My home is DESTROYED

[Milena517]

I am at awe and at a loss. My home has been absolutely trashed and destroyed. I have cat and dog piss and poop damage to the point everything has to be replaced. I had two assessments and they both said - must be replaced, furniture and all carpets. The place is hazardous. The TV was stabbed 13 times. Every nook and cranny has pee and poop in it. Sofa, recliner, pillows, comforters, everything and i mean EVERYTHING is saturated in piss. There is so much pee in here that your feet are wet when you walk throughout the house. I found drugs, it was smoked inside on top of everything. The dog was never taken out for the whole time they lived here, so imagine the stink and misery. The damages so far are over $14K. The support from AirBnb has been non existent. I got charged a cancellation fee for canceling on the future guests as the place is unlivable. I have sent numerous emails, photos, videos, invoices. It has been over a week and still no resolution. My home is vandalized and wrecked. Any advice and direction is greatly appreciated as I am at a loss...

[Joan2709]

@Milena517 

You should not be charged a cancellation fee due to guest damages forcing cancellations of future bookings while repairs take place:

Host Cancellation Policy

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2022

Valid cancellation reasons include:

• Circumstances beyond the Host’s control, such as major damage to a listing, emergency repairs (like a gas leak or a burst pipe), or serious personal illness that prevents hosting

You should definitely be reimbursed under Aircover Host Damage Protection for future guest reservations that had to be cancelled due to this guest causing so much damage, as well as reimbursed for the repairs that are required to the home:

Aircover – Host Damage Protection

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/279

What’s covered

Host damage protection covers you for:

• Damage to your home, furnishings, valuables, or belongings caused by guests (or their invitees)
• Damage to parked cars, boats, or other vehicles caused by guests (or their invitees)
• Extra cleaning costs required to remove stains left by guests (or their invitees) or pet accidents, smoke odor removal, or when required due to additional unapproved guests
• Income lost if you need to cancel confirmed Airbnb bookings due to damage caused by a guest (or their invitees)

Deadlines

Be sure to meet all the deadlines for reporting Damages and providing proof. You have 14days to start a damage claim and up to 30 days to submit receipts for reimbursement for both the damages/repairs, the amount of all the reservations that had to be cancelled and removal of the penalty for any reservations that had to be canceled. Don't miss any of these deadlines, or Airbnb will deny the claim. 

I would contact Airbnb again and quote the two help articles and the pertinent sections and provide all the documentation including photos/videos and receipts. I would ask for:

Reimbursement for all the damages

Reimbursement for the incorrect penalty for canceling a reservation

Reimbursement for all the reservations that had to be canceled while repairs took place

[Milena517]

Thank you! This is very helpful. I have done everything they have requested and then some more. I will utilize what you sent and hopefully I get some support. I have spent over $4k just on cleaning and the place is still not livable due to the cat piss that has penetrated into all the wood on the floor, all carpets and furnishings. This has been a nightmare and a terrible experience as a newbie Airbnb host. My summer is lost for renting... Thank you for the advice and support. I very much appreciate it!

[Francine311]

AirBNB’s Air Cover’s policy clearly states coverage for what has occurred.

I would start the arbitration process.  The link below takes you to the actual “Terms of Service”. Line #22 discusses the arbitration process and submitting a “Pre-Dispute Notice”.  You cannot sue them, due to the arbitration clause, but I would at least pay an attorney for one or two consults to review Airbnb’s terms, then advise you on exactly how to follow them.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2908

[Milena517]

Thank you! Yes, I am following up with a lawyer as well. All I am looking for is to have the damages and my losses to be reimbursed, I am not looking or asking for anything else, but for Airbnb to do what they say they do.

[Zheng49]

I am not really sure what happened can you elaborate?

I'm guessing this is a whole home rental, and were you aware the guest is coming with pets? Is it a pet friendly place?