Help! my guests are clearly running a catering business from my kitchen.

[Simone466]

The guests told me he had friends visiting from London coming to my area, and was booking so he can be close to them. That he will be cooking for 5-7 people on Friday only and needed a nice size pot.  My profile says use of stove and oven with prior arrangement and fee. After being in the home for 2 days the guests put out 5 big black trash bags of garbage, I noticed large boxes of plaintains and talapia fish inside the living room, but thought nothing of it.   I heard them getting up at 6am and moving around in the kitchen a lot. It just didnt occur to me that they would use my home as a restaurant kitchen.  Today I noticed the backdoor open, which is breaking a house rule, I go to close it and I see my dining table covered in white styrofoam trays that the wife was filling with food.  Then she stacked them into black plastic bags I guess to be loaded into his truck and delivered to where ever they are selling these meals.  I called Airbnb, they advised the guests to clarify with me, but of course he is lying through his teeth. They have not turned off the airconditioner in 4 days and their 6am to 8pm cooking schedule is using a lot of gas. Help.

[Linda108]

@Simone466 While I understand you would like to counter any negative review with a full detailed rebuttal, I caution you against that.  You reviews are seen by potential guests and this is an opportunity for you to show your professionalism and caring hosting to them.  So something like, " X was asked to leave early when their commercial catering operation was discovered.  It is too bad that X did not disclose the purpose of their booking to me so I could explain to them it is not a legal activity in my house and saved them some trouble."  Frankly I doubt they will review.

[Simone466]

Thanks @Linda0

[Clint-and-Kendall0]

I agree with Linda that they probably won't leave a review. But if they did, you wouldn't be able to see it until after you had left your own review of them. So, technically, there is no way to "counter review." This is Airbnb's way of avoiding all kinds of dishonest revenge/hate reviews on their site.

The one thing you could do is reply to their review of you if you should choose to do so.

[Linda0]

That is hilarious, l hope they're cleaning up after themselves in the kitchen. Good luck with your decision to get them to stop or cut you in on the profits so your overhead don't put you under!

Linda J

[Simone466]

@Cormac0 @Letti0 @Linda0 @Jessica-and-Henry0

Remember the bad guests who broke my oven and now my microwave is dead too?

This is what my case manager at Airbnb's response was when I asked how the consultation fee that I have to pay to the repair man come to my home will be handled. .. "

Thanks for your response, I can confirm we would neither cover the cost of the technician accessing the oven in your listing as you should be there to let him in and we do not cover the hosts time or work carried out. We would not cover a repair consultation fee either. I think there is some confusion Simone, we are not an insurance company.

If you would like to co-operate with the mediation we are providing by following the instructions given, we can move forward. If you would like to pursue your guest independently simply let me know. Airbnb operate under a repair before replacement policy. I cannot guarantee any outcome for you as the decision is made when all documentation is provided. You are claiming that due to your guest cooking food your oven broke. I need to determine how cooking food damaged your oven, if I cannot then I cannot cover it."

This sounds like they dont intend to help me with this issue. Am I reading it wrong?

Thank in advance Simone.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Simone466

First you have to charge the guest (thru Airbnb), if guest agrees to pay you for the damage then it's done.

If guest refuses to pay for damages it seems to be either (1) Airbnb will investigate and determine whether the host will be paid out of the deposit and how much OR (2) no reimbursement to host.

Then the host can decide whether or not to pursue the host guarantee, whether Airbnb will actually reimburse is totally up to them. Based on posts I've read to date, there doesn't seem to be a clear guideline/criteria - just arbitrarily depends on the  case managers decision. So sorry to hear that things didn't turn out well.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/938/what-s-the-difference-between-airbnb-s-host-guarantee-and-ho...

 https://www.airbnb.com/guarantee

 https://www.airbnb.com/host-protection-insurance

Maybe reading how other hosts have been sucessful might help??

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Wonderful-Experience-with-Host-Guarantee/m-p/683925

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Excellent-experience-with-Airbnb-Host-Guarantee/m-p/7663...

But there are also a lot of posts that have a similar story as yours.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Shockingly-Bad-Service-As-A-Host/m-p/736849#M173804

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/My-host-guarantee-experiment/m-p/594292

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Problem-with-Airbnb-Host-Guarantee-hosts-beware/m-p/5582...

[Simone466]

@Jessica-and-Henry0 @Cormac0 @Clint-and-Kendall0 @Letti0

Thank you all so much for all of your support and good advice.  I will be paid for the damages.  I really appreciate your time and was comforted by this community. Thank you!

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Simone466

You have great reviews....... one bad review is not the end of the world and all you have to do is calmly reply (respond) to their review with "I'm sorry if asking you to leave interfered with your ILLEGAL catering business which you were running out of my HOME, which you booked under false pretenses. Anyone who wants proof....please feel free to send me a private message - I am happy to share pictures."

[Simone466]

Thanks @Jessica-and-Henry0  I have video as well. It's crazy. 

[Simone466]

 Hi @Linda108 @Jessica-and-Henry0  @Clint-and-Kendall0  @Linda0 and everyone,   they are finally out. They've broken my stove and oven however, it is on "loc" position, and non of the buttons work.  It was pulled away from the wall as well.  My dining table looked like someone poured acid all over it. I taken pictures and videos and I filed the claim with Airbnb.  The guest Babs has since text me saying he "had a box of jewelry at the house and when he arrived at his second destination, he's realized that all the jewelry is missing from the box."  Airbnb has advised me not to respond to his texts. 

[Linda0]

@Simone0--

How horrible and sorry for previously joking around about it. I hope sincerely that Airbnb supports you on this and ensure you get reimbursement for damages. Make sure you immediately get quotes on damages and take lots of pictures.

The best --

Linda

[Letti0]

@Simone466  So not only did they destroy your stove and ruin your table they are now accussing you of theft? If you post a picture of the table I may have a fix for that. 

[Cormac0]

@Simone466

Check they haven't sabotaged the pipe work under your sinks and radiator pipe connections by loosening the nuts.

You won't notice the sink if you only run the tab, but if you fill the sink and pull the stopper it will flood your kitchen, and you'll only notice a problem with your heating when you turn the heat on in autumn

I had a tenant staying for three months who contrary to the lease agreement had a pit bull terrier staying so I told him he should start looking for new accommodation as I would not be renewing the lease as he broken it.

While cleaning the apartment for the next guest I spotted the sink issue and additionally, he had disconnect all the earth wires in the lighting system, I noticed this because one of the lighting fittings was loose on the ceiling, seeing this I then checked all the wall sockets and I found the same thing.

With regards to being professional, when we can start charging professional fees and Airbnb start hiring professional staff to answer their phones I will take such comment with a grain of salt.

Those Guest are “low lives from, Queens” like another tempory resident residing in Pennsylvania Avenue, Ouch!

[Simone466]

@Cormac0 Its so funny, since they have been out, I have had electrical problems and the microwave is completely dead for some reason.  So sad that there are such people in the world.