Airbnb Host Guaranteee

[Len37]

We recently took a booking on a 4 bedroom house that we manage, from a guest who said he was coming up to the coast and wanted somewhere quiet for him and his friend to stay. We rented him the house for the one night (February 15-16).

After check out on Sunday February 16th, our cleaners phoned me to say that there was extensive damage at the house and that I needed to come there immediately. It was obvious straight away that they hadn't had a quiet night, but had a substantial party. Talking with neighbours they said that there were around 100 people there and at one stage 7 police cars, regarding the noise and damage complaints.

Damage included smashing a brand new dining table until it was flat, pulling legs off dining chairs, rugs stained, polished wooden floor boards damaged, walls marked, crockery/cutlery/glassware smashed or stolen, kitchen cupboard broken, the asbestos back fence kicked down (large section of it), garden lights pulled out and smashed, BBQ vandalised, downstairs outdoor table broken, outdoor chair smashed, items stolen / broken, towels and linen thrown in the rubbish bin/left in garage stained and damaged, stealing of garage remote controls etc.

Obviously this was a huge shock. We had two cleaners there, who organised for a further two to join them. With the 4 cleaners and myself and my wife, the six of us worked from 12.00 midday until the house, yard, footpath and laneway were clean and presentable at 6.00 pm. This involved buying a new table, bringing in cutlery/crockery/glassware, removing all rugs, cleaning, picking up all glass and a hundred other things.

We had a incoming group of 6 guests arriving that same day at 3.00 pm from Indonesia for a week. I messaged the guests to tell them of the problem and that we were working to have the house cleaned and ready for them. I messaged them again twice more, with finally at 6.00 pm to say that the house was ready and they could then check in. They were wonderful guests and very understanding of our situation. Incidentally they left the house in an immaculate condition when they checked out a week later. They allowed me to have the carpet cleaners in the next morning to clean the rugs etc.

I lodged a damage claim with Airbnb before 6.00 pm (whilst my cleaners were doing the final clean up) on that same day Sunday February 16th. I then contacted Airbnb Support on:

- Tuesday February 18th - 3.19 pm (Airbnb Support phone call)

- Thursday February 20th - lodged a more extensive claim

- Sunday February 23rd - 8.11 a.m. (Airbnb Support phone call)

- Monday February24th - 9.16 am (Airbnb Support phone call)

- Tuesday February 25th - 4.10 pm (Airbnb Support phone call)

- Tuesday February 25th - 4.10 pm (Airbnb Support phone call)

Airbnb Support were courteous, helpful and said that this was covered by another area of Airbnb and that they had seen that there was an active case and that they would mark it as urgent and someone should contact me within 24-48 hours.

Obviously this was a huge issue with a damage bill of around $20,000, with the property owners wanting to know what Airbnb was going to do about it. Of most immediate concern was that the property back fence was asbestos. The asbestos fence had been kicked down and lay next to and on the laneway in pieces, exposed to the elements and pedestrians alike. I politely stressed to Airbnb Support the urgency of the back fence removal etc as this was a walkway for children going to school, as well as the local neighbourhood and the dangers of this exposed asbestos. Airbnb Support were very understanding and could appreciate the problem. They passed it on marked as urgent for the relevant section of Airbnb.

I heard back from the relevant section of Airbnb on February 25th denying our claim for this damage by guests. They said:

"Hi Len,

Thank you for contacting us. We’re very sorry to hear of this incident.

For cases to be eligible under our Host Guarantee hosts must notify us of the incident within the earliest of: 14 days of checkout or 24 hours before your next guest checks in. This is a strict policy requirement and is in place to ensure timely and accurate resolutions for both hosts and guests. You are free to pursue reimbursement from your guest directly. However, per this requirement, this case is not eligible for reimbursement."

I contacted Airbnb about this extensive damage on the day of checkout, within 14 days and then worked overtime to ensure that the property would be ready for the incoming guests. No host wants to cancel or inconvenience any guest. We were very proud of our cleaners and all of our work to ensure that the incoming guests were not left stranded.

I was floored by the response and assumed that somehow they had made a simple mistake with dates. I followed up for clarification and have not been able to get anything except other copies of the message above. It seems that they are denying the claim as we didn't notify them more than 24 hours before incoming guests arrived. If this is the case virtually no claim would ever been able to be made under the Host Guarantee.

As a manager of over 30 properties, that we only have with Airbnb, we tell all of our owners of the Airbnb Host Guarantee and that they can rely on Airbnb to honour their commitment. All property owners have that fear, however remote, that one day, one set of guests, may wreck or cause extensive damage to their property. The Airbnb $1 million guarantee and the trust that we all give that guarantee, puts their minds at rest.

My questions

1. Has anyone ever heard of this? Being excluded and a claim disallowed because we strived to accommodate incoming guests?

2. I can't get anyone in the relevant area of Airbnb to reply to me and work with me to resolve this issue. How do I overcome this when they dont reply, and you cant ring them to discuss it?

3. I have lodged messages asking for this to be reviewed and to be able to lodge an appeal, as is our right under the Host Guarantee. No one has replied to this. Am I being delayed so that the appeal will be void, as it is would be outside the date range of time allowed to appeal?

3. My wonderful property owners, who yes have been very supportive and are super patient are wanting to go super nova on this and make it a HUGE media issue here in Australia. The press, especially TV current affair shows love these Airbnb damage stories, let alone one where Airbnb wont stand behind the Host Guarantee. I have asked them for their patience, and that Airbnb will resolve the matter. Unfortunately their patience is coming to an end and really who  can blame them. I do not under any circumstances wish them to go public and damage the Airbnb brand, or our property hosting with Airbnb, but can see their frustration with the. lack of options. What can be done?

4. I emailed Brian Chesky to his email address.  I appreciate his oft reported comment that Airbnb is built on trust, asking him to examine this and have not heard back from him either. Surely this is an issue of trust, that needs to be resolved immediately.

Any comments, suggestions etc would be greatly appreciated.

Yes I am at my wits end with this, as believe we have done everything correctly and strived to do the best by the property owners, incoming guests and Airbnb. Your assistance would be most appreciated.

thanks

Len

[Len37]

Thanks so much Katrina, that is very thoughtful of you.