Requests for refund

1

Help! I just had a guests leave and they are requesting $330 refund. They saw a mouse in the house. The house is a farmhouse in the country and as soon as I received the message from them I sent someone over to set a mouse trap. They caught it. What would you do?

2

Was percentage of the total fee is $330?
Also, Ken will point out the benefits of a refund shortly

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3

I would refund the one day not their entire stay. The mouse might have been there just that one day.

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4

Refund? Depends on %% of total rental—I’m probably thinking the same as @Barns

City people?!?! It was one mouse not Mickey Minnie and 12 children.

I grew up surrounded by pastures & hayfields. Even with the barn-cats keeping patrol an occasional mouse would find its way into the house. Mousetrap. Capture. Problem solved promptly.

Expect them to leave a negative review regardless of refund. So why refund?

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5

$330 is half of her stay. Yes, it was one mouse. I guess it is true that she will leave a bad review anyway?? Exactly, city people??!!!?

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6

I would say NO REFUND (@Barns). WE as hosts never give refunds. if they want money back they must go to Airbnb and request the money. Tell them that Air handles all money matters and that refunds are out of your hands.

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7

Thank you all. It’s nice to have backup

8

Refund for a mouse in the country? Absolutely not.

And if it was the guests who insisted on murdering the poor little bugger in a trap, then I’d say so in the review.

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9

Here is what I said;

You declined to pay Maria

Hi Maria, I hope that you all had a safe trip home. Unfortunately, this is a reality of country life, fortunately we were able to take care of the mouse situation in a timely manner. Although this was uncomfortable and I understand that a mouse can be startling this is not a problem that warrants a refund, especially as you were able to stay for your full booking.

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10

Good for you. That’s a perfect reply, in my opinion. It’s ridiculous that people can’t cope with a mouse when they’re in the countryside.

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11

We had these installed. Neighbor burned a giant brush pile that had been accumulating for years and we got invaded as they fled. We have been closed ever since. Thankfully we found the evidence of the small infestation between guests and no guest was the wiser. We took aggressive measures with poison in locked outbuildings and had exclusion service done around the crawlspace and laundry vents. Next guests check in Sunday for 4 days. These stations are placed at the ingrss points outside will be emptied and rebaited by the exterminator every month with the scorpion eradication service.

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12

I remember reading an article in the late 90s, Germans were most likely to (attempt to) claim money back from holiday ‘disasters’, eg, they saw a lizard whilst walking in the woods.

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13

She involved airbnb now. We’ll see what happens…

14

I’ve got guests trying to get a refund because there were flies in the bushes on the drive as they arrived! It’s midsummer in the countryside.

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15

Arm yourself with their TOS.

The guest refund policy says they’re due a refund for a travel issue. Vermin is mentioned when they are present at the START of the booking.

(c at the start of the Guest’s booking, the Accommodation: (i) is not generally clean and sanitary (ii) contains safety or health hazards that would be reasonably expected to adversely affect the Guest’s stay at the Accommodation in Airbnb’s judgment, (iii) does not contain clean bedding and bathroom towels available for the Guest’s use, or (iv) has vermin or contains pets not disclosed in the Listing.

I’d send this to the agent. "The mouse was not present when we prepared the house for these guests. They stayed X days before raising an issue and it was dealt with immediately (within the 24 hours allowed under the guest refund policy).

This house is in the country and as such there is wildlife, which could have come in through an open door or window during the course of their stay. Per your own guest refund policy, vermin is only considered a travel issue if they were present at the start of the stay. If this was an issue meriting refund the guest should have cancelled or escalated the issue at the time the mouse was discovered."

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16

“Dear future guest: our home is in the country. You can anticipate flies, mice, mosquitoes, barn cats, and even a stray cow. This is part of our “close to nature” charm. We recognize that this may not be suitable for all guests.”

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17

nothing. if they escalate it with CS they will see you reacted immediately to solve the pb. they won’t punish you

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18

People can be nuts. One guest complained about a spider in the bushes OUTSIDE because her daughter was frightened…spider out of doors SMH.

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19

So the airbnb resolution center mostly agreed with me but said I should give her something so I gave her $75…thanks for all of your feedback it was so very helpful!

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20

I suppose a 12% discount is better than a 50% discount. Glad it wasn’t as much of a loss for you. Hope the review doesn’t hurt even more.