Left my wallet behind, legal help.

[Gracia75]

My friends and I stayed 5 nights at this house up in the mountains. I thought I had packed my wallet away on one of my sweaters and didn’t want to unpack again so we checked out thinking it was in my luggage. Once we get home we searched for my wallet and it wasn’t there. We contacted the host, host states her cleaning crew didn’t find anything, mind you this cleaning crew I don’t trust for a few reasons. 1st They left trash from the people previously staying there in the trash bin, 2nd their was a pillow and lots of dust left under the bed that I stayed in and 3rd the house ran out of gas and sure the host bought my friends and I pizza that afternoon but she had to reimburse my friend that money because her card wouldn’t go through when paying and the next day the gas wasn’t back on so I had to cook my breakfast and dinner out in the fireplace. Mind you this was up in the mountains so it was cold! The night before we checked out I had my wallet in the pockets on my hoodie sweater and I was laying down in the two person recliner sofa. I’m almost 99% sure that my small card holder of a wallet fell in between that sofa. I asked the host after I got back home that if it were possible for me to go back in her house to look for my wallet, she then reply’s that her cleaning crew didn’t find anything and that theirs people staying there already, I then asked if she could ask the new people staying there if they can look for my wallet or if it were possible to for me to drive up there to look for it myself, she doesn’t give me a yes or a no just says she would ask the new people and that she asked if they can keep an eye out for that wallet. Her cleaning crew don’t go back to clean the house till Monday afternoon after her party checks out, I then asked again if it were possible for me to drive up there to look for my wallet myself when the cleaning crew gets there. The host again does not give me a yes or a no simply states again that her cleaning crew has specific instructions to look for my wallet in the recliner’s I was sitting on. Again I   DONT TRUST HER CLEANING CREW. I don’t know what els I can do now. I was thinking of asking the authorities to escort me in her home when the cleaning crew goes to clean the house but I don’t know if I can do that or not.  

[Pat271]

@Gracia75  You are adding a lot of details into this account that are beside the point. I had to wade through all of the host criticisms to get to your actual point.

The crux of the matter is that you think the host or cleaning crew stole your wallet. That is very presumptuous. The unarguable fact is that you lost your wallet. I understand this is upsetting, but it is your responsibility to keep track of your belongings, with special attention to high-worth items like a wallet.

Having said that, it is true that your wallet may have fallen into the cracks of the couch, so it’s OK to ask the host if this might have happened. Past that, you have a lost wallet, with the responsibility falling squarely on your shoulders. Threatening authority intervention, etc. is just a natural human inclination to reassign blame.

Cancel all of your credit cards immediately. Whomever has your wallet, if anyone, may be tempted to go on a shopping spree. 

[Gracia75]

I understand it’s my fault, that’s why I asked if I can drive up there and look for it myself. It was my fault I didn’t check for my wallet before I left and I would like to make up for it by driving up there and looking for it myself and not have the cleaning crew waist their time looking for it. And no I’m not saying they stole my wallet no! I’m stating that they don’t clean the house well enough to or pay close attention to detail enough for them to find the wallet in the crevices of the sofa. My question is, would it help if the authorities were there to witness me look for my wallet so the honer don’t think I’m there to steal anything or to destroy her home. 

[Pat271]

@Gracia75 

That’s quite a walk back.

And the answer is no, it wouldn’t help if the “authorities” were there. If the cleaners say the wallet isn’t there, it probably isn’t there. Cleaners are very careful to check crevices of sofas for any number of items (underwear, for instance! Yes, leaving underwear there is a real thing). There’s no reason to believe you can check it any more thoroughly than they can.

[Huma0]

@Gracia75 

So, the cleaning crew already went in and said they didn't find it. There are now new guests staying and the host said that she has asked them to keep an eye out for it just in case.

What do you expect her to do at this point? How would you feel if you had rented an airbnb, checked in, and then a previous guest wanted to come there and search the place while you were staying and had all of your belongings there? 

How would you feel if that guest was accompanied by the police to search the place while you were staying there?

If you were a host, how would you feel about someone turning up with the police to search your listing while you had paying guests staying there?

Be reasonable...

[Rick4645]

Unfortunately, I think your ship has sailed. You should have taken the two minutes to open your suitcase and look for it. You didn't. Your wallet is gone and you need to move on.

And quite frankly, you're being very hostile towards the host and her cleaning crew for your mistake. She is under NO obligation to you for anything once your check out time has passed. She said she asked her cleaning crew, they didn't find it. End of discussion.

If I was a host and you came at me with threats of contacting the authorities over your mistake, I'd be reporting you to AirBNB for harassment and I would make it quite clear if you set foot on my property, you are trespassing.

[Fred13]

Our guests leave very valuable things all the time, and as long as they request our help in  a polite manner, we jump on it immediately and make sure it is found if it is there. And we do not leave it up to anyone else.

In fact, late the other night (10pm) a guest couldn't find their phone and may have left it at our shop, I drove there to find it and guest was relieved his $1100 phone with God knows what information was found. He could sleep then. Next day I send it out via a passing boat to the island. Silly of him yes, but when the 'game is afoot' it is no time for formalities.

[Huma0]

@Fred13 but what if it's a remote host, who can't physically go and search for it herself?

I think it also depends how much the host trusts the cleaning crew too, e.g. if it is the same people she's been using for years and she has absolute faith in them, versus a company that sends in different people all the time.

[Fred13]

Well that is our approach and mentality: that of others is of course different.

[Huma0]

@Fred13 

It's my mentality too, but I'm here at the listing, so it's easy enough for me!