Guest causes damage, claims mold, gets partial refund

Olivia240
Level 2
Jacksonville, FL

Guest causes damage, claims mold, gets partial refund

I had a 1 night local guest with 2 friends on the reservation.  She has really good reviews so I was happy to have her.  She promised she would be out of the house 1.25 hours early so I could get in there as we were having another guest shortly after.  

The next day we arrived to clean the house and they still had not left, there was an extra guest, they were still drunk, and cleaning all the bottles they still had.  After they left we found that my 100 year old iron gate had been ripped off the iron fence, the washer dial had been broken off the machine and left on a table, and one of the mattresses had beer or pee on it (I of course had it cleaned!).   Right away I filed a claim on it, and I submitted pictures.

I did everything right as far as filing the issues.

At the last minute 5 days later (I am not sure exactly), this guest tells Airbnb that I had mold in my refrigerator.  They have now agreed to refund her 1/2 the stay!  I asked for proof and they refuse to give me any picture, saying that I have to ask the guest for it.

What should I do??????

2 Replies 2
Olivia240
Level 2
Jacksonville, FL

I made a mistake!  Airbnb called me and I now understand!

The first guest I wrote about did do all the things that I said.  But she is NOT the one filing a claim against me.  The following day after the first guest stayed, guest #2 came, a last minute guest.  Guest #2 stayed with her family, or rented the place FOR her family, I cannot tell, during the hurricane Dorian.  She was very negative about my house and complained about the floor under the kitchen cabinets being dirty and a broken toilet and the house not looking like the pictures. (The toilet wasn’t broken, the seat was loose).  I answered her each time, but she was not happy.  

So I didn’t leave her a good review.  She left me an ok one, saying the house is comfortable, but don’t expect the Taj Mahal.  

Now I have found out that it was she who complained about mold in my fridge AND that the gate was broken!  The guest who left the day before broke it!  And I had immediately filed a claim.  So Airbnb has it documented that the gate was broken.  But the mold shocked me!  We had just cleaned that fridge.  So I asked for details of the picture and what the fridge looks like.  The manager I spoke to is requesting the guest who complained to send me the pics. 

But now, until proven innocent, I hope, I am out $250.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Olivia240  Have you considered not taking last-minute guests? These don't sem to be working out well for you. You could set at least one days advance notice, and also don't take 1 night bookings And locals are said to be the worst guests. You have to ask yourself why someone local would need to book a place. Ther may be some legitimate reasons, but not many.