Bed Bugs

[Leslie69]

I’m a superhost, 7 years now. I do an amazing job.  I recently stayed as a guest, in a place that I got bitten with bed bugs. The 4th night the bites started showing. Took pictures, went to the pharmacy, and thought it was some kind of allergic reaction. When I got home my boyfriend suggested I leave my bags outside. In all honesty bed bugs never occurred to me. I go to the doctor the next day, yep confirmed. Then I go to clean my belongings and there is a bug on my bag. All documented. Host won’t refund, so I mediate through Airbnb. They offer a 50% refund, then after I ask for the case to be reviewed the new case manager said I would be getting NO refund.

After requesting, I am awaiting to talk to a manager. 

They state it’s because I reported the problem after check out, but I can’t find anything in the policy regarding check out, only ‘within 24 hours of discovering the travel issue’ which I did when I saw the bug on my bag, doctor visit etc. 

I would like any opinons on this, or advice. 

What has happened to Airbnb’s customer service? Honestly I’m appalled as a guest at the inconsistency and as a host.

Certainly health issues should be taken more seriously.

Advice?

[Solveig0]

Hi @Leslie69 ,

I'm really sorry about your experience, that sounds aweful!

Did you tell customer service that it was 24 hours after discovering the issue refering to the policy? Sometimes the individual customer service agents aren't that up to date on policies.... Try to get them to review the case again.

Yours, 

Solveig 

[Helen3]

Hello @Leslie69 

I am sorry to hear of your experience as a guest.

However, as an experienced superhost yourself, you know that you should have reported this situation to the host on the fourth night when you discovered the issue and went to the pharmacist, rather than waiting until after your stay.

All you can do is leave an honest review to warn future guests and if there is a problem during future stays make sure you record this as it happens.

[Leslie69]

Thank you for your advice 🙂

[Anonymous]

@Leslie69   It's very unfortunate that you've had to deal with bedbugs, but I don't understand how demanding money from your host after your stay is complete is going to resolve this matter. Surely as an "amazing" host yourself, you must recognize that your host is about to suffer quite a heavy financial loss already due to the expense of pest extermination and lost/cancelled bookings. These things can happen to anyone, despite the best efforts to keep the property clean.

The Guest Refund Policy has no provisions for refunds on completed stays after the fact, and the insurance policy explicitly states it does not have bedbug coverage for either party. So I can't tell where you get the idea that you're entitled to take money from your host or from Airbnb at this stage. (Had you discovered the bedbugs earlier and ended the booking early, you absolutely would have been).

Your best course of action here is to do everything you can to make sure your own property doesn't get infested too. Launching a vendetta against another host is not a very "superhost" thing to do.

[Leslie69]

Thank you for your reply. I wasn’t launching a vendetta. I just wanted advice.

The first comment was actually the best advice.

[Leslie69]

It was tricky because I did discover the bites while staying, I just didn’t jump to the conclusion it was bed bugs until I could see my GP.

I did have pics of the rash while staying in the unit.

Vendetta?

In the guest refund policy a guest CAN report a problem after 24 hours. It’s just up to the companys discretion. 

Do you think I should leave an honest review for future guests?

BTY full refund. That’s why air bnb is a 13$ billion dollar company. Yep, billion. 

[Sarah977]

@Leslie69  So the "amazing host" is gloating over the fact that she spent 4 nights at someone else's home, using up the hot water, electricity, towels, and whatever other amenities were provided, all for free. Probably got the other host's listing suspended. Sure, go ahead and write a bad review to top it off. 

Maybe one day some guest will bring bedbugs to your listing, and you'll get a taste of what it feels like.

Hosts like you are the reason hosts dread getting bookings from other hosts.

[Colleen253]

"Do you think I should leave an honest review for future guests"? That's your call. Host will have to cancel immediate future bookings and close up while treating. You'll only be driving away much needed further future bookings So just remember: 'Karma. She's a b1tch'.

[Leslie69]

So true. Not only am I worried about future guests, the previous reviews had a family with a baby and 2 small children. I couldn’t imagine a small baby having the bites I have, or a family of 5 getting and infestation. 

[Emilia42]

Bed bugs are always disgusting but they affect everyone differently (like fleas and ticks.) So this family of 5 could have very well been in the exact same situation but experienced no bites or the presence of bugs. If you get a sense that this host is genuinely concerned and working toward addressing the problem then I would let them handle it and would not want to be reasonable for ruining their business. 

[Dinneal0]

I agree with you so much I was thinking the samething as well but you said it all @Anonymous 

[Sarah977]

@Leslie69  Sorry you had such an unpleasant thing happen. But I don't understand why people seem to think that demanding a monetary refund for any issue or inconvenience somehow addresses the issue and makes it all okay.  Receiving a refund isn't going to make your bites stop itching. It would be one thing to send a request for payment for your doctor visit, any medication you required because of the bites, and any cost involved in making sure the bedbugs didn't infest your own home, but asking for a refund of your stay isn't on at all. 

As Andrew said, destroying another host's business, when they may have been totally unaware of the problem ( perhaps they came in with the previous guest) and also expecting a refund for the nights you stayed (I assume you cost the host $ in terms of utilities, amenities, clean bedding and towels, etc) is pretty entitled and not at all in the spirit of hosts supporting other hosts.

If this had happened to me, I'd have written the host a polite message, letting them know about the bedbugs, and perhaps requested enough $ to cover any expenses I had incurred dealing with the aftermath. If the host refused, I'd just address it in the review.

I most certainly wouldn't go running to Airbnb demanding a full refund.

[Colleen253]

@Leslie69 Please educate yourself on all things bedbugs, because you may very well one day find your own hosting status in peril due to these pesky critters, perhaps sooner rather than later, since you've likely now brought them into your own home and listing. Being an 'amazing' superhost has nothing to do with having bed bugs or not, no more than someone who picks up lice is a dirty person. They aren't attracted to dirty spaces, and it's almost guaranteed this host didn't start out with bed bugs...they would have been brought in by a guest at some point. You may have even picked them up yourself while traveling, before you got there, and inadvertently introduced them to the house you stayed in. Not saying you did, just illustrating a point. They are notorious hitch hikers and you can pick them up on your luggage, shoes and clothing while on a bus, taxi, in an airport etc. etc. They can be found in even the most luxurious hotels. I repeat- sanitation and cleanliness has little to do with it. This host is now in for a big, costly headache that they may never recover from. Also, did you stay anywhere else afterward? I hope not. The bugs may have hitched a ride with you to the next accommodation. 

[Leslie69]

Thank you for your kind words. Yes, yes and yes.

Lucky I’m smart and left my luggage outside, that’s where the hitch hiker was! Of course laundering, Damascus earth , tossing my luggage etc etc

Did you know genetic testing shows most infestations are from a lone female?