Glass Stove top scratch by guests
To start this off on a postive note, I like Airbnb and have had some great experiances with it. I've been hosting on Airbnb for the last 2.5 years and maintained Superhost Status since 2nd month hosting.
Two weeks ago, for the first time, I had to ask a guest to pay for damages to my house because they left the toilet in the guest bathroom serverly clogged that required me to make an emergency call to a plumbing service to have it corrected before the next guests arrived. Also they left a deep scratch on the new glass stove top in the house. After looking into how I can repair the stove top I found that it is not repairable and must be replaced. A replacement is a little over $300.
When I reached out to the guests they of course denied everything and said the toilet was working fine while they were there and that someone else must have scratched the stove because they only ate out, didn’t cook anything and had minimal presence in kitchen. Therefore I had to use the resolution center and submitted a picture of the scratched stove (attached), receipts and an explanation of everything. I also use a maid service to clean my home between bookings and was able to document communication with the maid business that confirmed that the maid also witnessed there was no scratch on the stove before the guests reservation.
I submitted a claim to the resolution center to collect the security deposit on my listing (not the host “guarantee”). The guest agreed to pay for the plumbing services but still refused to pay for the stove and suggested I take measures to repair it or find a cheaper option than replacing the stove top. The guest also said that the maid service and myself seeing there was not a scratch on the stove top before they guest arrived was only circumstantial evidence and does not directly prove the guest damaged the stove.
I then just moved forward and involved Airbnb and they quickly resolved it within less than 12 hours providing me the costs for the plumbing which the guest agreed to pay. BUT Airbnb said they will not provide me with the cost of replacing the stove top “due to the fact that we believe your guest was not liable of damaging the stove top, as it is an “Ordinary Wear and Tear” the deterioration in condition of property that occurs under normal use and conditions.”
My question(s) for everyone is:
- Is this a correct/fair ruling?
- Is there some kind of product/method other than replacment I don't know about that would actually restore this stove top to its orginal conidition?
- Is this really normal wear and tear as Airbnb defined it (even when the guest said they didn’t cook anything)?
- I have a section in my house rules (below) that is supposed to layout the terms for instances like this. Shouldn’t this protect me in this case?
One of the sections in my house rules:
- MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR: Guest(s) will, at Guest(s) sole expense, keep and maintain the Premises in good, clean and sanitary condition and repair during the term of this Reservation and any renewal thereof. Guest(s) shall be responsible to make all repairs to the Premises, fixtures, appliances and equipment therein that may have been damaged by Guest(s) misuse, waste or neglect, or that of the Guest(s) family, agents or visitors. Guest(s) agrees that no painting will be done on or about the Premises without the prior written consent of Host. Guest(s) shall promptly notify Host of any damage, defect or destruction of the Premises or in the event of the failure of any of the appliances or equipment. Host will use its best efforts to repair or replace any such damaged or defective areas, appliances or equipment.
I have responded to the case manager asking some of these questions to get a better idea how they arrived at their decision (I did not ask for the ruling to be chaged). The case manager of course just responded not answering any my questions and just reinstated with a copy/pasted message that the ruling is final and cannot be overturned.