What to do with a horribly messy guest?

[Regan41]

I manage a condo association and we rent thru Airbnb. I got a reservation at 11:45 PM the night before and had a bad feeling for some reason about it but couldn’t decline. It was for one of our rooms that is really in need of cosmetic updates, but I clean them all personally so know it was spotless. 

Anyway, I got a noise complaint from another guest in a different unit during their stay at 1 AM saying they were playing music so loud the complex was shaking and they were running in and out of the building. I messaged them and apparently the noise quieted. 

He asked for an hour later than normal checkout because his friend was sick, which I accepted. When I checked on the unit after they left it was TRASHED. Towels and food everywhere, the tables and coffee tables had stuff spilled everywhere, the oven and range were absolutely coated with food, the sliding glass patio door was left wide open, and the whole place smelled of vomit. 

My question is, can I get compensated for this even if I do the cleaning? I am a few days away from making super host so I do not want him leaving a bad review (even though he really shouldn’t) for retaliation. It’s going to take me hours and hours to get this place clean again. What is the best way I should go about this if I can request money? 

[Linda108]

It would be wise for you to get all the details about filing a complaint in the Help Center since you are fairly new to Air BNB, but in summary, damage claims must be accommpanied by receipts for expenses.  Also, the guest must be contacted first to see if the guest will acknowledge responsibility.  The contact has to be before the next guest checks in.  So, in all likelihood, you will trigger a negative review and given that you do not have a receipt for your extra time cleaning, your claim will not be supported.  

Perhaps your experience will suggest ways to vet guests that have a higher likelihood of problems, for example, no same day booking and requirement of positive review from another hot.  

As to your review of the guest, which you can post up to 14 days after check out, include that you would not wish to host the guest again due to the inordinate additional time required to clean after a single night .  No other detail needed as your review audience is the host community.  

Sorry this happened to you, but lessons leared by this type of situation will be profitable in the long run.  Good luck making SH.

[Sarah977]

@Regan41  You can request money for extra cleaning, but only if you use a cleaning service that provides an official invoice.

I'm afraid you are going to have to let this one go. Give poor ratings and leave an honest review. But unless you get notified that the guest has left a review, wait until just before the end of the 14 day review period. If the guest sees you have left a review, they probably know it will be a bad one, and will leave a bad review themselves. 

You might think about setting advance notice to 1 or two days, rather than accepting last minute bookings. And if it's an Instant Book that gives you a bad feeling, you can cancel it, giving the reason that it makes you uncomfortable.

Never allow a booking to go ahead if you have misgivings.

[Emilia42]

@Regan41 Follow the advice of Linda and Sarah. Let this be a lesson that many last-minute guests do not have the best intentions. 

[Elena87]

@Regan41 

Unless you stay near big airport, 24hr railway station or ever popular highway stop over point, accepting one day bookings up to silly o clock in the evening is the equivalent of giving yourself a hospital pass.

I'd be inclined to prune back the booking cut off time, for peace of mind.