Yet another bad experience with a host...Pls help

Hey guys!
I travel a lot and because I am on a special diet when I must cook all my meals, I prefer using AirBnB instead of staying in hotels.
I have 100% positive comments on my profile and besides having problems last summer with a rude host, I have had nothing but amazing experience.
Well until last weekend. I found this beautiful penthouse for 3 nights at reasonable rate and booked it. I was greeted by a friendly young female and her boyfriend who did not bother even saying “hello”. I was told they are leaving for Easter vacation and to behave as the house were my own.
I am a hotel manager and I deal with nasty guests on daily basis so I never complain about petty stuff. Therefore, I decided not to complain about one small blanket instead of one big one or two (it was two of us) or not working wi-fi that I specifically asked about as I need to check my work emails twice a day.
Anyways, my boyfriend and I spent the 3 nights there and left the following behind

  • tied trash bag at a balcony as we could not find any trash cans
  • clean dishes in the dishwasher along with a wooden cutting board
  • clean kitchen and living room area
  • balcony floor dirty from coal ashes and oil drops from grilling as it started raining and did not stop even when we left

Now the host is complaining and asking for $800 in damages for

  • trash left behind
  • dirty balcony floor ( she send pictures of 3 stains - 2 inches large each)
  • broken cutting board ( supposed to be special wood that’s not allowed in dishwasher)
  • burned house shoes ( never even seen her house shoes)
  • missing espresso glass (dont know why it would be missing)
  • stained couch (cant see any stains on pictures)
  • egg on the floor (again, nothing on the picture)
  • swollen wooden flooring (again, nothing to see on pictures)
  • fuzzy balls from my house sock on the carpet

I tried to explain the host she left no cleaning products behind and it was quite hard to clean after myself with all the stores closed due to Easter holidays.
I offered my help to clean the balcony floor - drive 3 hours this weekend…clean and go back home. She refused.
I offered to pay for her cutting board as I did not know it was not allowed to put it in the dishwasher.
I apologized for my fuzzy socks but again, there was no vacuum cleaner.
I cant however accept such ugly accusations of staining her couch or damaging floor.

I take pride in being a good guest and actually keep in touch with some of my hosts. I clean after myself and I feel terrible for leaving the balcony floor dirty.

This whole case is going through resolution center and I am wondering how this works. I feel like I am being scammed and would hate for this to ruin my good reputation.

Thank you for any thoughts and input given

Just curious how much deposit and cleaning money you had to leave? Personally most of this sounds ridiculous to me but it is one side of the story but the damages seems to me way too excessive and I hope to see you post and let us know what the resolution says. Just dispute anything you feel is you should.

cleaning fee was included with airbnb cost and it was $40. There was no deposit required. No house rules or instructions. I listed everything she named. I asked her to send pictures of everything. The burned house shoes she mentioned have one little burn - to me it looks like a cigarette burn and we do not smoke.
It sounds like someone is in need of extra money to me.
Just one thing I forgot to mention is that she has no reviews so far. I should have known better :frowning:

Yes, the host sounds to be unreasonable to me. As a host, I am always delighted when guests leave the place in immaculate condition and most do. But I know that taking the rough with the smooth is part of the game. Complaining about things like fluff from your socks or egg on the floor is ridiculous.

I expect guests to respect the space and keep it in good condition but I don’t expect the place to be perfect when a guest has left. They are here to enjoy their vacation, not super clean. It seems to me that you were completely respectful. And how were you to know that the chopping board shouldn’t go in the dishwasher?

I suspect that she is a new host who expects everything to be left in tip-top condition after a guest stays. A nice idea but not reality! Maybe it’s not exactly a scam but I definitely think she has expectations that are too high and I really think that the resolution center will take the same view. Best of luck!

I know I should not worry but I never had anyone to accuse me of such and I am just wondering how the whole resolution center works. Let’s say the couch stains were there before I arrived but the host claims I made them, can they actually agree with her?

I wish she would have left some mop or broom out there for me to clean it properly.

I’ve never used the resolution center but from what I understand, you should be fine :slight_smile:

I think the resolution center will say the same. No way is anyone not to know that a cutting board should not be placed in the dishwasher unless it says so clearly.

As a guest you will be fine going through the resolution center :joy:

You were accused last time of staining a couch and leaving a candy wrapper, right?

If she had left cleaning products, what would you have cleaned? Do you have any idea why these 2 hosts believe that you stained their couches – could you have put your luggage on it because the wheels do leave black marks that can’t be removed.

The resolution centers always favor guests over hosts, so if it ends up being a she said/she said, then they will side with you. My advice is to cease all contact with the host. She is clearly insane and trying to extort you, thinking she can get away with it because of your good nature. You have already made it worse by offering to drive our of your way and help clean…it’s almost like admitting guilt. I would just ignore her. Air BnB will not hold you liable for any damages without proof. The only way she can really harm you is by leaving a bad review on your profile. Anyone who reads what she is complaining about will see that she is insane and will discredit her words. Then, just wait as it slides off the page while you continue to get rave reviews from other hosts.

I see it as she is a rookie (ignorant), OR a scammer, OR certifiably insane. Let AirBnB handle it. She has zero reviews, that makes THEM suspect, not you.

I learned from my last mistake and never put my luggage on a couch. I always leave it on bedroom floor. Ever since that last experience, I have stayed with maybe 20 different hosts and they all were great! I honestly wish I could post pictures on here to show you what she is talking about. It doesn’t look like a stain, it’s more of like a water map… When you spill something and it is wet before it dries.
To answer your question though… If she had left cleaning supplies I would have cleaned the balcony floor. I would have swept the ashes and clean the small oil drips. I would probably vacuum the little rug because I admit my socks leave those tiny fuzzy balls.

Thank you! I offered to clean the balcony as I am well aware I made the little mess and do not want a negative feedback because of it. But you are right, I am not going to respond anymore. I hope I didn’t make my case worse. Another lesson learned… Don’t rent from new hosts :frowning:

Everyone has their own standard of cleanliness. If you did not damage anything like she claimed, the rest is just cleaning, then you are fine. But she said you damaged the wooden floor. Can you comment on that?
All i can say, that the rest is a total nonsense. Even balcony floor. Its cleaning. If she charges cleaning fees that few drops on a floor should be cleaned without fuss.
some guests are messier than others, its just how some people are neater than others. It should be expected in this kind of job.Some host are messier than others. i had guests who ran away from very messy hosts to my house. I stayed in a houses as a guest full of roaches.
I have guests who have no common sense of cleaning beach sand from their feet before they enter the house. Most do, but some bring tons of sand, and its very hard to get rid of it even with vacuuming. what can we do, its part of the job. If they dont break anything, its good enough for me.

as far as the floor goes, she claims I dropped an egg and therefore, the floor is now swollen. There is completely nothing on the pictures. I really wish I could somehow post them on here.
I have been thinking about it the whole day as it really bothers me.
I am willing to pay for her Ikea cutting board even though she did not leave any instructions that I cannot put it in the dishwasher and I am willing to add maybe like extra 5 bucks for cleaning the balcony floor but other than that, I refuse any other accusations. Missing coffee cup, cigarette burn on her house shoe, damaged floor, stained couch, etc…all those are just a non-sense

Hey guys, not sure if this is gonna work but I uploaded the pictures on some hosting website if anyone is interested in viewing them.
http://postimg.org/gallery/es3fddz6/ce262d9c/

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I think you should leave a review expressing what happened - no cleaning products and unreasonable demands after the visit.

I have not had my chance yet. She went straight to resolution center and asking for lots of money

Katy, if she is trying to get 800$ out of you by using these pictures, she lost her case. No one can see anything on a floor. And few dirty spots on balcony? If it’s not burned floor then you are fine. How did she expect you to clean those spots without anything to clean them with. There was no broom? What was that cat something? I could not even understand what it was

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Those spots on balcony are only grease stains that dripped from the grill. Definitely not burned. There was a small closet that was locked and I think that is the place where she kept her cleaning products. The only thing she left out for me were tablets for dishwasher, one rag and dish soap. Nothing else! The cat thing is her house shoe. She claims I burned it. I had to zoom in real close and it looks like a cigarette burn to me. I don’t smoke and my boyfriend does not either.
This whole situation is just so frustrating. She sent me several messages today telling me she decided she wants me to come in and clean it. I have not responded yet. I just want the resolution center to work fast and make their decision.