Guests lie about a situation

[Laura4458]

A couple who are traveling nurses reserved my AirBNB for 3 nights. They worked a 12 hour shift at the hospital overnight. They left there big dog in the room while they were gone. There was an issue with their dog being on the bed, then peeing on it. They told me it definitely was not their dog and said it had to be someone else's or a leak in the ceiling. They lied about whole situation and did not offer to reimburse the mattress topper and pillows that were ruined. At the time they had me replace the bedding they made me feel like it was totally something I was responsible for. They claimed they never leave their dog out at a place they stay. I felt bad since I thought it may be my dog, even though it had not happened before and I would have noticed the bed being messed up. I was gullible and sent them $40 back. Two of the decorative pillows were ruined, but the long one I always put in front of the two pillows was not ruined, which could not have logically happened. I thought through it all weekend and it just could not be my dog. Everything was clean when I showed them in to the room. How do I handle this?

[Emiel1]

@Laura4458 

Next time do not be gullible and also make sure your dog never can access a guest room.

For now consider the case as closed, learn from it and never let your weekend be destroyed by heavy thinking about the un-explainable.

[Lorna170]

@Laura4458   I have to agree with Emiel1; just write down the loss for your tax return and move on.  It is not worth the worry.  However, NEVER accept a guest who is going to leave their pet cooped up in a room for 12 plus hours.  That is just inhumane.  I keep a doggie day care number on hand, or my guest can hire the high schooler next door to water and walk the pet.

[Laura4458]

Originally, they said no dog coming. So I had no idea.

[Christine615]

Okay - first - welcome to hosting. Many of us have had bad experiences while we were learning the platform.

1. Don't care what anyone says - no pets. No Emotional Support Pets. Airbnb's policies are out of whack with federal guidelines that say owner occupied homes and duplexes are not subject to laws on ESA. Plus - you have a dog already. So mark your home as unsuitable for animals due to the presence of a dog on the premises.

2. Here's how this should have worked. YOU DO NOT NEGOTIATE OR REFUND for guest damages. You inbox them in the message center to explain your distress. Then you bill them in the resolution center before the next guest checks in. Upload any estimates on replacement costs and photos. If the guests won't pay, Airbnb will start their investigation and reimbursement process within three business days. The more you can show them, the better.

3. Don't mention pets in your complaint. Airbnb doesn't pay for animal damage. This is guest damage and it doesn't matter how it happened, the guest screwed up.

Vett your guests better and make it clear in your listing that damage is billed at "replacement cost".


However - and this is a big one - it could have been your dog. Dogs are territorial. If the guest dog smelled your dog, he may have marked his territory. But vice versa, it could have been your dog marking his territory. So just say no to animals and ESA citing safety issues.

Sorry for your loss. The guests were required to disclose a dog that wasn't a service dog. You could have rejected them when they showed up with one. Proof that it was not a service or ESA pet is that they left it alone in your house while they worked.  Some people are inconsiderate. You'll learn, over time, how to screen those people out by asking lots of questions and creating rules they are required to read before booking..