Another update which will increase guest refund requests

[Mary419]

I’m very concerned to see this new update.

Giving a guest 72 hours to report problems instead of 24 hours is going to make the free stay scammers ecstatic. 24 hours was plenty. Why should a guest get to complain about cleanliness after staying for over 2 days?

After hosting thousands of guests I can give many examples including once when I went to re-clean a kitchen floor for a family who clearly had spilled their own takeout food sauces all over it and then told me the floor was dirty. I’m getting very worried about the future of this business when I see changes like this:

 

[Meehyun0]

Have you listed your listings elsewhere? Has that worked out for you? Are you still on Airbnb? Thanks in advance.  I’m beginning to think that I need to wean myself off this platform.  

[Mark116]

Wow.  Three days to make a complaint.  So, guests can stay in the space for 73 hours, get it dirty, break whatever appliances they wish, then take photos and get a refund.  Neat.

There is no reason at all why a guest should not have to make a complaint within the first 24 hours of their stay, or why anyone other than a scammer would wait 3 days to complain, about  using Airbnb's bizarro examples, the place being clean, not having access or having a missing amenity.  

[Tina627]

Okay I noticed a lot of superhost on this chat.  What do we do when an unfair policy is made on here?  How do we get our voices heard?  Arbnb needs us lets not forget.  And what are some alternative short term rental sites you would recommend?  I am fairly new and i am not overly attached to Airbnb platform.  I could stray with new policies like this one.  I just know arbnb has the biggest piece of the pie hence they can get away with more BS unless host come together somehow and say "nope."  Any ideas?

[Meehyun0]

Airbnb is a multibillion dollar company.  Aircover intrinsically seems to border on Fraud.  They cannot say they cover up to a Million in damages when the have no intention to ever honor what they promise.

I’m going to create my own website.

because I’m on other booking platforms, it has never hurt me either way. relying on one platform is like putting all your eggs in one basket. And every hosts should have one(website).  There are insurance now you can buy to cover damages on your own.

like anything in business, you work hard and you will be rewarded.  In terms of bad guests, I’m Buddhist, and these grifters really do have karma boomerang coming their way.  It always happens, you know the saying, Karma’s  a bitch! I’ve seen it happen and it is scary.  It also keeps my faith that being good is the way to go.

[Mark116]

Also, I must have missed when Airbnb was holding guests accountable for anything?  They don't put down a security deposit.  All they have to do is say 'no' to any claim and the host then has to jump through hoops to get it from Airbnb.  Revenge reviews are completely allowed.  Guests who have parties and damage property are rarely banned from the platform.  And now, a huge percentage of Airbnb stays, basically any stay that is less than 4 days, are going to be at risk of being refunded to unscrupulous guests.

Sad.  Really sad.

[Sarah977]

@Mark116  "All they have to do is say 'no' to any claim and the host then has to jump through hoops to get it from Airbnb".

And wasn't it cute how the first section of that update went on about how great AirCover is working for hosts, when we read new posts here daily about how hosts have not only not been able to get any compensation for guest damages, CS ignores their messages for weeks or months on end.

I'd love to see stats on how much AirCover has paid out compared to the amount of the claims that have been lodged.

[Dian3740]

I can't speak for everyone who has filed a claim under AirCover. However, I hosted a family that was booked by a non-profit, immigrant and refugee service. It took over six hours to document the damage, take photos and videos, and complete the claim process. The guests cooked with oils and didn't wipe it down before cooking again for two weeks. The glass cooktop is now badly etched. Grease was splattered all over (literally drops and drip lines on the walls, cabinets and floors). Dirty dishes, utensils, appliances, pots, pans with baked on grease and food. The dishwasher and sponges were never used). Every cabinet had to be emptied and everything had to be scoured and cleaned. They threw about three pounds of baking soda on 1,000 sq ft of tile and spread it around with a wet mop. The dirt and tacky grease settled in the grout and dried. The floors had to be mopped four times to see what was what. What was once a light tan grout, was black. The carpets were filthy and fibers stuck together from walking on oily floors and then on the carpets. (Even the carpet cleaning company cannot guarantee they can get this out.... does anyone know of someone who can?) The smell of rancid oil got into everything. I had to empty out a double linen closet and wash all the additional 15 sets of sheets, towels, blankets, comforters and pillows. NOBODY would ever stay in a listing smelling like this. They also ripped the back of a goose down sectional. I ordered the fabric and have an upholsterer scheduled to repair this. The stone tables are chipped. I could go on and on. Airbnb states this is all "normal wear and tear". The only thing they are willing to pay for is cleaning the sectional and replacing a broken coffee pot carafe. After providing professional estimates for everything and paid for most of it (still waiting on a few companies that cancelled and rescheduled with me), Airbnb is wanting to pay $168.00 of a $4500.00 claim. I've been hosting with Airbnb since 2018 and have NEVER, EVER had anything like this happen. I had a $3,000 security deposit required, but since the guests' stay was paid with a voucher through the non-profit section, this somehow affects their inability to apply that?!?  This is unacceptable.

[Meehyun0]

What is your status on your claim? I’m really curious to know. Because if Aircover does not compensate you, it is a proof Aircover language to get hosts to open their homes is really a fraud.

I’m really curious.

Thanks and I’m so sorry this happened to you.

[Gillian166]

not sure if you read the whole thing, they are scrapping security deposits anyway, so hosts who used them in the past have lost that. 

 "To better support our Host community, starting at the end of April guests will be informed that their payment method may be charged if they cause damage to your place or belongings."

may be charged

oof, this is as vague as "severity of the disease may be reduced". Red flag. This vague wording offers me little reassurance. 

[Sarah977]

@Gillian166  The security deposit wording has always said "may be charged", that's nothing new.

[Meehyun0]

So what is the Aircover for?

[Tina627]

@Mark116 so what do we do as host?  Any ideas?

[Dian3740]

I'm a real estate broker here in AZ. I can only come to one conclusion, and that is, it'll be a matter of CYA. I don't see any other way around the problems of airbnb, a third party, having sole power and authority to determine the validity of claims and issue fair and just compensation. In an effort to C-my-A, I'm going to add a "Guest Walk-Through Checklist" as a standard practice upon guest check-in. If vacation renters expect this in renting through homes found on the mls, then airbnb should be no different. Some may argue that if hotels don't do this, then why should guests expect this. For starters, Hotels can charge guests' credit card for damages directly. It all has to do with leverage. 

We do, what we must.

[Connie168]

Oh my gosh, Mark116! How true!

Example - guests overstay past the check-out time by nearly 3 hours. We're finally able to get into the apartment to find the guest had an 'accident' on the bedding. Comforter, new sheets, and quilted mattress cover right down to the mattress, along with the towels she used to clean herself and tried to hide the bedding issues.  

The guest refused the charges for the damages and the late-check out fees that are clearly stated in our House Rules.  We had to go over and over our claim with Airbnb, bump our request up the chain to get Airbnb to reimburse us!

The amount of time we spend just getting Airbnb to follow through on these issues is taxing, especially when we have a 3-4 month busy season.  

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

*This does not apply to Hosts in China, Japan, or India.

**For stays in mainland China, guests will still need to report travel issues within 24 hours....

I feel discriminated, and you?