Airbnb Unwilling to Cover Damages to my home

[Luke117]

I hosted on Airbnb for the first time this February, taking advantage of the fact that many travelers were coming to Minneapolis for the SuperBowl. I SO deeply regret my decision to host as it has been IMPOSSIBLE for me to get paid back for the extensive, $2,875 in damages done to my home. I provided detailed photos of the damage, professional incident reports (written by professionals that have spent their lives in the industry) and even provided contacts for witnesses to the cause of the damage. Still, the company that Airbnb outsources their insurance to continues to deny my claims, leaving me to pay the damanges out of my own pocket, which I frankly cannot afford. I have spent ~30 hours simply trying to get paid the money that I'm rightfully owed. 

I'm left feeling like I've been completely taken advantage of and a victim of fraud. 

Airbnb flaunts a great looking host guarantee/ security deposit option, yet, when you try to get paid the money you're rightfully owned for opening your home to guests of Airbnb you'll be in for a rude awakening. 

Each time I provided exactly what was asked of me in terms of documentation, etc, my "case manager" that went by "Jane", took 2 days to respond, each time telling me that he documents I provided weren't legitimate (though each came directly from professionals in the field) and had the audacity to tell me that I had a very short deadline to provide what was requested. 

As someone that was first excited to host on Airbnb, I now wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy. 

If anyone has any suggestions for how to continue this painful process, please, please let me know. As of 4:30am (when my case manager finally got back to me), my case has been closed. 

-Luke 

[Cormac0]

@Luke117

Welcome to the wild west and the smoke and mirrors that Airbnb is... What amazes me is the CEO and Head of Community keeps  banging on about COMMUNITY, except when it comes to helping out a member of the community, then your whistling in the wind there are people who have found redress with Airbnb under similar circumstances but I’ll speculate that they received Legal pro bono advice from family or friends and know how to write the appropriate correspondence to be taken seriously.

I'm also disillusion by Airbnb attitude, which except for the 20% (people who are making considerable fees on AirBnb) the rest are treated like cannon fodder.

I'm wonder when the clear majority of Host are going to wake up to this sham and realise that they are being taken for a ride.

It is no coincidence that you must go to specialist insurance firm to get a quote when one is doing Airbnb (Lloyds of London being one).

In conclusion Luke i feel your pain...

Regards

Cormac

[Luke117]

I'm still hopeful that Airbnb will actually do something, rather than outsourcing this to their unhelpful, fraudlent minions. 

[David126]

@Luke117

I do not think they do outsource the Host Guarantee, it is not Insurance, I know they sometimes appoint a Loss Adjuster to investigate locally. I think Jane ,or whatever her real name is, works for ABB.

Your story has been repeated many many times, this forum is full of such stories and this is probably just the tip of the iceberg.

There is an Arbitration clause, they seem to fold and pay if taken to Arbitration, I assume because their actions would not withstand external scruting and they know it.

Also Hosts have had success when involving the Media.

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Luke117 Fist bump Bruh, I feel your pain too. It’s my understanding that once it’s “closed”, the matter is over and finished. 

It’s like the explanation Reese gives Sarah Connor about the Termininator. 

“You can’t talk to it, you can’t bargain with it, it doesn’t feel pity or remorse”. 

Did you guys at least make a ton of money from the bookings? I saw some host going $3k a night. 

‘You know it’s hard out here for a Host’