Filing at Resolution Center: guests took towels

[Christyn0]

Hello, 

I just finished filing a claim in Resolution Center. The issue was that I had a guest of 5 (including the baby) check out and upon checking, 2 bath towels were missing. 

I did send the guest a message via Airbnb and SMS that two towels were missing and they might have accidentally packed it. I have told them that I will be charging them PHP 300 per towel (5.90 USD). She told me that they only got 3 towels and that their helpers used their own. 

I can personally vouch that 5 towels were left (3 in bedroom 1 and 2 in bedroom 2) since I was the one who put them in each bedroom. I have taken the photos of the three towels that was left but was unable to take the before photos. 

Will I be properly compensated for this? 

[Marzena4]

Hello @Christyn0. Use the option "Request money" asap. Explain the reason there and see if the guests agree. If they don't, escalate it through Airbnb (you will receive a notification).

[Christyn0]

Hi Marzena, 

Thank you for your reply! 

As stated in the message above, I have filed a claim already and I am wondering if I will be properly compensated from this dispute? 

The guest clearly will not agree to my claim as what she has told me thru SMS.  I have included the SMS convo in the claim so Airbnb can see how the communication has evolved. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Christyn0

unfortunatelly it also happens to us more often then I expected. We host inlands, in the big city so it is not the case when guests take towels on the beach and forget them. I think they just pack it by mistake or they stain them and throw away. 

It is annoing and cost us money and time bc I have to drive to Ikea and back about 40 km to buy new ones. It is also hard to proof it and guests will always claim that they didn't take it.

Until now I just took it as a cost of doing business but I would like to hear how your damage claim ended. Please let us know.

[Christyn0]

Hi Branka and Silvia, 

Just to give you guys an update -- Airbnb will compensate the amount that I was requesting. This was after my call to follow up and to say that I cannot leave a review with the guest because I still have a pending claim and that I'm afraid that the 14 day expiration date will be over before the issue was resolved. 

The case manager was really nice and he understood my point. He called up the guest and as expected, the guest still didnt want to pay. So the case manager said that Airbnb will compensate the full amount I requested. The amount can be expected in 5-15 days. 😃

[Fred13]

When it comes to money, hard to appreciate what a certain amount is important to a specific person; however there is also the hassle to consider. Towels always tend to dissappear for one reason or another, so do flashlights, lighters, soaps, shampoos, washcloths, etc etc. Perhaps best to charge a bit more to cover the small stuff and skip the hassle of trying to find where two towels, for example, ended up.