Bed bugs

[Walter-And-Florence0]

I need advise. We just had two guests checkout yesterday and today I received this message 

I wanted to reach out because since coming home from our stay, both of us have developed red marks all over our bodies and they’re extremely itchy and painful to the touch. We’re concerned that it is from something during our stay, such as bed bugs or possibly a reaction/rash from the hot tub. We obviously don’t want to jump to conclusions about what caused it, but neither of us had this issue before the trip, so we wanted to make you aware and ask if you’ve had any similar reports from recent guests. We’re also going to keep an eye on the marks and figure out what’s going on.

We have never had any guest report or complain about anything at our cabin. Now she reported bugs at our property with Airbnb. What happens now. I am freaking out.  We clean and disinfect thoroughly after ever guest. Our hot tub was disgusting after this guest checked out. What happens now with Airbnb?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Walter-And-Florence0 sadly it is likely Airbnb will suspend your listing until you get proof that there are no bed bugs. You may need to contact an extermination company and ask them to check the property and report if it is affected by bugs. Perhaps get quotes for the work now and instigate it the moment Airbnb asks you for proof.

[Walter-And-Florence0]

Thank you so much. We have already contacted an exterminator. This is so crazy. We don’t have bedbugs and now this is going to shut us down and cost us money that is not necessary. 

[Elaine701]

@Walter-And-Florence0 

We had that happen once. But the guest didn't contact Airbnb, they contacted us directly. We had never had this complaint before, and were very concerned. 

So we did as @Mike-And-Jane0 suggest, and hired an extermination firm, and they came and thoroughly analysed it and found no evidence of bedbugs or any other infestation anywhere in the house. They created an official report and I gave it to the guest. It was rather expensive just for the analysis. If we had to do the full extermination it would've been more than 3x more expensive. 

But the exterminator mentioned that they had seen cases that turned out to be an allergy to the laundry detergent used to wash the bedding. 

So, we asked the affected guest if she had allergies, and the answer was yes, although not the skin rash type. We were never able to find hard evidence directly tying the skin rash to the detergent used by the laundry service, but I presume it had to be something like that. 

But yes, when it's reported to Airbnb, then you've got a big problem and it will likely cost a small fortune to get it satisfactorily proven to Airbnb to remove any suspension. 

Sorry. It's a nasty thing to happen.  I hope you get it sorted without spending a fortune. 

[Walter-And-Florence0]

Thank you so much for your response.  We have three small cabins in the Pocono Mountains and we have never had this kind of thing happen.  We have been very fortunate with our guests.  We do everything ourselves and we do not take pictures or have a check list for after a guest checks out.  I never thought about doing that or ever thought I would have to do that .  Is that something that you do?