Guests claim they never stayed but clearly did, Airbnb is siding with them

[Inna22]

I am dumbfounded. A guest booked for one night, communicated the entire time up to check in, after check out wrote that he confused the week for reservation and was never there. The beds were slept in, towels wet, bathrooms used. They did appear to try to hide it- beds were made but just not the way we make them and towels put back but totally wet. Airbnb asked me for a video of the guests checking in!! Are we now supposed to videotape every guest walking into the house? How obnoxious would that be?!

[Susan151]

@Inna22. You get the most unusual guests. How do they all pick you?

This guest has a lot of chutzpah.

[Inna22]

@Susan151 for sure!! I am a magnet for strange guests

[Sarah977]

@Inna22   Maybe you need to change your profile photo to a "looks like maybe someone not to mess with" one. You look so nice and friendly 🙂

Man, guests seem to be coming up with all kinds of creative ways to stay somewhere for free. It's so blatantly shameless. 

"XXX, are you serious? So some invisible aliens came in and used the towels and remade the beds they slept in, as if I don't know how I make the beds and stack wet towels on the shelf?"

[Noel63]

@Inna22Don't they have to pay anyway per your cancellation policy?

[Inna22]

@Noel63 thats a great point. I guess they are looking for cleaning fee refund. They have also paid for early check in so they want that back as well. Airbnb just said that if I do not have a video, they will side with them and I have not seen the final resolution yet

[Vanessa-and-Kurt0]

Why would it even matter if they stayed or not. They booked and apparently did not cancel according to your policy so they could receive a refund and you could not rebook. AirBnB should have explained this to them right away without issue.

[Ned-And-Laura0]

Others are correct, they still pay even when they don't show, I have had a couple actual no shows and we still got our money.  They were probably trying to get out of the cleaning fee I guess, we don't charge a cleaning fee so that didn't come up with our no shows.

[Clara116]

@Inna22 how totally weird. So you have self check in and don't meet your guests - correct? Well, this reinforces WHY I message and guests message me 30mins. before they arrive so I can give a quick tour . Of course we live in the big house in front and they stay in a cottage. 

I would be really calm and challenge them with your Superhost status and how active you are with Airbnb CC and that of course he stayed there - wet towels, and ?? hairs in the sheets?? is there evidence any other way. 

Also, this is another reason I don't do one nighters....too much work for the effort with cleaning. Why do you think it had to do with cleaning fee? Did he message something about that? I would talk with a supervisor and push for your monies on this one. Good luck Inna. happy hosting, Clara

[Inna22]

@Clara116 The did ask to refund early check in fee I charged them so I assume this is about fees. I just can't imagine what else. By the time they made their claim, my cleaning person was well into cleaning. I hope abb understands that no matter how sparkling clean it is after the guest I can not assume they were not there and ever not clean! In this case it was not even sparkling clean, but still.

[Clara116]

@Inna22 one more thing...........tell ABB customer service supervisor....none of us VIDEO tape guest check in! are they serious. they don't want us to have videos due to privacy issues. They they suggest a video of check in - I would laugh at them on saying that. good luck

[Letti0]

@Inna22  Another reason for getting a Ring - Video Doorbell Pro. I am really thinking about getting this, but have not completely been sold. If I were in your shoes I would be sold though completely on it between your guest that sneak into apartments and those that claim they never stayed it would pay for itself in no time ;D 

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/ring-video-doorbell-pro-satin-nickel/5095900.p?skuId=5095900

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

How incredibly rude!

Another reason to meet the guests on arrival , asking them for personal ID and make them sign a registration form. On the bottom of the registration form we also added a sentence: "I inspected the apartment and have no complains" .

Security cameras or video doorbell are also very helpfull.

[Cormac0]

@Inna0

I always record the utilities meter reading from one guest to another essentially for costing purposes, the water meter reading is a particularly good measure of how many people stayed, at the very least nobody poo's at the same time, they may shower together but it’s unlikely.

There are statistics for daily water consumption and using a sense of reasonability one can quickly divine if any and how many people stayed.

Having said the above, it will probably not be enough for Airbnb’s staff to have your back, but it will confirm to you that you’re not losing your mind.

[Inna22]

I actually have PartySqusher installed so I forwarded them a screen shot showing guests were there. I hope they will take that as evidence