Guest requesting refund

[Tuuli0]

Dear fellow hosts -

I have been an airbnb host for the past seven years, running a small seasonal glamping site at the back of our garden.  I am a superhost and have over 340 reviews, averaging 5*.

This morning I got a refund request from the guests who stayed in one of our bell tents for 10 nights. Rather inconveniently, I am away at the moment on a rare family holiday, having a friend of mine managing the site. The guests stayed for 10 nights. My friend checked on them daily, asking if everything is ok, if they need anything etc etc. No complaints, comments, requests during their stay whatsoever. 
After checking out they complain about three issues, claiming the inaccuracy of my listing.

1: The mattress is not big enough being a double mattress in the king size frame or something along the lines. There is a small gap between the mattress and the bed frame but no guest of about 200 has ever mentioned that before.

2: We used to have a wood fired outside bath but due to a flooding last year we had to abandon it as a bath and filled it with herbs instead. I’ve also taken the ad for the bath off my listing but I guess they must have seen it on my listing beforehand.

3: And most importantly, being the only comment that actually worries me - as they were leaving they stripped the beds and found a small patch of mould on the mattress corner. They say their daughter has asthma and the mould aggravated her situation and she had to use additional medication for the last couple of days. 
There was nothing wrong with the mattress when I set up for the season in May and I can only assume the mould has appeared due to the mattress being in the tent, in a naturally humid and warm situation. 

The guest has requested £500 refund from the total of £820 for their ten nights stay.

She emailed me via Airbnb yesterday, complaining about these issues. I responded in what I think in a very sympathetic and apologetic way. 15 minutes after my email she put her refund request through without responding to my email.

So - what would you do? Pay all? Pay some? Pay none?

This has never happened before and I have no idea how Airbnb resolution Center would deal with the case. In favour of the guest as it’s always an easier option?

All help and advice much appreciated,

Tuuli

[Helen3]

did they follow airbnb's policy for guests claiming against a host? doesn't sound like it.

I wouldn't offer a refund and would query why they didnt raise issues on the first day of the stay

[Mark116]

@Tuuli0  Can you have your co host/friend check the mattress to see if there really is mould?

I would pay nothing, it sounds like a scam.  It would only take 1 or 2 nights to determine if a mattress was too uncomfortable and for an ashmatic to have a reaction.  Not 10 days.  Seems like a scammer.

[Gordon0]

Lord...this sounds like a DFL lot who've found out that they don't necessarily love/like the countryside after all, and they've gone hell-for-leather to re-coup their 'losses', @Tuuli0.

1. Unless you've since changed the listing, it states:

1 double bed, 2 floor mattresses

So that's point one biffed.

2. Did you change the listing details before ref the bath these lot booked? The will be able to claim loss of amenities if you did. However, if you'd removed it before; moot point. 

3. This is a tough one - but it's very convenient Leyla/Freya/Isla happened to have asthma issues...

Anyway, I'd  be tempted to let Airbnb earn their money and see what they do. 

Good luck. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Tuuli0 I would be wary of following the bit of @Gordon0 's advice re letting Airbnb earn their money and see what they do (the rest is good though!).

I would also state to the guest that they should have raised their issues within 72 hours and given you a chance to correct the issues at the time. Given that they didn't do this then they have no claim and you will not be issuing a refund.

You will get a poor review but as all your others are good a suitable response will mean future guests will ignore their review.

[Fred13]

The 'Anatomy of an Airbnb Refund Attempt' goes as follows:

1. They do not say anything during their entire stay.

2. Right after they bring up at least one of the tried & true 'incendiary' accusations (i.e. cockroaches, mold).

3. They file for an outrageous amount (50%+), hoping they will get a good-enough 'discount'.

4. If unsuccessful with Airbnb and the host has not capitulated, a terrible retaliatory review will follow.

I posted this common hustle not too long ago, and brought it up to some Airbnb supervisors; they now can't say they never heard it.

[Sudsrung0]

Im giving credit to Airbnb here in my situation, One time a guest tried to claim a refund after 5 days saying the water in the house was dirty, As with most properties here have wells, We also have a filter,

The guest was still at the property at the time they made a claim, My husband went round to check, he checked all the taps in the house checked the filter at that time the water was clean he even filled up a bottle as a sample, Clean!

They wanted to move that day and claim a full refund, Airbnb agreed with me why after 5 days they complain about the water.

The short story, Airbnb didn't give them a refund and they moved out, 

Later that day my husband bumped in to our neighbour and she said the guest had left the hosepipe running all day in the garage and she noticed when the water was flooding out into the road, there is only so much water in the well before it runs dry my neighbour took photo's of the water which we sent to Airbnb, we didn't hear anymore about that case, So thanks to Airbnb

[Fred13]

I really do think Airbnb is getting with the program about not falling victim to the hustlers/scammers that stay the full length and then  remember all kinds of reason why they aren't happy.

[Sudsrung0]

It's like some guest know what they are doing and how to get a full refund, We had a couple last month they started from day one, my husband was right on it, They did try bye the way but didnt get anything,

[Fred13]

They do and they even can read on some forums how to run the scam.

[Tuuli0]

Thank you all for your comments! I have been mulling it over and have decided to decline the request. Wrote a long explanation to Airbnb - fingers crossed they’ll be on my side.

Will let you all know how it goes.

I really appreciate your support, it’s great to know the community is behind me!

[Sudsrung0]

This is the best place to come if you are needing some help, hope it works out OK for you, Keep smiling and dont let them get you down,

[Richard531]

@Tuuli0 Well done.  These are bad guests and bad people.  Do NOT let them bastardize the Sharing Economy with this kind of entitled behavior.  Especially point #3.  Preposterous and insulting.  There's exactly zero things wrong with your sheets and 1M things wrong with that daughter and family in general. And those 1M things wrong with them have nothing to do with you.  

Do not refund them a single dime.  No matter what.  

And keep your chin up!  This will pass.  Thank goodness they are off your property and out of your life.  

Great work on your litter operation!  Looks beautiful.  You're lucky that you either have your CUP permits in a row or don't need them for the gig you got going there.  That kind of operation does NOT fly in Southern California without a boatload of permits, county hearings, easements, taxes, insurance, infrastructure, etc.  

[Room-X-Room0]

Well I think you should prioritize your battle. It seems that you would want to keep your 5 star rating. I would agree with the guest to refund them their money as requested AFTER the review period in exchange for both parties not leaving a review. Then I would be sure to never host them again. I wouldn’t waste to much energy on it . If the mold was an issue and you found the mold yourself to me that alone is a enough grant the refund request. This is one battle not worth your time especially if you have over 200+ ppl who feel different. There is always one rotten apple but just get rid of it before it spoils the bunch. Keep up the great host and consider their feedback. Change what you think needs to be change and move along. 

[Adriane48]

Pay none it seems like they just wanted a free place for the 10 days. Why they spend 10 days in the site if wasn’t good for them?