Contradicting information from different guests when asking about a damaged table

[Karl-Petter0]

Hi,

I have guests quite regularlty in my cabin. After the last guests I noticed a large mark(probably a burn mark that someone has tried to clean away) on the kitchen table. See photo.

So I ask the guests and they claim it must have been there when they arrived and that they would have notified me if they would have caused it since they have good incurrances covering these kind of things. Sounds plaucible. Fair enough but then, could it have been the guest before?

I check tha cabin after each guest but of cource cannot check every spot. Though I noticed also that the kitchen table had been rotated. It had another minor mark that has always been towards the entrance but now that was facing the other direction. So someone has made the big mark, rotatated the table to have it face the wall instead and by doing so most of the mark would be covered with some items that always are on the table by the wall(removed when taking the photo). Thus I can have preciously missed the mark when checking the cleaning. So due to this I contact the previous guest and ask if she noticed anything on the table along with the photo. She says she did not notice anything like that and when cleaning before leaving she wiped the whole table and believe she would have seen it. Thus her information indicates it was the last guest who has caused it.

So what do you do in situations like these? There are no evidence who has done it. No-one takes the responisibility and both sound quite plaucible. Can I get some help from AirBnb in situations like these?

Or do you have good tips or experience how to handle these cases and what to ask for?

[Dave-and-Deb0 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Karl-Petter0,

Since you cannot prove who did it you would not be able to collect through a security deposit if you charge one.

I would think this would be covered through the Host Protection Insurance but i do not know how successful you would be as you may need before and after photos.  Here is the intake form you would need to complete: https://www.airbnb.com/insurance/form

[Karl-Petter0]

Thanks! Fortunately I took this picture on the 30th of November after having prepared for some guests. 

[Sandra126]

You sand back the table and refinish it. 🙂

You can't ask past guests, they have no reason to lie, and no reason to tell the truth. Sorry. Some guests will volunteer payment and explain when something has happened, but many won't.