Teenagers trashed our house

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Hanka2
Level 2
Scarborough, Australia

Teenagers trashed our house

Hi,

 

 

IMG_3939.jpgIMG_3941.jpgIMG_3956.jpgIMG_3974.jpgIMG_4034.jpgIMG_4053.jpgIMG_4056.jpgIMG_4078.jpgIMG_4063.jpgI just discovered this community page and read a lot of negative feedback on how Airbnb is not very supportive when guests trash a house. That makes me feel very uncomfortable right now. Unfortunately we had to make this horrific experience ourselves 9 days ago. A person booked the house for 4 people for 1 night and it turned out to be a huge teenage party with sex, drugs and alcohol. We have our house on the market for sale and advised that person prior to checkin that we expect our guests to be respectful with our home and that parties are not allowed (it's in the house rules anyway). They even assured us prior to checkin that they would leave it in great condition... However, police was there that night to pick up a 14 year old girl and take her home. The rest of the 28 people I counted at my house that night were propably not much older as they didn't even have cars. I found out that the event was posted on social media. Thank Godness our neighbours informed us about what was going on, so we could at least go there and make them leave. The house was a huge mess by then, but what is even more unbelievable - they came back that night, broke in through the window and trashed the place even more. On checkout day that reservation was cancelled by the guest - I don't understand how that is even possible after the checkin date! I guess that will safe them the safety deposit...

I'm still in the process of dealing with the police as well as seeking for help from Airbnb. The damages are over 10.000$ and we are not in the financial position to cover the damages ourselves. I spent 9 days getting repairs and cleaning on the way, not even knowing whether I will get that money back. It's very frustrating and unfair, I'm still shocked by all this. But I still don't want to give up any hope that these people will NOT get away with this. Who knows, they might have booked another place for their next party already...

 

1 Best Answer
Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello @Hanka2,

 

I am so sorry to hear about your home. It sounds like you have already been in touch with our Support Team, but if not I would recommend contacting them, here is the no. for Australia: +61 2 8520 3333. Here is also a useful Community Guide on the different ways to reach the team. 

 

I really hope you get this resolved and you can get your home looking lovely again. 

 

Best of luck with everything.

 

Lizzie


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25 Replies 25

This was NOT booked for a 1 night stay...this was booked for 3 nights

Adding to that we have been guests at airbnb's and stayed for 1 night various times...don't see how making sure we do not let people stay for one night eliminates this problem if many other hosts do it

Hanka2
Level 2
Scarborough, Australia

I’m so sorry to hear that others go through something similar. It was a devastating experience and it nearly broke me.

The police was very useless and at no point made me feel being understood or helped. They can’t do anything about it because it was done by minors...

I did get some money from Airbnb which covered most of the damages, but not all. Be prepared to fight for your right - unfortunately it’s a long process that took time and lots of effort to get approved. Airbnb played really tough and some of the damages were declined. So every morning when I walk into my kitchen the dents in my (back then) brand new fridge remind me of these people and what I’ve been through.

The teenage girl who organised this disaster got away with it, no payment, punishment or fine. I wondered so many times whether this actually encourages her to do the same thing again to someone else. I hope not! It bothers me a lot, but at some point I just had to make peace with it as the whole process of dealing with it cost me so much energy! Bad things will come back to these teenagers, I’m pretty sure. Even though they got away with it. We are no longer Airbnb hosts and sold the house.

I wish you best of luck and the strength that it takes! Sending you lots of love and hugs 💕

Hanka

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

@Hanka2 @Ani61 @Marie82 @Maria-and-John0 @Lizzie 

 

There's always a very good reason to ensure you take the courage to report these incidents to the Police that way should any future incidents arise involving the said people, or there associates, or if lies have been told to the Police it will come back to bite them severely in the backside, including on their deathbed as it will be in Police records.

 

 

@Helen427 

We did.

Police didn't want to get involved. They said damage to the property is between us and airbnb.

In fact, the teens left their stuff in the condo and when my mom refused to let them back in due to what they did, they called the cops on her saying she was "holding their stuff hostage" and the cops took their side! They were consistently telling my mom what she couldn't do (holding their stuff is illegal, if you take photos of damage with their belongings you will be taken to court, if you give out any personal info of theirs to airbnb its illegal, etc) but never told my mom what her rights were as landlord.

That being said, I am a little fuzzy about this, but no arrests were made because of something about a miscommunication about who has authority to kick them out. Cops said without proper authority in person they couldn't kick them out, which I find hard to believe since teen parties always get busted and the home owners aren't present?

Ani61
Level 2
New York, NY

Update on my situation, airbnb reimbursed $650 to us after filing a claim!

Hanka2
Level 2
Scarborough, Australia

Are you happy about this @Ani61 ?

Am I happy the whole thing went down the way it did? Definetly not. But am I glad airbnb owned up to claiming responsibility and owing us money for damage? Hell yes. I am surprised they actually took responsibility and paid a fair amount for damage

I do wish, however, these teens could have been arrested or gotten into legal trouble for smoking weed underage as well as using a fake to book the place @Hanka2 

Hanka2
Level 2
Scarborough, Australia

Ok, I was only asking as we had a couple of thousand dollars damage and 650$ seemed so little. I’m glad it didn’t turned out to be as bad for you. Police behaved quite similar here - they didn’t want anything to do with it and it was very obvious that they are not sure how to deal with Airbnb cases legally.
I find it very frustrating too that teenagers can do all these things they are not supposed to and get away with it. It should be a life lesson for them to learn! Instead we teach them that it’s ok and doesn’t matter!!! What happened to responsibility and justice?