Hi Everyone,
I wanted to share with everyone my recent and unfortunate experiences with AIRBNB in regards to their protection of hosts, the guests' security deposits, their "host guarantee." Let me begin by sharing that the security deposit for this property is set at $5000 per each AIRBNB reservation (through AIRBNB, not something I take on my own) to deter guests that have any ill intentions. My thought process was that whoever could afford a $5000 security deposit would be a financially responsible adult that will take proper care of our home. Sadly, I have learned that AIRBNB DOES NOT take or hold $5000 as a deposit on behalf of the hosts from guests' credit cards, and the security deposit (whatever yours is set to) is utterly worthless to the host as it is 100% uncollectable when damages are incurred. For instance, one of my guests made a reservation for my property with a credit card that had a $1000 limit, and the total for his stay for 643.00, ZERO security deposit was taken. Read on; this gets worse.
I have been hosting on AIRBNB for more than 8 years (probably more like 10 and the majority of those years as a "super host"), and up until the last month, I can only remember one other time that I have had damages to my property. Needless to say, my experience with the process of recouping the costs of damages from guest/Airbnb was limited at best. Sadly, I have had the unfortunate experience in the last month of having 3 different guests cause significant damages to our property. With each incident, the total cost of the damages increased significantly, starting at 1000 with the first guest, 1800 with the second guest, and then the grand finale, a house party, and a whopping 15,000 worth of damages with the last guest who came with positive referrals from other "hosts"). As I am sure you are all aware, AIRBNB is being used by young kids to secure a location for them to host house parties. Many of them are even going to the extent of charging an entry fee and using social media to promote their parties. This leads to an absolute disaster, which, in my case, included street fights, police, and ambulances. Two of the three of these incidences I referenced above involved very young adults using the property as a party house.
Due to my limited experience with damages/claims, I misunderstood AIRBNB's policy on submitting claims partially due to the unrealistic/absurdity of their policy and partly because of naivete. It is AIRBNB's policy that for the host to recoup any damages from the guest/Airbnb, you have to submit a claim before the next guest check's in. In the same day check-in/check-situation, Airbnb expects the host to complete all of the following between the hours of 10 and 4 PM, the same day the guest has checked out and BEFORE the next guest checks-in: clean/turn over the house for the arriving guest (minimum 5 hours), gather/upload the evidence/pictures, provide individual descriptions of the damages, and determine replacement costs with supporting documentation (i.e., quotes/estimates for repairs to tile, plumbing, appliances, stucco and provide links/receipts to replace the damaged physical property). Yes, that means if you have a same day check-in/check-out, you must schedule same-day appointments with contractors, receive their estimates, and submit the claim to be reimbursed by the guest or to be covered under their "HOST Guarantee Policy." Impossible. Unrealistic. Predatory.
In the case of the same day check-in and check out that policy, it is absolutely impossible. For instance, with one of my claims, the guest ran into my garage door. I contacted the guest immediately when my neighbor, who witnessed the entire incident, called me. I have text messages from the guest apologizing profusely (admitting). He said his security deposit should cover it but asked me to email him 3 different quotes/estimates for the damages but that he would take care of everything. The day they checked out, I had another guest arriving, so I took the pictures of the damages to the garage and made appointments with 3 different garage repair companies to inspect the damages and give me estimates, which took me almost a week for me to compile. Well, according to AIRBNB's policy and despite the admission of guilt, proof/pictures, and an eye witness because I did complete and submit the claim the same day the guest checked out (because I had another guest checked in the same day), they have denied my request for reimbursement. Translation, the $5000 security deposit that I have required to stay in our property that AIRBNB is supposed to be holding on my behalf meant nothing, AND their "1,000,000 host guarantee" meant nothing; it is all smoke and mirrors. The message that Airbnb's policy is sending to hosts is that our future guests' safety, security, and ability to trust and rely on Airbnb to provide them with the accommodations they have reserved is of zero importance.
Furthermore, hosts should cancel the reservation of the guests arriving the same day and leave the guests arriving THAT DAY stranded without accommodations. In fact, according to Airbnb's policy, for a host to be reimbursed for damages, even undisputed damages, hosts should cancel all of the upcoming reservations of future guests arriving within the next 14 days, so you have the time to gather the estimates and submit the claim. In our case, the cost of the damages FAR outweighs the income from the next two weeks' worth of reservations. Still, unfortunately for me, my moral compass didn't allow me to cancel the reservation and leave the family with young kids traveling from the East Coast STRANDED for my financial gain.
@Catherine-Powell Please, please, please help your hosts from being subjected to immoral policies that seem predatory and advantageous on Airbnb's behalf.