Damaged Refrigerator

[John6275]

I have a brand new side by side stainless steel refrigerator in our house.  The last guest put 5 dents cross both doors.  I tried everything I could think to get the dents out:  heat, cold, suction cups, hot glue stick, etc.  Nothing worked, dents still there.  I called a couple appliance repair companies and they said buy a new one.

I don't want to be unreasonable with my damage claim to the insurance, but I don't know what else I can do to put us back to where we were before this gust other than buying new (approx $1350).

Open to advise and suggestions to other host as to what they would do.

Thanks

John

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@John6275 Random thought - Could you decorate the fridge with fridge magnets to disguise the damage?

[John6275]

@Mike-AndNane0 I guess I could, but magnets on the stainless refrigerator really wouldn't fit the overall house's décor.   

Even if I did that, would I be entitled to a damage claim since this is defiantly more than just normal wear and tear.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@John6275 who knows what Airbnb might or might not pay under Aircover. To replace the whole freezer for cosmetic damage is such a waste but equally the damage ruins the whole look of the remodelled kitchen.

[Benjamin599]

I'd try a paintless dent removal person (for cars). It's the same thing and they can do an amazing job.  There's a video on youtube where a homeowner does it himself. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eX8JLGMSkA

[Richard531]

Has the guest admitted the damage and have you discussed it with them?  Knowing exactly how the damage was created may help when you follow the great advice @Benjamin599 gave above.

It will also  make your claim a slam dunk when you go through with it.  

You may still have a few steps before your ducks are in a row here, yet.

[John6275]

The guest is claiming to have no knowledge about the dents in the refrigerator but is agreeing that he drove his truck into our flower bed and didn’t know he damaged 22 feet of aluminum edging. This guest was by far the filthiest guest we’ve had to-date. Large food chunks on the floor, piles of dirt on the floor where it appears he knocked his shoes off, old dirty Band-Aid stuck on the floor in the middle of the room, trashcan full of food trash, personal items left in the shower. I’m concerned as a newer host raising a claim and a poor review on a guest with 31 positive reviews will  make me look bad but I am 100% positive we gave this guest an immaculate house with a perfect refrigerator and got it back filthy  and damage done to the refrigerator.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@John6275 if you have already discussed the damage with the guest then you will probably get a bad review anyway. I would go ahead with a claim but expect to be disappointed by the process if everything you read on this forum is true.

[Ann72]

@John6275  Some steps to consider:

1) As @Richard531 noted, get your ducks in a row.  Decide on the fix and make it happen.  Get an estimate on company letterhead if it can't be done right away.  If it can be done right away, get it fixed and get an invoice.

2)  Go to the reservation and request money.  Upload the estimate or invoice.  State how much of it you want covered.

3)  If the guest refuses, Airbnb will step in.  If you've been precise and clear, you have a good shot.  Most people sit around waiting for the money before they lift a finger to make the repair.  If you were an insurer, would you just hand money out to everyone who asks without any guarantee they'll use it for the repair?  No.  So get the repair going first.  @Benjamin599's solution is great.

4)  You only have one review.  So you are in the lucky position of being able to duplicate the listing and start over if the guest gives you a bad one.  In future, don't be afraid of bad reviews.  You'll occasionally get one that's not great, but overall you'll mostly get good ones.

5)  Raise your prices.  $152 a night for 6 guests comes out to $25 a person.  Where can they stay in a hotel for that?  If you read around on here, you'll find that most hosts come to the conclusion that they get worse guests when the price for a whole beautiful home is too low.

You've got this!

[John6275]

@Anna7 , @Benjamin9 , @Richard531 

You mentioned my rates are too low, I do too.  I had them up in the $215 a night range for daily rate, $250 for weekends, then gave a 20% discount for week long stays.  But using AirBnB's market tools they mentioned I was way over priced, needing to get them down.  The prices I have up now are  almost all AirBnB suggested daily rates.  AirBnB even mentioned to give much higher weekly stay discounts, like 45% or something like that.  45% seemed too high so I didn't offer that. 

We went in low to try to get a handful of guest through, to get ratings ASAP.  To date, we have had 7 different guest between Airbnb the other large vacation  rental site and just through word of mouth.  All of  the other site's guest gave us raving reviews and the one AirBnB guest before this one gave us 5 stars and raving reviews too.  I have 2 more bookings in June and July with AirBnB already, so I guess I will take your advise and bump rates up so as to not attract potential trouble guest.

I am very open to hearing strategies like higher daily rates with larger weekly discounts or an AirBnB suggested rate then put a per person adder in rate for each above 2 or anything else you have had success  with.

Question on the Damage Deposit:  I have $5000 in damage deposit and give them the option of buying the insurance offered  through the two vacation rental sites.   Should I remove the insurance option requiring them to have the damage deposit on a card?  Or  would that kill my business? 

I feel our place is nicer than most, in an absolutely great location so it should attracts guest.

Thanks for all of you for such direct and informative suggestions.  We are new to this world and really take pride in the upkeep and  condition of this place.  This last guest just stung a bit with how disrespectful he treated it, but  I guess I better get ready for that from time to time.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@John6275 If you are anywhere near the Airbnb suggested rates then you are far to cheap. Their suggestions will achieve 100% occupancy but if you charge 50% more and get 66% occupancy you will get the same revenue, lower costs, lower opportunity for damage and likely better standards of guests.

[Benjamin599]

When my guest threw a party in MY part of the house and damaged several things (cigarette holes in upholstery, etc) Airbnb would not pay for the damage but they did pay the amount estimated for ServiceMaster to come out and get rid of the cigarette smoke smell. I bought an ozone machine and did it myself, and kept the money. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@John6275 I don't like extra person charges. You will forever be trying to work out how many people are staying.

Better is to have a second listing with fewer bedrooms and lock those not in use if people book this option.