Hi @Airbnb, @Catherine-Powell,
I am seeking support regarding inconsistent Host Guarantee guidance from two different Airbnb Claims specialists. I strongly believe that my current Resolution center case qualifies for reimbursement based on previous steer from an experienced Airbnb Claims specialist. However, the current Claims specialist is denying my claim without explaining why the previous Airbnb steer is no longer valid. Could you please help?
On November 22, 2020, an Airbnb Claims Specialist denied my resolution center claim and provided the following guidance:
"A very important part of your Host Guarantee claim submission is to notify us the moment you receive notice of these damages. This helps us to intervene, as the third party, to reach the best possible outcome for all parties involved. The moment you receive, or find notice of any damage you must notify Airbnb and the accused party of these damages.
There is more than one way to meet this requirement. The moment that you find that there are damaged or missing items, you can reach out to the guest in the message thread making them aware of the damages and letting them know that you will attempt to collect the payment. It also qualifies if you leave this in the review before the next guest checks in. This is a strict policy requirement and is in place to ensure timely and accurate resolutions for both hosts and guests."
On December 23, 2020, I filed a new Resolution Center claim due to property damage caused by a guest. I followed the guidance above by notifying the guest and seeking compensation from them via leaving a review prior to the next guest's check-in. Everything went smoothly; the Airbnb claims specialist understood the situation and issued reimbursement for the damages after the guest refused to pay.
On January 19, 2021, a guest damaged property at my cabin, so I filed a new Resolution Center claim and followed the same exact steps as before. Once I was notified of the damage from the cleaners, I notified the guest of the damage and asked for compensation from them by leaving a review prior to the next guest's check in. This time, however, the Airbnb claims specialist has denied my claim without explaining why the previous guidance is now invalid.
Can somebody from the Corporate office please help?
Note: The reason why hosts prefer to notify the guest via review is to avoid influencing the guest's review of the host. This is every host's dilemma: A guest damaged property at my home. If I message the guest directly or file a resolution center claim within the 14-day review period, I will invariably cause the guest to leave a bad review. But if I don't file a claim, I'll end up paying out-of-pocket for all the damages. Hence, notifying the guest via review is a great alternative, as it allows hosts to flag the issue without influencing the guest's review of the host.
Thank you in advance for your support, and I look forward to hearing back from you.
