Theft from guests

[Nicole921]

I manage my boss' airbnbs and am a co-host to his listings, and we are relatively new to hosting. I had a last-minute booking for three nights in the nanny suite airbnb (a small suite with no kitchen attached to the main house). The guest didn't have any reviews and was a new profile, but was verified and accepted his booking anyway. The morning of checkout, I messaged the guest to ask what time he intended to check out and thanked him for staying. After a period of no response, I got an odd feeling, so I drove out to the unit to see if the guests were still there. The unit was left unlocked and there was no answer when I knocked so I let myself in to find the TV, TV bracket, two duvets (and covers), pillows, a lamp, and throw blankets missing. Basically anything they could get their hands on. A police report was filed and an insurance claim was made, but does anyone have any tips on preventing this kind of thing happening again? 

[Lisa723]

Nicole, what bad luck, have you contacted airbnb? If not you should do that right away and file a claim.

+1-415-800-5959
+1-855-424-7262 (toll-free)

Of course, in this case since the unit was left unlocked you probably can't prove the guests were thieves, only that they were careless.

Re. preventing a repeat, some hosts advise saying in the listing that they live on-site or nearby, to give the impression that guests will be observed.

You can also install security cameras-- which must be disclosed in the listing.

[Nicole921]

Thank you for the tips! Yes, we have been in contact with Airbnb and they have been helpful so far and the cameras is the next step. 🙂

[Letti0]

@Nicole921  Security cameras outside facing the door and driveways is the only way to prove the theft was a guest if they were verified. We live on property, so this could not happen. We did have a theft of over $300 worth of small items. We were able to prove they were missing and AirBnB made the guests pay. When you are an off site host it makes it very difficult to protect your porperty without security systems and camera's. Even as an onsite host I still have security alarms. As @Lisa723  stated make sure to contact AirBnB and report it. 

[Nicole921]

Thank you! We are definitely getting cameras set up in the locations you mentioned. The home is an investment home, used for Airbnb, so yes--I see what you mean how it's difficult protecting the property as an off site host. 🙂

[Pete28]

Bleh. Would also change locks if they had access to keys 😞

Cameras add a whole other set of problems with privacy, even if they are outside I would be wary.

[Julia864]

When you have security cameras guests feel very uncomfortable. They compalin that they don't have privacy. How to handle it? 

[Letti0]

@Julia864  It's becoming more and more common for short term vaction rentals to have them outside. It's actually required by some insurance companies, mine gives a discount for alarm systems and another discount for camera's outside. I don't personally have camera's but I have thought about it. Since we can see everything that's going on we opted not to get them unless at some point in the future we have a good reason for them. My business partner is very uncomfortable with the idea of them, me not so much. If you only have them at the front entrance and pointing to the driveway I don't think this over the top. I would not place any in the back as we have grills, tables, chairs and furniture back there for the guests to use freely. I am also looking to putting in hot tubs back there at both houses. They will not get used much is my guess being that it can still be 80-100 degrees in San Antonio at night for at least 8 months a year, but they do draw in more guests per my research. 

[Julia864]

We used to live in San Antonio...

We rented a condo in Paris in May and the owner had security camera inside the condo in the hallway between the bathroom and the living room. It felt odd. We had to disconnect it with the owner's permission...