Need help on how to review guest whose friend caused damage

[Julie3684]

I recently hosted two couples and their two small children (6 people total). Great communication during the stay (he had lots of questions!) and they left the place in great shape except two large blistered burn marks from a hot coffee pot on the kitchen counter.  I wasn't told about the burn and when I told him about it he checked with his friends and told me they were responsible and would cover damages. We just opened 10 months ago and the home had just been completely remodeled.  The existing countertops were in great shape so we just added a nice tile backsplash. I am beyond disappointed! The damage cannot be fixed.  Entire countertop must be replaced which will affect the tile backsplash, cost of plumbing sink, etc. not to mention closing our doors for a few days for repairs.   Estimate for all is around $2000. We requested they pay only half of the actual countertop estimate which came to $664.  The damage was not done by the guest who booked our home but his friend's wife.  The friend offered to pay maximum $300 and said I should have stone countertops because that's what they are used to so it's basically my fault. Ha!  I tried to counter asking for $500, but no luck.  Disappointed but better than nothing? 

How do I review booking guest if his friend was the one who did the damage?  

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!!

Julie

[Lisa723]

@Julie3684 thank you!

[Lisa723]

@Julie3684 it's some kind of laminate for sure-- I don't know the brand because it came with the house when we bought it in 2015. For all I know it's been there since the house was built (as a vacation rental) in 1997. It seems to be pretty much indestructible.

At home we have some kind of engineered stone and I actually managed to crack that with a very hot pan of oil. So stone is not the end-all and be-all.

[Julie3684]

@Lisa723  I really hope no one ever puts a hot coffee pot on it and leaves blistered rings. Sounds like you've been lucky. At least yours is a dark color so it will help to hide any burn marks. My counters also came with the house but they are a cream color.

I have stone counters now and I baby them because my brother's discolored from not sealing them on a regular basis. I didn't know they could crack from hot pan!?!? Yikes! That would make me even more sad.  I had laminate countertops for 45 years with out any burns, so I think I'll  take my chances with laminate. Thanks for the info

[Lisa723]

@Julie3684 we put all kinds of hot pots, including the coffeepot, on those counters, and I'm sure guests do too. The house has been a rental since it was built and I don't think they've ever been replaced. Wish I knew the brand.

Our counter that cracked is "engineered" stone so maybe not as hardy as natural stone-- but it is completely maintenance-free, which is why we used it.

[Julie3684]

@Branka-and-Silvia0  LOL!  " Pritam was here! 6-1-21" 😂    I like your sense of humor! My friend suggested drawing a large band-aid over it and writing "ouch!"   It's close to edge of counter by the sink so it's kind of hard to disguise. The only thing I can think of is one of those dish drying pad, but that won't be there all the time. 

[Sarah977]

@Branka-and-Silvia0  @Julie3684 

I actually love that idea- stuff guests wreck that is super expensive to replace just gets written next to- "This burn spot courtesy of John, Guest #46, June 2021, who couldn't be bothered to use a trivet".

Kind of like kids marking their height through the years on a door frame. 

If you really wanted to have it be almost a theme, you could get little engraved brass plaques that you glue on next to the damage.

Not only a historical record, but a conversation starter and a warning to guests in residence to be respectful and careful.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Great idea @Sarah977  Engraved brass plaques 🙂 😄 I looove it!  So fancy, next level haha

[Julie3684]

@Sarah977 @Branka-and-Silvia0 

I love that!!! 🤣 After Branka & Silvia suggestion yesterday to I was trying to think of how I could make it durable. Brass plaque is the answer!!  It would bring humor to an ugly spot and it would go with my campy casual laid back theme. 
Thank you both! 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Julie3684 Please take a picture and let us see it when you are done 😄

Another idea- bigger engraved plate, like 15x15 cm so it can be used like a trivet, to put hot pots on it 🙂

[Julie3684]

@Christine615 @Branka-and-Silvia0 @Sarah977 @Lisa723  Thanks for the input everyone! I'm still kinda new to all this and I just love that help, support and ideas are just one click away in the Community Center. It's crazy to me that I got help all the way from Mexico and Croatia today! ❤️ Thanks again!

[Sarah977]

@Julie3684  One of the things I love about having participated in this forum for a couple of years is that I now know exactly who I would book with if I went to Croatia, Australia, Berlin, London, almost everywhere. I wouldn't even need to spend time perusing listings for the area.

Back to your review question. This is a really tough one, as it seems the guest who booked was actually fine, it was his buddy who was the problem. I hate it that we can't skip over the ratings and just leave a written review. I'm stumped. While I always urge hosts to leave an honest review, if it were me, I might just decline to leave a review, unless you get a notice that the guest has left a review. It seems wrong to punish the guest for his buddy's damage, especially since he didn't just blow you off- he said his friend did it and passed the communication to him.

So if you do leave a review, as far as the stars go, I'd mark them as if the buddy were not part of the equation, but in the written review, mention that while the booking guest was fine, one of the guests in his party caused some expensive damage, and it wasn't okay not to mention it before they left.

[Christine615]

You are so welcome. I've learned so much from other hosts on this board. Welcome to the family. And if you are okay with the $300, then consider it a lesson learned. One option you could consider is rather than replace the counter-top (which requires a lot of removal of things) find out if there's an expert in your area that can refinish it with Epoxy. That might take the heat and allow you to get the "look" you want for the kitchen.

One of the things we are adamant that Airbnb do is better education of guests that they treat our spaces like "borrowed" homes, not hotel equivalents owned by deep pocket corporations.  I've had considerate guests and some that were not so much. But I do make it clear that I bill damages at "replacement" cost if not reported at the time of the accident. So far so good.

[Julie3684]

@Christine615 

Ooh thanks! Another great suggestion. I’ll make sure I have that wording for replacement cost!!