Aircover

[Sonja482]

I have a brand new listing and this issue happened with my second tenant. All furniture is brand new. I had a family stay in my house for 30 days and completely trash it. They allowed their "emotional support animals" on the furniture and my couches and rugs are all soaked in dog urine. My comforters, sheets and towels have dog urine and blood all over them. Theres trash everywhere, even empty fast food containers and empty bottles under beds. The toilet looks like it hasnt been cleaned in years. 

I submitted a reimbursement request and after waiting the 72 hours Airbnb has contacted me and requesting some very unreasonable things like getting estimates to try to "clean" my brand new couches that are soaked in urine. 

I emailed back with some questions and clarifications and nobody is responding. I called and found out that the Aircover department does not talk to people on the phone. I reached out five times now and still no response.

Right now Aircover feels like a complete scam, the lack of support is really sad to me. The fact that a situation where people completely disrespect your property and trash it would not be handled with a little more priority is not acceptable.

The only silver lining is that I am getting the opportunity early on to decide to no longer rent my property on airbnb if aircover doesnt take care of this. 

[Fred13]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is a classic case of many beginner's hosting mistakes.

1. You are fairly 'new', the hustlers pounce on such places: new / inexpensive /  long stay.

2. You offered your most lovely place (may I add), for a $105 total price for 3 bedrooms / 6 people. That is  $17.50 per person per night. At that price you are fortunate 'The Misfits' only brought 6.

3. Third strike - allow them to stay for 30 days (i.e. risk) without any clue what was going on till  they left. Thank God they did leave (i.e. the possible danger of a 30-day stay meaning squatting, a whole other subject).

Of course, this begs the obvious questions from the peanut gallery (us old beat-up timers here) -

~What were their reviews like? I see that they have not left any, little wonder since they are probably busy packing quickly and leaving town.

~Did you assume the presence of Aircover would cover you no matter what happens (which is the program's inherent pitfall). Too often serves for beginning hosts not to be cautious enough.

~Where the 'emotional support animals' legit, or just sheer nonsense (i.e. free pet boarding)?

I suggest you do the best you can under these very unfair circumstances. Do not feel like you are alone in your approach or outcome, we all been there at least in part - in the beginning.

No, Aircover is not a scam per se, it may be full of good intentions, it's just gives the wrong impression and it is very hard to implement consistently and fairly.

Good luck, you and your lovely place deserve it. @Sonja482