Airbnb Answers: A new claims process that’s faster and simpler for hosts

[Airbnb]

You asked: What is Airbnb doing to better support hosts if things go wrong?

The short answer is: a lot! Before we dive in to the exciting changes we’re working on, there’s one important thing to keep in mind: Instances of property damage on Airbnb are quite rare. On average, significant claims of damage happen less than 0.004% of the time.
That means, you could host a new reservation every day for 63 years and never expect to have to file a significant damage claim.

But it’s true that accidents do happen, and if they do, we want your home and valuables to be protected. That’s why we created safeguards like the Security Deposit and $1 Million Host Guarantee in the first place, and that’s why we’re committed to making sure they work for you. 

We’ve heard from you that the process to access these safeguards feels like it takes too long and is too complicated. And that it’s hard to access your Security Deposit or get reimbursed through the Host Guarantee. And that’s unacceptable.

So we’re completely revamping the process for damage claims to make it more host-friendly. Here are four big changes you can expect:

Now, you’ll have more time

You used to have to report damages within 72 hours after check-out or before your next guest's check-in, whichever was earlier. Now you have 14 days, or before next guest's check-in, whichever is earlier. We’re also going to be giving you a lot more time to complete the claims process— it’s longer than two weeks now.

You don’t have to do as much legwork

We’ve reduced the amount of documentation required for most claims.

You can expect a fair payout

We’re now consistently including sales tax and other associated costs in our reimbursement to hosts.

You can expect quicker answers

We’ve revamped the way the Airbnb support team handles cases like these to make it faster and easier for hosts. Already, since we’ve introduced these improvements, claim-resolution time has decreased by more than 20% in the past few months.

We’re looking at the full picture here, and we realize we have a ways to go. But we’re actively working on making the entire experience better for you when you need support.

Thank you for your feedback on this important issue so far, and please keep letting us know how we can improve. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as more improvements roll out.

View this and other answers from the Host Q&A here.

[David3059]

I filed a claim six months ago against two guests who trashed my room, destroying one blanket and stealing another. The claim was not expensive (~$50), but I never heard a word. 

[Hawa5]

I have been mislead and made to wait for about 5 weeks. Every day Airbnb claims to have sent my file to the WRONG department and each time they claim to fix it. They don't process my claim or follow up. Airbnb rented my property to a 19 year old tenant when I clearly require my renters be 25 year or older. I required $500 security deposit, they failed to collect and I was left with $1000s in damages.  If a car can't be rented by younger than 25 and drinking isn't allowed under 21, why would you allow a 19 years old in my property.  Why is Airbnb treating me so badly by acting like nothing happened. Your hosts are the foundation of your business.  By undercutting and jerking them around, you're causing your company irreparable damage.  Why would you treat a host with 3 high quality homes like this?

You put me through a nightmare with the damages your negligence caused, yet you have done nothing to assist me in dealing with it. I'm waiting.....

Hawa 

[Susan1028]

Don't Instant Book

[Rentals-One0]

It's impractical to file a claim before the next guest checks in.  You need a better system.  Documentary evidence, such as a time-stamped picture or sworn affidavit should be sufficent.  A cleaner may be the only person to see things between guests, and an owner may not have an opportunity to file a claim before welcoming the next guest.

Reviews from guests where damage was claimed may have some utility to future guests, but they're also fraught.  Guest reviews should be tagged to show a claim was made against the guest, so it's possible to distinguish those reviews from unbiased reviews.  Those reviews should also be excluded from calculations such as star averages and superhost status.

[Georgia13]

I love the tag idea on the reviews. 

[Jim240]

One area that Airbnb could revisit is damage to property that includes cutting down trees! We have a mountain cabin in the woods. An admittedly drunken guest cut down 4 trees on our property and Airbnb wouldn’t allow damages because they considered the trees in the woods to be “standing timber” as if we were growing trees commercially. They are part of the natural landscape of our property, not a tree farm! That is just wrong!

[Joshua264]

What about the extremely slow response time and lack of follow-up from your AirBnB claims people? Are you doing anything to improve that? I had a major theft by ‘guests’ who took just about everything in our home that wasn’t nailed down AND a TV that was MOUNTED to the wall. They cleaned us out. I submitted a claim along with pictures and video from my ring doorbell and a police report. NO ONE from AirBnB has followed up with me and I can’t get anyone on the phone. I spoke to one person who promised someone would call me back and guess what—- NOTHING!!! It’s been 3 months. 

Your claims department is a virtual black hole. You say that most guests are incident free and that’s great but when there IS an issue (especially one as aggregious as mine) where are you then??? and why are you not more proactively protecting your owners???

[Susan1028]

That sounds like a law suit @Joshua264 regardless of the "arbitration" clause.

[Al70]

I have been hosting Airbnb guests since 2012 and have been an Airbnb Superhost for 15 consecutive quarters.  

I recently hosted 4 young men from Spain.  Although, clearly against our house rules they tried to sneak in sex workers, but the 24 hour custodian thwarted their efforts.  They took their anger and frustration out on our place by puncturing the mattress and sheets with a kitchen knife, hacked the wall, furniture and closet with the same knife.  Needless to say the knife was also damaged. There was also a couple of towels that were destroyed, a cup was broken, the kitchen countertop was damaged and the place smelled of smoke.  In all the damages were a little over $2,000.  Had I requested replacing the damaged furniture instead of simply requesting the furniture be repaired, the cost of damages would have been greater. 

I started by requesting the amount from the guest via the resolution center.  When the guest didn’t respond I got Airbnb involved.  I was asked to submit pictures, receipts and an estimate of repairs from a licensed contractor. After taking the time to gather and submit all of the requested documents I received the following email.

“Thank you for your patience throughout this process.

After reviewing the case details, I’ve processed $157 of your security deposit for the reported damage. You can view this payout in your Transaction history. 

This breaks down as:
1. Queen sheet: $42
2. Queen blanket: $87
3. Mattress cover: $16
4 Towels: $12

Please understand that any reimbursement must reflect the fair market value of the item in question, as well as any factorable depreciation. That's the reason of the amount reimbursed for the damaged items.

Regarding the mattress, the luggage rack, the knife, the granite work, the wall and the carpentry work, we don't cover normal wear and tear and deterioration.  Because the damage in question is so small and appears to have resulted from normal use over time, we will unfortunately be unable to provide compensation for these claims.

Thanks for informing that you are dropping the claims of the cup and the smoke odor.

Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns regarding this case.

Best regards,”

Although, the pictures clearly show the same distinctive knife marks on all of the claimed damages, Airbnb determined that this was from normal wear and tear!!!!!

The amount offered for the other damages does not cover the cost of replacing the items nor does it even cover the security deposit.

In conclusion,  I’d just like to warn other hosts not to rely on the security deposit or Host Guarantee and to be more selective when it comes to accepting guests into your home.

[Susan1028]

Airbnb's rates increase with every claim.

So, they do what insurance companies do; jerk you around untill you walk away or file a lawsuit.

What's happened to you is known as "breach of contract" @AI70, and it nullifes the "arbitration clause" in our "terms of use" with airbnb in most US jurisdictions.

---

@Al70 wrote:

I have been hosting Airbnb guests since 2012 and have been an Airbnb Superhost for 15 consecutive quarters.  

I recently hosted 4 young men from Spain.  Although, clearly against our house rules they tried to sneak in sex workers, but the 24 hour custodian thwarted their efforts.  They took their anger and frustration out on our place by puncturing the mattress and sheets with a kitchen knife, hacked the wall, furniture and closet with the same knife.  Needless to say the knife was also damaged. There was also a couple of towels that were destroyed, a cup was broken, the kitchen countertop was damaged and the place smelled of smoke.  In all the damages were a little over $2,000.  Had I requested replacing the damaged furniture instead of simply requesting the furniture be repaired, the cost of damages would have been greater. 

I started by requesting the amount from the guest via the resolution center.  When the guest didn’t respond I got Airbnb involved.  I was asked to submit pictures, receipts and an estimate of repairs from a licensed contractor. After taking the time to gather and submit all of the requested documents I received the following email.

“Thank you for your patience throughout this process.

After reviewing the case details, I’ve processed $157 of your security deposit for the reported damage. You can view this payout in your Transaction history. 

This breaks down as:
1. Queen sheet: $42
2. Queen blanket: $87
3. Mattress cover: $16
4 Towels: $12

Please understand that any reimbursement must reflect the fair market value of the item in question, as well as any factorable depreciation. That's the reason of the amount reimbursed for the damaged items.

Regarding the mattress, the luggage rack, the knife, the granite work, the wall and the carpentry work, we don't cover normal wear and tear and deterioration.  Because the damage in question is so small and appears to have resulted from normal use over time, we will unfortunately be unable to provide compensation for these claims.

Thanks for informing that you are dropping the claims of the cup and the smoke odor.

Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns regarding this case.

Best regards,”

Although, the pictures clearly show the same distinctive knife marks on all of the claimed damages, Airbnb determined that this was from normal wear and tear!!!!!

The amount offered for the other damages does not cover the cost of replacing the items nor does it even cover the security deposit.

In conclusion,  I’d just like to warn other hosts not to rely on the security deposit or Host Guarantee and to be more selective when it comes to accepting guests into your home.

---

[Cindy-and-Jason0]

These are welcome changes. I've hosted thousands of guests and only had to file a claim two or three times. The most recent claim was against a guest who brought a cat to a no-pets listing that destroyed my leather couch. I took pictures of the litter and cans of cat food I found in the garbage after the guest checked out and attached them to my claim. I got the RUN AROUND from Airbnb to get my sofa repaired. Where was my million dollar host protection when I needed it? It was ridiculous. 

[Jeremy273]

Very disappointed in how Airbnb deals with claims. I had a renter recently use my place, ruined a $2000 paddleboard that was off limits and damage a few other things.  Supplied all the email documentation stating what was off limits and all Airbnb said was sorry you claim is not warranted.   Glad I lost money on that rental!! 

Ps...I’m still picking golf balls out of my waterfront because the renters felt my lake was a golf range.  

[Dream-Home-Vacation-Rent0]

I have experienced many losses through damages hosting Airbnb Guest and for the most part the worst experience was dealing with the Airbnb appointed team member.  I too have just dealt with losses on my behalf without filling claims because of the terrible experience. Airbnb should not allow the guest to reject the claim as a first option. If guest is dishonest they will just deny the entire claim without a care. Tjis has happen to me many times. 

Host required deposits should be handled by host themselves and not Airbnb. Host should not have to carry the extra burden of dealing with guest false denial claims on top of repairing the damages. 

In some cases, host should also be given the opportunity for compensation for time/work required to bring property back in order. In some cases it takes alot of time out your schedule to locate replacements and make repairs, all of which is a total loss.

[Joshua264]

For those of you that have posted your grievances with the claims department on this community page- have you received any follow up response? I hope so but my guess is that you have not. Why are we keeping this confined to he AirBNB community page? I think it may be time to take these issues to a larger forum- FB, Twitter, our local news stations. If AirBnB won’t so much as acknowledge us ( the very ones they say they are protecting)  what are we still doing here??

[Susan1028]

Twitter gets the quickest results