I don't require a security deposit....but my guest put his knee through the wall....what do I do?

[Jayne58]

My latest guests advised me they were leaving after their first night of a 2-night stay, as they had broken a floorboard 'getting out of bed during the night'.  I immediately said I was shocked, and that I would get someone round straightaway to fit a new floorboard.  However they said it had spooked them, they'd gone downstairs to sleep on the sofabed afterwards, and they'd now packed up and were heading home after going out to lunch - 'before they did any more damage'. They haven't asked me for anything, not even a refund of their unused night - and they hadn't even taken the chocolates or the wine that I'd left for them.  When I checked their profile photograph, it turns out they're both excessively on the large size, and I can only imagine what they had been doing when the floorboard completely snapped beside the bed.  It's an old cottage, and there are some creaky floorboards, as per most old houses - although this was not one of the floorboards that had ever creaked, and it was completely snapped in two!  (As an aside, I live in a modern house built in 2004, and the floors creak a lot worse than in the cottage!)  My question is, does anyone know if I can I make a claim on Airbnb's host insurance, to cover the cost of repairs?  Any advice  on what to do next would be appreciated - thank you!

[Jayne58]

Oops that'sweird, that heading was not mine! - It was 'auto corrected' - I'd just read another thread with that title.  My thread title should say 'Guest broke a floorboard'.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Jayne58 

well if they are overweight people and cracked the floorboard then I understand their concern about making more damage during their stay. It seems they are concern about your cottage and for them as well. 

Let them leave/cancel, whatever they want, go there, call the repairman and try to figure out what and why it happend.

I would not file a damage claim for the repair because the floor should be sturdy enough for overweight people. If it is not then you should do something about it so it doesn't happen again and hurt someone, you know kids are running around, jumping off the bed etc... it is dangerous

[Jayne58]

Thankyou for your response - we've checked, and the boards are all perfectly safe.  No clue as to how that one got broken in two! 

[Jayne58]

Thankyou Branka for your response - we've checked, and the boards are all perfectly safe.  No clue as to how that one got broken in two!