Doing a neighbor a favor is one thing. But imagine helping someone out once, only to discover they’ve been telling complete strangers to knock on your door whenever they need assistance.
That’s what one Reddit user says happened after helping a neighbor who rents out his home on Airbnb. What started as a simple favor eventually turned into an unexpected late-night visit from guests, followed by an argument with the property owner over a bad review.
A Simple Favor Turned Into Something More
In a post shared on Reddit, the neighbor explained that the Airbnb owner occasionally rents out his house when he’s away.
A few months earlier, the owner had asked for help when a guest couldn’t get inside because the lockbox wasn’t working. Since the neighbor was already home, they agreed to help.
It seemed like a one-time favor, with no discussion about helping future guests or taking on any additional responsibilities.
But apparently, the Airbnb owner had other ideas.
Airbnb Guests Showed Up at 11 P.M.
According to the Reddit post, things took an unexpected turn when a couple knocked on the neighbor’s door around 11 p.m.
The guests had trouble operating the heating system in their rental and needed help.
The neighbor soon discovered why they had come knocking. The Airbnb owner had included instructions telling guests to contact the neighbor whenever they needed help.
The problem? The neighbor had never agreed to this arrangement and didn’t even know the instructions existed.
When confronted, the owner reportedly explained that he assumed the neighbor wouldn’t mind helping because they had done so before.
Related: What Guests Expect in a Fully Stocked Airbnb Kitchen
The Neighbor Refused to Help
Rather than getting involved, the neighbor told the guests they weren’t responsible for the rental and couldn’t help.
They also contacted the Airbnb owner and asked him to remove the instructions directing guests to their home. The owner agreed to remove them, but the disagreement didn’t end there.
According to the post, the guests complained about the lack of assistance in their Airbnb review. The owner was unhappy and blamed the neighbor for worsening the situation.
He reportedly argued that the neighbor could have simply shown the guests how to operate the thermostat instead of refusing to help.
The neighbor acknowledged that they probably could have helped since they were already awake. Still, they questioned why one favor had suddenly made them responsible for someone else’s rental business.
Reddit users had plenty to say
Many Reddit users sided with the neighbor, arguing that the Airbnb owner should have hired a property manager or paid someone to assist guests. Others pointed out that the owner had no right to volunteer someone else’s time without asking.
A few commenters also raised safety concerns about entering a rental with strangers. However, some felt the neighbor could have helped the guests and addressed the issue with the owner afterward.
Who should be responsible for Airbnb guests?
Helping a neighbor once is one thing, but being expected to assist paying guests at all hours is another. Airbnb hosts can hire property managers, arrange for co-hosts, or provide clear instructions so guests know what to do when problems arise.
In this case, the owner assumed the neighbor would continue helping without ever asking, then blamed them when guests complained.
