Problem with Airbnb Host Guarantee: hosts beware!!

[Valentina32]

Dear Hosts,

I have been a host for many years and recently found myself in a situation where a group of guests caused considerable damage to my property.

I submitted my request to Airbnb on time and according to guidelines and after two weeks of back and forth where Airbnb asked me to provide a sizeable amount of documents to prove the damage, I was told that my Host Guarantee payment request had been declined as it was not possible to determine the guest's liability for the damages.

This is more than disappointing  as it means that unless you can prove your guest was directly responsible for the damage (by taking a picture of the damage while it is happening? by installing CCTVs in your property?) Airbnb will not cover you. When I raised this point I was told that they are sorry but Airbnb reserves the right to make the final determination with regard to these disputes.

What this tells me is that the Airbnb Host Guarantee is not exactly what they lead us to believe and the deposit they hold for you (which should be held on your behalf exactly for situations like this one) is little more than a joke.

I do not feel as safe leaving my house in the hands of strangers which could damage it without consequences.

Please be careful and assume that Airbnb will not cover for your damages and take extra precautions to protect your property.

If anyone else had similar experiences please share!

Valentina

[Ari-and-Björn0]

I also make photos after clean up the Apartment before my next Guests will arrive. Hope that Air Bnb can help you and they change this 

[Annie-B0]

I am new to these threads, but .. I totally agree with all!  I hate the pressure to Instant book..and the Host Guarantee is worthless.. I am out potentially $5400 If I corrected all the damage from guests - urine on two mattresses, a chair and carpet.   I only got hte $1,000 security money out of it. HG `doesnt cover pet damage' and also there is the `proof' factor. Its bogus. 

LESSON LEARNED - TAKEAWAY: I just increased my house depost to $5000 and per room deposit t $500 per room.  Wonder how it will affect bookings?   I'm going to also consider taking off my listings from Airbnb- have also been a superhost since I started 3 1/2 years ago. .. guess Airbnb doesnt care about their hosts much..

 ? Does anyone from Airbnb read these?

[Fred13]

Annie B, I would venture to say a deposit of $5,000 would cause no one to book. Perhaps raise your daily fee instead, it may address more the 'cause' versus the 'cure'.  Just a thought.

[Janet112]

I have just had the same problem with the airbnb host guarantee service. I actually believe it is a scam and does not exist. I had some guests stay at my house who completely trashed the place, it took me a week to clean it up again and I had to get decorators in to help out. There were items of broken furniture, but worst of all, cigarette burns all along the hallway carpet which was only installed in May. Despite countless emails to 'Deborah' sending her all the documentation she needed time and time again, whilst each time getting the same reply and two long phone calls to airbnb I have now been told that my case is definately closed as I did not send the documentation they needed.

I would like to expose this scam for what it is, but am not sure where to begin...newspapers? does anyone have any suggestions? Janet Griffiths

[Adelle1]

I'm willing to go in with you, im so fustrated.  i think putting it on twitter, fbannd IG will get their attention fast.   social 3mefua and strength in numbers

[Anonymous]

Try Facebook news feed, under suggested post. I went to facebook and posted the problem I had with damages to my property and Airbnb got back to me right away and about 4 days after communicating with them on Facebook I got paid out for my claim.

Invite Airbnb on Facebook and go from there, they will respond right away.

Good luck

[Den0]

Airbnb Host Guarantee denies valid claim following airbnb guest floods and significantly damages a luxury bathroom! Airbnb requests immediate repair during the christmas holidays and furthermore requests an immediate invoice. Upon receipt of the invoice of the repair, they deem it invalid as it doesn't carry a logo of the company - the company doesn't have a logo, it's not legal requirement! The invoice is issued by the largest invoicing and accounting system in Denmark used by most Danish companies and most companies do not carry a logo! Airbnb on numerous occasions state that they cannot verify the building company company, which again is a lie, is this simply to avoid paying out the insurance claim albeit they easily verify using one of a number of free online company registries! Airbnb then mistakenly states that two completely difference companies with complete different names, addresses and ownership, one being a cleaning company (with a logo!!!) and the building company are exactly the same company but with difference addresses - again, they will not see reality in front of them, - again is this just an excuse to play incompetent to avoid paying the claim? Airbnb furthermore demands numerous of times that a new invoice for the already carried out repair is to be issued by any completely other company - which is obviously against the law and impossible!!! Airbnb also receives a claim from the airbnb guest that checked in the same day following the damages, the guest even requests a refund due to the inconvenience of the damages. Airbnb denies this claim too. Then as the final straw, Airbnb makes their final decision to close the case and no longer communicate with the host on the matter, even though there are numerous of outstanding questions as to how they can be so mistaken and deny the valid claim verified by their own guests, on the same day as they heavy begin to advertise to all hosts that they are protected by their host guarantee - really? 

[Deanne14]

I am convinced that there is no such insurance and the people you submit information to are not insurance adjusters.  How can we expect any help from just another employee that does not have to abide by any insurance laws. The fact that they can shut down communication and not allow us to enforce their coverage is unbelievable. I have unlisted my Airbnb due to all the information out there on this subject. I am not willing to be another one of Airbnb’s casualties.im very  Sorry you and many others have been misled by this company. 

[Den0]

Yes, it's truly awful. 

[Joe327]

Hi guys,

I just wanted to share my recent experience dealing with Airbnb and the host guarantee.

So I had a guest stay with me a [Guest] from Malta, I believe he traveled with his girlfriend, although I did not get to meet her on checking in.

[Guest] booked for 5 nights and added an additional night due to his flight. Everything was fine at first, and we spoke a few times over the phone during his stay. Mainly for things to do around the area etc. On the day of checking out, he asked if he could extend the check out as his flight was a little later, I'm pretty flexible with checking in and out, so it was no problem.

He called me around 10 am asking to check out at 3 pm, and if he needed to wait for me. My girlfriend has a spare key so I told him he could just close the door behind him as I was too busy to check him out. He told me he would tidy up, then message me when he leaves.

I got to my apartment just after 4 pm and instantly noticed the mess which caught me off guard as he said he was going to tidy up before he left. I went straight to my bedroom, to find my wardrobe and cupboards had been ransacked as well as the apartment being trashed! the overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke (which is a rule of mine, no smoking in the apartment) Long story short over £3,500 of my things were stolen! I tried to contact [Guest]  to no avail.

I then instantly called Airbnb to explain what had happened, I was told to fill in a form online and contact the police which I did. It was explained to me that Airbnb has money set aside for incidents like this.

I filled in the online form and submitted all documents Airbnb asked for.

I waited around two weeks to hear back from someone, I feel I only got a reply because I was pushing Airbnb for answers as to what will happen to [Guest] . I got an email from a Charlie Harding accepting my statement and an offer was made to me.

Not to sound ungrateful but the offer once converted into pounds was not even half of what I had lost. I was told I had 48 hours to reply to the offer (after waiting two weeks for a reply). I replied the next day as I wanted more answers to how the figure offered was worked out before I accept and also what will happen to the person I hosted [Guest]  as I really wanted answers to what Airbnb will do.

I also called to see if I could speak to Charlie Harding personally, and was told he would contact me in a few hours, I received no phone call. I also called the next day expressing my frustration and I was told that I would definitely be contacted by Charlie Harding within a few hours, as there was no way they could patch me through to that department.

Once again no phone call. The next day I received an email from Charlie Harding saying they have closed my claim because I failed to reply to the email within the specified time! I mean, I emailed the next day after receiving the email and called up three times and on all three occasions, I was told I would be contacted. I called up again and spoke to someone for an hour trying to resolve or to get Charlie to call me, or to put me to someone who can resolve my situation.

I just feel like I went through this whole ordeal, then all of a sudden Charlie Harding was very abrupt and cut all communication.

They never addressed anything I said in my email that was a response to the original proposal, or the fact that I did reply, I mean none of my questions were answered and all the replies just seemed automated.

So now I'm just in limbo, I had to spend money to clean and repair my apartment and will get none of my stuff back and that's that! nothing from Airbnb! 

I was told to seek legal advice, is there anyone who had a situation similar to mine? or any advice? I really can't believe Airbnb would just allow this to happen!

[David126]

@Joe327

You can read hundreds of similar stories on here, I assume it a standard operating procedure as the same thing comes up time after time after time.

In no particular order:

People have had success involving the media, media loves a ABB horror story and ABB is very concerned about its reputation .

Host Guarantee includes an Arbtration Clause and no way would an Aribtrator support most of the ABB response I have seen.

I did come across a Company based in Ireland that takes on such claims on a no win no fee basis. Forget the name but a search should find it.

You could try twitter or facebook. Not sure this would help.

Personally I would never let a seperate property without a real security deposit, not something ABB offers. If you can get them to offer anything then the reality is to take it and run.

[Adelle1]

Post all the communication on social media,  blow them up.

[Anonymous]

Go to the Main Stream Media with your story, take lots of pictures and videos, have the police report with you. Also try exposing them on Fcebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

They are all over on Social Media begging people to host and tricking them to sign up with their 1 Million Liability Host Guarantee.

[Adelle1]

I had the same thing, damage by guests, follow all the rules, got estimated and rep telling me its not hood enough.  i reached out on twitter to escalate.   they respond with please be patient.  its insane and a total gimmick.  they don't collect security up front, like vrbo...its how it should be and you return on check out.  can you add it as an additional fee? Right upfront.  is that allowed?

[Anjelica1]

What do about someone who stay,s go out off there way to be a complainer