Unpaid booking, $8k of damage, no response-Is the Host Guarantee & Host Protection Insurance a joke?

[Kyle31]

A verified guest (Sheniqua - 8/28/16 - 8/31/16), with verified payment, booked my listing, threw a party, and trashed and damaged my apartment. I immediately submitted a claim with pictures to the resolution center within 24 hours before the next guest arrived. Not only was the guest already removed from the community 24 hours later, preventing me from contacting them on the site, but my case was escalated to Trust & Safety soon thereafter. That was 3 weeks ago.
Unlike all other bookings, I was not paid 24 hours after the guest arrive despite it being a confirmed booking with no payment issues.
So, not only have I not been paid $1,666 for the use of my apartment, and not only did I have to go out of pocket to have it professionally cleaned, but I haven't heard from Trust & Safety about my $8,000 claim. I was told it would take up to 2 weeks - which is already absurd give the situation - but it's been 3, even after I called host services last week asking for answers.
Is this the type of host experience Airbnb wants to have brought to light amid all of the concerns in NYC?

[Jennifer19]

Wow, what a nightmare, really sorry this has happened to you.   You should have been sent the payout the day after they checked in, 8/29, why did it not arrive?  The claim was filed after they check out.  Have they responded why you did not recieve payout?

[Dawn33]

Was she an Instant Book? What were her prior reviews?

Scroll back a few pages and read Nisim's theft nightmare and Airbnb's late responses and actions.

I am extremely sorry that this happened to you. It is every host's nightmare.

[Jim-and-Marcia0]

So sorry this happened to you. I looked at your profile and listing. Very nice place and superb listing! Have you followed up with host services again by telephone since you spoke to them the first time? I see you are a Superhost. As a Superhost I believe there is a phone number that you can use to get quicker access and response from a live rep at Airbnb. At this juncture you will need to escalate to the highest tier of reps and keep meticulous records. I'm disappointed to hear the response from Airbnb has been so slow and lacking. Good luck.

[Lula-And-LP0]

Time to make some noise.  Go and post in AirbnB FB page and also use Twitter.

Unfortunately, many Hosts find out that is the faster way to get a response and action from AirBnB.

[David126]

Sadly seems a common story, call them every day is all I can suggest.

[Joan51]

I have just recently had an altercation with the Airbnb Host Guarantee people.  My place was trashed in September.  I reported it to the police but they don't give out Police Reports unless the insurance contacts them.  I took 18 photos of the different damages and produced all the receipts to Airbnb.  My damages came to AUD $798.  Airbnb have just thanked me for my patience and said that they believe that $66 was a fair amount for them to pay.  They said that this was partly due to me not producing a police report, even though I stated that the police would not give me one, about 4 times!!!  Airbnb have NOT been fair, and I feel as though my integrity has been damaged and I feel insulted.  Because Airbnb states that the Host Guarantee is not insurance, and they deal with it, I cannot get help disputing this through the Financial Ombudsman. Any thoughts?? Airbnb gets paid a huge amount each time.  They should be held accountable when their "verified" clients do such damage.

[Johny7]

Wow, so sorry to hear that.. I think the hosts need to bond together to get somewhat of guarantee from Airbnb... I have similar experience, guests stayed in my home, but did not pay, I talked to Airbnb more than 4 times now, waited 2.5 months, I still have not get paid... It seems Airbnb has lost its plot! Very unhappy host here.

Johny