guests don't leave after Airbnb cancelled their reservation.

[Patrizia256]

Hello

I need help with a very unpleasant situation.

A guest reserved  one of my properties for 12 days (it's for 8 people) but they declared only 2 guests. As soon as they arrived they started smoking marijuana inside the apartment, I have 2 other units in the back that share the A/C with the property in front so the guests of these units in the back started complaining that there was smell of smoke in their apartments.

On the second night I received many messages from the guests of the other 2 units because there was all night long loud music and many voices coming from the apartment in front,

The guests in the apartment in front never answered to all my messages so in the end I contacted Airbnb.

Airbnb believed me because they could see the complaining of the guests in the other 2 units and Airbnb safety department called me saying that as they were breaking my house rules (it's forbidden to smoke, there are quite hours to respect and only registered guests are allowed in my properties) they were going to contact the guests and ask them to leave.

After few hours without any update from Airbnb I discovered that the reservation had been cancelled and the calendar was open for a new reservation....unfortunately the guests were still inside.

It took me 2 days to speak with my case manager (i sent her many messages, I called the call center only to be told that I had to speak to my  case manager and not being able to transfer the call they would have made me call back)....I sent her messages complaining of the superficiality of her behavior.

Finally after 2 days a new case manager wrote me that they never spoke with the guests because they never answered but they cancelled the reservation.

The guests are still my property after 2 days that Airbnb cancelled their reservation and they are not answering me, the new case manager just let me know that this reservation is no more supported by Airbnb and if there are damages I have 48 hours to open a claim.

How is it possible???

They sent me these guests and now that there are problems they don't do anything.

Do you believe that the host guarantee will cover if there are damages.

Thank you for your help

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Patrizia256 , So sorry to hear you have animals in your apartment, sounds like its time to call the police and have them removed .   I would do that right now, dont wait.  Good luck, JR

[Ute42]

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@Patrizia256 

Turn off electricity on them.

[Mark116]

@Ute42  You can't really do that in the U.S., it would put the  landlord in more trouble than the trespassing guests. @Patrizia256 I would call the police and say that there are people in the unit who are trespassing, they have no reservation anymore and are refusing to leave as well as creating a nuisance with noise and other bad behavior. 

[Ute42]

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@Mark116   

You „can't really do that“ in Germany either, but I'm doing it anyway. I already did it and never heard from these people again. Saves You a call to Customer Service.

cc: @Colleen253 @Elena87  

[Mary419]

Here are all the exclusions to the Host Guarantee.

https://www.airbnb.ie/help/article/2869/host-guarantee-terms-and-conditions

I am pretty sure that once Airbnb tells you the reservation is "not supported" and/or they cancel it by admin that NOTHING is covered at all which makes your scenario extremely concerning. And sadly I have experienced this and seen it many times. 

[Mary419]

@Patrizia256 are they gone yet? Curious does anyone else think it’s absurd that Airbnb gave her a 48 hour deadline to “file a claim” when the people were still inside her house? How is she supposed to assess damage before they’re out. And is the rent part of the claim or are they paying you that separately without you having to fight for it? Do you have any idea yet? 

[Liv]

Hi @Patrizia256,

I'm really sorry to hear about that situation. Were there any updates? 

Please do let us know if you still need any assistance.

Thanks,

Liv

[Patrizia256]

Hello

sorry if it took me so long to give you an update but it has been a crazy period.

Finally the guests left after 1 week.

Just be aware that the police doesn't do anything till the original check out date even if Airbnb has cancelled the reservation. For them the guests broke Airbnb rules not the law. Even if I reported that they were smoking marjiuana inside my house the police officer told me that they cannot enter to check if it's true.

By the way the guest left and completely trashed my property....I can't convey the real situation with words.

they burned: towels, sheets, bedspreads, the area rug, the couch..... they smeared all the walls with ash .... also making molds with hand and footprints

 they threw up in the trash bin....they broke dishes and glasses...there was marijuana everywhere...also inside the kitchen cabinets..

[Colleen253]

@Patrizia256 "Just be aware that the police doesn't do anything till the original check out date even if Airbnb has cancelled the reservation. " That's ridiculous, and just plain wrong. Once the booking's been cancelled, the guest is trespassing. Showing proof of the cancellation should have been enough.

[Helen3]

Why is it ridiculous. If a guest overstays in accommodation they have booked then this is a business issue and up to the business owner ie the host to deal with this @Colleen253  @Patrizia256  Not the police who deal with criminal matters.

I am so sorry this happened to you @Patrizia256 . Vetting and CCTV is the best way to minimise risk of having awful guests. In this case, it would have been prudent once Airbnb cancelled the booking to turn up with security to ensure you ex guests left.

Do make sure you photo/video all the evidence and submit to Airbnb/your home insurance company for short term lets to see if you can make a claim.

Such a horrible thing to happen over the festive season.

[Colleen253]

@Helen3 " ...police doesn't do anything till the original check out date even if Airbnb has cancelled the reservation" is ridiculous.

If the police were willing to help once the 'original' checkout had come and gone, why wouldn't they help once the cancellation took place and checkout moved back? And where I am at least, you can certainly enlist the help of the authorities to remove someone who is trespassing.

A security camera is definitely a good idea and does help in many ways, but it's also not the be all and end all. 

@Patrizia256 

[Patrizia256]

Hi Helen

sure I have pictures of everything, I really hope that Airbnb will pay

[Mark116]

@Helen3  Trespassing is a crime in the U.S. and is a police matter.  In CA it is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail or a $1K fine.  

I know that we certainly cannot afford to hire any private security personnel to get rid of Airbnb guests who won't leave on time, and I suspect that most hosts couldn't afford private security either.  Although I agree that the best solution is preventing such incidents, but then Airbnb makes that difficult also when people with no photo or profile info can book your property.

[Patrizia256]

As soon as they left I assessed the damages and I opened a claim in the resolution center....I m waiting for the outcome!

I will keep you posted.

Thank you