Missing Items

[Jamie1457]

We are brand new to Airbnb. We have had 2 renters via this platform. I visited our property for the first time since both the guests have stayed. I noticed several items missing but not sure which guest took the items or how serious or reportable they are. They seem relatively minor but should I be concerned or report the issues? Is this part of just doing the short term rental business? What do you advise? Here are the issues below:

steak knife missing from our knife block

coffee cup missing (I saw the guest take it into their car from our video cameras on outside of home)

blanket missing

scatter rug missing 

round mark on my sofa-not a stain but maybe a burn?? Looks like the perfect round size of a sauce pot from the kitchen-maybe sat something hot on sofa? 

[Alex]

Hi @Jamie1457, 

I'm so sorry that this happened. As your first time hosting, it was probably not nice to have this situation and I want to let you know that the Community is here to support you. Have you contacted costumer support? This is the link for you to contact them: Contact Airbnb customer service for help. 

Best,

Alex

[Greystone0]

Hi @Jamie1457 ,

I would say that 100% of our AIrBNB reservations have some version of this.  It's something small that isn't noticed between guests - or maybe we did notice and have decided it's the cost of doing business.

Here's some thoughts:

- I would say that in general, it's the cost of doing business. HOWEVER, I really hate this idea as I feel like this just normalizes this bad behaviour.  It makes me part of the problem now, if that makes sense. 

- we sometimes ask if the guests knows where the missing item is - and then it's disclosed that 'so-n-so' accidently took it.  

- we have learned to keep looking for missing items. Stuff sometimes pops up in weird places.

- in the case of some of these items from your list, it could be that the guest damaged or stained them and decided to remove or toss. 

- if you have passed the review stage you could always reach out to these guests and just ask if they know what happened to these missing items. 

- add some content in your materials about damage or staining - in our case we have some content in our guide book that if something is damaged or stained that we work hard to treat as we have a steam cleaner, carpet cleaners and the time to let something soak, so please leave for us to try and treat and let us know what caused the stain.

- in my opinion, this platform needs to do a much better job at clarifying with guests what type of behaviour is acceptable at a short term rental. Taking or removing items is never acceptable, regardless of value.  Damaging furniture is never acceptable.

- on our end we are now taking a full video of each floor of our home. We have an AIRBNB check in today and this was done on anticipation of this incoming guest.

- and some of this should have been noticed by your cleaning crew, I think.  Do you ask for your crew to contact you with a follow up after each guest? On our end we text back and forth while our cleaner is in the house. She texts photos of problem or something odd she encountered. Stuff still goes unnoticed and when I arrive I realize stuff is missing. We have a large property and it is really hard to keep track of all the things, everywhere, all the time.

Just some thoughts.