Urine Soaked Sofa and Bed

[Keria6]

This is my first time hosting and the guest who just check out urinated on my sofa couch and in my bed. My house was left an entire disaster. My entire house smells like urine and smoke. Food was left everywhere, the smoke alarm is missing and there is drug residue left behind all over the place. PLEASE HELP!! I have contacted AirBnB support no one will respond and I am not sure what to do.

[Emiel1]

@Keria6 

Did you communicate with the guest before accepting the reservation ?

If you are a new host and "Instant Book" is activated, better turn it off.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1510/

Do not expect much help form Airbnb these days.

If things are damaged, you can claim costs at the guest:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/361/how-do-i-request-reimbursement-under-the-host-guarantee

Best regards,

Emiel

[Keria6]

Yes, the guest claim they were evacuees from Hurrican Laura and needed immediate check-in. I  informed them that I do not allow same-day check ins.

[Mark116]

@Keria6  Take photos and video of everything.  If there was enough damage you might want to get a police report as well.  Both of these things will help you in getting reimbursement from Airbnb.

[Keria6]

Thanks will do! The smell is VERY strong I can barely stand being inside.

[Lisa723]

@Keria6 also be sure to get estimates/receipts for professional damage recovery. You must submit your claim within 14 days or before your next check-in, whichever is sooner. I'm sorry this happened to you, and I hope your luck improves. As has been mentioned, screen your guests carefully, look at previous host reviews, require verified id, etc.

[Keria6]

Yes, will do. They stated they were evacuees from the Hurricane that just pasted.

[Ann72]

@Keria6  Raise your rates.

[Keria6]

@Ann72 Definitely. My next guest is scheduled to stay for 1 full month...

[Ann72]

@Keria6  I hope it's a good experience.  Could you offer weekly housekeeping while the guest is there?  That way you can keep the place in good shape/keep an eye on things.   I don't allow stays of longer than a week unless they accept weekly housekeeping.  Even people who say they're neat don't keep the place the way I do.

[Kelly149]

@Keria6 do you know who the guest was (like, actually KNOW bc you saw & recorded an ID)?

Do whatever you need to do to protect yourself and go after the guest (if you can)

file a police report, file an insurance claim, file suit in small claims court, go ahead and try to reach ABB, but I'd view their help as a distant maybe (they have pretty clear cut rules, so make sure you know what those are)

Good luck! and sorry that you got a crummy person. When you recover from this, come back and crowdsource some ideas for how to avoid these types going forward. @Ann72 already gave you one idea. @emiel and @lisa723 listed a couple others

[Keria6]

@Kelly149 I do not know them personally, acutally have never met them until they checked in. They claimed to be evacuees from Hurricane Laura that occurred on Thursday, 08/28. I did take pictures of their license plate — as a just in case... but their car was registered to a different owner. Ironically they called me to see if they could book again online and I confronted the guest the about the disaster they left and they hung up the phone. I have a new guest staying for 1 full

month soon and I am extremely nervous.

[Cormac0]

@Keria6 

Baking soda on both the couch and mattress and leave for a few days before vacuuming, did you have a mattress cover?

[Keria6]

@Cormac0  I added baking sofa  and the bed. I did not have a mattress cover on my new bed. Lesson learned.