3rd time hosting - & something stolen

[Ingrid715]

Hi, we have a gorgeous treehouse which we have just listed on AirBnB. Our third lots of guests have checked out a day early (just sent us a message to say they have left) and we find a beautiful pottery handmade fantail that was in our treehouse is missing. Ideas on how to handle this? We obviously know exactly what was in our treehouse and where: we have taken great care to make it beautiful!! What do we say to the guests? Feeling gutted.

[Colleen253]

@Ingrid715 It may not have been theft. Could it have been broken? The only thing you can do is let it go (what’s done is done) or ask the guest if they have any idea what may have happened to it. I put a line in my house notes book asking guests to let me know asap if any issues arise such as accidental breakage and such, so we can be prepared for repairs or replacement. It’s hit and miss.

Best to take a preventive approach and not put anything you would be sad to lose in an Airbnb. 

[Ingrid715]

Yes I have politely asked the guest about it, saying that it is possible that she may have picked it up, as it is a lovely thing, and can she let us know where she put it, as it is no longer on the shelf.  She replied that she and her partner have never seen it. This is a treehouse where we just have some very select few arty and beautiful things in it. So we have concluded that either she has broken it (and doesn't want to tell us) or they have stolen it. We cannot find any other explanation. It is a shame to have to take stuff out because people nick stuff. She wrote us a lovely message on the app saying they were leaving a day early but loved their stay and would like to stay again.  She has been quite the communicator during the 3 day stay, locking themselves out, asking for fresh towels, asking to use the spa, giving me their rubbish to chuck away and also using our washing machine during the short visit (which wasn't part of the AirBnB offer) - and we had offered them a complimentary cooked breakfast as a treat (also not part of the AirBnB offer), so it is strange they wouldn't be able to tell us that they had accidentally broken something - rather than let us conclude that they had stolen it.

[Eleni219]

Hello @@Ingrid715  have you spoken to the Airbnb customer service about this? Maybe you can make a claim.

Let us know what happens,

Eleni

[Ingrid715]

Hi Eleni, yeah not quite sure what to do. My son and i are running it and he says that the people checked out a day early so the extra nights accommodation covers it. (True). But I just feel really gutted, and hurt I guess. They were only our 3rd guests!!! We quite bent over backwards for them (see my comment to Colleen). 

[Ingrid715]

UPDATE I asked the guest about where they had put it and they said: "Im so sorry Ingrid but I genuinely have no clue! I dont recall seeing the bird. We did open the window by the table could it have fallen from there? Please invoice me the cost for it if you can’t find it. Sione & I don’t remember seeing it 🥺"  Then I decided to go through all the rubbish that the guests had left in the outside bins before they left. And lo and behold, there it was!!! Amongst the paper bag of rubbish filled with all the empty chips packets and water bottles and other gunk, there was the little bird with a wing broken off!! (and the wing).  I really wonder: what kind of experience had these people had, that they cannot admit to breaking something? Is this why they checked out early? (scared??) Is it a cultural thing? It wasn't hard to uncover their lie... Not sure what to do! Let it go, or write a compassionate email attaching the photo of the broken bird?

[Colleen253]

@Eleni219  So sorry one of your early experiences has been such a rude and jarring one. It happens, unfortunately. Vetting your guests thoroughly to weed out the potentially problematic ones is the best and first line of defense. 

The review is the best place to register your disappointment with these distasteful folks. Avoid accusing them of anything and just mention you were disappointed in the lack of care and respect shown, to both you and your listing, and that you cannot recommend them to other hosts. Be sure to click ‘would not host again’, and mark them down in the star categories accordingly. Note that they are able to request to book with you again, even though you’ve indicated you wouldn’t want them. You’ll have to block them to prevent that, since they said they would return. 

[Louise1073]

Guests will break things, unfortunately. It sounds like your guest knows they messed up and is feeling guilty about it but too scared to confess. Have they left you a review yet?

Since it sounds like the cost of their unused night covers the broken statue I would just let it go and focus on finding a way to end this AirBnB experience on a positive note. 

[Ingrid715]

No they haven't left a review yet. Yeah I am thinking that they lacked the maturity to be able to say "Sorry, I broke the bird" - or it could be due to their culture (Pacifica). Does there have to be two reviews (one from each side) ? Because I don't really know what to say publicly about them. 

[Angela2855]

Careful with use of "culture (Pacifica)".  That's not acceptable communication. 

[Ingrid715]

Hi Angela,

I am trying to understand your comment about "not acceptable communication."

I am saying that different cultures have different ways of handling things. If you are culturally aware, you will know that some cultures have "shame" associated with admitting making a mistake and in some cultures, people do not want to "lose face" by admitting a mistake. New Zealand is a very multicultural society,  and it always pays to try and understand if there is a cultural reason behind someone's actions that may seem baffling. I am saying this in a way so as I can try and see a way forward to feel compassion towards this couple, rather than calling them out for their dishonesty.

However,  I don't want to be blocked by AirBnB so if it is unacceptable for me to use the word "culture", then as you say, better I don't mention.

Did you have any thoughts about their dishonesty and whether to mention that in a review Angela2855? 

Cheers, regards Ingrid.

[Ingrid715]

PS I do hear what you are saying. I don't want to offend people and maybe it is best not to try and understand what causes people to act in the way they do, because we can never really know, even if we do our best to understand or even if we ask them directly. I think I will just let this go and skip giving them a review altogether.

[Amanda660]

@Ingrid715 it sounds like they got all embarrassed and into a fluster about the breakage, backing themselves into a corner by saying they hadn’t seen it.  

There’s  two ways you can go.  

Take a pic and sent a claim via the Resolution Centre with a note saying it had been found in the bin.

Let it go, try and repair the wee wing and chalk it down to experience.

They didn’t handle it the best way they could but I don’t think there was malice intended.