Theft of Guests Belongings

[Forest-and-Nesli0]

I had a guest who booked a non-refundable trip with a strict cancellation policy who arrived, started drinking with a large group, left the house with the doors UNLOCKED and then had belongings stolen from the house. They continued to stay in the house until 3PM the following day and messaged me at that time that they had departed and entered unlock code 25x but couldn't get it to unlock door (simply needed to press lock) so I raced over there and locked up. AirBNB support left the guests reservation active until 2pm the following day at which time I called maids and they put it on the next days schedule as it was too late in the day to clean at that point.

"Support then informed me: **

From what I can tell they are refunding this guest because they think I robbed the house myself? Additionally decided to refund 3 nights rather than 1 night even when in messenger guest said they didn't lock the door and left at 3pm? What are my options here this is ridiculous. Its noteworthy that the guest communicated a neighbors house had also been robbed. The guests moved to an airbnb a few blocks away - great neighborhood.

**[Conversation with CS removed in line with Community Center Guidelines]

[Brian2036]

@Forest-and-Nesli0 

I doubt that Airbnb is trying to suggest that you robbed the house. They are just trying to pacify a stupid, drunken irresponsible guest who is apparently willing to spend a lot of money on Airbnb.

 I doubt that you will get anywhere with Airbnb CS but I guess you should try.

 I would ask if the supposedly victimized guest filed a police report and if so, why didn’t you get a copy? If not, why not? Maybe because it never happened? 

If they were robbed it is because of their negligence, not yours.

[Forest-and-Nesli0]

I read the community standards they refer to as well as the strict cancellation policy and the extenuating circumstances policy and do not see anything anywhere that says host payouts are taken away if a guest gets items stolen from the house when they depart the house drunk at 10:30pm with a group of 10 people being loud and leaving the door unlocked. Then they left 3pm the next day refusing to cancel and airbnb support only cancelled it at 2pm the day after that so 3 nights were un-bookable. 

[Mary419 · Accepted solution]

You need to keep complaining about this. Probably best to post this on more visible social media than this board. That scenario could happen to any host on one scale or another. People leave doors unlocked to houses and cars frequently while on vacation.

It is completely unfair that they are charging you for that huge refund without any agreement on your part.  

[Inna22]

@Forest-and-Nesli0  I have a party squasher device installed at my house. While its main intent is to know when they’re in authorized guests at the house, it has helped me in similar situations when the guests have claimed they left the house earlier than they actually have. I showed Airbnb party squasher data as proof that the guests were in fact they are. They’ve accept education it as proof every time.

[Forest-and-Nesli0]

@Inna22 Great idea! I use that to see what time maids show up and depart as well. Unfortunately in this situation I had a whole conversation with the guest on the AirBNB App Messages prior to our 11am checkout time explaining they are welcome to stay for their trip but if they are leaving we need to get the maids in and checkout is by 11am. They explained that they were not ready yet and would let me know when they depart then followed up with a message at 3:16pm also on the AirBNB App Messages explaining they had just left the house and couldn't figure out how to lock up. This is not a matter of proof or multiple opinions its a matter of AirBNB giving away my mortgage money.

[Mario2607]

I had a person Laurie steal a painting  from my house and had a party, left 10 glow bracelets in the pool and on the ceiling fan. Airbnb refused to reimburse me even with receipts