How do airbnb support aSuperhost who is being sued by a Guest 17 months after his booking?

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Margaret42
Level 3
United Kingdom

How do airbnb support aSuperhost who is being sued by a Guest 17 months after his booking?

 

I have just received notification from solicitors representing a guest I hosted in September 2016.  The guest lost his footing and fell in my hallway.   There were no obstuctions or spillages on the Amtico flooring.  He came home around midnight after spending the evening and night in a public house wining and dining.  Now his solicitors are saying I was negligent in my duty of care.   I do not accept any liability but I'm having to deal with 'no win no fee' solicitors.  I thought Airbnb had a legal department to support hosts in these circumstances?  Is this the case?  If so how can I reach them?

 

I keep calling the UK number for Airbnb Customer Service - 0203 318 1111 but the staff can not give me the name, number or email address for the people responsible for legal issues. These calls used to get routed to Dublin now every single call gets routed to the Phillipines.  Have airbnb closed their call centre in Dublin?

1 Best Answer

Thanks Oomesh, I'll do that right now.

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6 Replies 6
Oomesh-Kumarsingh0
Level 10
Pamplemousses, Mauritius

@Margaret42 You should immediately contact Airbnb via twitter @AirbnbHELP. Someone shall reply to you within 30 minutes.Good luck!!!

Thanks Oomesh, I'll do that right now.

@Margaret42 The pleasure is all mine!

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Hi @Margaret42

 

No they don't have a legal department that helps you but they do provide you with liability insurance.

 

Unbelievable that Airbnb customer services don't know about their own liability insurance https://www.airbnb.co.uk/host-protection-insurance.

 

The link I have given you provides a way for you to contact their third party provider at the bottom.

 

I can't imagine your guest being able to make a claim 18 months after an alledged accident. Did they tell you at the time that they had had an accident?

Thank you Helen.  I didn't know that airbnb provide hosts with liability insurance, that was a well kept secret!  In the 18 months that I have been offering a room in my home I've seen one documentary on TV showing homes trashed by guests and have read articles in the national press about other horror stories.  Airbnb did not come out well.  We all know that the cases highlighted represent a small minority of bookings.  Thankfully, all my guests to date have been perfectly charming.  The claim from the guest I hosted 18 months ago is being made via his 'No Win, No fee' solicitors, not through airbnb.  Apparently there is a 3 year statute of limitation in the UK so beware folks.  My guest fell in my hallway after arriving back around midnight from the pub.   I was home at the time and called 999 so I knew all about it!  However, I was totally stunned when his solicitor's letter arrived, so was not expecting it.  We live and learn.

I am also being sued and feel like I am getting the run around from Airbnb.  I am told every day that someone is working on my case and that they'll be in touch.  Well, they do not have a case to work on as nobody has been in touch and they do not have information from me yet.  Did you ever get a resolution with the liability insurance?  

Thanks, 

Deanna