Guest has not returned keys and left place a mess

[Samantha557]

Hello all, 

I just had my worst guest. Checkout is 11 am, but with COVID I am not that busy so when he hadn't returned the keys to the Keycafe by that time I wasn't worried. I messaged him on the Airbnb app and texted him in the afternoon looking for a confirmation for when he is returning the keys to the Keycafe. He said he could do it at 7. 7 came and went and I was busy making dinner and didn't realize until 9 pm that I still hadn't gotten a notification they had been returned.  I called him and he said he just returned the keys to the apartment and left the door unlocked. As I was asking where in the apartment he hung up on me. My friend nor my cleaner can seem to find the keys anywhere. Also, the place was left an absolute mess and he moved a bunch of books around, possibly taking some with him,  there are cigarette butts in a bowl with old food and I have a very strict no smoking policy as does my building, there are signs posted on the front door and the bulletin board of the building. 

What is the correct next step? Can I charge him if I have to change my locks?

[Anonymous]

@Samantha557   Yes, I think it's critical that you get your locks changed. There have been several reports of guests using stolen keys to rob the homes after checkout.  A Resolutions claim for the cost of changing the locks would be appropriate - you'll want to put that through right away.

[Martina714]

@Samantha557 it's time to take out some money and invest in a new digital key lock, nuki is pretty good it add in to your lock, works for almost european cylinders but for US ones contact the call center at nuki.com. I set a temporary code from check-in to check-out for each guest.

Yes you can try to charge him using the money request from airbnb, you'll find the button straight on the reservation page, but do no expect airbnb will refund your key lock.

[Anonymous]

@Martina714 Airbnb has a pretty good record of compensating hosts for getting locks changed when the guest absconds with keys, based on previous reports. But on the issues of smoking and extra cleaning, which they don't qualify as "physical damage," hosts seeking a fair resolution tend to be disappointed. 

[Martina714]

@Anonymous depends on the manager you're talking to at that point, at that time

[Colleen253]

@Samantha557  Send him a message on the Airbnb messaging system asking him to return your keys forthwith. You need it on record so Airbnb can see, that he failed to return them. Then get a locksmith in asap to rekey (or better yet, install a keypad locking system). Put in a resolution for the charge for new locks. Absolutely write him a review that is short and to the point, yet details everything he did wrong.