My family and I hosted our home long term 43 days while we were traveling and renting another home somewhere else. We worked hard to get the booking and were good hosts to the guests. We put a strict cancellation policy in place because we were counting on the income in exchange for the reservation. Having this rental allowed us to afford taking the trip as it covered our rent while we were gone. Now we are looking at being $1700 in the hole because Airbnb is not paying us out for the rental.
Halfway through the trip/booking, the guest repeatedly broke house rules and ultimately had to be kicked out for flagrantly violating 4 house rules.
Short story of nightmare guest: We live in a big building with 24 apartments and thin walls in Brooklyn. We word our listing to avoid partiers and house rules are super clear on boundaries about partying. House rules prohibit: 1) playing music on our stereo above “level 9” (where can neighbors hear), 2) having ppl over after 10 on weeknights, and 3) smoking in the apartment. After the first party going until 4 am, we contacted ABNB, gave the guest a strongly worded warning, told him we would not tolerate a second time, and let it go. According to neighbors, he continued to have loud late night gatherings but they did not contact us the other nights. Then, multiple furious neighbors contacted us about a “rave” lasting until 4 am. We contacted ABNB again and told them we could not tolerate this, he had to go. They told me I was in my rights but that I had to call him and give him the news and a time to be out, which I did. I also managed getting him out (which is when I discovered the place reeked of cigarette smoke).
The day after he left, the ABNB rep said the guest had “escalated the case” until he got to a supervisor who “negotiated a settlement” with him that involved him only paying for the next two nights. Basically, they refunded his money for the remainder of the stay, despite our strict cancellation policy. When I asked how we would be paid out, they sent me a text message saying “my request to alter the dates of the booking had been granted” and that the booking had been shortened by 20 days. They told me they would only pay us out for that night and the following night. I told our Airbnb rep that I did not request an alteration to the booking and that I wanted to also “escalate the case to a supervisor” because our selected strict cancellation policy guaranteed us the income even in cases like this. The rep said a supervisor would get back to us.
So that was three days ago, no supervisor has contacted me and the case with my rep has been closed. Where do I go next?
I get that maybe it could seem unfair for this guy to pay for 20 days where he is not staying in the apartment, but that is why he should not have broken the rules the second time and forfeited his right to stay there. We held up our side of the contract and he did not hold up his. Why should my family be out $1700 because of his bad choices? We are not staying there and we can’t rent it out again (NYC 30 day min stay rules plus the late date), but we still have to pay the rent on it. We are looking at having to completely eat these expenses (not to mention come home to a place that smells like smoke).
The ultimate value to the host is that Airbnb services the contract between the two parties. If Airbnb does not uphold the contract when a guest defaults, what good is it?
I have read other threads that say essentially, “Airbnb decides and there is nothing you can do about it.” As a business person, that does not strike me as a good answer.
Anyone else have advice about how my family can go about getting paid on this contract?
Thanks