I have a guest who arrived five weeks before complaining about roaches. Immediately, I sent in my pest control company (we have an annual contract) and my cleaning company. Both companies have been with me since 2014. They both confirmed the home is invested with German cockroaches. Both also are willing to document that the home has never had roaches before and that there were no roaches present when they were in the home prior to the guests arrival.
Both companies also noted cardboard moving boxes in the home by the guest who is in the process of relocating from another state. German cockroaches are invasive bugs ... meaning they are carried into a home in cardboard and/or luggage. The guest is scheduled to stay in the home for two more months.
I contacted AirBnB with the goal of allowing the guest to leave early so that I can rid the home of the roaches and reduce any further damage. They live in the walls and light sockets and they lay 120 eggs in their 30 day life cycle.
AirBnB's pest policy is completely one-sided. It is written to protect the guest from invested homes but not written to protect the homeowner from guest who invest their home. I also contacted the company that is charged with protecting homeowners from property damage and within 30 minutes of submitting the claim I was rejected.
I am not the only one who has raised this issue. Over the last three years several other owners have as well. Time to take this issue seriously AirBnB.