HOA fines for Guests with Noise Violations

[Paul-and-Jill0]

Please can anybody help, we have over 80 homes listed with Airbnb and take many bookings.  We have received 4 HOA fines of $500 a fine for guests who had been reported to the HOA for partying/Noise violations approx two months AFTER their check out.  We have been advised by our Airbnb Account Manager that we can only raise a resolution within 72 hours of the guest checking out or before the next guest checks in.  As the fines are taking 8 weeks to be issued how do we pass these on to the guests for payment.  Please can somebody help?

[Helen3]

I don’t believe you can.

Have you spoken to the HOA to ask them to notify you in a more timely manner?

What systems do you have in place to minimise the risk of noisy guests such as CCTV and house rules to minimise the risk of them partying?

[Paul-and-Jill0]

We have processes in place but we cant predict a fine from the HOA 8 weeks later with absolutely no support from AIRBNB.

The hoa have advised this is their process.

[Ann72]

@Paul-and-Jill0  It looks as if you've explored all the issues around these fines and have encountered all the brick walls that can't be moved.  Time to talk to your accountant about how to account this as a cost of doing business.  Then work on making nice with the HOA so your hosting under their jurisdiction doesn't suffer any more than it has.

[Paul-and-Jill0]

Unfortunately, that's not a workable solution.  Airbnb must take some responsibility as they vet the guests.  Us taking it on the chin so to speak does not work!!

[Emilia42]

@Paul-and-Jill0 It looks like Airbnb is not the right platform for you. Airbnb does not vet guests and they will not charge guests these fees 6 months after the fact. They will not take responsibility. It is a waste of your time.

[Ann72]

@Paul-and-Jill0  @Emilia42 is right - Airbnb does not vet guests.   But which part isn't a workable solution?  Making nice with your HOA or talking to your accountant?

[Linda108]

Air BNB does not "vet" guests to the level of your expectation.  Period.  This platform does not have a way for you to collect a fine levied on you 2 months later.

Perhaps you can install noise detecting sensors that will notify you of noise levels that are unacceptable to you and the HOA so you can intervene in a timely manner. Such technology will also be helpful in case you have a neighbor that will make a complaint without true basis by having specific time stamped decible levels.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Paul-and-Jill0 If you have 80 homes registered with Airbnb surely you have worked out by now that Airbnb doesn't vet the guests in any way that would be meaningful with respect to making noise. If you cannot amortise $2000 across 80 properties then your business model needs tweaking. Your fines work out at $25 property - Probably less than $0.1 per night.

I have sympathy with the HOAs as they would probably prefer responsible hosts who clamp down on noise themselves before fines get issued. Perhaps you could invest in noise monitoring equipment and a security team to visit problem guests.

[Paul-and-Jill0]

Hi Mike, I don't require a business lesson thanks.  We are a reputable host with a team on hand local in resort and we deal with all noise complaints as well as letting guests know the standard of behavior that is expected from them.  Airbnb must take some responsibility hence my comment re vetting guests.  

[Helen3]

@Paul-and-Jill0 

How would you expect Airbnb to know if a guest is going to party?

You are the business owner and  it’s up to you to have systems in place to minimise the risk. Airbnb is just one of a number of channels you can use to market your business. 

You say you have local teams in place. Do they monitor your CCTV on arrival and during the stay and take immediate action where more guests are using the listing than have booked/they can see guests partying?

Do you minimise risk by not taking one night bookings and checking previous reviews/only taking guests with positive reviews?

[Paul-and-Jill0]

Yes to all the above

[Helen3]

Then something you are doing isn’t working. @Paul-and-Jill0 

When you analysed your problem guests what factors did you identify they had in common? 

what gaps did you identify in your vetting process?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Paul-and-Jill0 I thought the business lesson was quite illuminating but I guess not appreciated.

You didn't comment on the noise monitoring equipment idea or are you just here to ignore/object to any suggestions?

[Paul-and-Jill0]

Please keep this professional.