Post by High Priestess on Oct 5, 2015 4:25:55 GMT
Tina shared in SEpt 2015
Seems Airbnb does not honor request to reimburse damage if guest simply denies it
We had a very chilling experience with Airbnb and I wanted to share it, both as a useful FYI for other hosts, and in case another hosts can suggest what we should do now -- or what to do in future situations like this.
We had guest A checking out that day by 11am, and guest B arriving same day and told she can check in only after 3pm. (We have a keypad with a code so guests can check in by themselves.)
Guest B, whose party includes a young child, arrived early and went into the place (before the cleaners had come to clean it, change the sheets, etc.) I saw her party in the apartment, and politely mentioned that check in time is 3pm and they are welcome to stay but when the cleaner arrives to clean / change the place, they would need to leave so he can clean. They said, No problem.
A little later cleaner comes in (guest B’s party has apparently left the apartment before that) and tells me he discovered damage to mattress that renders it unusable.
Cleaner and I discuss and decide it is unlikely that guest B’s party decided to put the child to sleep in the previous guests’ used sheets AND the child felt asleep and had accident, all in the space of less than two hours (later, it turned out that this is exactly
what happened), so we conclude damage must have been caused by guest A’s party
and I file a Resolution Center request with guest A. In the mean time, guest B’s party needs to sleep there tonight so I start a mad scramble to buy and get delivered a new
mattress by that evening.
A little while later guest B’s party comes back, I ask them, and they acknowledge that the damage was caused by their party. I apologize profusely to guest A, close the Resolution Center conversation with him, and inform guest B that unfortunately we need to charge them for replacing the matter, which she says she completely understands.
I file a Resolution Center request with guest B for the cost of replacing the mattress. When mattress arrives, I unpack & place it in their bedroom and have another conversation with the guest, who again acknowledges that 1. it was their party who caused the damage, and 2. she understands we need to charge them for the cost of replacing the mattress and is OK with that.
After she checks out from here about 3 days later, she promptly responds to the Resolution Center request, saying that she only just now saw it and there must have been misunderstanding but it was not her party that was responsible.
(In the meantime, guest A is livid about the ‘false accusation’ and leaves us a scathing review saying that we should have ‘talked with him before accusing him.’ Clearly, the main issue is that he does not understand that the Resolution Center request filed with him _is_ exactly that: Talking with him, in the way that Airbnb recommends, to have the issue documented.)
I ask Airbnb to get involved, provide photos of the damage and receipts, and pointing out that I did all I can think of (filing Resolution Center request and even discussing with guest in person twice) and the guest told me very clearly she agreed, and then
changed her story. I point out how long we have been Airbnb hosts and that they should look at our reviews, as well as our Resolution Center history (from which they can see we have not filed frivolous request, and on one occasion even felt bad for a guest who has an accident in SF completely unrelated to us and offered her a discount without
any request for that on her part).
Airbnb just responded to me:
“we are unable to grant your request because as per our Terms of Service, compensation cannot be provided under the Host Guarantee unless the host is able to identify the responsible Guest.”
The things is, when the guest has told me twice “Yes it was us & understand we need to pay for the damage,” I _have_ identified the responsible guest, beyond any possible doubt.
By refusing to grant the request for reimbursing the cost of damages, Airbnb is making it very clear that:
WHENEVER THERE IS A DAMAGE CLAIM FROM A HOST, ALL A GUEST NEEDS TO DO IS KEEP CLAIMING THAT THE DAMAGE WAS NOT CAUSED BY THEM AND MUST HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A PREVIOUS GUEST -- AND AIRBNB WOULD NEVER GRANT REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE DAMAGE TO THE HOST.
(Even if the guest has acknowledged to the host multiple times, in person, that they did cause the damage.)
If any of the other hosts in this group have relevant experience that they would be wiling to share, or if they have any suggestions for what to do in this situation, we would love to hear them!
I hope that this does not happen to any of the other hosts here -- but knowing what I know now, I can’t imagine why any guest would ever end up paying for any damage they have caused if they know that they can get out of it so easily.
If I get any updates on this from Airbnb, I will let you know.
Jordie:
I had a guest deny damages but I persistently kept communicating with Airbnb until they reimbursed me. It took a WHILE. Many iterations of communications, but it worked. The amount we got was over $7k for ruined floors! It was ultimately my word against theirs plus a few pieces of evidence that their word wasn't so golden. I leveraged my long history of being a great host against their non-existent history of being good guests. Sorry this happened to you but keep fighting!
Peter:
Hi Tina. I'm sorry to hear of your problem. Yikes. I notice that you have two listings and only one has a security deposit; that is, your single room listing does not. I know that even if you had insisted on a similar security deposit for the single room, the $200 deposit won't go that far to replace a queen mattress. You may want to consider (a) increasing your security deposit amount and (b) provide for one on your single room listing too. In my experience, the security deposit is the best form of insurance you can have. You have much more control over the coverage so that the problem of guest denial is substantially ameliorated. Also, I know this is cold comfort, but one lesson one can derive from your story is to invest in a mattress protector. I have one because (a) I spent beaucoup bucks on a luxury mattress, so I wanted to protect my investment and (b) it protects against bed bugs as well.
Joseph:
Always use the airbnb message center to confirm all information with any guests
so that they cannot later deny any issues , even if you spoke to them about it and they acknowledge any damage . a documented paper trail is hard to deny later on and especially if it is in the format airbnb suggests
Della:
I have a cheap mattress protector. Over that I have an Ikea mattress pad- pretty thick, over that I have a luxury pillow to mattress topper. Why? Because I'd rather have nothing go through to the mattress. Case in point. Had a guest who got sick and it did not go through to the mattress and was able to get damage covered because although washable, it was not possible in a short window.
Gina:
One of my guests plugged up my toilet and I had to get a plumber to come run a snake down it after multiple efforts on my part failed. The guest was informed of the problem before they left and they still denied they caused it even though I found wads of bloody tissue paper in my bathroom garbage can. But Airbnb was kind enough to reimburse me for the plumber expense but warned me to apply a security deposit to all my future bookings.
susie:
Thanks so much for these warnings as really help a newbie like me!
Seems Airbnb does not honor request to reimburse damage if guest simply denies it
We had a very chilling experience with Airbnb and I wanted to share it, both as a useful FYI for other hosts, and in case another hosts can suggest what we should do now -- or what to do in future situations like this.
We had guest A checking out that day by 11am, and guest B arriving same day and told she can check in only after 3pm. (We have a keypad with a code so guests can check in by themselves.)
Guest B, whose party includes a young child, arrived early and went into the place (before the cleaners had come to clean it, change the sheets, etc.) I saw her party in the apartment, and politely mentioned that check in time is 3pm and they are welcome to stay but when the cleaner arrives to clean / change the place, they would need to leave so he can clean. They said, No problem.
A little later cleaner comes in (guest B’s party has apparently left the apartment before that) and tells me he discovered damage to mattress that renders it unusable.
Cleaner and I discuss and decide it is unlikely that guest B’s party decided to put the child to sleep in the previous guests’ used sheets AND the child felt asleep and had accident, all in the space of less than two hours (later, it turned out that this is exactly
what happened), so we conclude damage must have been caused by guest A’s party
and I file a Resolution Center request with guest A. In the mean time, guest B’s party needs to sleep there tonight so I start a mad scramble to buy and get delivered a new
mattress by that evening.
A little while later guest B’s party comes back, I ask them, and they acknowledge that the damage was caused by their party. I apologize profusely to guest A, close the Resolution Center conversation with him, and inform guest B that unfortunately we need to charge them for replacing the matter, which she says she completely understands.
I file a Resolution Center request with guest B for the cost of replacing the mattress. When mattress arrives, I unpack & place it in their bedroom and have another conversation with the guest, who again acknowledges that 1. it was their party who caused the damage, and 2. she understands we need to charge them for the cost of replacing the mattress and is OK with that.
After she checks out from here about 3 days later, she promptly responds to the Resolution Center request, saying that she only just now saw it and there must have been misunderstanding but it was not her party that was responsible.
(In the meantime, guest A is livid about the ‘false accusation’ and leaves us a scathing review saying that we should have ‘talked with him before accusing him.’ Clearly, the main issue is that he does not understand that the Resolution Center request filed with him _is_ exactly that: Talking with him, in the way that Airbnb recommends, to have the issue documented.)
I ask Airbnb to get involved, provide photos of the damage and receipts, and pointing out that I did all I can think of (filing Resolution Center request and even discussing with guest in person twice) and the guest told me very clearly she agreed, and then
changed her story. I point out how long we have been Airbnb hosts and that they should look at our reviews, as well as our Resolution Center history (from which they can see we have not filed frivolous request, and on one occasion even felt bad for a guest who has an accident in SF completely unrelated to us and offered her a discount without
any request for that on her part).
Airbnb just responded to me:
“we are unable to grant your request because as per our Terms of Service, compensation cannot be provided under the Host Guarantee unless the host is able to identify the responsible Guest.”
The things is, when the guest has told me twice “Yes it was us & understand we need to pay for the damage,” I _have_ identified the responsible guest, beyond any possible doubt.
By refusing to grant the request for reimbursing the cost of damages, Airbnb is making it very clear that:
WHENEVER THERE IS A DAMAGE CLAIM FROM A HOST, ALL A GUEST NEEDS TO DO IS KEEP CLAIMING THAT THE DAMAGE WAS NOT CAUSED BY THEM AND MUST HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A PREVIOUS GUEST -- AND AIRBNB WOULD NEVER GRANT REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE DAMAGE TO THE HOST.
(Even if the guest has acknowledged to the host multiple times, in person, that they did cause the damage.)
If any of the other hosts in this group have relevant experience that they would be wiling to share, or if they have any suggestions for what to do in this situation, we would love to hear them!
I hope that this does not happen to any of the other hosts here -- but knowing what I know now, I can’t imagine why any guest would ever end up paying for any damage they have caused if they know that they can get out of it so easily.
If I get any updates on this from Airbnb, I will let you know.
Jordie:
I had a guest deny damages but I persistently kept communicating with Airbnb until they reimbursed me. It took a WHILE. Many iterations of communications, but it worked. The amount we got was over $7k for ruined floors! It was ultimately my word against theirs plus a few pieces of evidence that their word wasn't so golden. I leveraged my long history of being a great host against their non-existent history of being good guests. Sorry this happened to you but keep fighting!
Peter:
Hi Tina. I'm sorry to hear of your problem. Yikes. I notice that you have two listings and only one has a security deposit; that is, your single room listing does not. I know that even if you had insisted on a similar security deposit for the single room, the $200 deposit won't go that far to replace a queen mattress. You may want to consider (a) increasing your security deposit amount and (b) provide for one on your single room listing too. In my experience, the security deposit is the best form of insurance you can have. You have much more control over the coverage so that the problem of guest denial is substantially ameliorated. Also, I know this is cold comfort, but one lesson one can derive from your story is to invest in a mattress protector. I have one because (a) I spent beaucoup bucks on a luxury mattress, so I wanted to protect my investment and (b) it protects against bed bugs as well.
Joseph:
Always use the airbnb message center to confirm all information with any guests
so that they cannot later deny any issues , even if you spoke to them about it and they acknowledge any damage . a documented paper trail is hard to deny later on and especially if it is in the format airbnb suggests
Della:
I have a cheap mattress protector. Over that I have an Ikea mattress pad- pretty thick, over that I have a luxury pillow to mattress topper. Why? Because I'd rather have nothing go through to the mattress. Case in point. Had a guest who got sick and it did not go through to the mattress and was able to get damage covered because although washable, it was not possible in a short window.
Gina:
One of my guests plugged up my toilet and I had to get a plumber to come run a snake down it after multiple efforts on my part failed. The guest was informed of the problem before they left and they still denied they caused it even though I found wads of bloody tissue paper in my bathroom garbage can. But Airbnb was kind enough to reimburse me for the plumber expense but warned me to apply a security deposit to all my future bookings.
susie:
Thanks so much for these warnings as really help a newbie like me!