I'm a Superhost, and have noise-sensitive neighbors. Over the five years I've been hosting, I've made every effort to ensure that guests do not disturb neighbors. I used to occasionally allow parties, at a much higher rate than for normal daily rentals. I decided it was not worth the money, to disturb the neighborhood.
I now have strict rules against gatherings, and a strict curfew time for outside hours (10pm-9am), since people hanging out in my yard at night wakes the neighbors. This is all posted on the listing, so guests know before booking, and also explicitly in the house rules after booking. I also communicate how important this is, directly to guests after booking. It is written in my rules that violation of this most important rule will cause them to forfeit their security deposit.
Recently, in violaton of all this, a first-time Airbnb guest had people over, playing music and hanging out outside, from 1am-5am.
Naturally, as I specify in the house rules, I asked for the money I would have made had I allowed parties, out of the security deposit. (They also broke a guitar and made off with keys — I sent receipts for these things as well.) The guest simply didn't respond at all. So I clicked "Involve Airbnb", and sent all my documentation, including screenshots from my external security cameras, showing the people outside partying, with time stamps, going almost until dawn. I also forwarded several of the irate emails and texts I received from neighbors (which I've had to pay off), threatening to shut down Airbnb in the city, etc.
Airbnb didn't reply, other than to say they had received my info and would ask if they needed more information. I called weekly, wondering what was going on. Finally, after FIVE weeks, Airbnb replied: they wouldn't cover anything other than the guitar and key repair. Nothing.
I wrote to Airbnb: what is the point of having house rules if they aren't enforceable? What is the point of charging 4x as much for parties (and then stopping this in order to be a good neighbor), if a normal nightly guest can simply have a party, ignore my requests for the security deposit, and not pay for it? How am I, who has the kind of house and location that attracts partiers, to protect myself if I can't enforce it out of the security deposit?
Airbnb's response was to send me the same cut-and-pasted email saying the Host Guarantee doesn't cover non-physical damages, they're glad to have me as a host, and that they were "glad they could resolve my issue."
I am so angry at Airbnb. That they would choose to protect an irresponsible first-time guest over a Superhost whose been on their platform making them money for five years — it's shocking. Their Host Guarantee is a sham. Their security deposit function is also a sham if they can let a guest simply ignore the requests. I'm considering going to social media to complain.
Any advice is welcome. I suspect I'm not the only host who has had this problem.
