The guests who just left have damaged a table and left a mess,

[Sally545]

So disappointed when the last guests went. They left a night early but didn't inform me until late evening on the afternoon they went so my property had been left unlocked for about 8 hrs, window open and its been raining for days. I found a table damaged with a big chunk taken out of it so looks awful, mud all in the bathroom and a fluffy bath mat used as a foot wiping mat by the amount of mud and grit in it, also a towel ruined due to boots been cleaned on it, spilt coffee dribbles on carpet and rug. Very unacceptable levels of cleaning. I don't have the host security deposit option so my worry is that if I send the guest a note, to try and resolve between ourselves saying I want to issue payment for some of this damage, I imagine this will be an open invite for them to leave me a bad review to get their own back if they receive such an invoice. In which case they get chance to leave me a bad review and they've caused me costly damage, double whammy on their part. And there would be no guarantee I'd get this money anyway as they'd probably say we are not paying.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Sally

[Sally221]

I'm so sorry, fellow Sally- I hope you did document the damage right away so you can claim damages, those oafs are probably going to give a poor review if any ( the wet weather was your fault, naturally) If you do your documentation before next guests arrive & contact the resolution folk I believe you have 60 days to make a claim- no guarantees it can/will be collected or that the current rules will be followed alas, but try doing that and then wait to do your honest review at the last possible moment. This isn't a fool proof scheme but it's my personal plan for the rare rotten guest I get. If the rotters leave you a review first then be dry, impersonal, brief & honest in your own review & reply to them. I hope it works out in your favor & your next set of guests are lovely, Sally

[Sally221]

And your place! Wowza-  a tranquil bit of heaven- if you do get a funky review a temperate response will let potential good guests know who the villain in the piece was & who needs the other kind anyway? (I've a sinking feeling they were Americans but every barrel has a few wormy individuals )

[Sally545]

Hi Sally, many thanks for taking the trouble to reply to me. Ah you guessed they were American, they were senior age group too so I expected better respect from them. I did photograph the mess and damage before I cleaned up so I have evidence.

Sally do you think I wait until the 14 day review period expires, to see if the guests leave me a review, before I go ahead with the resolution folk? Because if I make the claim now it will probably prompt the guests to leave a spiteful review. I understand accidents happen but the collection of things from these guests have put me in this position I haven't been in before.

It's always a shame you get a few bad eggs amongst some lovely guests.

[Lisa723]

@Sally545 @Sally221 

Make sure you review the rules about when/how to submit the claim: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/767/what-is-the-resolution-center .  You must submit the claim before your next checks in or in 14 days, whichever is sooner. If you think the guest will anticipate your claim and be unhappy about it there is not much you can do about a retaliatory review other than respond briefly and professionally so other propective guests are reassured, and/or hope their review violates Airbnb content policy so you can get it removed. If you think the guest will not anticipate the claim and would otherwise leave a good review, you can try to postpone the claim until the review is posted, but this is tricky if you have another guest checking in right away. Sometimes leaving your own review will trigger the guest to leave theirs.

Make sure to document the damage with photographs and receipts. FWIW, you're unlikely to get compensation for dirt but for damage you have a shot.

[Sally221]

I'd give your review on the evening of the 13th day and start claim proceedings then- but do contact the resolution center now- it starts a documentation trail and your guests won't know about it, yet. I suspect my age mates are not the best cultural ambassadors, millenials are ofttimes more appreciative and open to the fact that other places do things other ways but still, only an inconsiderate moron would treat a place like that- my age cohort is mostly likely to whine about air conditioning, lack of cable t.v. and stuff like that. Your place is marvelous, your care and hospitality glows from your reviews and even if those finks do leave a retaliatory review if you give a dispassionate response the outlier review won't bother a discerning guest hoping to go over the sea to Skye. ( ignorant yank that I am I didn't know blue berries grew in Scotland, thought they were a new world  plant)

[Ian-and-Linda0]

Hi Sally, I know how you feel, the same thing has just happened to me! My  last guests left the most awful mess and red wine stains on the sofa bed and damaged the mechanism too. They also didn’t leave when supposed to and I had difficulty getting them to leave before next guests arrival.  I’m nervous now to continue hosting even though we have had so many wonderful guests until now!.  When submitting a review for them, I said NO in answer to the question would you host these guests again, but I am worried that they could still book again if I don’t remove instant booking from my listing. They left me a good review and said they would be back, which really worries me.

Does anyone know if saying no to hosting them again in the review will block them from booking my listing again?  If I remove instant book or cancel their booking, were they to book again, I could lose superhost status which seems unfair, so I don’t know what to do apart from give up hosting.  Have you been able to stop your destructive guests booking again?