$1,500 in damages but the host guarantee won't cover it

[Gigi69]

Hello all!

I'm hoping someone can guide me here. It is my first time handling damages that totalled more than $400-$500, you know the usual, broken plates, towels, bed linens, etc.

This guest broke my range oven which cost more than $3,200 and had to buy a replacement for half the cost while dancing on top of it. They texted me early morning to let me know an accident had happened but their reservation wasn't yet complete, 2 more nights ahead of them.

 I immediately call Airbnb for guidance, I was advice to submit a request with a receipt of purchase and to host them since I would be covered. I did, I requested the amount that totaled the oven and involved airbnb after 72 hrs.  Now, the guest left, had not accept the charges and airbnb wants to pay less than 50% of our damages ($649).  I have guests landing today, I can't afford to loose that money in damages made by the guest. I have decline the payout and requested the case manager to advice for the next steps.

 Please if anyone knows, or have been through this I would highly appreciate any help or guidance with this host guarantee program and what to do with my upcoming guest. 

Thank you! 

[Ana1136]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 I don't think my acceptance or the lack of such is the problem here 🙂 I am just stating what I have learned from reading about people dealing with this kind of situations daily on this forum for almost 2 years now. She can take legal action and every action she wants, but maybe one in a thousand or even less gets the full amount they ask for, nor I or any host here says she shouldn't try and take the maximum amount she can. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

Hi @Ana1136 , I do understand your point but there does seem to be a lack of fight in hosts and an acceptance of the unwritten rule as decided by ABB if/and/when/should/whatever they decide despite their own written T&C's... T&C's are a legally binding agreement. A statement from an ABB CS operator is a legally binding statement. Acknowledgement of responsibility from a guest of damage is... acknowledgement of a responsibility. It does not have a restriction of value or come with limitation of liability. Therefore, the liability is what the liability is. Not what somebody tells you, you should be claiming for.

You have read about hosts complaints about ABB not adhering to their policy. Maybe they just did'nt fight hard enough and the expectance of such a dismal response from ABB has been programmed by hearing about so many negative failings on this platform. Many hosts do have favourable results and they're the results you should strive for. With evidence, with acknowledgement of a responsibility and with receopts for replacements.

[Ana1136]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 Airbnb also say that they have the final word in every dispute and they don't have to even give an explanation. They even delete whole profiles of superhosts on their sole discretion. And again, I am not saying she should settle for less, but Airbnb is very clear that they will cover the damage for the current price of the damaged item. She might have bought the oven for 3200$ ten years ago, now it would be worth much less  since it has been used for years. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Ana1136 An insurance policy for white goods does not depreciate the value. Neither would any other insurance policy only provide half a Range where once there was a whole.

Airbnb also said " They would cover it".

@Gigi69 wrote airbnb wants to pay less than 50% of our damages ($649)

A quarter of the cost ???

[Ana1136]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 we can be 'he said she said' all day but that doesn't change the fact that she is not getting the whole value on this one unfortunately. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Ana1136 

@Gigi69 Should not roll over. She is fully entitled to the whole cost of the replacement, she has the guests admittance of liability and she has ABB's acertion that the cost will be covered. That is... 100% of the cost not 25% of the cost.

[Ana1136]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 yes as I said multiple times myself, she should go to the end with her request which doesn't guarantee in any way that she will get the money she asks for. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Ana1136 

You seem to be contradicting yourself somewhat.

@Ana1136 wrote:

And again, I am not saying she should settle for less, but Airbnb is very clear that they will cover the damage for the current price of the damaged item. She might have bought the oven for 3200$ ten years ago, now it would be worth much less  since it has been used for years.

Nothing to do with 'being used for years' whatsoever. Entirely due to guest damage. ABB are offering only $649 not the actual cost of $1600 of a $3200 initial purchase. On top of that are the $400-500 of other damages I believe.

Theres no guarantees - just facts and receipts. ABB need to pay 100% of the receipts as they stated.

To offer $649 is just an insult.

[Ana1136]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 it doesn't matter if the guest damaged it, they will only cover the current price, I don't know where the contradiction is. I don't know where Airbnb got that price of 649$ and that is my point all this time, she is not getting the full price. And I never read anything abouth other damages. As @Mike1034 says, we all agree that she should get a full refund in theory, but in real live it is not happening. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Ana1136 

@Gigi69 

It is my first time hadeling damages that totaled more than $400-$500, you know the usual, broken plates, towels, bed linens, etc.

This guest broke my range oven which cost more than $3,200 and had to buy a replacement for half the cost while dancing on top of it. 

Real life requires a full refund.

[Ana1136]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 I think you don't seem to understand that I agree she should get a full refund but in reality she is not getting it, I don't know if I can make myself clearer. And those 400$-500$ were in the past, the guests didn't also broke the plates, damaged the beds, linen and towels. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Ana1136 

I misunderstood the $400-500 costs. But as @Gigi69 refused the $649 - so would I. I would press for the full replacement cost of $1600 as a direct replacement for damaged goods at the market value and get it.  I know Anne-Marie would push for the $3200 and would provide the original receipt for that value - and get it.

The reason ABB make such ridiculous offers is because hosts accept them. I would dare to say that if you @Ana1136 were in @Gigi69 's position you would not accept $649. It might have been offered, but it is not accepted.

[Lisa723]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 the reason Airbnb makes the offers they do, whether you consider them ridiculous or not, is not that hosts accept them-- it's that they can. They have more hosts than they need.

[Mike1034]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 Theoritically speaking that should be the case. But I doubt it will happen. Actually @Gigi69 already had the response from the case manager who made a decision. The amount was much less than claimed.

When have Airbnb done what they are supposed to do or what promised to do? Probably it is very hard to find. There are so much complaints on their million dollar guarantee in this forum already. But nothing has been changed.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Mike1034 

@Gigi69 Should go legal with it. As soon as they get a sniff of this farce @Gigi69 will get 100% as everything is in her favour. Ignore the case manager, they are just the pawns in the defence.