One of my recent guests checked out leaving some damage to the apartment. Due to Airbnb’s dumb policy of having such a short timeframe, I then filed a claim for the damages. Obviously if you’re trying to claim money then it’s highly unlikely they’re going to write you a good review.
Airbnb should either give you up to 14days (same as review timeline) so you can wait until the review process is over before filing a claim or disable the review process so the guest can’t take revenge of your claim. The whole process just now is going to deter hosts from making small claims.
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Bingo! That is in AirBNB’s best interests so I don’t expect this to change.
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Yes, it sucks and Air realizes it will deter hosts from making claims. And also hosts who need the entire turnover window to clean won’t be able to file a claim before “next guest checks in.”
It’s even more difficult for me because I manage mine’s remotely so will rely on my cleaners to quickly clean the place up and then report the damages to me so then I can file a claim. All within a 3 hour timeframe if my next guest arrives promptly!
I completely understand. There was another thread about this. And for people who manage remotely you might be in a work meeting or something when your cleaners send you a text. It’s not like the boss is going to say “oh excuse yourself gary from your presentation so you can file a claim on Airbnb.”
I clean by myself an entire home and need the complete turnaround time to clean. So either I can sit down and stop cleaning to file a claim and not be ready in time for new guests checking in. Or I honor my agreement with new guests (having the home ready by 4 p.m.) and just hope that the last guests will admit to damage and be willing to pay up.
Another thing too…who wants to file a claim and “accuse” a guest of damages before asking them about it? If something is missing I likely would first say “hey, just wondering if you happened to know where this and that might have been misplaced. I haven’t seen it.” - I’m not going to run and file a claim in case another member of the group happened to accidentally pack something up.
Remember if you need time to file claim you can contact AirBnb and have them cancel the next booking under Extenuating Circumstances.
Not following the logic here. So if you have someone checking in for let’s say a week (same day turnover) , why would you want to forfeit those funds for new guests, under extenuating circumstances and then “hope” Airbnb sides with you over a claim that is much less?
I would feel horrible cancelling on the new guests because I need to sit on hold with Airbnb and file a claim that isn’t guaranteed to be paid out. What I am missing here?
Airbnb also cannot cancel my next guests when they booked me through VRBO, Flipkey, Booking.com, etc. I need to honor those rental agreements. Will they happen to look at my calendar and see if it is synched with another site and know that new guests have checked in? Or are the “new” guests only Airbnb guests?
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Putting a claim in before the next guest only applies to a future AirBnb guest so you would have 14 days otherwise.
I would anticipate that there may be some flexibility if you need AirBnb to cancel because of their own policy.
The one time I put in a claim I received a glowing review from the guest.
I assume that Airbnb’s policy stating that hosts must report damage prior to the next guest checking in is to be sure that the correct guest is blamed.
I’ve had stuff go missing and get damaged and never filed a claim. I see the repairs / replacements as cost of doing business, and don’t have anything too precious where guests have access. I am fortunate that we haven’t had major damage in over 2 years hosting nearly full-time. I also take extra time to vet every guest now, repeating the less desirable aspects of our listing to them in the initial messaging and asking more questions about what is most important to them in their accommodations. Once I’m satisfied they understand what we offer and what my expectations are of them as guests, then I will accept them. During the few times we had minor damage, occasionally the guest will even admit to breaking something and apologize. So far it has only been small things (a key, a glass) that have been damaged.
Since I’ve never filed a claim, I didn’t realize it had this impact on the review process. I can’t say I’m surprised, based on my understanding of the way Airbnb typically operates, but it does seem like there’s a structural flaw in the system here. If I knew a host was taking a claim out against me I probably wouldn’t have very nice things to say.
Are you !00% positive though? I always assumed that but with calendar syncing I am not so sure. It’s obvious to me that Air’s intent is to dissuade damage claiims. I could easily see them saying “well we can see on your calendar you have a new guest from VRBO checking in so you can’t attribute any damage to the Air guest who checked out hours ago.”
Can only apply to AirBnB bookings, I also have direct bookings and block those days on the Air Calendar, they have no idea why and if I had a booking if anybody turned up. Very occasionally I will block out dates for personal reasons.
I assume they could see any notes you have made, not sure if that would come up straight away, but that would be all.
That’s an easy way out explanation for Airbnb. But let’s say I take time stamped photos right after guest checks out and need even more time to get the place together. That means I don’t have a minute to spare or the next guest checking in can claim that the place is not ready right at check in time. Then Airbnb can say they will rebook them. All around the host loses and Air is not dumb, they know this.
Back to back turnovers for whole homes and even some room rentals are very tight. Air is well aware an owner may walk in and find the shower is not working, the trash compactor is broken, etc. They know they don’t have time to sit on hold with Air.
So I can have all my evidence with photos prepared but then Air can say I didn’t “submit” it in time.
I too don’t sync calendars and just block out dates. But how do you know for 100% sure that employees do not look at the synced calendars that show which site the new guest is coming from?
You must inspect the applicable Covered Accommodation to determine whether there are any physical losses or damages to any Covered Property and notify Airbnb of such losses or damages within the earlier of (i) fourteen (14) days following the date of termination of the Responsible Guest’s booking of the applicable Covered Accommodation or (ii) the date by which the next subsequent booking of the same Covered Accommodation begins. You can notify Airbnb either by opening a claim in the Resolution Center or by contacting customer support directly.
And to answer your previous question about loss of income:
“Booking Income Loss” is the loss of booking income from the booked portion of a Covered Accommodation (according to bona fide Airbnb confirmed bookings, contracts or agreements in force prior to the established time of loss) by you, as a Host, resulting from a Covered Loss. Booking Income Loss does not include non-continuing charges and expenses or any loss of booking income during any period in which the Covered Accommodation would not have been tenantable for any reason other than a Covered Loss. The Booking Income Loss will be measured starting from the time of occurrence of the Covered Loss and ending when the Covered Accommodation can be made ready for habitation under the same or equivalent physical and operating conditions that existed prior to the damage.
So how does this say that only Airbnb guests are covered and not other guests they see synced on the calendar?
I have also read this. And I know Air rep’s don’t honor their own policies too. A long time ago I had a conversation with a rep. and it may have been before that policy was stated. Not sure. But I asked if a guest did so much damage that I could not honor my incoming guests…would Air make me whole? The guy replied that they would not but he will make a suggestion to Air to do so as he didn’t think it was right.
Wow, how did that come about??
It’s hard to imagine a review going ‘Absolutely great host, I had a great stay and was slapped with a claim’ !
I believe that time and date stamps can be manipulated. My view is that if you don’t have time to send a few photos to Airbnb with an email stating that there is a problem, more info to come later between guests you need a longer turnover window.
The Guarantee uses Guests, Responsible Guest and Guest Invitees.
“Responsible Guest” means the Guest who booked your Covered Accommodation for the period during which you incurred the Covered Losses.
Nowhere does it either mention other customers, friends whatever that you may have on your property.
As we all know AirBnB do not actually follow their wording so it is anybody’s guess what one of their employees would do, most of them do not seem to have read the Guarantee, I am reasonably certain I know how it would be viewed if it went to Arbitration.
Of course you would think that because you live with your guests. If your were an offsite owner who walked in to your property and it had been trashed…you would have a different outlook. And of course it makes no sense when my check in time is already 4, and check out time is 11 to make those times more guest unfriendly. Obviously I would lose business if I made checkout at 10 and check in at 5.
So instead I just take the risk and hope for the best that my guests will be honest if there is any real damage I need to claim for.