Stolen towels from host

[Christos6]

Greetings all,

Just had a guest staying at my house and they left with some towels, which weren't cheap.

Tried contacting them - no reply.

Can I do anything or am I protected?

[Todd-and-Reese0]

I'm assuming you don't charge a deposit. You can leave it in their feedback and report it privately to AirBnB online. Might want to put in a call to customer service, too, to see what else they might be able to do for you.

[Christos6]

Clients leave a security deposit of 200 euro, via Airbnb. I sent them a message asking them if they accidentally took the towels, but I know they are travelling overseas now. 

Will it be too late to do anything?

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

You have to raise a claim through the resolution centre within 48 hours of your guests's departure. If you haven't done so then the likelihood of you getting anything back is slim.

I would suggest not leaving a review until close to the 14 day limit, so that your guests have time to respond if they are travelling. It could be a mistake and they are happy to pay/return them etc. 

[Christine1]

@Gerry-And-Rashid0,

There is every chance you are correct, and your succinct advice is spot on as usual.

Perhaps they forgot to pack towels, so they will use them for the trip, then return them or drop them off at their last Airbnb host just before they fly out home..........

its like musical towels!

Happy Regards, 

Christine.

[Denise60]

Hi

I decided to join the conversation because I've just had two new, expensive towels stolen. When I asked the guest if they had taken the towels by mistake, they of course said no. As a result I've replaced the missing towels with less expensive towels. At check-out, I now make a point of checking for missing items, including towels.

It would be great if Airbnb devised a system, which alerts hosts to guests who have been accused of stealing on more than one occasion. Perhaps a star rating for honesty?