Fake damage claims from the host

[Sandra4965]

Hello airbnb community,

I was wondering if anyone had false damage accusations against them after their stay?

I have booked a flat in Bergen to celebrate my dad’s 55th birthday with the family. We have cleaned the dishes, took out the rubbish, gathered used towels and cleaned the surfaces for the flat to look presentable. 

After our departure from the property landlord opened a case for severe damages i.e. deep damage to the counter, paint on the walls, missing glasses and the key fob missing from the key ring, floors being sticky from spilled alcohol and so on. He is claiming over £4,000 in damages that we didn’t do!

every other day last week and this week he comes back with yet additional damages and this sets me to have panic attacks, as this is just absurd! It was a quiet weekend away with the family and NOT a house party for 20 teenagers! And my reviews during the time I have signed up for Airbnb is spotless: all precious hosts have mentioned me being clean and respectful guest.
I can see some pictures being fake and I have already reported it to Airbnb.

Did anyone have similar experience and how you dealt with it?

I am considering even reporting it to the police.

Any recommendations or advise would be much appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

[Joakim28]

Yes I had a similar experience today...
I didn't do my review until I got home and got settled from the jetlag and so on.

And I checked out 5 March and today 12 March after my review(she also begged me for 5 star review because otherwise she "couldn't rent it out"), she claims that I broke a lid of a saucepan, and she showed 2 towels that are dirty(they didn't even launder them ?! ) and that I took the base of a kettle (that I put on top of the fridge where it was when I arrived)...

One of the problems was that she for the first says its "Full-equiped" condo but it wasn't... Stayed there for 2 months and was doing cooking for my diet and needed to buy fryingpan(there was only a very very small and dirty one there that i didn't wanna use...), wash basket, wash stand, coat hangers(she had like 6-8 coathangers and we were 2 people living there for 2 months so needed to buy several)...

Feels more like she did it out of spite because I didnt reply to her "please tell me if you cannot give 5 star first"...
She even gave me a good review and "hope to see you again"

Sorry to pick this thread up so long after @Sandra4965 but just so **in annoyed over the petty host...

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[Ellen1160]

I am also going through something similar at the moment: cleaned up perfectly, my reviews have always been good, and we were then accused of causing damage we did not cause. Airbnb seems to be siding with the host during this process and not being transparent about how they are making their decisions. I’m very disappointed and confused. I hope you’re having better luck with your situation. Please update us here with how yours turns out. 

[Eric8002]

We are currently experiencing a similar situation after our brief stay in Florida.  The individual is claiming we bent her dishwasher door and is requesting an $850.00 reimbursement.  How one bends a dishwasher door, I do not know.

As previous hosts and frequent guests we are familiar with both sides of the coin, therefore we are very respectful of other people's property as we want to be treated with the same respect.  It's disheartening to see host's and guest's take advantage of people like this.  Having to deal with this kind of scenario makes me want to go back to booking hotels. 

[Bonum0]

Nuestras propiedades están en Florida @Eric8002  y en una de las casas, nos pasó lo contrario. Un invitado rompió una decoración y dijo que lo hicimos para quitarles dinero. Esto les sucede a los huéspedes y anfitriones. Aunque teníamos una forma de demostrarlo, preferimos dejarlo todo así.

[Cathrine31]

Same! A host in Milan is charging me for her broken shower.  The shower was broken when i arrived and now she is telling Airbnb that i broke it. I could NOT even shower for 3 days and i was in town for a conference!!! 

[Cherie153]

This happened to my family also in January 2024 after our stay. We have used Airbnb for over 14 yrs and have never had this happen. We were accused of damaging a desk that we never used, breaking a coffee maker, and saying the cleaning crew had to deep clean. We washed beach towels, dried, and folded them. Also, started a load of bathroom towels. The dishes were loaded and garbage taken out. We didn’t do any of the damages and left the place in which it would need a normal cleaning. We didn’t even have to wash towels, etc. We did decline payment and appealed it. They still held us liable and charged my credit card. I called my credit card company and it was reimbursed to me while they evaluate the case. 

The resolution person, Jim, finally emailed me back probably after they saw the credit card company reimbursed me the $642. 

I sent the resolutions person a link to this thread and told him it is all over Google the fake damage scams that hosts are submitting. I am sure this will lead to a lawsuit eventually when it happens to a lawyer.

What ended up happening to your fake claim? 

[Julia4734]

I’m dealing with a similar situation right now.

We checked out of the property on Monday and left the apartment in a good clean condition, loaded dishes into a dishwasher, wiped table and underneath the table. Took the trash out. We are travelling with baby so I have placed a few ceramic items on the shelf higher, so the baby can’t reach.

we have broken a wine glass and one of the ceramic pots right before we left and I forgot to mention to the host immediately as we left, as we were in a rush and I had to look after my baby. She messaged me the same day asking where those items are, so I sent her pictures of broken items(as I was planning to update them about the damages) and apologies about that. I know it’s my mistake I didn’t message her straight away.

now 5 days later the host has messaged accusing us of more damages, that we have never done. Additionally, she is suggesting that we didn’t wipe our crumbs off the table, the sofa is stained, highchair is not clean, toilet is not clean, dishwasher was not emptied etc.

I have been using Airbnb for almost 10 years and I have great reviews, mentioning that we leave places clean. This is the first time I’m dealing with such situation. We are responsible and respectful family and would never leave someone’s place in the condition they are accusing us of. 
This is so upsetting and I hope we can find a resolution soon.

[Achee2]

I am going through something similar right now and airbnb is saying i have to pay

Wich is BS the dmg look old

I wonder what kinda idiots investigate this claims

From no one i will never rent airbnb again only hotels