Guest Kicked Out Door and Frame

[Carlos908]

As a host in New Orleans, I have had my share of guests who have gotten drunk while out on Bourbon Street and come back to the rental in need of serious help and attention. It's never been much of a problem though. Tonight, however, is the first time that a guest has ever done serious damage to my rental unit while drunk. The guest in question kicked the Airbnb's door—and accompanying frame—out of the wall. The door fell backwards into a sentimental and antique piece of wooden furniture, breaking it. Police were called in by several neighbors, who in turn called me. Upon my arrival the guest just told me very bluntly that he kicked the door in because he was upset he couldn't remember the combination to the lockbox and had just had a fight with his significant other. His phone was working though... so he had plenty of options other than kicking down my door.

Unfortunately, this has now put another Airbnb guest out as the unit won't be habitable for a while. I'm also going to have to pursue a claim through my insurance company and Airbnb's protection policy. I don't really know what to expect and simply hope that the guest will make good on his promise to cover all the damages.

I am not soured on Airbnb. I really love being an Airbnb host. I just wish this hadn't happened!

[Linda108]

This is awful, @Carlos908.  I hope the guest acceptance of responsibility has been captured on the Air BNB message system as that will make your claim process much easier and smoother.  Like most insurance systems, you are going to need patience to get resolution.   Meanwhile, you are losing money until the repair can be made.  I hope you can get some recompence for that as well.

Knowing that drunkeness is a frequent part of your guest experience must be a nightmare for you. 😛

[Cormac0]

@Carlos

You’re so negative, you should look at this as an opportunity to get a new door no matter who pays for it!

I never understood why people Host guests that potentially will become drunk, you’re not vetting hard enough.

Airbnb is the best platform on the planet.

Read in between the lines and you know when I stand on Airbnb's protection policy.

[Carlos908]

It isn't that I am not vetting very hard; people come to New Orleans specifically to overindulge. That means even guests who are normally very mild mannered individuals can become intoxicated during their stay and act totally out of character. If you've ever visited New Orleans, then you know that alcohol is available everywhere—even at the laundromats and barber shops—and so it's very easy for someone having a good time here to get drunk. Las Vegas is probably a similar environment.

[Cormac0]

@Carlos

Ah Carlos, It's impossible to tell how alcohol is going to alter a person persona, but that does not make it acceptable.

"In vino veritas"

My sarcasm was levelled at Airbnb because when a Host encounters this behaviour Airbnb seems to look the other way, I think that's what Linda was alluding to in her comment,

"Knowing that drunkenness is a frequent part of your guest experience must be a nightmare for you."

You, being the operative word

[John1574]

@Carlos908  @Linda108 @Cormac0

Carlos, you wrote a great description of the incident and its impact.  I wish more here would emulate you. 

I'm really sorry for your troubles, and I hope you keep us informed.  I'm sure that you have the resources and the capability of overcoming this, though I'm also sure that it will make you more wary.

Keep your head up and the red plastic cups from your door.  Lol

And Cormac, I love your posts, but I've seen people try to use irony, sarcasm, and faceatiousness in their writing and it often fails to convey without hitting someone over the head with it and then it loses it power.  That is why people litter their writting with Lol's because it's so difficult to convey subtely in writing.

What you're saying is that AirBnB's protection policy ain't worth shiite, right. Lol

[Cormac0]

@John

I think you've overestimate that value I place on Airbnb's protection policy at least shiite is good for the garden,

which reminds me my local stables where meant to send me a load. 

Regards

Cormac

[Carlos908]

@Linda108Dealing with drunk guests is actually not much a hastle most of the time. Most people are not insufferable so it's totally fine. You get used to it here.

@John1574Thank you for the kind words. I will keep you posted. As of right now I am waiting for the guest to make good on his promise to pay for the repairs. I was able to everything repaired within a day for under $600. If they don't respond within another 2 days I will try to use Airbnb's notoriously ineffective protection policy.