airbnb denied a legit claim because the damage was caused by a...

Donald28
Level 10
Lithia Springs, GA

airbnb denied a legit claim because the damage was caused by a...

...dog! 

 

If you read far enough down through the airbnb red tape (which I never did) you'll find out that pet damage is not covered at all by airbnb. Yet, they want hosts to be "pet friendly"? 

 

So, a guests dog can chew up almost $300 worth of stuff, the guests can say they'll pay but then do not and when I get airbnb involved, they say... 

 

Thank you for contacting us. I’m sorry to hear about what happened during your reservation with xxxxxx.

After a review of the circumstances surrounding the claim and the associated information, gas, time and mileage are not covered under the Host Guarantee

You are free to pursue reimbursement from your guest directly. However, per the terms of the Host Guarantee your claim isn’t eligible for payment. That said, we will follow up appropriately with Laura Andrianopoulos.
with regard to guest responsibilities.

 

This is abolute bullshirt

5 Replies 5
Donald28
Level 10
Lithia Springs, GA

why would any host accept guests with dogs knowing this? I've been "pet friendly" for 3 years. I've made airbnb a ton of money by hosting guests with dogs. The very first time there is damage from a guests dog, airbnb says... "NOPE, CAN'T HELP YOU but thanks for accepting those 100+ guests & their dogs that stayed at your place because most places won't take dogs because cleaning up after them is a nightmare AND they might damage things that we absolutely will NOT cover."

@Donald28   Yep. it's a topic that comes up a lot around here - and one doesn't have to dig deep into the fine print to see that damaged caused by pets isn't covered, since it's prominently featured on the summary page of the Host Guarantee ad copy: https://www.airbnb.com/guarantee

 

I think it would be more ethical on their part if they put pop-up disclaimers every time a host checked off amenities that they're not willing to back up. If you select "Pet Friendly," that should be the opportunity to inform you that they won't honor a claim for pet-related damage. If you choose "Suitable for Parties/Events," there should be several pages of disclaimers about what a tragically stupid idea that would be. They should also tell you that your security deposit is not actually a deposit, and that they have no intention of honoring your cancellation policy because the host is expected to be the guest's de facto travel insurance.  

 

 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

And they should tell guests that 4* review isn't "Good".

Laura2592
Level 10
Frederick, MD

@Donald28  yep happened to me on my one and only occasion of pet damage. Nonsensical policy. But good to warn other hosts.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

This is one of the main reasons I have never accepted pets. There are plenty of responsible pet owners, but it only takes one bad one to make the profits from their reservation, and possibly more, vanish. 

I property manage a little casita next door to my property for the owner, which gets rented long-term. One girl moved in with one little dog, which I approved, then within a couple of months had picked up 3 more stray dogs (one of those bleeding hearts, she was) who dug 17 large holes in the flower gardens and ripped up the curtains I'd made for the place. 

A year and a half ago I rented it to a friend of mine who has no pets, but loves my dog, gives her treats and will look after her if I need to go somewhere. Perfect.