Collecting security deposit to change the locks

[Michelle183]

Hi, I've been hosting for over two years now, and I've never needed to claim anything against my security deposit attached to my listing (so far guests have done very minor and acceptable types of damage). Now a guest has lost the keys. She texted me, I met her with a spare set, and they finished their weekend stay. But they never found the original keys, and as the listing is a self-contained apartment attached to my home I need to change the locks. I uploaded a link to a comparable lock set (deadbolt and handle lock) to the Resolution Center and submitted a fee for replacing the locks and getting extra keys cut for $95, well within the security deposit listed. The guest "offered" a different amount ($30), and apparently that was the end of it, because that's what Airbnb sent to me as a payout. Now that doesn't seem right to me: Why does the guest get to determine how much I get to spend replacing the locks, why wasn't there any opportunity for me to insist on claiming the security deposit for the full amount I requested, since I was submitting my amount with documentation? And we all know, that's not an exhorbitant amount to ask for new locks, but what the guest offered is the absolute bottom end of the market price--that's unacceptable to me. Prior to the payout notification, I sent the issue to Airbnb arbitration, but I can't get anywhere with my request. So far I'm not impressed with Airbnb's system for collecting the security deposit. What do I do?

Thanks for your help!

[David126]

@Michelle183

Seems fairly common, actually you got more than many seem to.

You have to include a slush fund whatever you like to call it in your rates, add $10 a night whatever to pay for things like this as you are unlikely to be able to recover in full.

[Cormac0]

@Michelle183

Basically, your guest payed for a set of replacement keys, with no notion that your house security was compromised.

Having had my car keys lifted off a table in a restaurant over sea’s (I don’t like having them in my trouser pocket when I’m sitting down) the same could have happened to her and the thieves could have followed her to your house! Farfetched well I don’t think so.

So, changing the locks is an imperative.

Having recently replaced a lock on a storage unit in my apartment block it cost me Euros 70 to buy, two hours’ time getting it and another two hours putting on.

The sharing economy my bottom I didn’t want to say arse.

Good luck with your endeavours but don’t hold your breath on getting any more money.

[David126]

If you have given a key to a guest have you not already compromised your security? How do you know it has not been copied?

[Cormac0]

@David126

Only if your a total cynic, the communion of which I'm not one.

Mind you more and more insurance companies are taking that view.

[David126]

I have a keypad lock so I guess that answers the question.

[Michelle183]

The keys are stamped "Do Not Copy". Of course it's not foolproof, but the idea is the local hardware store won't make a copy of that key.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Michelle183

Hi - this won't help you on this occasion, however, we have a set of tags made, with our mobile number etched on them. This has worked surprisingly well when we have lost keys. People tend to be quite good at calling you to say they have founda  set of keys - usually in a cafe, or on a train, etc...

[Scott80]

You don't need to replace the locks. Just have a hardware store rekey them and change the pin combination. I belive that the big-box hardware store charges $10 if you bring the locks to them. Of course if you have a locksmith come to you, it is probably going to cost just as much as buyign brand new locks. If you want to avoid this problem all together, as others have suggested, just get a keypad lock and not have to worry about lost keys

Most likely the reason that the payout was reduced is that you get depreciated value of the existing. locks and not replacement value. According to this source https://facilities.princeton.edu/sites/facilities/files/1.2-4.pdf the useful life of a dormatory door lock is 25 years (most applicable estimate I could find). So if your existing locks are 18 years old and cost $95, the depreciated value is about $30. Note my thumbnail explaination of deprecitation is just that. I am taking a lot of liberties with explaination and calcuations in the interest of brevity.