Safety and false accusations

[Carlos-and-Anita0]

HI everyone, I would love some advise on how to handle this.

I have been hosting for over a year now with great reviews and no problems. Recently a guest left the gas stove turned on and called us to say he was smelling gas. When I arrived he had already figured out he left the stove on. A couple days later they left it on again. The property maintenance was called but i was not informed. They turned off the main gas vavle and the next day when I was told I went there and found the exact same problem. They left the vavle open on the stove. They completely emptied the gas tank by the way.

Then he called Airbnb and said we had a gas leak! Airbnb turned off our listing and moved the guest without even notifying us. Then told us we had to proove the problem had been fixed. But there was no problem that needed to be fixed. I had to spend a week trying to get proof of a problem that never existed. In the meantime air bnb started canceling my guests and I was unable to accept new. So I lost money there and I had to pay for the gas guy to come out and check the lines even though there was no problem.

When I asked how I would be compensated airbnb stated it was not their problem and I would have to ask the guest for compensation. But the guest outwardly lied why would they pay us for that? 

So community... what do you suggest?

Do I continue trying to have airbnb compensate or do I send a request to the guest or do I have to lay down and take it?

By the way the problem was all talked about in airbnb messages so airbnb could have just looked at the messges to see the truth.

Thanks for your help!!

[Clare0]

@Carlos-and-Anita0 That's terrible! So, in the Airbnb message thread the guest admited he left the stove burner on? I would contact Airbnb again and ask them to read the messages.  

I know exactly what you are going through.  I had a real gas leak which was discovered on the very day a guest was to arrive.  I too had to provide documentation that the leak was fixed before I was allowed to accept future reservations.  

I would try again and perhaps you will reach a more understanding customer rep.  Not much more I can suggest, unfortunately.  

[Ralf5]

Hello @Carlos-and-Anita0,

OMG, where should I start now.

any damage by the guest (empty gas tank) has to be notified to Airbnb within 24 hours after check-out. Further the guest didn't follow your safety instructions regarding the gas has to be closed after usage.

I would try to get something in writing from the property manager or facility manager or cleanig woman, whoever can testify to the fact that the guest's behaviour was not correct (fofgotten to close the gas multiple times) and then recontact airbnb support team and explain them agin what you explained to us. Also I would open a case in the Mediation Center.

About the penalties, blocked calendar, removed listing etc. this needs to be sorted out with Airbnb - write it all down step by step without too much emotions, ask them to view the messages forth and back between you and the guest. Hopefully the issue will be solved soon - at the end the truth should win...!

Good luck

[Ralf5]

Hi @Carlos-and-Anita0,

I am just curious, if you have been able to explain your problem to the airbnb support and could find an agreement with them?

[Carlos-and-Anita0]

HI, unfortunately it has not been a great experience. Airbnb doesn't seem to care even though I have proof. The guest left a nasty review and they will not remove it either. Again I have proof the guest is lieing. We lost money and our bookings. Not a cool way for Airbnb to handle things and I do not feel much support from them anymore. It's a bit uncomfortable to know that any one anytime can come to your home lay a false claim and fully get away with it no matter what proof you have a a host you will loose 😞

[Ralf5]

Hi @Carlos-and-Anita0,

that's too bad for you, I am so sorry. I know a few cases, where Airbnb recently was quite supportive and even completely removed the guest's acount due to a serious damage.

Eventually your case just has been mucked up from the beginning. Next time you need to open a case with airbnb before the guest does it, but next time probably will be totally different.

One question about the penalties: did they just block this one appertment? or also the other ones (I have seen you have 3 apartments in total, right? and is it a long period, which has been blocked is blocked?

To avoid cases like this, you may need to rework your house rules to clearly define what the guest need to do and what is forbidden, also you can define what has to be done in case of this or another problem.

Fortunately I never had a problem like this, even if I had more than 200 guests from all over the world. Hopefully you are not giving up due to this unlucky case and will continue to host in the future.

I wish you all the best and a lot of just normal & friendly guests!

[JonandAngie0]

Two days ago a guest complained of major gas leak to Airbnb from my home and Airbnb put them in a hotel.

I sent gas company and sewer system inspectors  there and they provided official reports stating that there is no gas leak and systems are working well. 
Want to mention that the guest after 18 hrs of check in asked me to reduce one day from the booking, and I just refunded him 50% and said that he could do a super late check out on the day before. He did a non-refundable booking with 10%off.

I cannot understand why he complained about a gas leak to Airbnb and left me a voicemail saying that he is leaving because of gas leakage.

The home does not have gas connection. There is a propane cylinder outside that heats water.

I got official reports for everything right away.

I amstuck with their bills now...

Can I ask him to pay for inspection reports?

[Mark116]

I'm seriously thinking of replacing the gas stove for just these types of reasons, people are extremely irresponsible and don't pay attention and then they call you and say they smell gas, although I have  never had anyone report me to airbnb for the guests having broken the stove, LOL. 

@Carlos-and-Anita0  The best thing you can do in future is that as soon as someone reports this type of problem, make sure your response is on the airbnb system, then, when you find out that it was 'user error' make sure you say this also on the platform.  Dear Guest:  We checked the gas issue you reported and it appears that you left the stove on, XXXX, please let us know if you need further instructions on how to work the stove, etc. etc. something like that....this might at least protect you from having the listing shut down, but it will probably not get you any compensation.

[Luana130]

I think you should have contacted airbnb the first time they left the gas open to say the guests were being careless and that you would give them another chance but if anything happenned again you could no longer host them. The thing I noticed with airbnb is that you always need to contact them first, never give the guest a chance of complaining, even if it is something small, tell them first. 

As for gas... I have a few apartments, and in the first one I put a gas stove, but in all the others after that one I put electric cooktops, it is just safer with strangers, people are just careless.

[Shared-Stay-JFK-The-Hugh-Suite0]

This is very sad. Airbnb shut down our listing because a guest wanted to have more people  over and I told them no so they reported a fake gas leak. Even though I live at the property with my family and told Airbnb that it’s just not possible to stay in a property with my family if there was a leak , they still didn't care. My gas company came out to check and found no leak . The problem is , in NYC, a gas company would not give a report unless you subpoena them in court . This has cause much head aches because the courts are not open due to Covid for these types of cases. However, Airbnb needs a report or until then my listing that I’ve had since 2011 will remain closed. So sad . Any advice as to what to do? Thanks 

[Lorna170]

@Shared-Stay-JFK-The-Hugh-Suite0   I would suggest you send a letter from an attorney to the guest claiming monetary damages for their false report.  I would send that same letter to AirBnB if you can find an address to send it to.  I would then hit social media (not just this forum) and I would investigate other platforms to list your property on until AirBnB re-activates your listing.

AirBnB farms out their Customer Service Call Center.  Those call center people are sitting in their own homes, without a supervisor and they have a checklist -- if gas reported, close down the listing.  If damage reported, deny the damage and close the ticket.  If a party is reported, tell the host to make the guest leave and then cancel and refund the booking.  They are not paid to solve our problems; they are paid to open and immediately close call tickets.  An AirBnB Customer Service Representative is a brick wall that will not listen or solve your problem.