Car parked on carpeting !!

[Linda4312]

Hi, My garage is attache and advertised as a working/tv space with carpet.  A customer has parked her car inside on top of my rugs. So weird but now dirty.  Do I charge her?

[Helen3]

Oh all the weird things I've seen on Airbnb this is one of the strangest @Linda4312 

[Linda4312]

yes, it's so weird. It's clearly an extra room to use as a TV room or work room not a garage. My driveway can park 8 cars at least.  

[Marie8425]

@Linda4312 

This is weird, I agree.  I am pretty sure you didn't say the garage should not be used for parking.  I wouldn't of thought to either.

Your problem most likely will be if you designated a house and garage not a house and a tv room garage is a term to describe a building for car parking.

I would consider first what is my cleaning bill?  Do you ave dirt or the car was leaking fluids?

If it is dirt on one room of carpet I would probably just eat it as one of those business lessons with an expense even Stanley Steamer just did a quote for me $60 a room.

If oil r some other fluid.  I would stay on that not why.  Even f a garage with a concrete floor car fluids cause stains.  The Guest is responsible if a malfunction in her car causes damage to your property.  Don't park on my driveway if oil leaking.  Pain to clean up.

[Linda4312]

Hi, It's pretty obvious it's NOT a garage for cars and the photos on the listing show it pretty clear. She's also parallel parked it which is so weird. I hope she hasn't hit the walls.  At minimum she could have rolled up my rug! Cars are filthy.  I will adjust my listing to say "no parking" in the garage. 

She leaves 5/30 so I suppose I'll wait and see what it looks like. 2 neighbors reported it because it's so odd. 

[Marie8425]

@Linda4312 

If she is still there if otherwise things been good then just politely say sorry it wasn't clear but no cars in the garage space.  I know frustrating appears obvious common sense but you have to say to yourself is the Guest really being spiteful or for some reason she didn't understand?  Try to head off damage to the carpet because you saying don't and she continues then yes she could be responsible for cleaning.

[Elegant-Homes-Retreat0]

@Linda4312 Wow, that really is an unusual situation! If your listing photos and description clearly show the garage as a finished room (TV/workspace with carpet), then it’s fair to say that parking a car inside goes completely against what was intended.

You're absolutely right to update your listing to explicitly say “no parking in the garage”—sometimes what seems obvious to us as hosts needs to be spelled out for guests.

In the meantime, I agree with @Marie8425 — if there’s no fluid damage and it’s just some surface dirt, it might not be worth pursuing costs unless it’s excessive. But if there’s any oil, tire marks, or damage to the walls or flooring, absolutely document it and request compensation through the Resolution Center. The fact that neighbors reported it shows it’s not just a minor misunderstanding.

Hopefully, it’s just a strange one-off and easily resolved—but definitely worth addressing now so it doesn’t happen again. You’ve handled it well by staying calm and planning ahead!