Violation of House Rules by Airbnb Guest

Posted on August 28, 2019

Do not trust Airbnb, period. First, they take no security deposit from guests. Good luck recovering any damages from the guest. Second, if you don’t have receipts for damaged goods, forget about receiving any money for claims.

The reason why I’m here is that I woke up this morning to an Airbnb email that said I was removed from the platform as a host because of a complaint from a guest. The guest confirmed a reservation for two people only. My place can only accommodate a maximum of two people. I provided Airbnb with video evidence of three people in my listing in violation of Airbnb rules and my house rules. Airbnb policy if an unauthorized guest causes damage; they will not pay.

Anyway, Airbnb removed us with no appeal or reason and said the decision was final. You are not in control of your listing via Airbnb. We will use VRBO and Lodgify from this point forward. Also, I found out that Airbnb does not even take out the security deposit from the guest. Airbnb would re-run the guest’s credit card for any damage but the guest may keep the card maxed out – you will never get your money. VRBO and HomeAway are much more professional.

Guest Took Paintings and Nailed through them

Posted on April 13, 2019

I just came back home and found out that my guest, who is renting a “room in shared apartment” had climbed over my kitchen wall cabinets to reach a pair of paintings that I had put there, to take them into his room and proceeded to nail through them to affix them in his rented room.

I honestly just can’t quite wrap my head around how disrespectful just the idea of doing this is, yet actually proceeding with the actions without permission. Those paintings are sort of a family heirloom, as they were hand painted by my mother, many years ago.

Seriously, you might think that I should have not left “valuables” in the listing, but paintings are not something a guest might need to use. Additionally, I had put them far away for anyone to accidentally damage them. He must have used a chair and climbed up the kitchen countertop to reach them. There’s just no way to justify the actions. It is not even an accident.

He used a hammer and nails, and nailed through the paintings (they were not framed yet)… seriously, who does that? Even if he had installed them without damaging them, why would one think that he’s entitled to take your paintings and install them in their room? Or anywhere else?

I have to clarify that I was never contacted about the issue. Never asked for permission or anything. I noticed this casually, as the guest is out of town until the next day and he had left his bedroom door open, as I normally wouldn’t have looked in the occupied (rented) room (I wouldn’t have opened the door). Honestly I had not immediately noticed them missing from the kitchen, possibly as I just returned from a month-long trip overseas.

The pictures show the paintings as they originally were placed on top of the kitchen cabinets and the paintings as were found in the guest’s room. One had apparently already fallen down from where he nailed it, as I found it hidden behind the side table. I had to guess and search there, in order for me to find it.

Even though I feel insulted, violated and upset, I’m not even preoccupied about the actual damage, which although actually irreparable, technically, my mother might be able to repair them (which won’t make them as original, but still somewhat repairable, even by the actual original creator – just imagine if she had already passed).

I’m just really preoccupied about the amount of disrespect, entitlement and arrogance that was needed by the guest to conceive such an idea, and the outrage of actually carrying it out. I feel bad because it seems like the best thing to do in the future would be not to keep them there anymore, but I liked my beautiful paintings, in my beautiful kitchen.

I don’t want to think that it was my mistake for leaving them there. It’s like stripping me from my freedom of even having anything I care about around my house. How would I feel in my home if it would be furnished with things I don’t care about?

Don’t get me wrong, I am very easygoing with wear and tear, accidents and such. I still provide good quality things for my guests. I understand that things break and I mostly provide things that are replaceable. However, taking down paintings and nailing them in their room is just not something guests should be even thinking about doing.

Guest Breaks Furniture, Leaves Early, Demands Refund

Posted on August 28, 2016

My guest – let’s call him Jake – was supposed to stay from July 10 to July 18. Instead of staying for the entire trip, he had to take a flight back to the United States. He had to resolve an issue with his embassy after his passport got stolen. I was not notified of his change of plans. I repeat: I was not notified. My partner and I came back to find the toilet seat and the armchair broken (after warning Jake that the armchair was fragile). After attempting to reach my guest numerous times, he wrote me on July 18th (the day of his scheduled departure), stating: “Hi, I emailed you multiple times informing you that I left the apartment last Tuesday. I had to leave earlier based on the embassy’s guidelines. I left the keys in the mailbox as instructed.”

This was puzzling, because I had received no email, either through my personal account or through my Airbnb account. No message was sent to me between July 8th and July 18th. Had I been notified of his change of plans and had he asked for a refund in a timely manner, I would have done so. But, since he had to leave early due to unfortunate circumstances and since I didn’t ask for a security deposit initially, I decided to let the matter drop. Suddenly this former guest (over a month after the end of his reservation) messages me on August 25th, noting his “surprise” that I did not refund him for the days he did not stay. Also on August 25th, Jake began to complain about the supposed unacceptability of my Airbnb listing. However, the other guests who have stayed with me after him have been satisfied. Rather, this is a clumsy attempt to steal money using scare tactics and playing the victim.

So, on the whole:

1. The guest only notified me of his wish for a refund over a month after the fact, after not having followed any of the cancellation procedures during his reservation and having failed to contact me to inform me of his early departure.

2. We know that his allegations regarding the problems and presumed “dangerousness” of my listing are false, since other users have been satisfied. Rather, he is dishonestly claiming that the listing is unsuitable to justify a full refund.

3. This guest alleges to have not caused any damage when I have a dated photograph stating otherwise. He even claims to be offended, and has called me a liar numerous times. He is playing, simultaneously, the role of a victim and a bully.

4. He may have been dissatisfied, but considering that he didn’t cancel in time and that the damages he caused have cost 200 euros overall, I think this is a fair trade.

5. This guest is manipulative, vengeful, dishonest, and petty. He is hysterically implying that I broke host rules and that this justifies me refunding him for the entirety of his stay. He, and the obtuse labyrinth that is Airbnb customer service, is making me reconsider staying on as an Airbnb host. Airbnb hosts, beware of an overweight dark-haired guest in a penguin suit. He doesn’t know how to respect property and will use any manipulative tactic imaginable to bully a host into a refund.