AirBnb will:
1. Not allow owners to appeal final decisions,
2. Not give you any details regarding how the determination was made (simply stating: "we cannot disclose the tools we use during our investigation, but rest assure they are reliable and accurate.").
3. "Discontinue" communications regarding the matter after a final decision has been made, and
4. Possibly disregard supporting documentation for your claim for their own business purposes (see below).
After two claims for damage (approximately $250 and $600), AirBnb clearly favored the guest in both circumstances despite convincing evidence, including an obviously favorable timeline of events, receipts, multiple signed affidavits by witnesses, official estimates, photos, and almost a dozen additional items. AirBnb permitted a guest to cancel four days of their reservation without, in my opinion, reasonable cause, in which case I lost approximately $200. I settled one instance of damage (a $600 hole chewed from my leather couch) directly and amicably with the guest, and AirBnb later used that against me to undermine a subsequent, unrelated claim. The above took place over the course of approximately 3 months this summer.
I understand the need for a policy that favors demand, but I refuse to do business with a company that purports to be an intermediary, a third party, yet unfairly imposes its rules against a particular party for its own purposes (importantly, a party to several agreements between the owner and guest, including the cancellation and damage agreements). This was my experience, and the above includes a few assumptions, but I would not be giving valuable time to write this if my interaction with AirBnb were less than obviously one-sided.
Current and future owners beware: AirBnb will not protect your belongings, even when the evidence is clearly in your favor.
