I recently experienced my first issue with a dissatisfied guest. As a Superhost with consistent 5-star ratings, I was concerned about how to handle the situation. The guest I'd accepted also had a history of 5-star reviews. Their reservation was for two guests, but when they arrived, there was an additional person. I messaged the booking guest to confirm the total number of guests staying at the property. He responded that it would be two plus a guest—so three in total. I reiterated that the reservation must accurately reflect all guests and sent a request to update the reservation. The guest declined to make any changes and refused to pay extra for the third guest. I replied that there would be no additional charge for the third person, but it was important that everyone be listed on the reservation so we could move forward. It was also concerning to me given it this reservation spanned New Year's Eve week, thus avoiding any potential parties. This seemed to upset him further, and he expressed dissatisfaction with the experience.
At this point, I decided not to reach out again unless necessary. The next day, the digital thermostat indicated that, although the heat was on, the home’s temperature had dropped by four degrees over about three hours—a sign someone might have left a window open. The guest reported no problems. I notified Airbnb Support for advice, and shortly after, the guest contacted me saying water was pouring from the ceiling above the kitchen. I immediately called my repairman, and the guest requested that the main water shut-off valve be turned off but after further questions, the water stopped dripping, and when asked what caused the leak, the guest said they didn’t know, adding that they’d just returned home after being out for an hour and that someone had taken a bath earlier in the day. The guest continued to seem agitated.
Airbnb Support recommended I reply to the guest, so I apologized for the inconvenience and arranged for a plumber to come out. I also explained that it would be best for them to leave and said I’d adjust their reservation to end that day. The guest remained unhappy, but I no longer felt comfortable letting them stay in the house. They left an hour later. That evening, the plumber discovered that water had been flowing into the bathtub overflow valve, causing leakage through the ceiling. Based on the amount of water, it had to have been running for some time.
I'm planning to file a damage claim against the guest, but this is my first time doing so. I haven't completed my review of the guest yet either, and I'm unsure how to proceed with both tasks. I do have video and images of the damaged ceiling too. Any advise would be helpful. Thank you!
