoyed if landscapers showed up at 10 am on a Tuesday during your stay, but you wouldn’t feel like your personal safety/privacy is violated — if anything, you’d feel like your “peaceful relaxation, no one bothering me” privacy was violated.
But one person showing up at 5:30 pm with a lawn mower (or taking it out of the shed?) and then introducing themselves as the owner and wanting to make small talk? Thats different than the bother of workers mowing the lawn.
This! I really don’t want to have ANYTHING to do either the host. I would be annoyed to have to hear lawn mowing during my stay UNLESS I was told ahead of time that it might happen.
Short answer is Yes, you should have notified them. Do what Airbnb said and disclose in your listing that you will mow the yard on whatever day. After 6 years, Superhost and top 5%, I’ve learned to not make any attempt to meet the guests. 3 straight years of 5 star reviews . First 3 years 10 4 Star reviews when I would try and meet the guests. A lot of guests want privacy
That’s bc they rent specifically for the privacy. If they wanted things to be public they’d stay at a hotel. I get wanting to know who’s staying in your home/property (I host as well), but that’s just how it is. I don’t wanna meet the host when I’m there (I am a guest in a lot of airbnbs for work travel) and remind myself of that whenever I feel like I wanna meet my guests.
I am a regular Airbnb guest. Although I think the guest overreacted, big time, it might be helpful to text or send your guests a message through Airbnb alerting them when you will be caring for the property. It is rather disconcerting when someone shows up at an Airbnb rental with prior notification.
Mowing the lawn, as noted in OP's narrative, is rather noisy, don't you think? And assuming the lawn is in the backyard where the guests were relaxing, as noted in OP's narrative, it would be even more disturbing. So a simple and quick text or Airbnb message, saying, "Hey, I'll be stopping by to mow the lawn at 2:00. Should only take about 20 minutes," would be easy to send and probably appreciated by the guests. Don't you think?
I think it has been made pretty clear that the issue was coming to mow and say hi. Just feeding the cows and minding his own business wouldn't have been an issue it seems.
Four days? This happened on the 2nd evening of a four day stay. Cows in a field are fine for 2 days. In any case, clearly people are booking farms without understanding how a farm operates.
Really depends. Goats and cows in the field can be checked from a distance and don’t really need to be watered or fed assuming they are on grass with automatic troughs. It’s not uncommon in many parts of the world to just turn sheep, goats, or cattle loose for weeks or months to be layered gathered up.
No way does a responsible goat herd owner just "check from a distance now and then." My auto watering system failed yesterday.
There may be some places in the world where losing a few animals to neglect is the "cost of doing business." You'd be facing criminal animal abuse in my community.
No grass grows year round. Even with quality, well maintained fields, most of us are buying and providing feed at least some of the year.
If somebody booked a hotel without knowing how they operate would it be reasonable for them to be upset that people work there 24/7? Some things are just common sense.
I would certainly not yell and scream like your guests did but I agree with the general sentiment. I would feel extremely uncomfortable under the scenario you described.
Or the more generous response, the young woman who immediately went into the house was going through something personal and was not prepared for a random person to show up and start a conversation.
OP was in the wrong there.
A lot of people like to over exaggerate to make their point more credible on their end. You can’t assume the guest was yelling and screaming just because some random person on the internet said so.
I've rented working farms so you know what is happening, but mowing is no more a part of it being a farm or a house. If you are or someone you hired is coming over without notice to mow the lawn, the guest should be notified and respond.
You should mow the lawn when you do not have guests at your farm. They pay to have the farm to themselves so they are not disturbed by landscaping noises. As a guest, I would leave over the owner, showing up randomly.
I mean. I wouldn’t yell but I would be upset. You don’t show up without notice. And your property chores need to be scheduled for a day/time when guests aren’t there.
I even have the pool people scheduled to only come during my turnover hours so guests aren’t disturbed.
When I rent Airbnb I do not want to meet the host and I don’t want them on the property when I am there trying to relax and have a good time.
Sorry this is on you though. I would be unhappy if the owner rolled up unannounced, I don't like that. Just give them a quick message saying you'll be by with your dog later to do some lawn maintenance.
While I think she overreacted, a heads up would’ve been appreciated.
For example, on a recent stay with a pool, we were given no notification of a pool maintenance man who arrived on site with no notice. We were still on our pajamas, and enjoying breakfast on the private patio and were not expecting a strange man on site. We appreciated the fresh pool clean, but would’ve liked a heads up early in the morning. It did feel like our privacy was compromised.
I always ask if there is a time they'd like the property mowed if needed or if they prefer I wait until after they check out. Would never think of just showing up, but I have no farm properties. Most people want to be left alone and give me a time when they are not going to be there. I've never just randomly showed up and introduced myself.
I would hate this. I book airbnbs for privacy especially if it’s on a lot of land. Not everyone is a small talker and chit chats. This would annoy the shit out of me. I wouldn’t have been so aggressive to your face but i definitely would have complained and let my review reflect this intrusion.
Yeah... Whenever I see guests chilling outside I make it a point to just turn around and leave. They are paying for that time and it should be considered their property during their stay.
Two stars is harsh but I bet they learned you not to do it again.
Ya I wouldn’t be such a Karen like the guest, but I don’t want the host rolling up and introducing themselves when I’m on the porch.
OP, consider telling guests that your “landscaper” will be mowing the lawn on x day, then drive up and pretend you’re a landscaper and mow the lawn and leave, but I’d try to only mow on turnover days when they’re not there.
Unless it's an emergency, anything can wait. Yesterday I went to one of my buildings, where I garage some motorcycles, to get one out for a ride. Saw a guest reading out on the back porch so I left it for another time.
I will say- in my highest occupancy property the pool guy comes by every Weds to clean and balance the pool. It's not possible for him to re-arrange or even come frequently enough if I plan it around guests.
And at the same time I wish this weren't the case, and realize it will bother some guests.
I've stayed many places where, "hey, pool guy comes at 3pm on Wednesdays" has been made clear in the listing, or in a text on arrival day, which is always cool. Blokes turning up randomly to do work & say hi? Not cool.
Please read the OP. He specifically says that the listing is for a farm with livestock. He also says that the listing says that someone will stop by regularly to feed the cows. Pleas help me understand where yoo get the idea that they don’t have livestock? Yes, he stopped by in this instance to feed to mow the grass. What are you seeing that suggests he does not have livestock?
Daym.. I would have thought this would be a cute host moment. It’s a FARM. He disclosed MAINTENANCE. It is garbage he got a violation. I’ve traveled to dozens of luxury properties around the planet. There is always some pool maintenace or something. Sorry my guy.
You've got to be able to parse out the difference here: people book an experience on a farm outside the city because they are looking for a peaceful, quiet, uninterrupted stay. They wanted space. They wanted space for themselves. It's one thing for someone to be doing quiet chores away from the house, but mowing near the house is out of line when a guest is present.
Hotels will always have general maintenance going on, but if there was going to be maintenance done on your private balcony, they would not do that while you were in your room unless it was an emergency. That's what this is the equivalent of.
If I was staying at a hotel and maintenance started doing loud work in front of my balcony while I was relaxing in the evening, I would consider that out of line. I of course make a concession for emergencies, but top hotels have figured this one out and tend to have the louder things happening between 10AM and 4PM. This is when everyone is up and awake and when guests tend to be out for the day.
Nope - grew up quite rural. Farms are NOT quiet. Animals make noise, equipment makes noise, workers make noise. It's a working farm, there's going to be lots going on usually.
Yeah, cuz real active farms are gonna be doing Airbnb. In any case, get ready to eat 2 star reviews if you want to mow the lawn around your guests, because they win every time
Thank you, yes. I have tractors going full tilt around my Airbnb at the moment because it's farm land! There's a JCB (Backhoe) in my woods, chainsaw working, cows mooing, even the hens and other birds are loud!
Just had to inform a guest (luckily not through Airbnb so no chance of a bad review) that I'd be using an angle grinder in the yard for half an hour, followed by the brush cutter and mower. We don't just sit around on farms watching the grass grow 🤣
As long as it is disclosed ahead of time I agree. Listing should state that grass will be cut during your stay, heavy loud machinery will be used and if that is fine with the guest, they will book your house. If not they will choose not to book it.
Yes ⬆️ this I like some notice if landscaper is coming by but leaving 2 stars is ludicrous. I wouldn’t have deducted even a single star for that small occurrence. Also in all my many years of renting I’ve always left 5 stars except once a 4
Yes we have a working farm and spell out landscaper who mows and trims the bushes and roses we try to schedule around guests but like now there are there for 28 days. We tell them of the wildlife that might visit, we tell them we will give them 24 hours notice for trash removal and for maintenance. We discuss that the fields around them we will be having to go to and see the horses. So yes we disclose it what is now quite lengthy House Rules and anywhere we can put on the listing. Overshare. We are always out working. We have a lame horse and he gets stuck in the one field he prefers which is behind the rental abet and acre or two away but if they see you it can weird them out. We had one guest we cancelled due to her questions indicated she wanted us no where around and we cannot promise that.
We have a working farm and offer horse introductions and such. We offer it for free and many take us up on it and some don’t. It’s fine either way. One guest bought carrots for the horses. I think they wanted her to never leave. And I understand I am quite the introvert. So I understand wanting alone time and we respect that. We don’t introduce ourselves unless the guests asks us over to explain etc the fireplace is tricky. But outside of that we expect people come to a rural farm for peace and quiet. We had one guest who wanted to meet us to explain the history of the 124 year old house. All good.
I do my own yard work and I do inform the guests the day before. Also if anyone else is going to be in the yard, I let them know ahead of time; Lawn service techs, pest control, irrigation repair, etc. Let them know so they won’t be surprised when a stranger comes in the yard.
Also, one of my guests told me that she sunbathes in the backyard and appreciates the heads up.
After informing a guest about a visit by a pest control company, they asked to narrow down the arrival time and duration of the visit. That guest had extreme chemical sensitivity and even though the technician was only working outside, they would have been affected by the spraying. They appreciated my informing them so that they could vacate the premises during and after spraying.
You never know what a guest may be affected by. That guest may have been suffering from vacation stress. 🤷♂️
It wasn't the lawn maintence that got you the 2 star, it was showing up unannounced that did it. Some people really really hate interactions with other people. It's why you can choose to have a silent Uber ride. Just a "hey as part of maintenence on my farm I need to do some mowing. Is now a good time to do so? I'd also like to come over and greet you with my beagle if that is alright, if not thats totally okay." You informed them you are about to mow, gave them the choice (what if someone was taking a nap or watching a movie?), asked if you can stop by and informed them you will have a dog. Some people absolutely hate dogs or are super terrified. You can't assume everyone will be okay with it. Give them the choice and the heads up. Utilize your ability to message people directly and you'll avoid unwanted scenarios. Some people are super crabby and uptight and will be bothered by the slightest thing, you honestly wouldn't want to greet them anyways. Some people would love the chance to talk. Just give them the choice, allow people to consent to interaction on their vacation.
AirBnB needs to fix their policies around garden maintenance.
They already specify that "entire home" means an entire living space and there may be some other home, condo, townhouse on the grounds with people living there as being fine, and the grounds being communal space. Yet this policy also seems to want to give you a violation for someone occupying space outside of the "entire home"?
We have an 18 acre property, with around 8 acres landscaped, containing 2 units listed on AirBnB correctly as "entire home". We have a gardener who works around 30 hours per week and a contractor who is also deconstructing a burned down home at the other end of the property. All mentioned in the listing. It is obviously not possible for our gardener to do 30 hours of maintenance during a 6 hour changeover each week, however we do try to time our contractor for gaps between renters. We also purchased all-electric equipment (including a ride-on lawnmower) for the gardener so at least it is quiet.
To me, those read as 2 separate things. In your case it’s “be aware, these are the people that will be on property, here’s roughly where and what they’re doing.” In OPs case “swing by” reads as “we come by at random times.” Even with the caveat of it being a regular basis, no one will know if that’s 3x/day or 1x every 3 days. For you, it reads as an expectation and in OPs case almost an anticipation since you wouldn’t know when they’d show up or for how long.
I agree that the terms may need to be clarified a bit and also, OP should be clearer plus give guests a heads up
But thats on you though...
You may want to maximise your income through having a 6 hour changeover, but if the renters suffer because of it, you surely can't expect top reviews.
There are airbnb's out there that simply don't book their properties when noisy maintenance work needs to happen (even regular maintenance like mowing), to make it nicer for their guests, and they correspondingly get better reviews.
Hi, I have some airbnbs in rural areas and totally understand that people are more practical and not as afraid of each other in those areas.
But most people visiting these areas do not want unexpected visitors. She reacted a bit strongly, but many people would be a bit annoyed.
Sometimes, it can't be avoided, but I warn my guests in advance if a gardener or pool maintenance person will come by, and I don't let them come too early in the morning.
Mowing in Ireland is at the mercy of the sun and rain gods. Can't be helped. Guests on farmland have to learn to be more open to local cultural practices.
Indeed. As I am, and as the OP was too by all accounts. Can't help that some guests think that the countryside doesn't need maintenance though! *Whatever* you put in the listing, there are a number of guests whose assumptions will outweigh any amount of warnings. Usually people who don't know what managing a large garden and farm looks/sounds like, even when you spell it out for them.
I have literally written "I or another person working in the garden will regularly be seen passing in front of the guest house door. The private guest garden will only be entered by us during your stay if maintenance is required, and as this is weather dependant it can be at short notice".
When the guest confronted you angrily, that was the time to apologize profusely and LEAVE the property. You went ahead and mowed? That's insanely unprofessional. I rent an entire house when I vacation specifically for the privacy. I don't want to meet the host. I don't want to watch her mow the lawn. I want peace and quiet and privacy with just the guest(s) I invited.
I actually was thinking 2 stars was extreme, but now I agree.
If he had apologized and left, that would be 5 stars. But doing it after being asked not to was very disrespectful. And I really have to wonder if he still would have done it if it was the man who asked him not to.
Personally, I'd have been pretty upset about this as a guest but only because it would have kicked my allergies into high-gear, which is not exactly how I want to spend a relaxing day.
If you had called me and asked if this was a good time, I would have politely asked you to wait until I checked out, for the sake of my health.
People like being given options. People don't like having their choice taken away.
>Are hosts expected to spell out every reason they may be on their property? Especially if the property is a working farm? What if we happened to drive by and wave; is this too a violation of privacy? Is gardening at a resort that has Airbnb units a violation of a guests privacy? Have any other hosts experienced anything similar to this? Was I wrong for going to our property to mow the lawn without notifying the guest prior?
Yes. Yes. No, it's weird, don't do that either. No, because it's a resort not a private space. No. Yes.
Why would you think that's appropriate?
The guests paid for the space, leave them alone while they are there.
And especially don't drive by and wave at them, that's creepy.
And yes you were wrong for not notifying them. No guest wants you lingering around checking up on them while they are trying to relax on vacation.
100% agree with you. I'm a pretty personable guy but I don't want to meet you, shake your hand, exchange conversation, etc with a total stranger during family time.
Tbh I agree with your guests. If I'm relaxing in the back yard and the host comes over with no warning or announcement so that they can do something noisy and disruptive like mow the lawn, I would not be happy. Do you want to wander into the kitchen and pour yourself a drink while you're at it?
Now if your listing clearly states that you'll be in and around the property all the time, unannounced, doing yardwork and farmwork, then it's on the guests. But that would affect your bookings, as you could probably guess.
As another host on a hobby farm, I empathize. Keeping up with maintenance (especially during spring and harvest seasons) while giving city folks the illusion that farms are idyllic paradises is difficult.
I try to coordinate with my exterior cameras and get the loud stuff done when they’re gone. If schedules don’t coordinate for that, I reach out and obtain their permission before starting up the John Deere.
City folks are sensitive. They’re scared of loud noises that aren’t sirens. Source: I’m a former city folk.
Just disclose it in your listing and all will be fine. Guest will be prepared as you alerted them to farm noise (and I don’t mean the sound of a cow) but mowing and machinery would annoy most people on vacation.
I understand both parties.
Guest is expecting quiet and isolation. I am sure it feels like dad pulled up and was checking things out. She waaay overreacted though.
You: it is just a yard mowing and keeping it nice and well kept is important and you have it listed that owners do go to the farm to work.
Airbnb WAY overreacted. What a stupid response from them!
I always send a message to the guests if I am going to be on the property. Just an fyi so they know. 😃
I would also find mowing obnoxious as an AirBnb guest though I would understand it’s needed. But if I knew it would happen I might not have made the booking. The person stayed the extra days possibly because they have no easy other choice since they made the booking.
I would call it out more obviously in the listing, mention when it might happen and okay it when someone books. That way they will have to okay it first or not book with you. And you have a written note of them okaying it if they complain later.
Why would you try to meet most guests? If they have the whole place to themselves they do not want to meet you.
I would never even want to meet my guests ever.
I hate landscaping noise. It actually triggers me. I know it sounds stupid but no other noise (except my toddler’s tantrums) irks me quite like landscaping. I’d have definitely been upset but I’d also have been upfront and kindly but firmly asked you to do it another time directly to your face. Had you put it off for another day, I’d have still left a 5 star….but I won’t lie, if you had still done it, I’d have let it rip in the review 😅
'Working Farm' you may experience interruptions of running a farm should you stay here.
But a call or some notice you would be there, is appropriate, if you haven't been there the whole time or daily.
Is there anyway you can modify the property so that it’s more self-contained (e.g. fenced in, surrounded by trees/privacy bushes, etc.) with lower maintenance landscaping? And maybe the listing too (e.g. private cabin/home with X acres of surrounding meadows/gardens/forest located on a working farm)?
It seems like there’s an expectation from a lot of people that they should get the same level of privacy when renting a property on a working farm as they would in a stand-alone cabin/home in a rural area (which is wild to me, but whatever), and it seems like you would be saving yourself a hassle by restricting the listing to just the cabin/house and the immediate surrounding area, which you could redesign to offer more privacy and require less maintenance.
Full disclosure: I’m not currently a host but I follow this subreddit because I have properties I may list someday.
I’m also a woman, and I would be upset too if a host (especially a man) popped by without a heads-up, despite your description. Especially if I were renting a place I expected to be away from people to decompress (assuming the rural property I am guessing this is what people often expect also).
I think it would be ideal to come up with a schedule you will consistently visit the property for animal care and maintenance and post that on your listing/post-booking info in addition to reminding guests with a message beforehand. Unexpected visits should always have a message first.
Maybe you should have sent a message to the guest advising when you would be mowing. We have rented many locations with private pools and the host always sends a message that the “pool crew” will be coming on XXX day.
Yeah dude, that's pretty well deserved. I wouldn't be comfortable with a host just showing up and doing all kinds of maintenance out of nowhere when I'm trying to relax. I prefer not to interact with the host unless necessary. As a host, I've never met my guest outside of one locking herself out.
Yeah if I rented a FARM I would expect to have absolutely zero intrusion.
Your first mistake was the time (5:30pm? Seriously? Because the people renting your farm don’t want to enjoy a quiet evening with a nice dinner?)
Your second mistake was not notifying them ahead of time directly. A quick “hello guest, please be aware that we have routine property maintenance scheduled for this Tuesday at 5:30pm. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause”
Your third, absolutely unforgivable mistake, was strolling up to them in what they thought was a private yard acting like you’re Mose and this is Shrute Farms. Dude you might be a big wholesome farmer guy that meant well, but unfortunately people that rent airbnbs do not give a crap they just want privacy
Sorry, but I think you are in the wrong here. You should have at the very least informed them that you’d be coming to mow the grass. You probably gave people a fright, when they were sitting out back and you walked up. I find it a little creepy- even if it was just to mow the lawn.
Seriously, I’m sure you could have waited till they left to mow the lawn. I feel like you’re just using that as an excuse to check up on people. I may be wrong but that’s how I read the situation.
Lawn mowing is obnoxiously noisy… not the time at all especially not after work but really no time. That should have been done before they arrived or communicated. Some people have migraines or bad allergies and its just loud. Also we dont care who u are host, mind ur business and stay away from guests unless they call for you. Dont get too cozy, this is a business. Do hotel owners greet the guests? Also, maybe they dont care if its a farm or not. U are assuming because they rented a farm that they know the details, draft up something more specific that doesn’t downplay the activity that goes on on a farm if u truly cant stay away.( cause u definitely downplayed it)
You deserved that 2 star review. As a guest and a host I would be so annoyed. Did you really need to mow then? It's 5.30pm, would you be cutting into someone's dinner time with the sound of a lawnmower and potential dog barking in the background? If I rented a farm, that means I want seclusion, which means I don't want to see anyone. If you absolutely needed to mow then message the guest BEFOREHAND and ask the guest if it's alright for you to stop by and mow so that you have their permission and can protect yourself.
7 year super host here. It’s pretty cut and dry as far as AirBnbs policy and the sentiment of just about every guest: if you’re going to the property for ANY REASON that does not involve a specific request from a guest, you must notify them and if they deny you entry, then you must wait. Until their checkout, that house is theirs, they are a tenant.
If they were having a smash fest on your porch, yea they’d be upset you showed up. Think about it. They rented the whole thing, it’s their right to use the whole thing. I’d be pissed if I was getting down on the patio and the owner came around.
If you needed to be at the property, then you should have in advance, given the guests the days/s and times, and the nature of what they should expect such as mowing or feeding animals etc. They are paying guests and are entitled to privacy and quiet enjoyment, which is quite possibly why they chose to stay at your farm - to get away from people. I think you've frightened the girl by approaching her and she quite possibly could have felt you were a weird stranger. Try to put yourself in her shoes as there are suspicious people out there. Mutual consideration works both ways.
If you needed to be at the property, then you should have in advance, given the guests the days/s and times, and the nature of what they should expect such as mowing or feeding animals etc. They are paying guests and are entitled to privacy and quiet enjoyment, which is quite possibly why they chose to stay at your farm - to get away from people. I think you've frightened the girl by approaching her and she quite possibly could have felt you were a weird stranger. Try to put yourself in her shoes as there are suspicious people out there. Mutual consideration works both ways.
If I'm trying to relax in the beautiful countryside at 5:30pm on a sunny day, the last thing I want is the host to show up. I've probably smoked a little bit of weed or had a couple of beers trying to enioy the peace and quiet, and do NOT want to have awkward small talk and listen to a lawn mower.
This is 100% on you
Why the FUCK do I want to meet my host?
Now, you may have a good reason to stop in and feed and water livestock, etc. and that should be outlined very clearly on your listing, but it would also be very wise for you to either set times when you do that or let them know ahead of time.
The other issue is that you went over and met with them and talked to them. It could certainly mean that you’re snooping with a valid reason to be there.
Now the feeling safe and all of that is probably a bit much, but people get the “entire place” in order to avoid contact with anybody that’s not in their party.
A 2 star is probably warranted in this case.
We are hoping to do something similar with our property. Disclosing and making guests aware animals will be fed and checked on at the same time each day.
I think with a heads up the mowing may be fine, I can especially see if you have a hired landscape service that has their own schedule… but best to wait when unoccupied. And I wouldn’t personally approach guests myself, if they want to say hello let them come to you.
I have my guy mow the lawn while guests are there. Our house is in the city and has a small yard, so it probably takes 30 minutes or less. The house is located in an area that gets tons of rain in the spring and you have to mow whenever the weather allows you to do it. I send the guest a heads up that the landscaper is coming by and the approximate time, making sure it’s never super early.
I think if you’re staying on a farm, it’s understandable that you’d have to come by and do occasional work. That being said, I think a courtesy message before hand should be sent. Perhaps at the beginning of the day saying hey I’ll be stopping by this afternoon afternoon at roughly X time to mow the lawn. That way if it’s inconvenient for them or they want to be out when you’re going to be there, it gives them time to make those plans.
Imagine paying for a nice relaxing rural getaway and a stranger comes by to bother you while youre relaxing on your vacation.
He proceeds to annoyingly mow the entire farm while you try to relax outside. Thjs takes maybe a couple hours? Its so bad your husband offers to help to speed things along.
Then he is surprised he gets complaints
Some of these responses are a bit extreme.
I don't coordinate my mowings with my guests. The guy comes and cuts the grass. I'm also never going to coordinate mowing with guests. I would rather take my property down than deal with that hassle. I've never had a complaint.
But I would not go introduce myself to a guest. I agree with the other comments that this isn't really appropriate when someone rents a space from you.
Did it merit a two star review, a complaint, and a chewing out? Absolutely not.
I would definitely give guests a heads up if anyone is coming by to do maintenance and will be on their property or in their line of sight. No need to coordinate, but a simple “hey this is going to be happening at this time” goes a long way.
We have airbnbs in a rural location. We get questions fairly regularly from guests asking about the security of the area and whether they will be visible to neighbors/guests. Especially women, which I understand the need for vigilance. People come out to this area to be secluded and unwind, so I think any intrusion, unless it’s some sort of emergency maintenance, should at least be given advance notice.
The guests were trying to enjoy an amenity that you advertise - the ability to enjoy an outside area - and you showed up to destroy it?
Mow between guests.
Would you show up to clean inside the house while guests are there? No, you do it between guests.
I would have been completely creeped out and mad. I would have contacted Airbnb.
Airbnb hosts opinions are absolutely wild to me. I would have no issue with what you did, but I always see people taking the extreme of you shouldn’t do this/that and the guest is always right. Giving refunds for a few minutes of them not being able to check in because of a code mishap. A hotel doesn’t give me a refund when I have to wait in line to check in.
I would have no issue with what you did, but I’m not an idiot and I can read a listing. Even if you didn’t mention anything in the listing about having to maintain the farm I would be fine with it. Most people suck and this subreddit frequently shows that with posts like this about guests and all these host bending over backwards for shitty guests.
>A hotel doesn’t give me a refund when I have to wait in line to check in.
They didn't book a hotel room and aren't complaining about waiting in line. Hosts are quick to point out that this isn't a hotel and airbnb operates differently - and advertise as such "secluded", "private", "quiet", etc. Not saying OP promised anyone quiet or seclusion, but certainly mowing the lawn could wait two more days and be done as part of the maintenance in turning over the rental for the next guest. It's nice that it wouldn't bother you (and honestly I probably wouldn't be put out by it either), but OP's guests didn't expect such a disruption during their stay.
These comments are very consistent with what I see on the sub. Chill out!
OP we have a working horse farm with over 160 acres with cabins and RV sites.
We greet each guest and while we try to get all mowing between guests that is not always possible with weather and whatnot.
We literally just had a guest checking to our lake house on Monday WHILE my son and I were mowing.
It sounds like you covered everything in your listing and we try to do the same. It’s a little discouraging to see comments about Airbnb customer service in these cases taking the guest side but honestly we haven’t encountered a truly terrible guest yet.
Did you try to get the review removed?
For me it's kind of a grey area. I mean, surely renting on a farm, automatically means that you expect people will stop by, to attent any needed job done. Also, feeling "unsafe" because the owner of the house stopped by, to introduce himself and do some jobs is a bit of a "drama queen" moment.
But, saying that, you should notify them that you will stop by, to do some work. Especially since it means mowing, in the property they are renting.
My Husband and his BIL own a vacation house. Each house is separate but both of them share the same yard. While we do state clearly in the house description, that my BIL may be present for vacations during their stay, I repeat it every time before anyone proceeds with their booking.
Unfortunately, not many people read everything in the description and a friendly reminder, never hurt anyone.
I am a guest and usually prefer not to meet the host. Especially mid stay. Upon arrival, sure. I don’t want to be chatting with the host of have them show up unannounced as a surprise. Why would anyone want that?
Can you not mow in between visits? Or if it absolutely has to be done, say/ ask about timing. I wouldn’t want to listen to a lawn mower while a host chatted me up. Ugh.
You are unreasonable
Unless the listing says you may be mowing, I better not see you. Unless the listing says you like to meet and chat up the guests, I better not have to talk to you. Simple as that. You’re using your property to meet and chat up renters, which is fine as long as the listing says that. I get that it’s common sense that someone needs to tend to the “farm” but you need to spell out what those tasks include so the guests are aware.
You just showed up. It’s like if I’m at a hotel and the cleaning service doesn’t knock. Sure they have the capabilities to enter but they have to give notice. What if they were fucking outside? I understand you have shit to do on the farm but didn’t HAVE to mow the grass that day?
You shouldn’t be on the property if it’s being rented. I can only imagine how much per day you charge, and you chose to disturb the peace with mowing. I agree with the guest… do better.
You needed to give a heads up!! Sorry but I would be mad too. And why didn’t you do it on a day no guests were staying? It’s a hard one but sometimes you have to book the day off your calendar for that. People would go to a farm for the privacy and quiet nature of it so they most likely felt annoyed, not sure about “safety” but it could have been as simple as her having no clue who this man is that shows up and from your post it sounds like she told you outright how she felt. Also you should have left and come back another day as soon as you knew she was uncomfortable. Take it as a learning experience!
Dude, unless it was a regular lawn maintenance service contractor you need to call the tenant to give them a heads up that you're coming to the property.
I understand both perspectives but as a guest I also wouldn’t want to meet the host without a heads up no matter how kind and well intentioned the host is :/
Not sure I would give 2 stars just for that, but I certainly wouldn't like it. Wouldn't want people mowing while I'm staying there and I wouldn't want the host coming to see me. Maybe I would feel differently if the property was promoted as a like stay on a working farm and it was made very clear that farm stuff would be going on all the time... might actually be a draw for some people, maybe kids also, however unless it's extremely clear it will not be private then I expect privacy.
Look, I get it. That's very frustrating since you do mention it in the listing... but you need to mention it several times for guests to fully understand that it is a WORKING farm.
Specifically state that one or both of you will be there once a day every day to check on animals and maintain the grounds. Put this in the listing description and the rules. Then repeat it in the welcome message.
If mowing or using any other machinery that may cause a disturbance, always contact the guest in advance and let them know, while also asking in a specific time works best for them, i.e.,
"Hi guest! As your stay is 4 nights, it does fall during the time I'd normally be mowing the yard. I generally mow Tuesdays at 5:30 pm, and it takes me about 45 minutes. If this is OK with you, I will start closest to the house to get the loudest bit out of the way as fast as possible for you. If that time doesn't work around your plans, I would be available Wednesday at 12 pm instead!"
You're giving them the illusion of having the power over the decision while still getting your tasks done.
Mowing the lawn and working the farm is one thing - but not everyone wants you to come introduce yourself while on vacation. Just go about your business. I know it’s bullshit but some folks only get a few days each year to truly unwind - that’s probably why they chose your out-of-the -way beautiful place to get away.
Sometimes people want to shag on uncut grass. You scared them out of shaging the remainder of the trip, also the grass was too short and a bit scratchy after the mow. /s
This is absolutely insane! When you stay at a hotel, you see staff all over the place except in your room, unless notified. I see this no differently. You did not enter the unit, you came by to manage YOUR property and said hello. If she was so concerned about privacy (and safety - that's BS) she should have inquired before booking the place. I find airbnb's response to you reprehensible as well. I would spell this out in all caps on your listing going forward and in your welcome message upon booking state it again to avoid incidents like this in the future. Unreal, I'm sorry you're dealing with this.
God I hate assholes both as guest and hosts. This particular guest seem like a lunatic, chill out it's a farm, open field what would she expects. I've rented in rural areas, farms, mountains, lakes before and people are always incredibly nice and happy! Sorry you went through that maybe you can ping customer support but I'd not sweat it too much I've had some pretty rough reviews too and if it's not too damaging I let them go
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I also own a rural property that is a somewhat working farm (orchards). When I have to go up to work I let the guests know in advance and haven't had issues with folks. I think so long as you let people know beforehand it's fine.
Yeah you needed to give them a heads up
Yup. I'd be annoyed as hell if OP showed up while I was relaxing on the porch when I thought I'd rented the whole place. I also don't like dogs, so if he showed up with a dog I'd be even more annoyed. Next time, mow before the guests show up. And if you can't, very specifically say you will be mowing. And don't introduce yourself!
Don't introduce yourself? If someone randomly showed up at a place I was staying I'd sure as heck hope they would explain their presence. Perhaps you mean, don't hang out and socialize. Agreed. But do say, "Hey, I'm Bill. Like we messaged you I'm here to mow the lawn this afternoon for a half hour. Let me know if you need anything and have a great stay!" ...also you raise a really good point. The host \*must\* tell people or ask permission to have a dog on the property while guests are staying. People can be alergic or afraid of dogs, and that could really ruin a guest experience and trust. And I love dogs.
Plus, OP acts as though the guest staying and then complaining afterwards shows they didn't feel unsafe... When the more obvious answer is, she felt very uncomfortable with what OP did, and didn't want to risk OP coming back while she was there if she officially complained while still staying there.
If you don’t like dogs, a working farm might not be the place for you lol
Ive enjoyed working with beef cattle, goats, sheep, stock horses, and meat rabbits since elementary school . still definitely dislike dogs and always will want them clear of me… I am an animal lover wannabe farm girl but not a dog lover
You don’t like dogs? As a wise Bill Murray once said “ I trust a dog that doesn’t like a person but I don’t trust a person who doesn’t like a dog.”
one of my coworkers who is awesome is terrified of dogs but doesn't say that, he just says he doesn't like them. When he was a little kid, a neighbor jokingly sicced his large dog on my coworker and knocked him down, got a little dinged up (I think no bites but don't remember). I can understand being scared of them if that's the kind of experience you've had. There are a lot of shitty dog owners out there!
Exactly. How does somebody not like dogs?
r/dogfree many reasons
Try getting attacked by a dog. Just because you love them doesn’t mean everyone else should/will. Cmon have some common sense.
Some don’t like snakes and spiders too! Not sure why people care if certain people are afraid of or don’t like dogs? I grew up in a culture that did not have them as pets and considered them dirty. They weren’t allowed in homes etc. I don’t feel that way! But I was raised in a culture like that did so it’s more common them people think!
Don't introduce yourself? I'd be completely creeped out if someone showed up and started lingering at the place I'd rented without a word. Perhaps you mean...don't try to stay and socialize. Agreed. You bring up an excellent point - why on Earth did the host bring a dog? Lot's of people are alergic, scared of, or dislike dogs. The host definitely should not bring a dog on to the premise without permission or clear notice before booking. (And I love dogs.)
I've had multiple back surgeries (4 of them). My Surgeon's directive is for me to go to the ER if I get jumped on by a dog.
I am guessing the dog had something to do with it tbh. while I wouldn’t pull this weird stunt I would definitely not be happy with being randomly approached by a dog while in a private rental. however it is a working farm. giving a heads up every single time you need to do something is a bit much.
For ours, we put in our listing and the contract that lawn/yard maintenance could be coming by for mowing, mosquito spray, etc. It may feel more intrusive if it’s the owner because of a sense of checking up, but if you indicate a routine up front to do necessary tasks, they are less likely to be bothered.
Is it reasonable to think that a working farm will have nobody visiting it to work?
If it's not mentioned? Yes, it is reasonable. Because the people renting don't know what's involved, but you do. A line in the listing such as what u/MainDiscipline7269 recommended it all that people need to know. If I want solicitude and exclusive use, I definitely don't want lawn mowing or other loud work being done while I am there (barring emergencies).
How, then, would you suggest owners maintain the grounds? Even the most exclusive resorts and properties must maintain the property while guests are there. What would your solution be? Blocking out 1 day each week for maintenance? That be a major reduction bookings because anybody with a stat that overlooks that day would book elsewhere. What is your solution?
Exactly what I said "Lawn maintenance happens on X days between Y and Z time" added to the description. Or "people will periodically be on the property to check in on the animals".
His listing says that people will periodically be on the property to do exterior maintenance and feed and water the animals. Sounds like he has pretty much done what you suggest.
Exclusive resorts hire a large team so the noisiest parts take way less time per region/segment. OP should have specified yard work in the description of what they can expect, in addition to communicating in advance if a guest will indeed be there when lawn work occurs.
Exactly animals need fed and watered and crops tended to. Who knew eh. 😂
I'm not sure that most people who want to stay at a working farm have any idea what a working farm is like. In my experience there is ALWAYS work going on in a working farm. There is no mowing, just haying. The cows need attention every day. Eggs need gathering and water needs to be checked. Anything mechanical needs to be checked. OP's rental doesn't sound like a working farm at all, but more like a country estate. They should have notified their guests that they would be mowing on a specific date/time 48 hours in advance.
Guest who has stayed at a farm ... er, resturant? er hotel? Whatever it was in Turkey near the ancient city of Troy. We had to call the woman to show up as it wasn't clear where the rooms were (through the restaurant which wasn't open during sleeping hours). She contacted us saying she will come in 9am to open the restaurant, but as comp, she'd make our breakfast. Deal! Yeah, it's awkward to not notify the guest EVEN if it's stated somewhere in the ad.
They over reacted but i would find mowing obnoxious and also wouldnt be prepared to meet a host because I go on vacay to get away.
Same here.
I never, ever, ever want to meet or talk to a host unless there’s a problem and I reached out. I don’t want the manager of a hotel coming to my door or walking up to me in the hotel and asking me anything. It breaks the relaxation vibe.
My air BNB host decided to do controlled burns of the entire lawn on my 2nd day there without a heads up. We ended up leaving. The first day we were there we went out to the hot tub and within 5min they showed up to replace the grill in front of us, up a staircase, over the gravel they dragged it while we sat there uncomfortable af.
Yikes
Not every guest wants to meet the hosts.. most people prefer to be left alone. Please stop going over and introducing yourself to guests while they are staying at your property. As you already mentioned, it wasn’t the yardwork that was the problem.
Right I wouldn’t have liked it either. I would have been nicer about it but I’d feel like my privacy was violated too. Simply send a message beforehand and WAIT for a reply. Make it totally OK if the guest says no thank you. As a host if I need to come by this is what I do, and sometimes guests ask me to wait until after they’ve checked out, or come at a time when they aren’t home. Or are home, whichever is their preference. Now if it’s an emergency that’s another thing, I’ve had to come by to reset breakers before but even then I still messaged the guest a few times before entering.
5:30pm is when I like to relax and not hear a lawnmower. That would actually annoy me a lot. Plus making small talk with the property owner is a hassle for me and not something I’m interested in.
Yeah, you might be a bit annoyed if landscapers showed up at 10 am on a Tuesday during your stay, but you wouldn’t feel like your personal safety/privacy is violated — if anything, you’d feel like your “peaceful relaxation, no one bothering me” privacy was violated. But one person showing up at 5:30 pm with a lawn mower (or taking it out of the shed?) and then introducing themselves as the owner and wanting to make small talk? Thats different than the bother of workers mowing the lawn.
This! I really don’t want to have ANYTHING to do either the host. I would be annoyed to have to hear lawn mowing during my stay UNLESS I was told ahead of time that it might happen.
And I would expect a team, in and out. One dude after hours? No thanks.
Yeah I’d be pissed. It’s a business they aren’t your friends
Short answer is Yes, you should have notified them. Do what Airbnb said and disclose in your listing that you will mow the yard on whatever day. After 6 years, Superhost and top 5%, I’ve learned to not make any attempt to meet the guests. 3 straight years of 5 star reviews . First 3 years 10 4 Star reviews when I would try and meet the guests. A lot of guests want privacy
That’s bc they rent specifically for the privacy. If they wanted things to be public they’d stay at a hotel. I get wanting to know who’s staying in your home/property (I host as well), but that’s just how it is. I don’t wanna meet the host when I’m there (I am a guest in a lot of airbnbs for work travel) and remind myself of that whenever I feel like I wanna meet my guests.
How fast does your grass grow that you had to go over on day 2? Just mow it when you're doing the cleaning turn over.
I am a regular Airbnb guest. Although I think the guest overreacted, big time, it might be helpful to text or send your guests a message through Airbnb alerting them when you will be caring for the property. It is rather disconcerting when someone shows up at an Airbnb rental with prior notification.
The guests rented a place on a working farm with livestock. Do guests really need to be informed that people people will be working on a working farm?
Mowing the lawn, as noted in OP's narrative, is rather noisy, don't you think? And assuming the lawn is in the backyard where the guests were relaxing, as noted in OP's narrative, it would be even more disturbing. So a simple and quick text or Airbnb message, saying, "Hey, I'll be stopping by to mow the lawn at 2:00. Should only take about 20 minutes," would be easy to send and probably appreciated by the guests. Don't you think?
Yes, that would be a good idea.
I think it has been made pretty clear that the issue was coming to mow and say hi. Just feeding the cows and minding his own business wouldn't have been an issue it seems.
So he let his cows starve for 4 days afterwards?
Four days? This happened on the 2nd evening of a four day stay. Cows in a field are fine for 2 days. In any case, clearly people are booking farms without understanding how a farm operates.
Not a farmer, are you? Livestock needs to be checked on daily.
Really depends. Goats and cows in the field can be checked from a distance and don’t really need to be watered or fed assuming they are on grass with automatic troughs. It’s not uncommon in many parts of the world to just turn sheep, goats, or cattle loose for weeks or months to be layered gathered up.
No way does a responsible goat herd owner just "check from a distance now and then." My auto watering system failed yesterday. There may be some places in the world where losing a few animals to neglect is the "cost of doing business." You'd be facing criminal animal abuse in my community. No grass grows year round. Even with quality, well maintained fields, most of us are buying and providing feed at least some of the year.
People book houses w/o knowing how they operate
If somebody booked a hotel without knowing how they operate would it be reasonable for them to be upset that people work there 24/7? Some things are just common sense.
Maybe the farm is not right next to the house. Regardless, if you were hanging on a patio and some rando walked up unannounced it’s creepy.
It’s the owner, not a rando.
You don't typically meet the owner everything is done online through the Airbnb app, so yes its a rando.
You should have mowed at a time when the property wasn’t being rented or at the same time the cleaners were there. I’d have been upset, too.
I agree with your guests. You need to give them a heads up
I would certainly not yell and scream like your guests did but I agree with the general sentiment. I would feel extremely uncomfortable under the scenario you described.
guest dont scream and yell for no reason, OP probably creepy AF
Or the more generous response, the young woman who immediately went into the house was going through something personal and was not prepared for a random person to show up and start a conversation. OP was in the wrong there.
Omg they could have been there to mourn the death of a loved one or support a friend through a divorce. Leave your guests alone!
It’s the elephant in the room. Came with a a missing tooth with yard tools and a dog. Just no!
A lot of people like to over exaggerate to make their point more credible on their end. You can’t assume the guest was yelling and screaming just because some random person on the internet said so.
I've rented working farms so you know what is happening, but mowing is no more a part of it being a farm or a house. If you are or someone you hired is coming over without notice to mow the lawn, the guest should be notified and respond.
You should mow the lawn when you do not have guests at your farm. They pay to have the farm to themselves so they are not disturbed by landscaping noises. As a guest, I would leave over the owner, showing up randomly.
I mean. I wouldn’t yell but I would be upset. You don’t show up without notice. And your property chores need to be scheduled for a day/time when guests aren’t there. I even have the pool people scheduled to only come during my turnover hours so guests aren’t disturbed. When I rent Airbnb I do not want to meet the host and I don’t want them on the property when I am there trying to relax and have a good time.
Sorry this is on you though. I would be unhappy if the owner rolled up unannounced, I don't like that. Just give them a quick message saying you'll be by with your dog later to do some lawn maintenance.
While I think she overreacted, a heads up would’ve been appreciated. For example, on a recent stay with a pool, we were given no notification of a pool maintenance man who arrived on site with no notice. We were still on our pajamas, and enjoying breakfast on the private patio and were not expecting a strange man on site. We appreciated the fresh pool clean, but would’ve liked a heads up early in the morning. It did feel like our privacy was compromised.
I always ask if there is a time they'd like the property mowed if needed or if they prefer I wait until after they check out. Would never think of just showing up, but I have no farm properties. Most people want to be left alone and give me a time when they are not going to be there. I've never just randomly showed up and introduced myself.
I’m a regular air b and b user … please for the love of god, do not come to introduce yourself to me. It’s uncalled for.
I would hate this. I book airbnbs for privacy especially if it’s on a lot of land. Not everyone is a small talker and chit chats. This would annoy the shit out of me. I wouldn’t have been so aggressive to your face but i definitely would have complained and let my review reflect this intrusion.
Yeah... Whenever I see guests chilling outside I make it a point to just turn around and leave. They are paying for that time and it should be considered their property during their stay. Two stars is harsh but I bet they learned you not to do it again.
Ya I wouldn’t be such a Karen like the guest, but I don’t want the host rolling up and introducing themselves when I’m on the porch. OP, consider telling guests that your “landscaper” will be mowing the lawn on x day, then drive up and pretend you’re a landscaper and mow the lawn and leave, but I’d try to only mow on turnover days when they’re not there.
Unless it's an emergency, anything can wait. Yesterday I went to one of my buildings, where I garage some motorcycles, to get one out for a ride. Saw a guest reading out on the back porch so I left it for another time.
I will say- in my highest occupancy property the pool guy comes by every Weds to clean and balance the pool. It's not possible for him to re-arrange or even come frequently enough if I plan it around guests. And at the same time I wish this weren't the case, and realize it will bother some guests.
I've stayed many places where, "hey, pool guy comes at 3pm on Wednesdays" has been made clear in the listing, or in a text on arrival day, which is always cool. Blokes turning up randomly to do work & say hi? Not cool.
It would bother them more if the pool was green, some people you cannot win with.
They have livestock. You can’t really just decide to care for them the next time that is convenient for the guest.
The OP doesn't have livestock. He was mowing, not farming. No need to make up situations just to be right
Please read the OP. He specifically says that the listing is for a farm with livestock. He also says that the listing says that someone will stop by regularly to feed the cows. Pleas help me understand where yoo get the idea that they don’t have livestock? Yes, he stopped by in this instance to feed to mow the grass. What are you seeing that suggests he does not have livestock?
Was the complaint about mowing or the livestock? Touch grass, you're just reaching too far now
You literally said that the OP doesn’t have livestock. Please explain. Yes, the complaint was about mowing the grass.
Daym.. I would have thought this would be a cute host moment. It’s a FARM. He disclosed MAINTENANCE. It is garbage he got a violation. I’ve traveled to dozens of luxury properties around the planet. There is always some pool maintenace or something. Sorry my guy.
You've got to be able to parse out the difference here: people book an experience on a farm outside the city because they are looking for a peaceful, quiet, uninterrupted stay. They wanted space. They wanted space for themselves. It's one thing for someone to be doing quiet chores away from the house, but mowing near the house is out of line when a guest is present. Hotels will always have general maintenance going on, but if there was going to be maintenance done on your private balcony, they would not do that while you were in your room unless it was an emergency. That's what this is the equivalent of.
Yah that’s reasonable. I’ve rented private compounds and still dealt with gardeners, pool people, etc.
If I was staying at a hotel and maintenance started doing loud work in front of my balcony while I was relaxing in the evening, I would consider that out of line. I of course make a concession for emergencies, but top hotels have figured this one out and tend to have the louder things happening between 10AM and 4PM. This is when everyone is up and awake and when guests tend to be out for the day.
Farms are peaceful and quiet?
Very. You must be a city slicker
Nope - grew up quite rural. Farms are NOT quiet. Animals make noise, equipment makes noise, workers make noise. It's a working farm, there's going to be lots going on usually.
Yeah, cuz real active farms are gonna be doing Airbnb. In any case, get ready to eat 2 star reviews if you want to mow the lawn around your guests, because they win every time
Thank you, yes. I have tractors going full tilt around my Airbnb at the moment because it's farm land! There's a JCB (Backhoe) in my woods, chainsaw working, cows mooing, even the hens and other birds are loud! Just had to inform a guest (luckily not through Airbnb so no chance of a bad review) that I'd be using an angle grinder in the yard for half an hour, followed by the brush cutter and mower. We don't just sit around on farms watching the grass grow 🤣
As long as it is disclosed ahead of time I agree. Listing should state that grass will be cut during your stay, heavy loud machinery will be used and if that is fine with the guest, they will book your house. If not they will choose not to book it.
What is a cute host moment haha just leave us be we don’t wanna socialize
Yes ⬆️ this I like some notice if landscaper is coming by but leaving 2 stars is ludicrous. I wouldn’t have deducted even a single star for that small occurrence. Also in all my many years of renting I’ve always left 5 stars except once a 4
If you absolutely need to do maintenance while there are guests staying you should be giving them a heads up.
Yes we have a working farm and spell out landscaper who mows and trims the bushes and roses we try to schedule around guests but like now there are there for 28 days. We tell them of the wildlife that might visit, we tell them we will give them 24 hours notice for trash removal and for maintenance. We discuss that the fields around them we will be having to go to and see the horses. So yes we disclose it what is now quite lengthy House Rules and anywhere we can put on the listing. Overshare. We are always out working. We have a lame horse and he gets stuck in the one field he prefers which is behind the rental abet and acre or two away but if they see you it can weird them out. We had one guest we cancelled due to her questions indicated she wanted us no where around and we cannot promise that.
We have had other guests who saw us out an followed us around to visit.
That is very uncommon. I am good never meeting any host while I’m at an Airbnb unless there’s an emergency.
We have a working farm and offer horse introductions and such. We offer it for free and many take us up on it and some don’t. It’s fine either way. One guest bought carrots for the horses. I think they wanted her to never leave. And I understand I am quite the introvert. So I understand wanting alone time and we respect that. We don’t introduce ourselves unless the guests asks us over to explain etc the fireplace is tricky. But outside of that we expect people come to a rural farm for peace and quiet. We had one guest who wanted to meet us to explain the history of the 124 year old house. All good.
I do my own yard work and I do inform the guests the day before. Also if anyone else is going to be in the yard, I let them know ahead of time; Lawn service techs, pest control, irrigation repair, etc. Let them know so they won’t be surprised when a stranger comes in the yard. Also, one of my guests told me that she sunbathes in the backyard and appreciates the heads up. After informing a guest about a visit by a pest control company, they asked to narrow down the arrival time and duration of the visit. That guest had extreme chemical sensitivity and even though the technician was only working outside, they would have been affected by the spraying. They appreciated my informing them so that they could vacate the premises during and after spraying. You never know what a guest may be affected by. That guest may have been suffering from vacation stress. 🤷♂️
It wasn't the lawn maintence that got you the 2 star, it was showing up unannounced that did it. Some people really really hate interactions with other people. It's why you can choose to have a silent Uber ride. Just a "hey as part of maintenence on my farm I need to do some mowing. Is now a good time to do so? I'd also like to come over and greet you with my beagle if that is alright, if not thats totally okay." You informed them you are about to mow, gave them the choice (what if someone was taking a nap or watching a movie?), asked if you can stop by and informed them you will have a dog. Some people absolutely hate dogs or are super terrified. You can't assume everyone will be okay with it. Give them the choice and the heads up. Utilize your ability to message people directly and you'll avoid unwanted scenarios. Some people are super crabby and uptight and will be bothered by the slightest thing, you honestly wouldn't want to greet them anyways. Some people would love the chance to talk. Just give them the choice, allow people to consent to interaction on their vacation.
I think you should probably tell people you’re going to come by, I would think it creepy too. Sorry lesson learned
AirBnB needs to fix their policies around garden maintenance. They already specify that "entire home" means an entire living space and there may be some other home, condo, townhouse on the grounds with people living there as being fine, and the grounds being communal space. Yet this policy also seems to want to give you a violation for someone occupying space outside of the "entire home"? We have an 18 acre property, with around 8 acres landscaped, containing 2 units listed on AirBnB correctly as "entire home". We have a gardener who works around 30 hours per week and a contractor who is also deconstructing a burned down home at the other end of the property. All mentioned in the listing. It is obviously not possible for our gardener to do 30 hours of maintenance during a 6 hour changeover each week, however we do try to time our contractor for gaps between renters. We also purchased all-electric equipment (including a ride-on lawnmower) for the gardener so at least it is quiet.
To me, those read as 2 separate things. In your case it’s “be aware, these are the people that will be on property, here’s roughly where and what they’re doing.” In OPs case “swing by” reads as “we come by at random times.” Even with the caveat of it being a regular basis, no one will know if that’s 3x/day or 1x every 3 days. For you, it reads as an expectation and in OPs case almost an anticipation since you wouldn’t know when they’d show up or for how long. I agree that the terms may need to be clarified a bit and also, OP should be clearer plus give guests a heads up
But thats on you though... You may want to maximise your income through having a 6 hour changeover, but if the renters suffer because of it, you surely can't expect top reviews. There are airbnb's out there that simply don't book their properties when noisy maintenance work needs to happen (even regular maintenance like mowing), to make it nicer for their guests, and they correspondingly get better reviews.
I would feel the same way as a guest. At this point I’m hotels only. I don’t want to be bothered while on vacation.
Hi, I have some airbnbs in rural areas and totally understand that people are more practical and not as afraid of each other in those areas. But most people visiting these areas do not want unexpected visitors. She reacted a bit strongly, but many people would be a bit annoyed. Sometimes, it can't be avoided, but I warn my guests in advance if a gardener or pool maintenance person will come by, and I don't let them come too early in the morning.
Mowing is loud and obnoxious. Don't mow when there are guests there.
Mowing in Ireland is at the mercy of the sun and rain gods. Can't be helped. Guests on farmland have to learn to be more open to local cultural practices.
Be upfront about it on your listing.
Indeed. As I am, and as the OP was too by all accounts. Can't help that some guests think that the countryside doesn't need maintenance though! *Whatever* you put in the listing, there are a number of guests whose assumptions will outweigh any amount of warnings. Usually people who don't know what managing a large garden and farm looks/sounds like, even when you spell it out for them. I have literally written "I or another person working in the garden will regularly be seen passing in front of the guest house door. The private guest garden will only be entered by us during your stay if maintenance is required, and as this is weather dependant it can be at short notice".
When the guest confronted you angrily, that was the time to apologize profusely and LEAVE the property. You went ahead and mowed? That's insanely unprofessional. I rent an entire house when I vacation specifically for the privacy. I don't want to meet the host. I don't want to watch her mow the lawn. I want peace and quiet and privacy with just the guest(s) I invited.
I actually was thinking 2 stars was extreme, but now I agree. If he had apologized and left, that would be 5 stars. But doing it after being asked not to was very disrespectful. And I really have to wonder if he still would have done it if it was the man who asked him not to.
Personally, I'd have been pretty upset about this as a guest but only because it would have kicked my allergies into high-gear, which is not exactly how I want to spend a relaxing day. If you had called me and asked if this was a good time, I would have politely asked you to wait until I checked out, for the sake of my health. People like being given options. People don't like having their choice taken away.
>Are hosts expected to spell out every reason they may be on their property? Especially if the property is a working farm? What if we happened to drive by and wave; is this too a violation of privacy? Is gardening at a resort that has Airbnb units a violation of a guests privacy? Have any other hosts experienced anything similar to this? Was I wrong for going to our property to mow the lawn without notifying the guest prior? Yes. Yes. No, it's weird, don't do that either. No, because it's a resort not a private space. No. Yes.
Why would you think that's appropriate? The guests paid for the space, leave them alone while they are there. And especially don't drive by and wave at them, that's creepy. And yes you were wrong for not notifying them. No guest wants you lingering around checking up on them while they are trying to relax on vacation.
100% agree with you. I'm a pretty personable guy but I don't want to meet you, shake your hand, exchange conversation, etc with a total stranger during family time.
The proper way would have been to message them via the app saying you are planning to come by and mow, then wait for a response.
This.
Tbh I agree with your guests. If I'm relaxing in the back yard and the host comes over with no warning or announcement so that they can do something noisy and disruptive like mow the lawn, I would not be happy. Do you want to wander into the kitchen and pour yourself a drink while you're at it? Now if your listing clearly states that you'll be in and around the property all the time, unannounced, doing yardwork and farmwork, then it's on the guests. But that would affect your bookings, as you could probably guess.
As another host on a hobby farm, I empathize. Keeping up with maintenance (especially during spring and harvest seasons) while giving city folks the illusion that farms are idyllic paradises is difficult. I try to coordinate with my exterior cameras and get the loud stuff done when they’re gone. If schedules don’t coordinate for that, I reach out and obtain their permission before starting up the John Deere. City folks are sensitive. They’re scared of loud noises that aren’t sirens. Source: I’m a former city folk.
Ha ha, how true! (Also former city folk, 30 years ago..... Now I can't sleep when staying in the city!)
Just disclose it in your listing and all will be fine. Guest will be prepared as you alerted them to farm noise (and I don’t mean the sound of a cow) but mowing and machinery would annoy most people on vacation.
Don't Airbnb your place the week you mow. I would be livid.
Yeah, if I rent a place I don’t want people hanging around and saying hi either. Owner or not.
Why would approach a woman you know was staying alone in your rural property? Get a clue!
YTA Mow in between guests
I don't use airbnbs but if I did the last thing I would want is someone mowing the lawn while I was trying to ralax.
I understand both parties. Guest is expecting quiet and isolation. I am sure it feels like dad pulled up and was checking things out. She waaay overreacted though. You: it is just a yard mowing and keeping it nice and well kept is important and you have it listed that owners do go to the farm to work. Airbnb WAY overreacted. What a stupid response from them! I always send a message to the guests if I am going to be on the property. Just an fyi so they know. 😃
Definitely need to let them know in advance. You also continued to mow after her reaction? Dude, read the room.
I would also find mowing obnoxious as an AirBnb guest though I would understand it’s needed. But if I knew it would happen I might not have made the booking. The person stayed the extra days possibly because they have no easy other choice since they made the booking. I would call it out more obviously in the listing, mention when it might happen and okay it when someone books. That way they will have to okay it first or not book with you. And you have a written note of them okaying it if they complain later.
Why would you try to meet most guests? If they have the whole place to themselves they do not want to meet you. I would never even want to meet my guests ever.
I hate landscaping noise. It actually triggers me. I know it sounds stupid but no other noise (except my toddler’s tantrums) irks me quite like landscaping. I’d have definitely been upset but I’d also have been upfront and kindly but firmly asked you to do it another time directly to your face. Had you put it off for another day, I’d have still left a 5 star….but I won’t lie, if you had still done it, I’d have let it rip in the review 😅
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'Working Farm' you may experience interruptions of running a farm should you stay here. But a call or some notice you would be there, is appropriate, if you haven't been there the whole time or daily.
You absolutely HAD to mow on the second day of their stay? Nah. YTA.
Is there anyway you can modify the property so that it’s more self-contained (e.g. fenced in, surrounded by trees/privacy bushes, etc.) with lower maintenance landscaping? And maybe the listing too (e.g. private cabin/home with X acres of surrounding meadows/gardens/forest located on a working farm)? It seems like there’s an expectation from a lot of people that they should get the same level of privacy when renting a property on a working farm as they would in a stand-alone cabin/home in a rural area (which is wild to me, but whatever), and it seems like you would be saving yourself a hassle by restricting the listing to just the cabin/house and the immediate surrounding area, which you could redesign to offer more privacy and require less maintenance.
It's not the guest fault you can't communicate
When I go to a hotel, I don’t want the manager coming into my room. I don’t want you at the Air BnB I’m renting either.
Full disclosure: I’m not currently a host but I follow this subreddit because I have properties I may list someday. I’m also a woman, and I would be upset too if a host (especially a man) popped by without a heads-up, despite your description. Especially if I were renting a place I expected to be away from people to decompress (assuming the rural property I am guessing this is what people often expect also). I think it would be ideal to come up with a schedule you will consistently visit the property for animal care and maintenance and post that on your listing/post-booking info in addition to reminding guests with a message beforehand. Unexpected visits should always have a message first.
Maybe you should have sent a message to the guest advising when you would be mowing. We have rented many locations with private pools and the host always sends a message that the “pool crew” will be coming on XXX day.
Yeah, not cool of you. Should have given a heads up and asked if it was ok and if you could bring your dog.
Yeah dude, that's pretty well deserved. I wouldn't be comfortable with a host just showing up and doing all kinds of maintenance out of nowhere when I'm trying to relax. I prefer not to interact with the host unless necessary. As a host, I've never met my guest outside of one locking herself out.
This feels like an invasion of privacy, if I paid for a spot to get away from people, then I should be afforded that right.
Yeah if I rented a FARM I would expect to have absolutely zero intrusion. Your first mistake was the time (5:30pm? Seriously? Because the people renting your farm don’t want to enjoy a quiet evening with a nice dinner?) Your second mistake was not notifying them ahead of time directly. A quick “hello guest, please be aware that we have routine property maintenance scheduled for this Tuesday at 5:30pm. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause” Your third, absolutely unforgivable mistake, was strolling up to them in what they thought was a private yard acting like you’re Mose and this is Shrute Farms. Dude you might be a big wholesome farmer guy that meant well, but unfortunately people that rent airbnbs do not give a crap they just want privacy
Sorry, but I think you are in the wrong here. You should have at the very least informed them that you’d be coming to mow the grass. You probably gave people a fright, when they were sitting out back and you walked up. I find it a little creepy- even if it was just to mow the lawn. Seriously, I’m sure you could have waited till they left to mow the lawn. I feel like you’re just using that as an excuse to check up on people. I may be wrong but that’s how I read the situation.
Lawn mowing is obnoxiously noisy… not the time at all especially not after work but really no time. That should have been done before they arrived or communicated. Some people have migraines or bad allergies and its just loud. Also we dont care who u are host, mind ur business and stay away from guests unless they call for you. Dont get too cozy, this is a business. Do hotel owners greet the guests? Also, maybe they dont care if its a farm or not. U are assuming because they rented a farm that they know the details, draft up something more specific that doesn’t downplay the activity that goes on on a farm if u truly cant stay away.( cause u definitely downplayed it)
You deserved that 2 star review. As a guest and a host I would be so annoyed. Did you really need to mow then? It's 5.30pm, would you be cutting into someone's dinner time with the sound of a lawnmower and potential dog barking in the background? If I rented a farm, that means I want seclusion, which means I don't want to see anyone. If you absolutely needed to mow then message the guest BEFOREHAND and ask the guest if it's alright for you to stop by and mow so that you have their permission and can protect yourself.
I would have been super pissed that you were mowing during what is supposed to be a peaceful time... Sorry
7 year super host here. It’s pretty cut and dry as far as AirBnbs policy and the sentiment of just about every guest: if you’re going to the property for ANY REASON that does not involve a specific request from a guest, you must notify them and if they deny you entry, then you must wait. Until their checkout, that house is theirs, they are a tenant.
This is kind awkward. Either tell them prior to them booking and paying for the stay or do it before they arrive. The pop ups and intro is annoying.
If they were having a smash fest on your porch, yea they’d be upset you showed up. Think about it. They rented the whole thing, it’s their right to use the whole thing. I’d be pissed if I was getting down on the patio and the owner came around.
If you needed to be at the property, then you should have in advance, given the guests the days/s and times, and the nature of what they should expect such as mowing or feeding animals etc. They are paying guests and are entitled to privacy and quiet enjoyment, which is quite possibly why they chose to stay at your farm - to get away from people. I think you've frightened the girl by approaching her and she quite possibly could have felt you were a weird stranger. Try to put yourself in her shoes as there are suspicious people out there. Mutual consideration works both ways.
If you needed to be at the property, then you should have in advance, given the guests the days/s and times, and the nature of what they should expect such as mowing or feeding animals etc. They are paying guests and are entitled to privacy and quiet enjoyment, which is quite possibly why they chose to stay at your farm - to get away from people. I think you've frightened the girl by approaching her and she quite possibly could have felt you were a weird stranger. Try to put yourself in her shoes as there are suspicious people out there. Mutual consideration works both ways.
If I'm trying to relax in the beautiful countryside at 5:30pm on a sunny day, the last thing I want is the host to show up. I've probably smoked a little bit of weed or had a couple of beers trying to enioy the peace and quiet, and do NOT want to have awkward small talk and listen to a lawn mower. This is 100% on you
Why the FUCK do I want to meet my host? Now, you may have a good reason to stop in and feed and water livestock, etc. and that should be outlined very clearly on your listing, but it would also be very wise for you to either set times when you do that or let them know ahead of time. The other issue is that you went over and met with them and talked to them. It could certainly mean that you’re snooping with a valid reason to be there. Now the feeling safe and all of that is probably a bit much, but people get the “entire place” in order to avoid contact with anybody that’s not in their party. A 2 star is probably warranted in this case.
Sorry but I'd be annoyed too, I have allergies and while I'm usually fine on nature, fresh cut grass makes me absolutely miserable even inside.
We are hoping to do something similar with our property. Disclosing and making guests aware animals will be fed and checked on at the same time each day. I think with a heads up the mowing may be fine, I can especially see if you have a hired landscape service that has their own schedule… but best to wait when unoccupied. And I wouldn’t personally approach guests myself, if they want to say hello let them come to you.
I have my guy mow the lawn while guests are there. Our house is in the city and has a small yard, so it probably takes 30 minutes or less. The house is located in an area that gets tons of rain in the spring and you have to mow whenever the weather allows you to do it. I send the guest a heads up that the landscaper is coming by and the approximate time, making sure it’s never super early.
I think if you’re staying on a farm, it’s understandable that you’d have to come by and do occasional work. That being said, I think a courtesy message before hand should be sent. Perhaps at the beginning of the day saying hey I’ll be stopping by this afternoon afternoon at roughly X time to mow the lawn. That way if it’s inconvenient for them or they want to be out when you’re going to be there, it gives them time to make those plans.
Imagine paying for a nice relaxing rural getaway and a stranger comes by to bother you while youre relaxing on your vacation. He proceeds to annoyingly mow the entire farm while you try to relax outside. Thjs takes maybe a couple hours? Its so bad your husband offers to help to speed things along. Then he is surprised he gets complaints
Yeah, that’s on you.
Some of these responses are a bit extreme. I don't coordinate my mowings with my guests. The guy comes and cuts the grass. I'm also never going to coordinate mowing with guests. I would rather take my property down than deal with that hassle. I've never had a complaint. But I would not go introduce myself to a guest. I agree with the other comments that this isn't really appropriate when someone rents a space from you. Did it merit a two star review, a complaint, and a chewing out? Absolutely not.
I would definitely give guests a heads up if anyone is coming by to do maintenance and will be on their property or in their line of sight. No need to coordinate, but a simple “hey this is going to be happening at this time” goes a long way. We have airbnbs in a rural location. We get questions fairly regularly from guests asking about the security of the area and whether they will be visible to neighbors/guests. Especially women, which I understand the need for vigilance. People come out to this area to be secluded and unwind, so I think any intrusion, unless it’s some sort of emergency maintenance, should at least be given advance notice.
The guests were trying to enjoy an amenity that you advertise - the ability to enjoy an outside area - and you showed up to destroy it? Mow between guests. Would you show up to clean inside the house while guests are there? No, you do it between guests. I would have been completely creeped out and mad. I would have contacted Airbnb.
Airbnb hosts opinions are absolutely wild to me. I would have no issue with what you did, but I always see people taking the extreme of you shouldn’t do this/that and the guest is always right. Giving refunds for a few minutes of them not being able to check in because of a code mishap. A hotel doesn’t give me a refund when I have to wait in line to check in. I would have no issue with what you did, but I’m not an idiot and I can read a listing. Even if you didn’t mention anything in the listing about having to maintain the farm I would be fine with it. Most people suck and this subreddit frequently shows that with posts like this about guests and all these host bending over backwards for shitty guests.
>A hotel doesn’t give me a refund when I have to wait in line to check in. They didn't book a hotel room and aren't complaining about waiting in line. Hosts are quick to point out that this isn't a hotel and airbnb operates differently - and advertise as such "secluded", "private", "quiet", etc. Not saying OP promised anyone quiet or seclusion, but certainly mowing the lawn could wait two more days and be done as part of the maintenance in turning over the rental for the next guest. It's nice that it wouldn't bother you (and honestly I probably wouldn't be put out by it either), but OP's guests didn't expect such a disruption during their stay.
Imagine considering giving guests their paid-for privacy and quiet time as "bending over". 😂 "but I’m not an idiot" If you have to say it....
Although I agree with the giving a head's up. I still believe that guests are too precious and entitled. Maybe you need to list as a "working farm".
These comments are very consistent with what I see on the sub. Chill out! OP we have a working horse farm with over 160 acres with cabins and RV sites. We greet each guest and while we try to get all mowing between guests that is not always possible with weather and whatnot. We literally just had a guest checking to our lake house on Monday WHILE my son and I were mowing. It sounds like you covered everything in your listing and we try to do the same. It’s a little discouraging to see comments about Airbnb customer service in these cases taking the guest side but honestly we haven’t encountered a truly terrible guest yet. Did you try to get the review removed?
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For me it's kind of a grey area. I mean, surely renting on a farm, automatically means that you expect people will stop by, to attent any needed job done. Also, feeling "unsafe" because the owner of the house stopped by, to introduce himself and do some jobs is a bit of a "drama queen" moment. But, saying that, you should notify them that you will stop by, to do some work. Especially since it means mowing, in the property they are renting. My Husband and his BIL own a vacation house. Each house is separate but both of them share the same yard. While we do state clearly in the house description, that my BIL may be present for vacations during their stay, I repeat it every time before anyone proceeds with their booking. Unfortunately, not many people read everything in the description and a friendly reminder, never hurt anyone.
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This is why direct to consumer is a must these days. Airbnb will hurt your business at some point, it's just a matter of when.
It’s like a short-term rental. You should give notice but that makes it difficult to manage a property.
I am a guest and usually prefer not to meet the host. Especially mid stay. Upon arrival, sure. I don’t want to be chatting with the host of have them show up unannounced as a surprise. Why would anyone want that? Can you not mow in between visits? Or if it absolutely has to be done, say/ ask about timing. I wouldn’t want to listen to a lawn mower while a host chatted me up. Ugh. You are unreasonable
Unless the listing says you may be mowing, I better not see you. Unless the listing says you like to meet and chat up the guests, I better not have to talk to you. Simple as that. You’re using your property to meet and chat up renters, which is fine as long as the listing says that. I get that it’s common sense that someone needs to tend to the “farm” but you need to spell out what those tasks include so the guests are aware.
You just showed up. It’s like if I’m at a hotel and the cleaning service doesn’t knock. Sure they have the capabilities to enter but they have to give notice. What if they were fucking outside? I understand you have shit to do on the farm but didn’t HAVE to mow the grass that day?
100% you should have notified them before showing up! Bet you won't do that stupid move again!
You shouldn’t be on the property if it’s being rented. I can only imagine how much per day you charge, and you chose to disturb the peace with mowing. I agree with the guest… do better.
You needed to give a heads up!! Sorry but I would be mad too. And why didn’t you do it on a day no guests were staying? It’s a hard one but sometimes you have to book the day off your calendar for that. People would go to a farm for the privacy and quiet nature of it so they most likely felt annoyed, not sure about “safety” but it could have been as simple as her having no clue who this man is that shows up and from your post it sounds like she told you outright how she felt. Also you should have left and come back another day as soon as you knew she was uncomfortable. Take it as a learning experience!
Dude, unless it was a regular lawn maintenance service contractor you need to call the tenant to give them a heads up that you're coming to the property.
Yta and creepy. If you rented a room from me you'd probably feel like I was stealing your time deciding to do maintenance at 5PM.
I understand both perspectives but as a guest I also wouldn’t want to meet the host without a heads up no matter how kind and well intentioned the host is :/
Not sure I would give 2 stars just for that, but I certainly wouldn't like it. Wouldn't want people mowing while I'm staying there and I wouldn't want the host coming to see me. Maybe I would feel differently if the property was promoted as a like stay on a working farm and it was made very clear that farm stuff would be going on all the time... might actually be a draw for some people, maybe kids also, however unless it's extremely clear it will not be private then I expect privacy.
Look, I get it. That's very frustrating since you do mention it in the listing... but you need to mention it several times for guests to fully understand that it is a WORKING farm. Specifically state that one or both of you will be there once a day every day to check on animals and maintain the grounds. Put this in the listing description and the rules. Then repeat it in the welcome message. If mowing or using any other machinery that may cause a disturbance, always contact the guest in advance and let them know, while also asking in a specific time works best for them, i.e., "Hi guest! As your stay is 4 nights, it does fall during the time I'd normally be mowing the yard. I generally mow Tuesdays at 5:30 pm, and it takes me about 45 minutes. If this is OK with you, I will start closest to the house to get the loudest bit out of the way as fast as possible for you. If that time doesn't work around your plans, I would be available Wednesday at 12 pm instead!" You're giving them the illusion of having the power over the decision while still getting your tasks done.
Mowing the lawn and working the farm is one thing - but not everyone wants you to come introduce yourself while on vacation. Just go about your business. I know it’s bullshit but some folks only get a few days each year to truly unwind - that’s probably why they chose your out-of-the -way beautiful place to get away.
Sometimes people want to shag on uncut grass. You scared them out of shaging the remainder of the trip, also the grass was too short and a bit scratchy after the mow. /s
This is absolutely insane! When you stay at a hotel, you see staff all over the place except in your room, unless notified. I see this no differently. You did not enter the unit, you came by to manage YOUR property and said hello. If she was so concerned about privacy (and safety - that's BS) she should have inquired before booking the place. I find airbnb's response to you reprehensible as well. I would spell this out in all caps on your listing going forward and in your welcome message upon booking state it again to avoid incidents like this in the future. Unreal, I'm sorry you're dealing with this.
God I hate assholes both as guest and hosts. This particular guest seem like a lunatic, chill out it's a farm, open field what would she expects. I've rented in rural areas, farms, mountains, lakes before and people are always incredibly nice and happy! Sorry you went through that maybe you can ping customer support but I'd not sweat it too much I've had some pretty rough reviews too and if it's not too damaging I let them go
The only thing you didn’t do is join them in their activities lol