I smoked on my host balcony

[Noe943]

So on the first day I arrived we had a long travel and it was raining so my wife smoked on the balcony. Host sent me a message that the neighbors complained and that the office may fine us, I replied I am sorry and explained myself and never did it again.

Ok no problem for 2 weeks, we checkout and the next day she tells me to pay the 2000baht fine, I am like ok can I have the receipt of the fine?

I had seen in the building that the fine was actually 5000baht, so I am perplex.

She just replied to me with a screenshot of me admitting that we did.

I know I did but does the owner have the authority to issue any type of fine in the listing, if she had put it's

200 000 baht does that mean I have to pay it?? 

Am I in the right to ask for the receipt of the fine from an official source? 

The condo was not damaged in any way shape or form by it. 

[Dale711]

Bonjour @Noe943 ,

Please find the host listing description of internal rules.

If dd does not mention about the fine or forbidden to smoke in the balcony.

So yours have the right to smoke in an open area.

Beside balcony is an open space, what " damage " the neighbour claim for?

As you rent the entire space; you have the right to smoke in the balcony or

even inside the apartment next to the window.

Report this case immediately to Airbnb support centre, claim the host act.

Because the host can not simply ask for payment without any solid proof.

If that is property damage by the incident, the host can go thought  Airbnb Insurance and host guarantee.

Guest ever direct pay to host.

Even if they have the invoice, any incident happen always go thought by Airbnb.

Click on " Help ", scroll down to bottom page " contact us "

Inform the case to the Airbnb support team and chat with the services team.

As if you wish, can write a review about this host of a lack of probity, your experience so to warn other future guests

Best wishes 😃

Incase, the host trouble you again.

click to inbox message, report the host spam and flat the message.

or you can even block this host.

[Noe943]

It does say no smoking in the description, 2000baht fine. But no mention of balcony. 

I asked her she told me no smoking on the balcony after I booked.  The whole building is non smoker I think. 

I just wish to see the receipt of the building office if there was a real fine, or do I have to pay her arbitrary house rules when nothing was damaged at all, no smoke went inside.

Airbnb support said she provided evidence with the screenshot of me admitting it and that she told them that we would pay. 

I replied to them that I wanted to see an official receipt or what was their stance on the situation. They do not reply me. 

So I come here for help.

[Helen3]

That’s simply not true @Dale711 

Many buildings have non smoking rules including on balconies and have fines for doing so. 

The host should make a claim through the Airbnb Resolution Centre @Noe943  and provide proof of the fine.  Presumably the fines were made clear in the house rules? 

[Dale711]

# Guest never pay direct to host

[Anonymous]

@Noe943  If the balcony is included in the listing, than the smoking policy automatically applies to it unless the rules state otherwise. You don't get to invent exceptions whenever your wife wants a cigarette.

If the listing explicitly states that the fine is 2000B, then you are contractually obliged to transmit 2000B to the host. That is the ethical course of action, because you violated the terms of an agreement that you willfully entered into - even after receiving clarification. The fact that you perceived no damage to the property is irrelevant, and you have no standing to demand a receipt for the penalty levied on the host (which may represent a small part of their losses, if the incident causes them to lose their ability to continue hosting).

Don't transmit your fine directly to the host's account - go to http://airbnb.com/resolutions to send it in system so that there's a paper trail, along with a sincere apology for all the trouble you've caused. 

If you don't wish to abide by the terms of your agreement because of some questionable "principle," the host's options for extracting the fine by Airbnb are limited. They could post a damning review or make a report to Airbnb that would make it impossible for you to book another property on the site, or they could tit-for-tat the ethical dodginess and find some other reason to file a damage claim. 

[Noe943]

@Anonymous 

The building shows it is 5000baht fine.

So why ask me 2000 baht?

This listing has been deceitful from the beginning, barely mentioning prepaid cost of electricity, not saying that there is a balcony or smoking in the entire building.

Still waiting for my electricity bill, maybe they gonna tell me I owe them more than what I prepaid, no mention about that either. All I want is a receipt from the building office and I will gladly pay 5000 instead of 2000. 

And for the "sincere apologies" for all the "troubles" I made.

It was done on the spot.

I will probably just pay them and leave a damning review like you said.

[Sarah977]

Andrew didn't say for you to post a damning review. He said if you refuse to pay the host could write a damning review which will warn other hosts not to rent to you. 

What would you write a damning review about? You're the one who ignored the no smoking rule and the fine for it, which was made evident to you when you booked. It's you who is at fault, not the host. 

@Noe943

[Amanda660]

You admitted that your wife smoked in the balcony when you knew it was against the house rules so why the fuss?  Pay it and move on - you made the choice to have that expensive cigarette.  

[Sandra856]

@Noe943 Just pay. If I did something like that I would be super embarrashed and also you have been bothering the neighboors with smoke. It could really hurt the host and the host's Airbnb. 

Even thinking about leaving the host a bad review because you chose to break the rules are just not okay. At all. So just apologize and pay. That is the proper thing to do.