Warning to all: Airbnb's Host Guarantee is not communicating with me. Can someone help me?

Ron7053
Level 2
Los Angeles, CA

Warning to all: Airbnb's Host Guarantee is not communicating with me. Can someone help me?

Hi Airbnb Community,

 

I had a guest rent my home on Airbnb from June 3rd to June 7th, 2021. Unfortunately, when I got to my home on June 7th after the guest checked out, I found the place had been destroyed by the Airbnb Guest who had a massive party at my home during their stay.

 

They left a hole in my wall; my carpet had huge red stains all over it that could not be fully removed, my granite countertop was also damaged, as were my dining room table, and several other things throughout the house. The guest left bags upon bags of garbage in the back with tons of red solo cups, bags of empty liquor bottles and beer cases, and party supplies. They used my home to throw a massive party, leaving my family home ruined. 

 

I contacted Airbnb immediately, and they told me to take pictures of everything and clean and fix everything and submit invoices and estimates of the repairs to my Airbnb Guest before my next guest would arrive or within 14 days.

 

I did all this. The damage was massive, over twenty thousand dollars to repair and fix everything back to what it was before this Airbnb Guest came to my family home. 

 

When I was submitting my request to the Airbnb Guest, it asked me if I wanted to send this directly to Airbnb or the guest. I spoke with an Airbnb Ambassador before submitting it, who said that I could send it directly to Airbnb since the amount was so high. So I submitted all the repairs and estimated repairs I had done so far with a list of additional things on June 11th as a request for reimbursement with a detailed letter to the guest under the Airbnb's Host Guarantee.

 

I, like many, had read over the Host Guarantee and its million-dollar policy, thinking that under these circumstances, I would be taken care of by Airbnb. But, instead, what followed has been shocking to experience. 

 

Aside from an initial email from Kamille at Airbnb telling me she is reviewing the case on June 12th, I have never heard back from anyone at Airbnb on this matter. 

 

I have called several times, talking to Airbnb Ambassadors about this matter, only to have them tell me that this is a different department, and they could only message them to get back to me. I ask them to please have someone reach out, with no one ever getting back to me. I have asked to have a direct phone number to speak to someone and was told that is not possible. I have responded several times to the email Kamille sent over to me with no response back ever. As I have pressed Airbnb Ambassadors, I was told those departments only operate online, and it is up to them to get back to me. I even asked to speak to their supervisors on the matter, with no one able to help me. 

 

It is July 14th, and it is over 1 month since I sent in my reimbursement request to Airbnb's Host Guarantee Department, and I have heard nothing from Airbnb on this matter past that first email response from Kamille on June 12th. 

 

My house was destroyed, and I have since canceled two reservations as I could not put my house back together properly. I felt unsafe to rent my home on Airbnb moving forward, so I have blocked my calendar for the remainder of the year until this situation can be resolved.

 

It has been a traumatic event having this Airbnb Guest come into my family home and destroy it, and Airbnb has been nowhere to help me through this situation has been deeply troubling. I'm simply in shock that this is how a publicly-traded company like Airbnb operates. 

 

 Is there any advice out there on what I can do next? 

 

Ron

15 Replies 15
Michelle1258
Level 2
Beverly Hills, CA

you need send request to the guest before next guest check in and wait for 72 hr then involve airbnb resolution center. 

I actually just got an email from them today after posting this telling me they are looking into the matter and will send over an adjuster shortly.

 

I'm hoping things will get resolved soon. It has been a terrible process to go through. I'm shocked at how Airbnb operates. They should make sure Hosts are protected in situations like this.

Kevin2691
Level 2
Elizabeth Hills, Australia

Understood it's been over a year and a half, it'd be interesting to know how it all panned out. Have honoured your claim?

Lisa723
Level 10
Quilcene, WA

@Ron7053 you are far from the first. Review the Airbnb terms of service for dispute resolution. Your options are arbitration or small claims court.

But why have this on the Airbnb site if this is not true? 

 

Airbnb's Host Guarantee

If a guest damages your place or belongings during a stay and doesn't reimburse you, you may be protected with up to $1,000,000 USD property damage protection.

 

Airbnb's Host Guarantee may protect:

  • Damage to your place caused by guests
  • Damage to your belongings caused by guests
Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Ron7053 what Airbnb write is true BUT you have to notice the word 'may' used twice in the set you posted.

I’m so sorry to hear about such a horrific time you are having. It’s every hosts worst nightmare and unfortunately with the experience I’m currently having with Airbnb regarding their review policy, I’m hardly surprised that they are just messing you around.

 

It’s shocking behaviour from such a global and well recognised company that relays so heavily on us hosts to make their business as much of a success as it is.

 

I hope you get some kind of resolution from them. My problem is tiny in comparison to yours and they are giving me the complete run around.

 

I'm about to write a huge Open Letter and expose it on social media as they are trying to tell me they don’t have a Complaints department and just to leave my query on their “feedback” page..... 

Nick
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hi @Ron7053 so sorry for this unfortunate experience. I have just reached out to CS with the information from your post to see if we can have an update on your case. I will reach out to you via DM when I know more. 

 

Thank you 

Richard2299
Level 1
Indianapolis, IN

Ron @Ron7053 , I definitely understand where you are coming from re your situation. I had over 2 dozen message exchanges and phone calls with Airbnb in different depts about recent damage a guest did to my house. They were extremely "helpful", and I followed all their direction to recover some of the money for damages. They then told me the guest paid part of my request (not nearly the amount of your damages..just $500) through the resolution center. They told me to wait 15 business days to receive the money. When the time period past, I called Airbnb to find out what has happened. They then tell me because more than 30 days had past, they could not honor my claim, and this is written in their rules. So I listened to what Airbnb representatives told me, followed all their written and verbal directions (even asked them to review the tapes of my verbal conversations) to the tee, and now they give me this excuse for not honoring their committment because the time has expired?! The Airbnb representatives clearly either were not knowledgeable or were outright dishonest, or a third possiblity...used this tactic to avoid their committments. Regardless, it certainly is unethical...and just another example of Airbnb not caring or honoring hosts. What have I learned from this situation...and what advice i would give to other hosts...under no circumstances should one listen to Airbnb representatives. Any direction or advice (written or verbal) is can be highly inaccurate and not relevant. Airbnb is clearly not a company that cares about doing what is correct or appropriate. I will make several posts in other forums to warn other potential hosts (and the public). Although i have been a loyal user of the Airbnb platform for 10 years, i have lost all faith in this company.

Jill914
Level 2
Milwaukee, WI

I am experiencing the same thing  A guest flooded my home during a a party  and I have about $40,000 of damage. It has been uninhabitable for   am an attorney and am going to file an arbitration demand  tomorrow, and would like the comradery and supprt of others. 

 

I think Aibnb's Guarantee needs to be regulated by states and subject to the same standards as other insurance.  Yes, states have the power to do this and it may actually help Airbnb 

JIll

If any body is moderating this post for Airbnb, please hope

 

My home is uninhabitable and I havve  $21,000 on my credit and  radio silence  from aribnb for THREE MONTHS

 

 I am scared  and I feel scammd . this is my home 

Hi Ron, same thing happened to me. Not sure what’s going on with Airbnb ambassadors and resolution center that are not willing to honor Airbnb host damage protection. 

I had a horrible experience with a guest that damaged my home due to a party and I had loss of income of 4 reservations and I could not rent my home for almost a whole month.  I just got an email from the resolution center today that they will not pay for the 4 reservations I had to cancel. 

I have contacted Airbnb so many times and they only say someone will contact me and I never hear from them. 

 

I really feel that Airbnb is not supporting us as hosts and I will most likely seek legal advise and remove my property from the platform. 

Jenny
Community Manager
Community Manager
Galashiels, United Kingdom

Hi @Victor3259 

 

Sorry to hear about this.

 

I've elevated your concerns within the team to see if we can get you some help with this.

 

Someone should be in touch once they've investigated the matter.

 

Jenny

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Please follow the Community Guidelines

Thanks a lot Jenny! I also want to mention that when the incident happened an ambassador from Airbnb support recommended me to cancel the reservations due to be a safety issue for future guests (big window was broken in living room area), and walked me through the process to request loss of income because this is new to me and I had no idea on how to do it. Once it was escalated to the resolution center, they emailed me back and said, they would not be able to compensate my loss of income and did not answer my emails anymore.