@Suzanne862 What a nightmare Suzanne, so sorry this happened to you. I have a few thoughts to share, mostly based on my professional experience as a landlord.
1. I believe long stays cause the most problems. I was actually lucky with a couple 30+ nights guests, but wised up fast and decided not to push my luck any more. My limit is now 21 nights, and nobody books that long.
With someone staying as long as your guest, you need a proper written lease, IMHO.
I switched to ABB in part because it's easier and more profitable than being a landlord. But you throw that away once you start offering housing situations that might be recognized as a leasehold by your municipality.
You might want to check that issue. Could you end up in landlord-tenant court in Wheat Ridge Colorado? Many cities have laws that say once a person is housed X number of days, they become tenants with a lease, even if there is nothing in writing. Leases do NOT have to be in writing unless the tenancy is a year. (Look it up--statute of frauds.)
In NYC you're a tenant after 14 days, in many other places it's 30 days. Call city hall and find out.
If you are intent on bookings of months, then I think you should start reading up on how landlords handle problem tenants--and more important, how landlords prevent problem tenants in the first place. And probably use a different platform for bookings, such as SabbaticalHomes.com , so you can use LeaseRunner.com or similar to properly screen your tenants.
In my opinion ABB does NOT offer landlords enough screening opportunity. Tenants have rights everywhere that hotel guests do not have.
You were too accommodating to her in the beginning, and you kept offering to deep clean, other concessions, even after you had already taken remediation. Landlords know that if you let tenants push you around too much, you will have nothing but trouble down the road. You can and should be accommodating but you have to draw the line at stupid stuff.
2. Her reservation is Feb. 6 - April 22. She is leaving March 11, do I understand this correctly? In my opinion you owe her a refund from March 12 through April 22. Of course you do. You don't have a written lease. Be glad she is leaving.
3. Garage door damage. Does husband admit he backed into the garage door? If so isn't this what ABB financial compensation is for? I've only been ABB hosting since Nov 2021 but I would pursue it through ABB for sure. I also have STR insurance that should cover the door. I hope you have photos or other evidence.
The garage door issue is completely separate from the checking out early, loss of income issue. I would not mix them up.
4. The water heater replacement bothers me. If it was a tank heater 10-15 years old, it was due for replacement anyway. But I sure hope there is more to the story. To replace a water heater because a tenant says the water smells funny, and for no other reason? Really? Did the plumber also say it was time to get rid of the water heater?
5. The 911 call about a gas leak. Did the fire fighter employ a sniffer or wand device that detects natural gas? If not I would have followed up with a plumber using such a device. I can smell natural gas skunk when others cannot, I have proven this. Even small gas leaks are never good to have.
Hope this is helpful! This is the kind of stuff I turned to ABB to avoid.
