@Allie179 I support you and your efforts with having a revenge policy in place. It is truly needed on the platform to protect other hosts, by allowing and encouraging other hosts to feel comfortable enforcing the rules that they have in place for their listing. I too am an Airbnb super- host and recently filed a claim for resolution, where a guest smoked marijuana in my listing during there stay. Mind you they accepted my house rules before their booking and agreed by accepting that they would comply with my rules and therefore, not smoke in my home. However, when inspecting the property after the guests check out I found the home to smell of marijuana and tobacco smoke. This was really upsetting to me as I really focus on overall cleanliness of my listing and want every guest to experience the listing as it is presented, a non smoking home. Therefore, I felt that I needed a professional cleaning service to come and verify the odor was in fact there and not imaginary. I thought this would serve as concrete evidence and provide me something to stand on moving forward trying to collect the additional costs associated with a deep clean. This included cleaning of the walls, carpet and furniture located on the second floor. The company used was a cleaning company that is well known across the United States and not just someone local that could be considered a conflict of interest. The quote totaled $450.00. The space is small so this deep cleaning needed to be done, to ensure that the odor would never be noted by a future guest that was booking a non smoking listing. I called AirBNB they informed me to file a resolution with the guest to pay these charges. Mind you, I collect a $350.00 security deposit through AirBNB as well. However, note this is really not anything or a security deposit if you ask me as often times it is not even collected or even held on the guests credit card. Therefore, I would not even call it a security deposit as an AirBnb representative decides if you can collect and or keep your deposit for damages. Therefore, you believe that your having this deposit collected on your behalf, well think again. As a result, after asking this guest to pay the additional fees, he declined immediately, so the resolution was sent to AirBnb to decide. I then had to wait for Airbnb to determine their outcome and or ruling, they responded with a generic response that pretty much says in a professional manner, too bad, you can't collect the security deposit and that the additional cleaning costs due to the guest smoking, would not be able to be covered because such acts are committed intentionally, and are not considered accidental. Only accidental damages that a guest causes such as breaking something etc...would be able to be covered.
I guess I understood this policy in place as, the guest knew they were smoking, so it was not considered an accident, and therefore such actions would not qualify or be covered under the host guarantee. As a result, since it did not qualify under this insurance, I assumed my security deposit would not be able to be collected and or claimed either in full or partially. However, no it is not. I then began to second guess myself, and my understanding of a security deposit and wondering why collect one if this is how Airbnb manages such deposits, as they are pretty much useless if unable to be claimed or partially claimed to take care of the situation at hand. After realizing this, I got upset, but was never rude to Airbnb representatives and or the guest. In fact, I was probably too kind, to someone who just permeated my home with marijuana and tobacco smoke. However, I was just trying to move on and accept, that clearly in AirBNB's eyes it is ok for someone to rent a home with a no smoking policy, smoke inside and then leave the home in such condition. Therefore, nothing happens to the guest based on their defiant behavior, so they can continue to do the same where ever they go and stay, defying rules that are in place. THey are able to do so, knowing AirBNB will do nothing about it such as smoking in a smoke free home. As a result, the guest soon realizes that nothing will happen to them regarding their actions of defiance so the behaviors will continue. I personally think it is absolutely insulting, as it presents that committing such acts in someone else's home is ok. I would never commit such intentional acts, however I don't smoke nor was I raised to damage someone else's property that did not belong to me....
It is also important to note my listing is on my 130 acre farm so they had plenty of room to smoke, so I am in no way discriminating against a smoker, I just don't want such activities to occur inside my listing. However, I gave up and moved on paid the additional fees and just assumed that it was the cost of doing business. Then on day 13 the guest sent a review of 1 star on every level and wrote nothing, but only left two emoji's, that I personally don't even really understand and really don't know what they say about the guests stay or my home as a whole. However, I did not know the guest left such a review, as I did not submit on just as of yet, Therefore, I then reviewed the guest and gave him an honest 3 stars, unknowing what star rating he left for me. Even though my gut told me it was going to be bad, as I had tried to enforce the policies I have in place, but I gave him an honest and fair 3 stars anyways. I felt as if yes he defied my rules which was very upsetting, however he left the home otherwise in overall good shape and he communicated pretty well overall during his stay, so I felt that he deserved an honest 3 stars and I mentioned he probably should consider a listing next time that allowed indoor smoking. However, being honest and fair simply got me no where as once I submitted my review and saw the review he left for me which was in no way a true representation. Also, his review stated nothing about his stay overall, but simply listed an emoji in the description box and in the private message section. The one recorded in the private message was recorded as a big smiley face, with the big smile with white teeth exposed from cheek to cheek. Therefore, I took this as "got ya sucker". Therefore, I was upset and again wrote and called Airbnb about this ridiculous review, that to me does not reflect me or my property at all especially since every other review left on my listing page is 5 stars out of a total of 20. Yes, that's probably a lower number of overall reviews, but for just starting this hosting journey 1 year ago in rural America, I felt that it was pretty good. However, this one review left by this guest that defied my rules and got away with it served as a way to ruin my overall reputation. Yes, others can see that all my other reviews are 5 star, but my point here is that it's clear this review was meant to be retaliation toward me. Especially, since the guest wrote nothing about his stay overall and or his experience at my rental. As a result, I got stuck with a home that stunk of smoke, and I had to take on additional expenses due to a guest defying my house rules, then finally getting a poor review that taught me nothing. It has been over a month since the guest checked out and my messages sit in limbo as someone reads over them, however I hope they remove this review as it is in no way a reflection of me or my listing. This is my third message sent to Airbnb as the other two representatives stated that the review was appropriate and did not go against any of their policies. However, I remain hopeful as the last representative seemed very genuine and kind and like she was going to do something about it as its irrelevant. However, I'm yet to hear back. I'm beginning to just accept it and say it is what it is... but, the point is that it should not be like that.
I feel in my current situation, the guest not only got away with smoking in my home both tobacco and an illegal substance not having to pay any or all the cleaning fees related to their actions, but they also were able to leave a 1 star review knowing that it would damage my overall reputation, therefore an action of sabotage and or retaliation for simply enforcing my rules and policies I have set for my listing.
As a result, I have learned that security deposits collected by Airbnb are really not the same type of security deposit I am familiar with, and this sort of behavior defying ones rules is ok and or appropriate on the Airbnb platform, therefore putting the host out to dry when I did nothing but, enforce my policies that I have in place for my listing. I was always taught to be a rules follower, but from what I see here rules put in force by hosts are simply recommendations on the site as when they are defied nothing happens to the guest and the rules will not be enforced by Airbnb. Therefore, these guests will just continue to do the same time and time again, because hosts don't want to be like me, stuck with both an additional cleaning fee, and also a poor review that sabotages a hosts overall performance numbers and or overall rating. As noted in my situation above, with these events that took place, with the results of this situation, moving forward if another guest smokes in the future in my home I probably wouldn't even report it and or attempt to enforce my rules, as I know the end result of enforcing rules, you get zero compensation from the guest, Airbnb or the security deposit one thinks is in place. As a result, hosts are simply forced to "eat" the added expenses and you will most likely get a poor review from the guest, that in return can serve to damage a hosts reputation. Therefore, enabling these defiant guests to act and defy the rules other hosts have in place time and time again as they use the rental platform, knowing they wont be held accountable. Therefore, I feel that a policy needs to be developed for retaliation like reviews and also the security deposit policy needs to be looked at. As in its current form, hosts are in no way collecting a security deposit as they think that they are, so this is very misleading. The way VRBO enforces and collects their security deposit is fair, as the deposit is collected and after the host inspects the home, the deposit is released and refunded to the guest if no claim needs to be made. Therefore, serving the purpose of what a security deposit is to do in such situations. This is how it should be managed and if you don't like to pay a security deposit as a guest that's totally fine just pick another listing that does not have one in place. I would love to hear others experiences with security deposits as well.... I have enjoyed reading the comments in this forum and have definitely committed some of the information to memory on what tactics can be used in this situation next time, however neither the guest or the host should have to use tactics to enforce policies and or rules that are put in place that a guest agrees to before booking.
