How to Handle Guest Complaints

When a guest encounters an issue upon arrival or during their stay, handling it quickly and professionally is essential. Typical complaints include check-in problems, cleaning issues, missing items, damages, or amenities that don't match the listing. Fast, solution-focused communication increases the chance of a positive outcome and protects your rating.

Why Handling Complaints Matters

• Fairness for guests: If something disrupts the stay and it wasn't the guest's fault (and wasn't clearly communicated before booking), guests may be entitled to compensation.
• Better reviews and future bookings: Fast, solution-focused communication increases the chance of a positive outcome and protects your rating.

Understanding Complaint Validity

When Is a Complaint Considered Valid?

A complaint can be considered valid if the problem is linked to the accommodation or its surroundings and could reasonably have been prevented, communicated, or handled.

Examples of Typically Valid Complaints

• Poor property conditions
• Non-functional or unavailable amenities
• Wrong advertisement
• Inaccessibility to the property
• Property uninhabitable
• Poor road conditions in the vicinity of the property without an alternative route
• Essential advertised points of interest unavailable

Examples of Typically Invalid Complaints

• Weather conditions
• Non-essential points of interest unavailable
• Typical cultural or local conditions
• Normal noise by neighbours during the day
• Minor dust on surfaces or spider webs
• Small amounts of dirt or fallen leaves on outside areas
• Old-fashioned furniture or interior
• Failure to read the advertisement properly
• Damage by third parties

Guests are requested to inform you immediately if anything is not right during their stay and have up to a week after check-out to report it. Most concerns can be resolved quickly when addressed on-site, and prompt communication helps prevent further inconvenience.

Assessing the Severity of an Issue

Complaints are classified according to the impact they have on the guest stay and the disruption caused.

Minor

Small inconveniences that do not impact the usability of the property or the overall stay.

Examples: not enough cutlery, worn furniture, non-essential appliances not working (toaster, coffee machine).

Moderate

Issues that affect comfort or parts of the property's functionality, but the stay can continue.

Examples: temporary loss of hot water, Wi-Fi, or heating; cleanliness issues; bugs; daytime noise disturbance; bedrooms being locked; strong smell with identifiable source; incorrect location by more than 5 km; several separate minor issues.

Major

Issues that significantly limit the intended use of the property or create serious disruption.

Examples: health or safety concerns such as mould or pests; loss of critical utilities like water or electricity; night-time noise disturbance; more than 3 separate moderate issues.

Severe

The property is not usable or accessible, or there is a serious health, safety, or privacy breach. The guest may not be able to stay or may need to leave.

Examples: guest cannot access the property at check-in; flooding or fire; bed bugs; severe mould; CCTV in private areas; host entry without permission; not enough beds or space for the booked number of guests.

Response Times for On-Site Issues

For moderate, major, or severe issues, a solution should be appropriate to the impact on the guest's stay. When Holidu steps in, the following response times are expected:

Severity	Expected Host Reply Time After Holidu Contacts You
Minor	Within 24 hours
Moderate	Same day (max. 12 hours)
Major	Within 2 hours
Severe	Within 2 hours

Response Times for After Check-In Issues

Severity	Expected Host Reply Time
Minor	Within 2 working days
Moderate	Within 2 working days
Major	Within 2 working days
Severe	Within 2 working days

What to Do When a Guest Complains

When a guest brings a complaint to your attention, follow these steps:

Step 1: Respond Promptly

Acknowledge the guest's concern as soon as possible. Your quick response shows you take their experience seriously and are committed to finding a solution.

Step 2: Listen and Understand

Ask clarifying questions to fully understand the issue. Get specific details about what went wrong, when it happened, and how it affected their stay.

Step 3: Assess the Validity

Determine whether the complaint falls within the scope of valid issues. Consider whether the problem could have been prevented or better communicated before the booking.

Step 4: Offer a Solution

Based on the severity and validity of the complaint, propose a reasonable solution. For minor issues, this might be a simple fix or gesture. For moderate to severe issues, a more significant resolution may be necessary.

Step 5: Document Everything

Keep detailed records of all communication, including the complaint, your response, and any resolution offered. This documentation is important if Holidu needs to step in.

Contacting Customer Service

If you are unable to resolve a complaint directly with the guest, or if the situation escalates, use the Holidu assistant to contact customer service. The Holidu assistant can help guide you through the complaint resolution process and ensure proper documentation of the issue.

Platform Responsibility and Policies

• Booking platforms are not responsible for property-related issues and will not refund their commission.
• Each platform has hosting standards, which allow them to refund or cancel bookings if a guest provides valid documentation of a violation, such as health hazards or misrepresented listings.

If compensation must be granted based on the severity and validity of the issue, it will be handled by Holidu and recovered from you using the Balance Concept.