Pest Control: AirBnB not protecting hosts and guests equally

[Heather64]

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. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Heather64 

pest control will spray along the walls and in a day or two, all roaches will die. There is no need to evacuate your tenant, he just shouldn't wash the floors for about a week.

But I agree with what you are saying, he could infest your house with bedbugs, the bill would be high, you would lose your income and I doubt your guest would be charged for the damage he has done.

[Kaylee18]

@Heather64   Awful situation to be in! It seems like ABB needs "concrete" proof of any type of damage guests do (including bringing in pests). I bet if you had cameras showing the roaches coming out of the guests luggage/property, then they would refund you! (That's a joke, but literally, I think that's what they expect as proof before they cover someone!). Best of luck! 🐵

[Gregory237]

I'm a commercially certified pest control technician for the State of VIrginia. Your roach concerns are well founded. Just spraying the base boards is not enough to a full eradication as you will also need a growth regulator to ensure the life cycle is broken up. I think you did the right thing!

V/R

Greg