Lending a bike to your guest

[Cassandra8]

I allowed my guest to use my bike, bike lock and helmet at no charge. The guest locked the bike to a tree near public transit and then boarded public transportation. When he returned, no bike. The guest says he does not feel like any money should be taken from security deposit because nothing was broken. The bike was a nice 3 year old Raleigh Venturer bike cost $400 (not to mention the helmet and lock) and was in great condition. I certainly would not expect $400 but I do feel the guest should pay something toward replacement. Any comments? or is the saying true, 'no good deed goes unpunished'?

[Nancy86]

I would feel awful if I borrowed a host's bike, even if I locked it, I should be responsible for it. I hope you find your guest's number. By the way, if all your communication went through airbnb, they should have the number. By the way, do you have a phone number for airbnb?

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

It's one of the problems when making extras like this available. \

I assume you have no additional paperwork that absolves you of any damage caused by your guest on your bike, not about the bike being stolen when in hands of a guest.

Ideally you should have this covered in your insurance policy.

On this specific case, I dont think you have a case. The bike was locked, with a lock you supplied. There is no evidence that he was negligent - and you have no other document asking him to accept liability if it went missing. Sorry...

[Allison2]

How unfortunate!

I'd probably lean on the guest one more time - at least to split the charge. It really does seem unfair that they aren't willing to do anything to help you out when you did him a kindness. If it goes to Airbnb for resolution you probably won't receive any money, as sharing the bike is outside of your Airbnb transaction.

If you choose to share your bike in the future, you might try spinlister - I've heard of other hosts who used it sucessfully & there are terms & conditions that cover you in the case of loss/theft and liability (huge!)

I know it's a slim chance, but could you check with the city? Some places remove bikes from trees.

[Andrew90]

So sorry to hear about your bike. If the guest will not voluntarily pay (I woudl replace it) I'm not sure you have any recourse with that front and woud suggest following up with a claim against your isurance.   

I would also caution against lending Bikes, Surfbaords, sporting equipment etc to your guests. If something goes wrong and they hurt themselves you woudl be personally liable.  When I recently got my insurance I was specifically councilled agaist providing such amenities by my agent for this reason.

Andrew 

[Lisa107]

Hi Cassandra,

I know how you feel. We just had two bikes stolen when we loaned them to a guest. They locked them up and they were stolen anyway. Our guests were so distraught, I could tell they didn't want to even come back to the house. They did however offer to pay for them. We know that stealing bicycles is a huge problem in our city and it was no fault of our guests, so we declined reimbursement. We realized when we loaned the bikes out there was a probability that they may get taken. It was a risk, but we did it anyway. People visiting our city have such a great experience when they're able to see it by bicycle. I loved my vintage cruiser and I miss it, but we will most likely lend our next bikes out again.

[Sara455]

After loaning 2 bikes out to 2 guests - the next day after they checked out I noticed one of the bikes was locked but not to anything...   it was unlikely that it would have been stolen from my backyard, however, it shows that people are not always careful with property, especialy if it is not theirs.

[Serafina0]

I'd check with the police as well. Locking a bike to a tree is a bone-headed move and usually not allowed for good reason--it can be damaging to trees young enough to be used in that way. So if he said he locked it to a tree, I'd be inclined to believe him.

Bikes are stolen all the time. I wouldn't charge the guest for it or go through the hassle of trying to collect. For the residual value of your bike, it's also best not to make an insurance claim to your regular insurer.  Report the theft, claim the loss on against your income if possible, and move on.

I do let guests borrow our bikes, and have a few sturdy and functional ones I've picked up for that purpose, but I also frequently direct guests to the city's bike share program.

[Sara455]

i lock my bike to a tree on my property everyday, the tree is fine. I loan my bikes out too. One guest took the bike safety lights home to another country....   do you think the lights got in his luggage by mistake?

when I noticed they were missing I messaged him asking if he accidentaly packed them. He admitted he did and offered to maybe send money. I called Airbnb, the lights were new and I still had the receipts - $45.00. When I tried to use the security deposit through Airbnb - he sent the bike lights back pronto.

He travels a lot and uses Airbnb and has a long list of good reviews, if I had written that my bike lights were gone after loaning my bike to him, it would have messed up his standing with hosts at Airbnb, that is another reason why I like to rent to people with many good reviews. A bad review is the death knell to hosts and guests.

[Sarah977]

@Sara455  I don't understand why you are concerned with "messing up his standing with hosts at Airbnb"- this guest intentionally stole your bike lights- other hosts do not want thieves in their homes. This is the purpose of reviews, to let other hosts know whether a guest is someone they want to accept. It's not about being nice or mean, it's about being honest.

[Sara455]

I have my bike lights, he sent them back right away. Are you accusing me of being dishonest?

I am not 'concerned' about messing up his standing at Airbnb, whatever gave you that idea? I said, I thought he would be concerned about it.

I had 2 guests that borrowed my bikes that time, they had a lot of fun, (wrote me great reviews) they both spoke the same foriegn language; they stayed out late Saturday night, maybe had too much to drink. He had removed the lights from the bike at my request, so they wouldn't get stolen, they were probably in his room and could have gotten swept up in a hurried packing job.

In the furture I will take the rental contract from the website referenced here, adjust it for myself, and ask anyone borrowing the bikes to sign it first. My bike was $650.00 new and I will be emotional damaged if someone takes my bike, forgets to lock it, and it gets stollen.

I have another guest who was extremely obese and depressed my one year old expensive mattress, and dented the seat of a brand new chair. What do you think I should write about her? I am thinking of changing my listing to somehow discourage the extremely obese. Any ideas appreciated.

[Sarah977]

@Sara455   What? You said the guest took your bike lights home with him, which it seemed you doubted he did by accident, and only returned them when you tried to use the security deposit to claim on. 

It wasn't clear to me from your post that it was he who was concerned about messing up his standing (he might have thought about that before he left with the host's stuff), it sounded like you were. 

Wow, did we both interpret each other's words wrong 🙂

I've been thinking about getting a beater bike for guests to use, since they have a 20 minute walk into town and the beach from here- something cheap but serviceable so if it went missing I wouldn't be too bummed out.

[Sara455]

If someone has no reviews I decline them. I have had over 100 guests, one guest took the sheets, he was a dentist, such a disappointment as he was here for months...  doctors!   It was my first month of taking Airbnb guests... He had no reviews...

[Sarah977]

Dentists have the highest suicide rate of any profession, I once read. You're lucky he only took the sheets and didn't off himself in your room.

Seriously, though, how bizarre to make off with sheets unless you're destitute and really need them. 

[Pete28]

Seattle has a bunch of bike rental providers - imagine they are expanding elsewhere. Giving out bikes just seems to open up the door to more chaos. Injury, loss, late return, damage. Who needs it ?