Guests caused a leak in the pool plumbing system. Would like advise on how to file a claim

[Danny627]

My recent guest checked out 2 days ago and since then, the area where the return jets of the pool has been building up a puddle of water. Upon reviewing the cameras, I see two boys messing around with the return jet and appear to be unscrewing it and shoving some kind of hose into it. I've extracted the camera feeds and is documenting the event. 

I've message the guest asking to see WTH were they doing. If it's something simple as just screwing back the return jet then it's all good. However I'm afraid it isn't that simple. I've removed this jet nozzle in the past and ran it for days w/o an issue. I'm afraid they may have damaged the plastering or the plumbing which will be a very expensive repair for underground piping. 

A family member is coming over today to assess the issue and if it's a serious problem, I won't be able to get a repair quote for probably a week or more. 

How do I file a claim if I don't know the serverity of the damage but still bring this to Airbnb attention to make sure that we are protected? 

[John7474]

@Danny627

So sorry to hear about you situation with your pool.  

I would document everything, by making a timeline of what happened, what you saw and actions you have taken. 

I would also have your pool maintenance team take a look at the situation and get an estimate for the repair. 

Once you have all of that information, contact Airbnb to establish a claim by explaining  the details, and provide them with your camera footage if they request. 

Again, so sorry to hear about your situation. 

Best, 

John 

[Danny627]

Thank you @John7474 I notified the guest immediately after discovering the leak and discovered the video clips of their kids messing with the plumbing. 

They are responsive and offered to be responsible for the repairs. However, I don't think they realized how much a repair like this can potentially cost especially if excavating the deck to repair the plumbing and resurfacing to match is required. It's going to be thousands of dollars and requires us to shut down the operation for the work to be done and losing revenue out of this. 

I'm flying back to the house this weekend and will be making an appointment with pool repair folks to see what we're dealing with. 

I've extracted the video and will be sharing it with the guest. It's their kids that were messing with the plumbing all caught on camera. 

For my own knowledge, how does claims like this work? Will Airbnb go after the guest and make them pay for the full amount or does the Airgap insurance kick in for things like it? 

The puddle is actually much worse when the pump is running, but to give you an idea, water is creeping up from beneath the deck. 😞

[John7474 · Accepted solution]

Hello @Danny627 

Again, so sorry to hear about your pool.  

I have not had a repair situation, but when I have had to get Airbnb involved, they have been incredibly helpful.  

I suggest calling Airbnb and explain what is going on. They can start the process and detail what additional information they need. 

Best, 

John

[Zoe460]

Sorry to hear of this added hassle. Confirms the importance of cameras. I’ve filed a small damage claim before and my understanding is it’s all done online. Look for the link under the guest’s booking details for the aircover icon. I’d include a screen but app won’t allow me to. You’ll be prompted to upload photos, estimate/cost to replace or repair. First your message will go to client to cover them if they don’t pay aircover will take care of it. Airbnb no longer handling these directly and you’ll receive a response from their insurance carrier. It can take a couple of weeks and when I went through this process the only option I was given was to receive a check in the mail. Yes, you read that correctly- snail mail hard copy check. Phone support is not what it used to be and I highly recommend you document the entire process should you need to speak to someone. Most are following a basic script and I recently waited a week for a response that never came and I found the answer elsewhere. Best of luck!