In the last month I have had one guest who stained a carpet, put some gooey stuff on the net curtains and broke the sill away from the window. I emailed her and after much trouble exchanging messages with airbnb and getting messages from other airbnb staff, - as they always hand you on to someone else so you're being pushed from one person to another - as they didn't get back to me, so I had to do all the chasing. All I got from the guest was not even enough to pay for the carpet cleaning bill. Airbnb then added a few pounds more, but I need a replacement carpet as the cleaning did not remove the stains. The carpet pile was wrecked by the guest trying to scrub the stain away. Airbnb said I should get that part of the carpet replaced and simply kept repeating themselves when I said a carpet cannot be matched invisibIy. They thought it could be cut away and that rectangle replaced! If you ask them anything practical they can't reason and talk about the small print in their terms and conditions (that nobody reads.) I enquired at several carpet shops and the cheapest new carpet, including fitting, came to £901.43p. Airbnb wouldn't budge, and now guests will have to put up with a stained carpet that won't please anyone and makes me feel I'm presenting dirty accommodation. I have received nothing for the net curtain nor for the broken window sill that has been detached from the new window. The window fitters won't travel the 70 miles to mend it and I don't know how to mend it myself.
AND
Last week a guest lost the house key so I had to have the lock and 6 keys replaced immediately. I did as airbnb advised me and I went through airbnb to claim the cost. After much trouble exchanging messages they say they will only pay for the key! Amazing! Each time I enquire about it, I get messages that keep asking me for the receipt. I sent them a photo of it. They then asked for the cost of the keys and lock only so I went back to the shop to get them to detail the costs. I sent that too. Different staff (who are called "Ambassadors" Huh! ) contact me without reading or understanding my messages. Now airbnb ask for the cost of the "key". I paid £95.75. Airbnb seem to be saying they will pay me for 1 key, ie. £4.95. I re-sent the photo of the detailed receipt yet again. I'm still waiting.
Other nuisances, such as theft and other stains I've found, I son't think I can claim against as I don't know which guest made them.
My advise is to get the guest to repay you immediately they do anything that you know about.
Previous experience has taught me that the Citizens Advise Bureau is worse than useless. Can anyone suggest what I should do to get fair payment from airbnb?
