When things break

[Ellen336]

I’m wondering the community’s feeling on this. A very sweet guest broke my coffee maker and offered to replace it. Is it appropriate to accept? Or would a considerate host consider that to be expected on occasion?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Ellen336  accept 🙂

[Jeff158]

@Ellen336 

If you've had it a while go 50/50

[Daniel1598]

@Ellen336 I think either way is fine. Accepting doesn't mean that you're not a considerate host. But if the machine is several years old and struggling, giving a pass isn't a bad idea.

[Tomas123]

50/50

[Sarah977]

My vote is 50/50, unless it was an expensive piece of equipment that had a lot of life left in it. Then I'd accept her offer. 

I've always had a hard time accepting gifts or people offering to pay for something they damaged. Then someone said to me "If you don't learn to receive graciously, you deprive others of giving graciously."

[Michelle-And-Michael0]

Given that it seems to have been an accident.... I would consider the age, condition, and replacement cost of the coffee maker as well as how it broke.

If it's nearly new, and it broke because of misuse... I would accept his offer, or go 50/50

If it's older, and had lots of previous use..... I would let it go. 

[Gordon0]

I stayed in an Airbnb in Barbados earlier this year. A bird flew in and knocked the glass coffee machine jug off the side, breaking it. The host graciously turned down my offer to replace it. That is brilliant hosting. 

[Zappa0]

That's also a freak accident. If you had a few too many glasses of wine and knocked it over it would be a different story. 

[Susan17]

You graciously offered to pay for something that wasn't really your fault @Gordon0 - that's rather brilliant guesting too. Welcome here anytime! 🙂

[Ben551]

@Ellen336 I agree with others, you’d do well to take wear and tear into account and go 50/50 with them. If it were mine... well my one cost $10, so I’d be talking about a matter of $5... I actually can’t say I would bother for that small amount. But then, for me reviews are my priority not cost recovery. So it depends what your current business priorities are too.

[Zappa0]

I can't tell you how many times guests lose or break my items. I have usual listings that requires them to kayak to a sailboat. At least once every week or so someone loses a life jacket, paddle, headlamp..you name it.  I charge them for lost gear. Broken gear is a different story. Is it due to negligence or carelessness or was this something that happened through the the course of using it? Every case is different. 

Little things add up (I also have the cheapest place in town), so if a guest is offering I would accept their offer. If it is an expensive item, maybe do what the others said and go  50/50. 

[Rosemarie9]

I used to wear all the expense of broken/ damaged items and suck it up. Now with the increase in guests causing careless damage and some trying to "hide" the damage and not mentioning anything before check out, I have changed my tune. I expect a small contribution especially if it was something really careless that caused the damage. I don't expect new replacements, but the gesture makes all the difference. Small items, glasses, plates, towels etc are part of the business costs, and I just replace. Hotels charge for loss or damage, and I have enough reviews to show I am fair. If I have damaged anything, even by accident whilst travelling, I offered to pay for it. 

[Steven614]

I had another host mention in a post that taking a small bit of each nights earnings and placing them on a fund for such things will get you to overlook things unless they’re excessive in cost. I plan to mentally put aside about $5 per booking and as things add up I’ll have a little find for these things as they come up.  I have a ninja coffee maker which is like $175 I think new so if mine gets broken I’ll be upset. But guests rarely ask for coffee. If they do I walk them thru how to use it.  Carafes can be replaced. The whole machine is of course more expensive. 

[Lizzie]

Hello @Ellen336,

Nice to meet you. Sorry to hear about your coffee machine, I hope you can get a nice new one and it is great your guest was will ing to cover the cost of it.

Out of interest what did you decide do?

Thanks,

Lizzie