Guest found mouse in house. Requesting full refund 5 days later

[Julie1516]

Hi everyone ,

not sure the Airbnb policy here.   Our guest has requested a full refund 5 days after checkout.    She states she found a “rat” in the house and has a photo.   It is actually s field mouse.  Unfortunate either way.  Our home is in the country and this occasionally happens even with the best of attempts to keep them at bay especially with winter approaching.    The guest said she was in fear for her safety    But never said anything and continued to stay the entire time without advising us or allowing us to get over there immediately to take care of it.  We also could have moved her to another one of our rentals.      My question is, will Airbnb side with guest ?  I don’t want to waste my time with disputing if that is the case and am worried about a bad review.  One way or another   Even if I do a full refund , can the guest still leave the review ?  Thanks for any insight 

[Emiel1]

@Julie1516 

The guest can allways leave a review (and you can comment in public on it).

"in fear for safety" seems to me rediculous (a field mouse is not a crocodile)

By not informing you during the stay and simply continue the stay the guest IMO looses credibility to ask for full refund. Aibrbnb sides indeed mostly with guests when it comes to 'inconvenience", so maybe a partly refund will be discussed.

[Julie1516]

Thank you for the response.    Should I give a full refund or partial?   I have read that Airbnb will give a 50% refund in these cases but cannot find that anywhere.

[Emiel1]

@Julie1516 

The guest did not complain during the stay. Tell the guest her picture shows a fieldmouse and tell  her in a polite way you will be happy  to give some refund (20/30%) for the inconvenience.

Or oherwise she can contact Airbnb with her issue (which she came up with 5 days after check-out).And then wait what Airbnb has to say.

I guess she will not contact Airbnb at all.

[Mark116]

@Julie1516   I would expect a bad review no matter what you do, and that airbnb will probably refund the full stay, even though their policy says that the guest must contact the host and allow them to address whatever the problem was, airbnb often fails to follow its own guidelines.  I would for sure not give a full refund.  

[David5641]

This is where the importance of keeping your house clean comes in. Airbnb will, most often than not, side with the guest if there is an cleanliness issue. Most especially, if they were able to take photos of uncleaned area or the presence of insect/vermins, because cleanliness issue is a violation of the standards of Airbnb. Also, any cleanliness issue may ruin the guest's stay which Airbnb does not tolerate.

This is also important to note especially when it comes with the review. Although you may have refunded the guest, the guest can still leave you a review, which Airbnb will not take down.

[Emilia42]

@David5641 Having one fieldmouse run through your kitchen does not mean there are cleanliness issues. As the temperatures drop mice will do whatever they can to seek shelter. Nature can and will come inside, even a spotlessly clean home.

[Susan151]

@David5641  Perhaps you have never lived in New England as winter approaches. Mice are looking for their warm, winter homes. One random mouse does not in any way mean that a house is dirty. It means that one clever mouse found a way inside, hoping to find a bit of blanket or insulation to create a new home.

[Sarah977]

@David5641  Field mice entering a home in the countryside has nothing  to do with cleanliness.

[Helen427]

@Julie1516 
May I suggest that should your guest request any form of refund to politely decline it.

Field mice & explain  just like humans will do what they do.

You live in the countryside.

Perhaps find some cute story about a Field mouse, send a copy of it to your Guest & explain it's simply nature.

I don't think in any way you should even contemplate any form of refund as it's not like they were seriously impaired but simply having a natural encounter with nature.

Maybe also put a photo of a cute book with field mice stories on your profile and play on the fact you have nature in your property, some will be delighted.

As an aside, people dressed in Mice Coats in the 1930's when the Depression happened and a lady in England breed them expressly to make clothes.

You may like to look up that history & share it with your "Fear for her safety" guest.

It helps put things into perspective & makes one appreciate what we have!!

All the best from across the miles in Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand

[Sarah977]

@Helen427 @Julie1516  I totally agree. Not something to issue a refund for. If she can't accept country living, complete with the critters who naturally live there, and may on occasion find their way into the house, she shouldn't book places in the country.

 Wants a full refund because she saw a little mouse? Doesn't mention it until 5 days after she checks out? She's a scammer. Don't reward her.

[Nakayama0]

How about give this guest a box of chocolate, with a note 'Sorry for the small fields rat, but they live in the soil, not the one in the sewage of city center. Harmless to human and not surprising." 

If they do not leave and still stay in your premises, I think no need to refund and you need to reply their review.

[Helen3]

hello @Julie1516 

Firstly are you even sure the photo is on a mouse in your home? If so, I would just reply to the guest and say that you are sorry that she didn't raise the issue of a field mouse entering the listing during her stay so that you could have helped address this issue.

That you live in the country and that as the winter approaches sometimes field mice {not rats} will seek shelter in warm buildings.

That it is not reasonable for her to ask for a full refund five days after her stay. But as a gesture of goodwill on your part you can return your cleaning fee (or whatever you feel reasonable) . Personally I wouldn't refund anything.

I would also flag the issue with Airbnb pointing out that a) it is a field mouse not a rat b) the guest waiting until five days past check out before mentioning she had seen the mouse.

[Emily487]

@Julie1516 

-Are you positive the photo was taken inside your house? If there is any doubt, I would go with "that's not my house". 

I wouldn't sweat a bad review...it's coming no matter what...and she will sound like a crazy lady and you will be the calm and friendly host in your short response. 

[Lisa723]

@Julie1516 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/How-much-to-refund-this-guest/m-p/1134907#