Managing Damages and Reviews

[Michael2484]

Anyone have advice on how to manage substantive damage and protect host status. 

If you use BnB insurance (or request money), it requires arbitration.  That totally makes sense.  But the guest can still rate you.  Seems we are at risk of a very negative review that (say a '1') can ruin a superhost status for a year or more.  Opportunities for low level extortion.  

Any thoughts??     

by the way, I'm michael.  Was a super host for three year at my old (too large) home.  Now downsized I live in one house and bought another house to use exclusively for BnB.  I loved decorating it; and love the house and the great responses from my guests.  I live in West Texas (think tumbleweeds) and am a professor at the local university.   - Michael.

[Patricia1375]

@Michael2484Hi Michael, I learned the hard way that it does not pay to report a guests damages through CS with Airbnb.  I was a Super Host for 3 years.  We have invested in $100,000 in custom furniture, and high end furnishings and amenities in our log home.  New Years week of 2021 we had guests from Miami who stayed for a week.  They left thousands of dollars in damage, which I documented with before and after pictures, costs to replace the furniture, brand new hard wood floors & stairs having to be refinished, etc. In the end, Airbnb CS said the issues would have to be worked out with the guest directly, which always pits the host against the guest prior to reviews being submitted.  I deeply regret not just eating the damage and reaching out to the guests as Airbnb advised me to do.  We got a three star review from the guest, and a complete denial from the guest in their review that they did any damage.  We still had to close the cabin for repairs to be completed, and pay out of pocket for all the damages.  The next several months we had month long stays through VRBO, and received warnings that the one negative review, and then not having new reviews from Airbnb guests (because our log home was being rented out through a competitor) would cost me my Super Host status. 

Airbnb communicated with us in writing that years of glowing reviews are not part of the quarterly review process.  So one three star review, and then no new reviews in a quarter contributed to loss of Super Host Status.  

I am grateful for the business through VRBO, and have lost my Super Host Status through Airbnb.  My lesson learned a year later is eat the damage from occasional guests, and never ever respectfully approach the guest with concerns & documentation over damages left in their wake.   

In the mean time, I hope more Airbnb guests come my way on the calendar so that I might earn the Super Host Status again in future quarterly reviews by Airbnb.   In my humble opinion, all we can do is do everything we can to offer a wonderful stay in our home, and hope they respond with great reviews and we will have a chance to earn the Super Host status in 2022.

[Anonymous]

@Patricia1375 another lesson one can glean from your unfortunate experience is that Airbnb homes are best left with furnishings that are durable, difficult to damage, easy to repair, and affordable to replace. Putting that high-end custom furniture out there for strangers from the internet is a bit like wearing a Dior evening gown to a children's birthday party at McDonald's. 

[Elaine701]

@Anonymous 

Yes, I have to agree with you. "Guest proofing" is a key element of success in this business (or at least in minimising frustration) .

Once the guest is in, whatever happens will most often default to the fault of the host. So, you need to equip your offering to withstand some reasonable degree of abuse, and keep it as simple as possible. 

But I think it also depends on if your mainstream market is a McDonaldland type of guest, which I have to believe constitutes the lion's share of the market. 

Our goal when we started was never to "get rich", and we all know that won't happen with one or even 5 properties. The cost of maintenance, taxes, insurance, and just doing business just isn't going to provide anything resembling wealth. You have to love it, or don't do it. 

We consciously decided to start basic, and invest as much of the our profits back into property as possible, to increase its value over time. And so far, that's been working. 

But as all things are, it's been a learning experience. One thing we've learned, (and are still learning) is that there's also a good business outside the mainstream, heading in the luxury direction.

As we've continually upgraded and improved the property, and suddenly, we've found we're now appealing to a slightly different class of traveller. One that decidedly isn't your average Ronald McDonald. They are attracted by quality rather than quantity. And they're willing to pay for it. And they have respect and a conscience. 

So, with that lesson, and weighing in the rightful "guest proofing" You refer to, there is a certain advantage to providing luxury amenities, fine artworks, quality furnishings, etc. I'm quite surprised how it's elevated the quality of guest we're now attracting.

But you can only safely go that route when you can be assured it won't be in vain. So measure twice, cut once. 

We've had a bumpy road getting there, and IMO, we're still far from the 5 star ratings we keep receiving, but that's all relative. I'm increasingly optimistic that in a few years, we may be able to leave the McDonaldland mainstream entirely and concentrate solely on delivering a truly luxury 5 star product, and get paid well for it.

Today, we're about 80% pricier than when we first started, and even with the pandemic, we're currently nearly fully booked from March though September, and already have good bookings dotted outside of that season. And I have no doubt we'll see more. It's still early. 

The point is this: If you keep improving the offering, it seems that it naturally progresses to the next level, and if you improve on that, it eventually goes up another notch. So, it's not always the wisest idea to live with the cheapest or "most durable". You could be limiting your potential.

But absolutely, you definitely should not wear a Dior evening gown to a children's birthday party at McDonald's. Either work the way to the invite to the grownups table, or stick with McDonald's. And set your expectations appropriately. it's definitely not easy. 

[Colleen253]

@Patricia1375 I second @Anonymous‘s comment. Further to that, successful hosting with Airbnb requires careful and savvy maneuvering. First and foremost is preventing the type of guest you had from even gaining access to your space. Once they’re in, you’re behind the 8 ball with no way out. Attract the best and avoid the rest. Your listing description, house rules, price, and more, can assist with that. Employ careful screening, be mindful of red flags and don’t be afraid to decline bookings that smell ‘off’.

Also, we now have 14 days to submit a claim for damages, and no longer have to do it before then next guest checks in. This is still within the review window, but does allow more wiggle room. If despite your best efforts a claim should ever arise again, employing some careful maneuvering should allow you to make the claim and avoid a retaliatory review. Of course, realizing success with the claim is still a big challenge.

Another tack one can take is raising rates slightly and putting that money aside from each booking into a damage fund upon which to draw when needed. Save the painful wrangling with guest/Airbnb.

@Michael2484 

[Elaine701]

It is also our experience that involving Airbnb in any dispute can be quite damaging. Losing superhost status could be the least of your worries. 

The most effective cure is simply to do your best to avoid this type of guest in the first place. If it smells funny, don't take it.

Don't worry about scaring off a few. There's always another one in the queue. It's airbnb's greatest strength. Use it. 

[Kathleen710]

I have had guests damage my house as well. I went through the resolution center and the guest denied everything.  I asked Airbnb to reach out to the previous guest and ask them if those damages were at my house when they were there, so that I would have proof from the previous guest. Airbnb covered all my damages!   The guest did not even submit a review.   A review can be challenged but it may not be removed.