🚨 New Host Seeking Advice: Guest Left Room in Horrible Condition & Took a Towel 🚨

[Paras45]

Hey fellow hosts,

I’m a new Airbnb host and recently had my third guest, but unfortunately, it turned into a nightmare. 😞 I’d really appreciate advice on how to handle this situation and whether I should raise an AirCover request.

Here’s what happened: The guest checked out 40 minutes late despite three reminders.

My next guest had already arrived, and my cleaning staff eventually left due to the delay.

They left the room in an extremely bad state—spilled cold drinks over books, stained cushions (requiring dry cleaning), and made an unnecessary mess.

On top of that, they took a hand towel from the washroom, which was NOT complimentary.

When I politely asked them to cover the extra cleaning cost, they refused and just left.

Since I’m new, I want to know: 1️⃣ Should I file an AirCover request for extra cleaning and the missing towel?

2️⃣ How do you handle guests who delay check-out and refuse to pay for damages?

3️⃣ Should I add a late check-out fee and a security deposit in my listing? I have photo proof of the damage, but I’m unsure how strict Airbnb is about these claims. Any advice from experienced hosts would be greatly appreciated! 🙏

Also, if you’ve faced something similar, how did Airbnb respond to your claim? Thanks in advance! 😊

[Paras45]

Update: What’s even more frustrating is that I actually ended up losing money on this stay. The extra cleaning costs, dry cleaning, and the stolen towel cost me more than what the guest even paid. As a new host, this is really disheartening, and I’m now thinking about adding a security deposit and a strict late check-out policy to avoid this in the future.

Another concern I have is about reviews. Since reviews on Airbnb are public, I don’t want to be overly negative, but I also don’t want other hosts to face what I went through. How do experienced hosts handle this? Should I leave a factual but neutral review stating what happened, or is there another way to warn future hosts without making it sound too harsh? Also, if they leave me a bad review, what’s the best way to respond professionally? Any advice would be really helpful! 🙏

Would love to hear how experienced hosts handle such situations! Any insights would be greatly appreciated. 🙏

[Paras45]

@Bhumika  Some help here please.

[Bhumika]

Hi @Paras45 , I am so sorry to hear of your experience with this guest. I can imagine how frustrating this must have been as a new host!

I am tagging a few experienced hosts in our community if they could kindly share their guidance and support for your questions  : @Jim-and-Caroline0 @Dee32 @Zheng49 @Oksana127 @Till-and-Jutta0 @Shelley159 . Thank you everyone in advance for your support! 

[Lorna170]

@Paras45  I am sorry that you had this bad experience.  I would NOT call AirBnB and file a claim.  As to your review of the guest, be factual but brief.  "The guest disregarded house rules, was untidy and left late."   No explanation as to what rules they disregarded, how they were untidy or how late they left.  Do not accuse the guest of the towel theft.

A missing hand towel is the cost of doing business.  

Extra cleaning is often the cost of doing business.  

I would not recommend having items that need dry-cleaning in a rental.

Guests will deny damages and will refuse to pay late check-out fees.

AirBnB does not offer a way to take a deposit.

Many hosts will add a small amount to their nightly fee or adjust their profit expectations to account for extra costs due to guest damages, missing items or extra cleaning.  

You do need to revise your schedule.  An arriving guest should never overlap a late departing guest or housekeeping.

My guests are to leave at 10:00 AM.  Housekeeping is scheduled to arrive at 10:30 AM and will knock on the door and give a late leaving guest 30 minutes before they will announce that they are entering to begin cleaning.   Housekeeping is done by 3:00 at the latest and the next guest may not arrive before 4:00 PM.   

[Karen114]

@Lorna170  Great Advice!

[Oksana127 · Accepted solution]

@Paras45 I completely understand your frustration—dealing with guests like this, especially as a new host, can be really disheartening. Unfortunately, many of us have gone through similar situations, but there are definitely ways to protect yourself moving forward.

1️⃣ Should you file an AirCover request?

Yes, absolutely! Since you have photo proof, submit a claim through AirCover as soon as possible. Focus on:

The stained cushions (which require professional cleaning)

The spilled drinks on books (if damaged beyond use)

The missing towel

Be specific about costs, providing receipts or estimates where possible. That said, be aware that Airbnb is inconsistent with reimbursements, especially for smaller claims, so it’s hit or miss.

2️⃣ Handling late check-outs & damage disputes

Late check-outs: Since your next guest was affected, you could have Airbnb message support to document it, though compensation is unlikely. Moving forward, it helps to:

Remind guests the night before about check-out time.

Have a strict check-out policy (e.g., after 30 minutes, a fee applies).

Schedule cleaners to arrive right at check-out—this can pressure guests to leave on time.

Damage & refusal to pay: Some guests simply won’t take responsibility. In these cases, documentation is key—always message them on Airbnb (not just verbally) so Airbnb can see their refusal.

3️⃣ Security deposits & late check-out fees

Airbnb doesn’t enforce security deposits, but listing one can psychologically deter bad guests. Some hosts use third-party platforms for real deposits.

A late check-out fee is a great idea! You can list it under "House Rules" and enforce it via the Resolution Center.

4️⃣ Reviews & protecting your reputation

You definitely should leave a review, but keep it factual and neutral to avoid sounding emotional. Something like:

"Would not host again. Guest checked out 40 minutes late, despite multiple reminders, leaving the apartment in poor condition (stains requiring professional cleaning, missing item, unnecessary mess). Declined to take responsibility for extra costs."

This way, future hosts are warned without it seeming personal.

If they leave you a bad review, keep your response short, factual, and professional:

"I strive to provide a great experience for all guests, but unfortunately, this stay involved late check-out, excessive mess, and missing items. I encourage all guests to respect house rules for a smooth stay."

You’re not alone in this, and unfortunately, these guests exist. The key is to learn from it, tighten your policies, and be firm but professional. The more you host, the better you’ll get at spotting red flags before accepting a booking. Stay strong!

[Elaine701]

@Paras45 

Yes, some guests are like this.

Aircover might help you because it's a petty amount of money. But if the guest refuses, it's unlikely. 

I recommend trying to attract a better quality of guest.

Good luck and happy hosting.

[Bhumika]

Hi @Paras45 , you've received many fantastic ideas and tips from our hosts! Have you found these tips insightful?

How do you plan to deal with such incidents in future? 

Looking forward to hearing from you!

[Paras45]

I took the advice and scheduled check-out an hour earlier while also automating a few reminders. Guests still check out late sometimes, but this gives me a better buffer before the next check-in for deep cleaning. It’s definitely helped streamline things to some extent!  @Bhumika