I recently had a bad guest. No communication after they entered and I found out later that their phone number was not valid. As my keys were not returned to my key safe at check out time..... and after half a dozen unanswered phone calls and airbnb messages from me to see if they were still there or not ..... my cleaner entered the premises 40 minutes later and they were still there and in no hurry to leave.
The manager of the building also entered with my cleaner, and they soon left with their dog which was against rules and body corp by-laws.
It then took 5 paid hours to clean. I had to organise and pay another cleaner to help my normal cleaner. Handyman required also to put frosted glass sliding doors back on their tracks (locked linen cupboard) as they had tried to get into the locked cupboard. Normal clean is 1.5 hrs.
The dog had urinated on the lounge floor rug. Linen was totally ruined with excess oil, new bathroom vanity basin (acrylic) was ruined with large burn marks ($900 and not including the plumber), beautiful expensive QS blanket was stolen, as well as blue tooth speaker, binoculars and singing bowl. Smoke alarm was missing from its bracket on the ceiling and everything in the apartment had been moved including furniture, cutlery and crockery, pots and pans.
I had back to back guests and we delayed entry for the next guests 1.5 hours because of the mess we had to clean up.
I could not request money from the guest because she was not receiving the airbnb messages and as I said.... her phone was dodgy.
That night I took 2 hours to upload invoices, online quotes, photos of the damage etc to Airbnb Resolution centre.
It was rejected on the grounds that I had to process my application before the next guest entered the apartment. How does a host get invoices, online quotes etc in the time frame of a 10.00 departure and a 1.00pm arrival when it took till 2.30pm to clean the place and then hand the keys over to the next guest!
Airbnb resolution centre (staff member whose comprehension of the english language was poor) basically said I should not of let the next guest go in. As if!!
To upload an application for Host Guarantee (or request money) it has to be done within 72 hours OR BEFORE the next guests arrive.
It is impossible to do this and hence the Host Guarantee is a farce.
What also annoys me.... is that I know that Airbnb made no contact with my guest as her phone number was dodgy to verify my claims or to negotiate some kind of compensation. Also... the resolution consultant that I had to deal with claimed that my next guest entered the apartment at 1.00pm which was so untrue. There was no verification with my new guest so that they could confirm that their entry was delayed due to the long clean.
All up it cost me approx $1900 in expenses and replacements.
No empathy from Airbnb. They have changed. I believed so much in the 'family' mantra but its fallen apart. They should also double verify contact numbers and email addresses of guests some how. This one was new to Airbnb and her behaviour was calculated and deliberate.