DAMAGES TO MY HOUSE BY 2022/2023 DECEMBER GUESTS

[Celia404]

I've been hosting since 2018 and had some damages from a previous guest. This year however my experience was horrifying.

1. A white cotton tablecloth ruined beyond rescuing with reddish-orange stains. I've tried a variety of products for stains at huge costs and literally washed this tablecloth 7 times.
2. Turquoise fabric serviettes and matching placemats ruined with the same reddish-orange stains.
3. A brown coffee cup stain on my white bedside table - got to be resprayed.
4.  Wine glasses missing.
5. Food from the stove messed onto the side of a kitchen cupboard, leaving a yellow stain.
6. A couch cover was filthy and stained. This had to be dismantled by an upholsterer  
7. The upholstery of three of the six dining chairs stained – two with what looks like water stains, probably from wet swimming costumes, and one stained with red and green stains. I'll have to have all 6 re-upholstered. I will be to embarrassed to rent out my place with dining chairs looking like this.

In South Africa we also have the situation where a whole family group will rent or camp in close proximity to each other in our area. My last guests had family members camping a 45-minute drive from my place and all the washing was done at my house. I’ve never seen guests with so many washing as these last ones. This is not the first time I experience this.

The only measure I can think of to avoid teenagers in my house again, is to insist on Identification numbers before I let my house again. In that way I can see how old the guests are?

I don't understand why guests don't declare breakages or damages? I've decided after the first damage I experienced that I will not ever allow teenagers into my house again. My last booking, however, claimed that they are 4 "adults". Only to discover on their arrival that it is actually two parents and their high school teenagers. 

They asked if two of the four high school children could stay over for two days, to which I agreed. It turned out that the two days were actually 3 nights (R3000) which they got on the house. They then had the temerity to indicate in their ratings that my place was not good value for money.

I am livid. How do you recoup these damages caused by these people?

[Jenny · Accepted solution]

Hi @Celia404 

I just wanted to check, have you started an Aircover for Hosts request?  You can read more about that here.

Hopefully one of our lovely members will be along soon, and will perhaps have some advice on how to protect yourself further from issues like this.

Jenny

[Celia404]

I was under the impression that cover for damages was included in the commission AirBnb takes over and above the host's rental price. 

However, Airbnb wiggled out of paying for these damages because it was not reported within 14 days. 

I hope I don't have to Airbnb my house again.

[Helen3]

Hi @Celia404 

Unfortunately for your situation it's like any insurance type situation you need to comply with conditions for making a claim.

under the Airbnb guarantee (which I presume you looked at when making your claim) it makes it clear you need to initially contact the guest first regarding the claim and if they don't respond or refute your claum, you need to put in the initial claim within xxxx days.

What was your reasoning for not putting in the initial claim within two weeks @Celia404 

[Fred13]

You have a total of 4 reviews over 4 years with Airbnb; do people in South Africa do not tend to leave reviews? Also your future blocks of a few reservations suggest those are occasional 'long-terms'. The STR hosting reality does require a certain degree of tolerance (and prevention), otherwise it could be no fun, and it doesn't sound like you are having fun with it at all.