Imposing of penalty for minor issue

[Lekh-Chand0]

I want to discuss a minor issue of cleanliness raised by my guest.My property was booked by ** from 11 February 2023 to 13 February 2023 vide reservation **.On 10 February 2023,I asked him to intimate his time of arrival but he didn't inform n suddenly landed up there at about 1315hrs on 11 February 2023.The house was opened n there was a slight odour due to lack of fresh air circulation as the house was closed for last two days.He immediately lodged a complaint with Airbnb n I got a email from ** that she is going to deduct INR 300 as penalty from my payout.I tried to convince but she n ** keet on asking for documentation to waive off penalty.As the odour was due to lack of fresh air circulation being house was closed for two days n situation was beyond my control.But these people without giving a thought kept on asking for documentary proof n deducted INR 300 from my payout.Sad but true example of being biased n incompetence.

**[Sensitive information removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Pat271]

Yes, I suppose that CS these days are prone to taking the easy way out. Much easier to throw a bone than to sit and argue with a guest. With no checks and balances, there’s no incentive to rule against guests. Is this just human nature, perhaps?

I wish that Airbnb weren’t so involved in policing our payouts, or any other occurrences that happen after booking, except in the most egregious, provable situations. Wouldn’t it be workable if Airbnb would just consider themselves a booking platform, and leave all subsequent issues for the host to sort out? This is the way any other type of rental works. Do property management companies withhold rent from an owner because a guest made a complaint? Do they withhold security deposit payments for damages if the guest says they didn’t do it? I don’t think so. Such decisions are left to the owner, the insurance companies, and the courts to decide.

[Lekh-Chand0]

Thanks a ton for your kind response.Ever grateful.

[James3448]

"Much easier to throw a bone than to sit and argue with a guest. With no checks and balances, there’s no incentive to rule against guests. Is this just human nature, perhaps?"

Not true. I've had a host file fake damage claims before and airbnb sided with them until I made a massive fuss about it and got them to drop it.

The host claimed I stole a £100 latex luxury pillow from the bedroom I was staying in. The advert from the room showed a cheap £5 pillow in it and not what she was claiming for. My photos before the left showed the same pillow from her advert on the bed. She gave airbnb some random invoice for a pillow she bought herself a year ago which was never in the room, and was trying to use it to scam money and they sided with her until I raised hell and pointed out she has several bad reviews one of which also mentioned fake damage claims

She also lied on her advert, and was living in the house when she originally told me she wasn't before I booked. She would also take dirty pots and pans and put them back in the kitchen cupboard without cleaning them covered in fat and grease

Customer service is lazy and will side with whoever complains first and doesn't seem to follow any sort of structured process for assessing evidence

[Helen744]

Lekh-Chando, its always a good idea to open up the house and check before people arrive, but having said that Idid once have the exact same problem. All the household smells would seem to gather just inside the door and try to get out as it was opened. It was very frustrating , eventually we changed all of our household cleaning products and it went away.Smells are not a reason to cancel or get money off , unless they are unbearable so no none can stay at all , so go get your money back, just not here. and do not post all those details about your booking here either. Good Luck . If the smell was so bad and did not dissipate then the guest should have left.Next time tell your guest that if they notice any smell after an hour to call and cancel and maybe Airbnb can find them somewhere else. ...H

[Lekh-Chand0]

Agreed... thanx for your kind advice...ever grateful madam.God bless!!!

[Sudsrung0]

@Lekh-Chand0 

We always clean as soon as any guest move out even if we have a couple of days spare I never leave it, and we always go to check before a guest arrives to check again, 

I had it last year were they cooked a full on breakfast before they checked out not only the apartment stink but also down the corridor and the next guest complained to me about it, fortunately he didn't complain to Airbnb we knew him as he was a previous guest.

@Helen744 I know exactly what it is, cooking in a closed house no extractor or at least open the windows, Here in Thailand most houses have 2 kitchens we have one outside were I cook Thai food if we were to cook inside we would not be able to get rid of the smell it would linger everywhere especially the curtains and furniture,  

[Lekh-Chand0]

. Namaste.Thanks for taking out time to share your views.Ever grateful.Stay bless!!

[Lekh-Chand0 · Accepted solution]

Thanx Airbnb for considering my case amicably n refunding my money deducted as penalty imposed on cleanliness issue.Ever grateful !!