I repair my own damages and AirBnB doesn't want to reimburse me

[Kristen414]

I have had good experiences with Airbnb helping me out with damages in the past, but all of sudden this year, they have been extremely terrible to work with. The customer service is terrible and they don't seem to care about parties or guests destroying homes anymore. They actually blocked guests from booking my home during peak Covid season to avoid parties and now it seems that they welcome them. 

I had two terrible groups in a row this year. I have hosted tons of guests, and a Superhost. I am not crazy about charging guests for things, but when you put a hole in my wall - well, yes, you deserved to be charged. I am a handy person. I know how to fix things. So when someone damages my home in-between the 4-hour window of check in and out, I tend to cancel my plans, drive 2 hours to my rental home, address the situation and fix the issue myself, if I can, so my next guests don't have to walk into a damages and trashed home. 

AirBnB is NOT reimbursing me OR taking the money out of the guests security deposit because I do not have an invoice. I am not a contractor. I do not have an invoice for my time & all materials but I do have PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE of the holes in  my walls. 

Anyone have advise on how to deal with this? Why am I getting penalized for being able to fix the damages and only can ask for money if I have a professional come and fix it, which would cost Airbnb and or the guest 2x what I am asking?!

[Emiel1]

@Kristen414 

Airbnb wants invoices, otherwise no reimburse.

I repair most damages myself too. I never made a claim, too much hassle and a waste of time.

[Kristen414]

This is extremely frustrating!  @Airbnb needs to do something about this. We shouldn't be penalized for being able to fix damages. It's still our time, labor, and materials being used. 

[Linda108]

It is great that you are talented enough to repair damages to your home.   Hopefully your skills are not needed too often.  You could claim the cost of materials but I am sure your time is worth more.  It is standard that time by the business owner if not reimburseable unless the business is a corporation and you are paid by the corporation.  If you filed an insurance claim, it would be the same rules.  This approach is not original to Air BNB.  

Anyway, as so many hosts post, prevention is the best way to do business.  Did you learn anything new about how you vet guests or manage your listing that would help avoid this in the future?  Please share as I would imagine many hosts would profit from your learning.

[Kristen414]

Unfortunately this guest had good reviews so it allowed Instabook. I hate to not allow groups based upon a few bad reservations but I don't believe @Airbnb  gives hosts enough insurance to count on them anymore. VRBO allows a security deposit that you manage- AirBnB suggested I actually request an additional security deposit under extra fees and then submit it back once they checked out. This is what the security deposit on AirBnB is supposed to be, so I don't understand why there is even this option, since they don't use this against and claims.

I use AirBnB primarily and had good experiences with them up until this year. Not sure if they got a bunch of hosts that reported false damages, or what, but they seem to try everything they can to not assist with damages or communication about damages between guests. All they need to do now is not respond and we are left with the hours of back and forth with Airbnb customer service. It's unfortunate, but I'm starting to not trust bookings through AirBnB and  going the route of renting through a realtor or VRBO may be a better option. 

[Erin412]

Yep, I agree 100% with you, Airbnb have been hopeless and extremely unwilling in assisting hosts with damages after a guest has left.

I would recommend only hosting those with at least 5 ratings in the past 12 months.

[Sarah977]

@Kristen414  "Not sure if they got a bunch of hosts that reported false damage or what".

I suspect it's the opposite- there are tons of new to the platform guests who seem to have turned into animals since being cooped up due to Covid, and hosts are having to make more claims than ever.