Damages during an Airbnb stay

[Renee468]

I am a host.  I had an event during an Airbnb stay that is costing me $2-3K to fix and get ready for the next stay.  It was a "small" fire with an appliance followed by a flooding event that required an emergency plumber.  Most of the cost is labor from tradesmen.  I am considering making a claim with Airbnb.  I doubt the guest will pay anything as they have already suggested as much.  If the guest refuses and then Airbnb agrees to cover some of the costs (I know both these steps are an "IF") - Is the guest kicked off Airbnb?  I don't really have the money to cover this much damage but I also hate the idea of making my week even worse by a contentious argument with the guest. I think initially the dishwasher might have malfunctioned during normal use (except for they had plastic things that melted inside) but then I am sure some of their initial actions agitated the appliance and made it worse. The flooding was directly caused by them after we offered to let them out of the rest of the reservation and they declined. I am trying to decide if it's worth the case.  I am also trying to be fair and understand how much the case can hurt the guest if they disagree with me.  I understand they were stressed in the moment but some of their choices were not great...

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Renee468 sadly for you it sounds like a dishwasher malfunction which is nothing to do with the guest. You should be able to put plastic items in a dishwasher safely.Also if an appliance is on fire I am not sure you can blame the guest for their reaction however odd it might have been.

[Renee468]

Well after noticing something was off they continued to use the dishwasher which escalated the issue. They were also advised not to use the kitchen sink by the fire department and they used it and kept the water running after noticing it was leaking. Our kitchen was flooded badly according the the plumber.  There were plastic items that were not dishwasher safe that melted inside the dishwasher. Again they requested to stay after the fire department came even though we suggested they probably wanted to check out. I do think a malfunction was the initial problem but I think had they turned off the dishwasher at the first sign of malfunction and when I requested... it likely would have not led to smoke and the flood would definitely not have occurred.  

[Renee468]

However my primary question is what happens to the guest if Airbnb DOES find them at fault and the REFUSE to pay?  I know what will happen if Airbnb does not find them at fault.  I also know that if they do pay - the situation is settled.

[Helen744]

@Renee468 I would personally advise everyone with an Airbnb to have private insurance to cover these situations caused either by a guest or while a guest is staying. Most people have a particularly odd idea of what insurance does and aircover in particular . if you have ever tried to claim any insurance where an assessor comes to your home to 'see the damage ' then you will know what I am talking about . This is a he said she said situation and it seems the guest wanted to continue their stay . You already have their money but this situation could easily turn back on you if you have cancelled their stay . Were they responsible or was the dishwasher dodgy , who knows ? There is no way to tell but all appliances should always be checked and maintained , by you and an explanation of their use , even if straight forward be given to all guests . Obsolete dishwashers are not claimable I imagine . Good luck . H

[Renee468]

This is not my question. I am more than comfortable with my maintenance and insurance outside of Airbnb and have ample records to prove it. At no point was there a situation where the reservation going to be cancelled. We offered them an option to shorten their stay by 1 day, because for one reason, we wanted people to leave the house and limit any further damage. It was not contentious, it was just us trying to protect our home and provide the guest with an a reasonable option. 

I am really just curious about possible consequences to guests given my original question. I don't need to discuss anything outside of Airbnb policies and procedures. 

[Sean140]

@Renee468   Sorry to hear about your misfortune with this and luckily it wasn't worse.  You may even consider reporting this claim to your homeowners insurance carrier.  They would most likely cover this type of damage.