Damaged bleached towels

Answered!
Jessica2477
Level 2
Cabarita Beach, Australia

Damaged bleached towels

 

Had a guest recently check out. She sent me a really apologetic message. Said her husband got a nose bleed. So they tried to bleach the sheets and in the process bleached the blue bath towels

 

She’s offered to pay for them directly into my bank account. Just curious because I’m a new host. I’ve never had to put an air cover claim in. Is it hard work? Or should I just get the guest to put the towel cost into my bank account?

1 Best Answer
Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Jessica2477 

 

Jessica, If you and the guest have come to an agreed financial settlement that the both of you are comfortable with, just hit the 'Send or Request money' tab which you will find in the message stream with this guest, put in the agreed amount, click 'submit' and Airbnb will take care of it from there.

 

Unfortunately in many of these damage claim instances it is not as clear as that! If the guest decides on reflection not to accept the amount you are claiming, your claim will go to adjudication and the Resolution Centre will become involved.

I have never lodged a damage claim with the Airbnb Resolution centre. You need to understand it is the duty of the Resolution centre to minimise Airbnb and it's guests exposure to damage claims. There is a complicated claim procedure that you have to abide by........to the letter! They will require documentary evidence and conclusive proof linking this particular guest to the claim. And even if you can satisfy all those requirements the claim may be subject to wear and tear and the amount you receive could be as little as 10% of your claim amount!

 

If a guest is willing to admit to a damage issue and accept responsibility I will let the guest compensate me personally with an agreed amount without involving Airbnb. If the guest is not willing to compensate me, I don't take it any further, I just pull the required amount of money out of an account I have set aside for damages, put the problem right and get on with the business of hosting.

 

If the object of the claim in minimal I tell the guest not to worry about it.....accidents happen.

I had a guest come to me one morning all apologetic because she had broken a bowl  I supply eggs in for guests breakfast. I told her not to worry about it, the value of it was minimal and I had others I could replace it with. She said she felt terrible about it but I told her, please don't think about it any further, these things happen.

A week after she left a postal package arrived for me and inside that package was a replacement bowl and a $50 note.

IMG20190728132227.jpg

 

I shed a tear when I opened it, this woman (Roxy) had gone to so much trouble and expense to do the right thing that it made me feel terrible for not not just accepting a couple of dollars at the time.

I feel I am in Roxy's debt and the next time she wants to come and stay here you can bet there will be some 'special pricing' attached to the booking!  

 

Most guests are honest and want to do the right thing, involving Airbnb just muddies the waters!

 

Cheers.......Rob

View Best Answer in original post

8 Replies 8
Lenore22
Level 10
California, United States

Just do it through the platform. Buy the towels, take a photo of the receipt and if you have a photo of the damage. Request that amount through the resolution center. Should be easy peasy. 

Sudsrung0
Level 10
Rawai, Thailand

@Jessica2477 

 

It depends on you I have had both situations happen,

Most of the time the guest has paid me, the other week a guest ripped a sheet, he paid me for it.

I always think the least you get airbnb involved is better,

Jessica2477
Level 2
Cabarita Beach, Australia

@Lenore22 

 

Ok maybe I’ll try and lodge my first claim. Do I need receipts for the replacement towels before I start the claim. Who pays when I go through air cover. Airbnb or the guest?

@Jessica2477  Don't make a claim.  You can still use the platform to simply request funds from your guest. The guest has offered to pay- which is great and how responsible adults should act- so just have them either Venmo you or request funds. Don't file an AirCover claim. You've misunderstood what @Lenore22 said. 

Renee291
Level 7
Cincinnati, OH

Under that guest reservation details scroll down to support and select send or request money. Select request money, enter amount and attach pic of receipt. 

Before you can make an air claim, you have to try to collect from the guest.  Air claim is a last resort, you don't want to do that. Screenshot_20221030_085039.jpg

Lorna170
Level 10
Swannanoa, NC

@Jessica2477   The guest has agreed to pay.  NO NEED FOR AIRCOVER.  You can receive the funds through any means that you choose.

 

If the guest agrees that they will pay through AirBnB's Resolution Center, use that method.  Send a request for funds.

If the guest agrees that they will pay through a bank transfer like PayPal or Venmo, use that method.

 

Keep it simple.

@Lorna170 

 

Keep it simple I agree with you, also Airbnb might not pay you the full amount,

 

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Jessica2477 

 

Jessica, If you and the guest have come to an agreed financial settlement that the both of you are comfortable with, just hit the 'Send or Request money' tab which you will find in the message stream with this guest, put in the agreed amount, click 'submit' and Airbnb will take care of it from there.

 

Unfortunately in many of these damage claim instances it is not as clear as that! If the guest decides on reflection not to accept the amount you are claiming, your claim will go to adjudication and the Resolution Centre will become involved.

I have never lodged a damage claim with the Airbnb Resolution centre. You need to understand it is the duty of the Resolution centre to minimise Airbnb and it's guests exposure to damage claims. There is a complicated claim procedure that you have to abide by........to the letter! They will require documentary evidence and conclusive proof linking this particular guest to the claim. And even if you can satisfy all those requirements the claim may be subject to wear and tear and the amount you receive could be as little as 10% of your claim amount!

 

If a guest is willing to admit to a damage issue and accept responsibility I will let the guest compensate me personally with an agreed amount without involving Airbnb. If the guest is not willing to compensate me, I don't take it any further, I just pull the required amount of money out of an account I have set aside for damages, put the problem right and get on with the business of hosting.

 

If the object of the claim in minimal I tell the guest not to worry about it.....accidents happen.

I had a guest come to me one morning all apologetic because she had broken a bowl  I supply eggs in for guests breakfast. I told her not to worry about it, the value of it was minimal and I had others I could replace it with. She said she felt terrible about it but I told her, please don't think about it any further, these things happen.

A week after she left a postal package arrived for me and inside that package was a replacement bowl and a $50 note.

IMG20190728132227.jpg

 

I shed a tear when I opened it, this woman (Roxy) had gone to so much trouble and expense to do the right thing that it made me feel terrible for not not just accepting a couple of dollars at the time.

I feel I am in Roxy's debt and the next time she wants to come and stay here you can bet there will be some 'special pricing' attached to the booking!  

 

Most guests are honest and want to do the right thing, involving Airbnb just muddies the waters!

 

Cheers.......Rob