Sounds a little tedious at first but worth it. Thanks for the suggestion! It helps to clarify the expectations for your guests and lets them know they’re accountable for how they treat your property. I’m going to do this next time!
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I have an inventory in my guest book but don’t make them sign. It’s basically there so that they will kinow I keep track of what is in the apartment. If you made your Air guests do this, I am sure you would hear about it in a review. 
In a way it is similar to the check list that the care rental company makes you do… walk around the car and list all the existing dings and dents, if any, before driving away.
I wanted to tag along onto this question instead of making a new one.
I’ve been renting for about a year now, and have had really good guests. I’ve had a few things broken here and there, glass items that fall and break. It’s expected, from time to time, and I don’t charge for that sort of thing. Sometimes a guest will just leave $20 if they broke something, and in that case I just use the $ to replace the thing.
However, a guest’s dog just ruined a $100 rug (chewed it). They were super nice about it, took pictures and texted them to us, they feel really bad, etc… they just checked out. I don’t currently charge a deposit. So should I chalk this up to “I guess I should have asked for a deposit” and just replace the rug myself, or do I actually ask airbnb to help me recover the cost? This feels like a grey area, I’m not sure what’s the norm. The guest did not include a “let me know how I can pay for the damage”, just a “I’m so sorry our dog did this”.
Advice or thoughts?
~B
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I think you should request the funds to replace that rug.
Agree. Take that to resolution and if you are lucky enough to have them side with you, chalk it up to experience and add a security deposit NOW.
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I’d ask for them to pay for the rug. If it’s an old rug I don’t think they should pay the full $100 but a pro-rated amount.
I had a guest ruin a mattress. I don’t charge a security deposit. I sent a claim. The guest agreed and I was paid, no fuss no muss. It sounds like it will be the same for you.
Why should Air pick up the guest responsibility for your damages? It behooves all of us to charge a deposit.
Airbnb didn’t pay. The guest paid.
Yes, it’s seeming like that’s the thing to do. It was a new rug. I may ask for just a part of the cost, and I will cover the rest. I’ve had a lot of dogs in the house, no chewers until this. I guess it’s time to add a security deposit.
Thanks for all the great advice - I’m so glad this forum exists!
~B
When the guest ruined my relatively new mattress, I requested the entire cost of the mattress. I included a link to Tuft & Needle’s website to verify the amount I was asking for.
But what if the guest had denied? Then Air would have to pay. That’s usually what happens.
If the guest denied that they did the damage and I couldn’t prove that they did, Airbnb wouldn’t use their security deposit.
What? Yes they do. They mediate in those cases and take a look at the evidence and make a decision. They did with my guest who broke my table. They used her deposit first and made up the difference with Host Guarantee. Mind you this was in February 2015 so things might have changed since then.
I’m not sure why you would have to eat part of this damage. If anything, we should ask for more to cover our time and energy working with it.
Ask for the entire amount - they damaged the entire rug
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