What type of claims have you made against a security deposit?

[Angela-And-Brandon0]

Hi there fellow hots! I'm curious if any of you have ever had to withhold money from security deposits? We haven't had a security deposit on our listings for years but I'm beginning to wonder if we should. It seems we've encountered some disrespectful guests recently and the resolution center doesn't help much. My experience is if the guest declines, airbnb doesn't do anything to hold them accountable, no matter how much evidence you have 😞 Our last issue was complete disrespect of our space, ie smoking cigarettes outside our suite, leaving cigarette butts all over, finding pot IN our suite which in turn we had to air out our suite for hours up on hours before we could let our next guests arrive. (we're not clear if they were smoking it inside, we believe so, but...) We've had pet owners not follow our pet rules, etc.  I don't feel a cleaning fee covers complete disrespect of your house rules and I don't want to charge every guest a higher cleaning fee because of the few.  So I'm curious if a security deposit would be better? In the description it sounds like a security deposit is more for damages, so I'm wondering if the guest didn't actually break something if airbnb would honor us holding part of the security deposit for this type of situation. Please let me know your experiences. Thank you!

[Gillian19]

@Angela-And-Brandon0 I've been fortunate in that in the two instances I have had to clain against a guest for damage/excessive mess they have paid up with no fuss. Reading posts here, it seems that generally Airbnb side with the guest. Having said that though, having a security deposit can't hurt. The guest doesn't actually pay anything up front but at least for some guests it might make them think that they would have to pay if damage is done. Not sure you would get far for claiming for broken house rules though. House rules seem to exist for a host to use as a reason to get rid of the guests rather than charge them more. 

[Robin4]

@Angela-And-Brandon0

Hi Guys, I am not quite sure why Airbnb offers the facility of a security deposit because accessing it can be something of a problem, even with properly documented evidence.

I decided after being here on the CC for a couple of months to go it alone! I raised by listing amount by $10 per guest night and put that additional amount into another interest account. That built up to around $1400 AU before I had a guest that did any damage. When it happened I just pulled the funds out of that account, fixed the problem and got on with the business of hosting. I did not want to go through being stuffed around for weeks or more, interupting  future bookings and having to deal with the Resolution centre and have them demean and pull apart what I do.

That fund is now over $2,000 and rising with every guest. I don't have my heart in my mouth everytime I walk in the cottage after a guest departs....I just do whatever I have to do to get it right for the next guest.

Cheers.....Rob 

[Matthew285]

@Robin4 that is a creative and very professional solution.

(It is a sort of self-insurance.)

I like it.

[Tara145]

I'm having the same issue right now with the resolution center.  I had a guest burn a hole in the carpet with what looks to be the iron.  I contacted the guest directly, and they deny it... the resolution center wants me to request money from this guest (after they already said no).  What should I do?

[Angela-And-Brandon0]

Yeah Tara, good question. I requested money from our guest and the guest denied it. It then took a week+ with me following up with airbnb as they said "the guest denied it but we will work through this for you" with not response, to finally get airbnb to respond with "well, your guest denied it, you should charge a larger cleaning fee". Hmmmm... really? So I have to punish everyone for some one elses disrespect. It makes zero sense. A few years ago I always felt Airbnb was good at backing us hosts up. As of this past year, not so much. 

[Robin4]

@Tara @Angela-And-Brandon0 @David126 @Fred13 @Matthew285

Tara, Unfortunately your tag does not come up as a response option and I am afraid since the updating of the CC a couple of weeks ago this has become a substantial issue, not just here but with many posts. I can always find a regular contributors tag in another post to copy but for new-comers like yourself Tara, this is posing a problem. I hope @Lizzie is aware of this....and the other issue that has crept into the use of the CC since the update....the page keeps jumping back to the head of the page, and you have to scroll down to the post you are looking at quite a number of times....very annoying. Sometimes we take a step forward to go two steps back!!

So Tara, all I can do is just hope you manage to see my reply here.

With a damage claim Tara you firstly ask the guest if they were responsible and if they deny responsibility, in the message stream with that guest click the 'send or request money' field and lodge a claim for the amount you require. Airbnb will then contact the guest and ask them to approve your claim. The guest has 72 hours to either approve or deny the claim. As you have said the guest is going to deny the claim so, after 72 hours you can involve the Resolution Centre by clicking the link you were supplied when you made the claim, and at that point a case manager will be appointed to adjudicate your claim and reach a settlement with the guest.

Tara, it is not insurance, and should not be treated like insurance....it is a sort of an 'Olive branch' that the company throws out to try and amicably resolve a problem between a guest and a host, but, I can tell you now, if a guest digs their heels in and refuses to accept any responsibility for the damage, your chance of getting a settlement is minimal to limited! Many cases are sucessfully resolved, many are not!

Cheers.....Rob

[David126]

Best to take the view that you have no security deposit and do what @Robin4 does, if you really need a Security Deposit you are using the wrong site.

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Angela-And-Brandon0 Here’s a quick read on the effort it takes to collect on the “guarantee”.

It looks like getting the media involved is the only way to get a “resolution”. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5505351/Homeowner-claims-Airbnb-guest-caused-18K-damage.html

‘You know it’s hard out here for a Host’

[Angela-And-Brandon0]

Wow! That is incredibly sad. I am confused however how the owners just watched the people come in and out and didn't step in sooner... but still.

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Angela-And-Brandon0 It says they called the police and the cops wouldn’t do anything about it either. 

[Fred13]

The Happiest Airbnb Host tends to:

1. Charge enough to cover the 'unusual'.

2. Remove features that may cause a problem (i.e. irons, washing machines,etc). Nothing has to be.

3. Are very selective who they accept.

4. Tackle/solve issues as they happen, on the spot.

5. Never bother calling Airbnb unless they absolutely have to.

Lastly, but not least - do their very best and do not worry about reviews, badges or trophies; they will come anyway if they do their part consistently well.

[Robin4]

@Fred13 Absolutely spot on Fred. Airbnb should have the downright commonsense to put the text of that post of yours at the head of all hosting communication.

In all my time here I cannot ever remember seeing better succinct advice offered in one post.

Thanks mate.

Cheers......Rob

[Deanna60]

Airbnb does NOT stand behind the host!  There basically is NO deposit for the host.  Our Sofa bed was destroyed, pots and pans burned and scratched beyond cleaning, toilet moved over 4", smoked inside and out unit, over 6 bags of trash left inside unit (caused a terrible smell), broke off the handle to washer, urine soiled mattress, etc.  It was BAD!  Provided pictures and estimates for replacement, and even an approved Airbnb invoice w/company EIN number for plumber.  The costs were $1000.  All Airbnb will pay is $171.  They refused to pay the toilet repair of all things because they looked at our listing photo and said it was sideways before.  There is NO WAY to tell from that photo angle if the toilet is crooked!  They are not willing to pay the extra cleaning charge because my cleaning company is a DBA and does not have an EIN number.  If we had hired a professional cleaning company w/an EIN number to remove smoke and odors it would have cost us twice as much and they probably would still not cover it.  Very frustrated with the whole process.  The resolution center will only correspond once a day by only email.  When one case manager makes the final decision you get the option to take it or leave it and you have 48 hours to do that.  We will either need to increase our nightly rate to guard angainst this or stop listing on Airbnb.