How can we prove smoke smell to Airbnb for a claim?

[Sara952]

The number of times we're walking into units with horrible cigarette or marijuana smoke odor has skyrocketed the past few months.  It's incredibly stressful and costly and we're having trouble proving it to Airbnb for resolution center claims. 

We write it in the listings very explicitly, state there's a $1000 fee, specifically remind the guest before checking in, etc. but it's just being ignored.  Most guests have longer stays these days as well, so sometimes they're smoking inside for a week or more and it just gets in everything. 

It's getting crazy expensive to get the smell out--we have to professionally clean the carpets, upholstery, take down the curtains and dry clean them, often buy new linens, rent an industrial air scrubber, and even with all this it can take up to 5 days with windows open to get the smell out. 

We had to refund a guest for a month stay (around $15k) because there was still a little lingering smoke odor when he checked in, despite all these steps.  Now it happened again, cost us about $700 and had to block the listing for 4 days ($400-$500/night listing) to get the smell out. 

I understand Airbnb needs proof, but how are we supposed to be definitely proving it?  The amount of time and energy to fix this is getting out of control and desperate for suggestions. 

[Pete69]

Have professional carpet cleaners come out. Ask them to verify whether or not they smell smoke and have them write that down in the work order. Have them provide as much details as possible.

The problem is that there are very few smoking allowed stays on Airbnb. So smokers don't care. They intend to book a non-smoking stay anyway. So you have to go the extra mile to stop them from booking.

Have the words "no smoking" in your listing title as well as mentioned 2 more times in your descriptions. Also have no smoking signs in the room. Have your WIFI password be "no smoking".

[Katrina79]

@Sara952 Can you make a designated smoking area outside? Maybe if you can offer a place for guests to smoke cigarettes, weed, or vape they will take you up on it. Especially if you have it a nice covered area with seating. I’m astonished your place is $15000/month and you have guests that book and don’t follow the rules. I’m thinking guests willing to spend money like that would be willing to smoke outside if they had a nice and comfortable place to do so. I’ve never noticed the smell of marijuana stay inside a home for days, however cigarettes do stink up a place. I’m wondering if this is from the forest fires? I’m all the way in the prairies in Canada and yesterday I was cleaning with the windows open and thought I could smell cigar...it’s actually the forest fires burning that I could smell 😞 

[Sara952]

Yes, we have outdoor seating with cushions and a gas fire pit for the downstairs unit right off the living room, and the upstairs unit has a private rooftop deck with lounge chairs, bean bags, etc. Plus another private balcony with seating right off the living room in addition. The primary problem is marijuana smoke and this has been occurring long before the fires, it is unrelated.  It doesn’t make sense why we’re having such a problem, especially at this particular property, but it keeps happening.  I have another place where we also have the problem, which also has its own very convenient and private outdoor seating, but that one is a lower price point so I’m less surprised about that one.  And we’ve definitely had it take multiple days to deal with, even when following all these remediation steps to get the smell gone. When someone is smoking inside nonstop for a week or more it’s extremely difficult to get out.  I guess because pot is legal in California people come and go wild, though I truly can’t understand why it’s at one or two specific properties that we keep having problems (and those two are not really similar in any way).

[Sam397]

@Sara952 this is off subject but after reading how you get 400-500 a night and 15000 a month I thought to myself that's crazy,  there are places where you could still buy houses for  $15000. I checked out your listings and I have to say how impressive they are, and if I ever need a place to stay down there I am calling you for sure. I love everything about them. The house with the salt water pool ( I didn't even know they used salt water in pools) was absolutely beautiful, the only thing that would have made it better was if it had the ocean in the background. 

I am surprised about something, you chose to go with a lot of white especially in the cheaper listing, and it totally works but how in the world do you keep all that white so white. I have had to replace towels, linens, rugs, chairs,  couches, even the wood on my back deck all because of stains and I am amazed that you can have white couches and chairs in a AirBnB. I know your cliental are the rich and famous but dont they spill things like everyone else? Anyway I just thought I would share my opinion with the community.

Getting back on topic, here is a suggestion that sounds like its not realistic but it really is. Get a powerful exhaust fan, you could connect it to a sensor that would turn it on automatically when smoke is detected and the best thing is you could hook it up to your existing central air ducting. All you have to buy is the fan and sensor, it would pay for itself in no time. 

[Sam397]

By the way in case someone doesn't know but an exhaust fan is a fan that sucks air out instead of blowing it in.

[Sara952]

Haha, thanks Sam.  It's a ton of work...I had one guest who told me I should make a video series on hosting tips and instructions.  Maybe one day I'll do it and you learn all my secrets.  I've gone back and forth on the all white linens/towels, but in the end it's the best strategy imo.  The secret to doing well with budget places is to make them feel not like other budget places.  And fyi the rich and famous spill just as much as everyone else (probably more) 🙂

[Dustin172]

I realize this thread is old but I have the same problem right now with a guest that stayed a week ago. They smoked swisher sweet cigars, e-cigarettes, regular cigarettes, and pot in the house. We have no smoking signs in every room and one framed saying $500 fine for violations. I filed a claim imediatley unpon guest checking out and Aibnb is totally giving me the canned email run-around. I submitted receitps for $500 from my house cleaner (in addition to the normal cleaning and fee). I even rented an Ozone machine from the local equipment rental place for $46. Ran that for 24 hours and it helped a lot. The guest is lying saying they do not even smoke - as in at all. Even worse they are accusing me of being racist because they are black, and saying they will sue me. I have exterior security video time stamped of him and his invitee smoking. So he is lying. Airbnb seems to have no interest in making good on their marketing that AirCover will help with smoke smell cleaning. I only want $546 reimbursed for my out of pocket costs. It has taken me 4 days working 4 hours a day to try to get the smoke smell out. My time is more valuable.

[Dustin172 · Accepted solution]

@Sara952 Every host should buy an ozone machine. They get smoke smell out. They eliminate any bad smells including over fragrance, pet, etc. It's a miracle machine! Cost about $75 on Amazon. California won't allow these to be sold in the state but they are not illegal to own and operate.  I rented one from my local equipment rental store in California for $46 and it really helped. So I have bought one from Amazon. If you live in a state that won't sell them to consumers, maybe have it shipped to a friend out of state and then have the friend ship it to you. Hotels use these all the time to get smoke and other bad smells out of their rooms. Disclaimer: I'm not suggesting anyone do anything illegal. Check with local laws and consult professionals about your specific questions and always follow laws and directions.