Guest Smoked, Disabled Smoke Alarm, Burns, Butts & Ashes

[rmorell]

Hey Fellow Airhosts,
After a guest checked out, I arrived to take care of housekeeping duties. Quickly I discovered a disabled fire alarm, several drinking glasses with ashes in bottom, multiple cigarette butts along with ash and residue in the trash container, ashes on stove and kitchen counter, and what appears to be cigarette burns (and deep scratches) on the dining table.

Of course as soon as I realized what I was witnessing I stopped everything and began taking pictures as evidence. Most of the pictures I took before I touched anything. I tried to get multiple angles and make use of flash, zoom and manual focus. The only objects I moved around were in the trash container, so I could document and photograph what was beneath the recently discarded trash on top.

I’m worried that since the guest has checked out I may have somehow invalidated a potential claim by spending so much time gathering evidence and taking photos.

Now I realize that, although no guest has a reservation in this listing today, the stated check-in time is 4:00 PM and has now passed. I need to get this apartment cleaned and ready for a booking that could happen at any time (Instant Book is enabled), but I worry I will ‘forget’ to document something and lose my claim before I have even made one!

Any quick advice would be appreciated!

[KKC]

@rmorell

I need to get this apartment cleaned and ready for a booking that could happen at any time (Instant Book is enabled)

Block today so no one can book.

[rmorell]

@KKC

Block today so no one can book.

I didn’t think of that, thank you!

[JJD]

@rmorell

I’m worried that since the guest has checked out I may have somehow invalidated a potential claim by spending so much time gathering evidence and taking photos.

Hosts now have 14 days after a guest checks out to make a damage claim. It is part of the winter release thing. You’re fine.

[rmorell]

Good! I’m curious to see how this claim will be received by the guest and how it will be handled by Airbnb. I’ll update as details emerge.

[mollimac]

@rmorell

several drinking glasses with ashes in bottom, multiple cigarette butts along with ash and residue in the trash container, ashes on stove and kitchen counter, and what appears to be cigarette burns (and deep scratches) on the dining table.

With all of this evidence of smoking, did the unit smell of cigarettes? This, in itself, could be a claim. Non smokers will smell cigarette smoke immediately, and it is a bear to get rid of…

[muddy]

Nope, Airbnb doesn’t accept the “smell” of cigarettes as a damage claim. You can’t prove a smell.

[rmorell]

@mollimac

With all of this evidence of smoking, did the unit smell of cigarettes? This, in itself, could be a claim. Non smokers will smell cigarette smoke immediately, and it is a bear to get rid of…

I immediately opened all windows overnight as a precaution, but initially I did not notice an obvious odor (thank goodness).

[iamahmbing]

Hi! I just got into a similar situation… may you please update on the reimbursement? How did Airbnb respond back to you? Thank you in advance

[jaquo]

@iamahmbing , The last post in this topic was a year ago.

I think that if anyone was going to update it, they would have done by now.

I’m archiving this. Feel free to start a new thread if you wish.