When to make a claim on the deposit

[Debbie18]

My last guests left the sheets and a bath towel badly stained with a product - it appeared to be from an eczema cream that they had used - . Though only pale yellow, it looked particularly bad on white and was very noticeable. It would have been very costly to replace both bed linen and a complete set of towels (I provide matching sets for each set of guests) and I was wondering whether other hosts would have considered requesting that the guests pay this from the deposit.

I did email and ask the guests if they had any advice on how to clean the stains (I found an empty pot in the bin after they left but they did not respond.

How do other hosts handle this kind of situation?

Following trials of various different products to soak and wash the items, I have finally bleached them and managed to remove the stains - ordinary washing treatments and powders had no effect at all.

Thanks for reading.

Debbie

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Debbie18

Hi ....stains, wear and tear of bed linen, etc are all costs of doing business and a claim will rarely succeed, unless the guest volunteers to pay up. We put a small amount aside from every booking to cover the cost of replacing linen. Buying the most expensive is not the way to go - good quality, which can be bought separately is best.

[Ben205]

Hi, Debbie. It's an interesting question that we've been mulling over. We've had crockery broken, and glasses, and several kitchen utensils have walked. Usually, the guest tells us and we shrug and let it pass. However, if it was a duvet cover, sheets and towels, I would think hard about asking for payment, especially if the guest didn't tell me about it.

I tend to agree with Gerry and Rashid, though. I look at each guest costing me about £10 in wear and tear, so one broken mug is a profit! Then, when a bigger expense comes along, I can accept it.

We bought John Lewis and Habitat bed linen when we started this summer. I doubt we will again!

In this case, though, it sounds like after some effort, you found a good solution.

[Kelly149]

I have made a claim for towels that were ruined by guest acne cream. Guest did not respond but abb CS did pay the claim. Wear and tear is a towel getting threadbare or frayed. This is on you and should be replaced at your own expense. A guest ruining a perfectly good item is not wear and tear and the guest should bear the cost of replacement 

[Debbie18]

Thanks Kelly and thanks Ben

It seems that there are different views in here, too. As you say, Ben, I have solved this particular issue and have no need to claim but I will bear these points in mind.

[Rachel356]

May I please ask how long it took for airbnb to respond to your claim and did you get any money back?

I submitted a resolution claim on 22 August for new duvets after various towels, bath mat, duvets, duvet and pillow coverswere left covered in vomit. After multiple washes and lots of stain remover only the duvets were left permanently stained. The guest also lost the front door key which means lock replacement too. Didn't even mention broken wineglass etc which i just sigh and ignore. But I have heard nothing from airbnb after the initial acknoledgement. 

[Toby34]

How did you make the claim? I can't seem to find the form to fill out

[Debbie18]

Thank you, Gerry and Rashid. This is pretty much what I had thought but other people were trying to get me to claim on the deposit. Thoughtless guests are something we have to put up with, unfortunately.

[Emily140]

Hi All, I have to agree that sometimes a little more laundering and effort required; I've had make-up stains, essential oils and other stains on linens and learning to live with it.  However something really serious like blood on a white duvet, rendering it useless early in its life, that's a claim. 

I'm struggling right now with a claim issue.  BE WARNED that Airbnb only allows you to ask for one item at a time from your guests.  I didn't realize before I pushed the final button.  So I have a $300 cleaning request for some very unusual damage to my bathroom ceiling, took an above-and-beyond cleaning effort due to some kind of oily product being used while not using the vent to remove steam in the bathroom, so there were condensation drips on all the walls, which mostly cleaned up and only I can see what didn't.  But the ceiling was really gross and quite wet.  Once it all dried, I got it cleaned up.  So $300 I asked.  We shall see.

The trouble is I have a lot MORE damage because of this couple allowing their dog to pee indoors in my flat.  Yeah....  Totally against the House Rules obviously, but I didn't really figure it out until the end of their 33-day initial stay.  The dog pees on a large pad they were placing in my kitchen (beautiful hardwood floors)....  Well, clearly dog could not tell the difference between pee pad in kitchen and my treasured handmade artisan rug in the living room.  So gross.  Laundering turns out to be the only way to remove urine stains.  And in order to professionally launder MY rug, which I certainly had hoped I would never have to do, a new backing is required.  Total cost about $765.  This is before we consider the pee on the hardwood floors.  Does anyone think after 33 days that the dog always nailed the middle of the pad?  I was in the flat 3 times during and after their stay; twice I found a pool of pee, and the last time, a serious stain on the rug and sticky floor beneath it.

Sigh.  So I filed the first claim, Airbnb will not allow me to add the rug and floor damage until that is resolved.  Guest fighting all of it, quite arrogant little couple.  So I have to wait 72 hours for an Airbnb host to get involved. 

I have a $5000 deposit, but we shall see what Airbnb determines to be fair.  Dog peeing is so gross... and doing it intentionally!  Hoping Airbnb respects the host on this one. 

[Susie5]

@Debbie18, I'd go with all white towels and forget the matching,  you'll just drive yourself nuts when you lose one part of the set! There's an acne cream which bleaches colored towels and linens, I've lost some that way....maddening, but not much you can do.

 I no longer invest in high quality sheets for that reason. 😞