Anyone stay at an Airbnb and have a claim against you???

[Anonymous]

We just returned from a family vacation and stayed in an Airbnb ( have used the service several times with no issues). We received a claim the day we got home asking us for $500 for damage to a coffee table. We acknowledge one of our guests had their clothing snagged on the coffee table and knicked a piece of the wood. We take full responsibility and will pay. hOWEvER my problem is with the arbitrary amount of $500. The table looked like a piece of ikea crap (literally plywood under the veneer)and the host is claiming it is a $1700table. We called Airbnb and they said we could open an investigation and get them involved but they prefer guests and hosts to work it out directly. Again we will pay and I don't want to get into a pissing match w the host but what is a guests protection? What could stop them from asking us to pay $1700 for the table- how do we even know they didn't buy this thing at a flea market for $25??? Anyone else deal with something like this? It is making me seriously think twice about using Airbnb again as I feel guests have little to no recourse in situations like this. My husband wants to just pay it but is wrong to ask for a receipt for the table to verify cost?

[Anonymous]

Of course Air BnB said they prefer guests and hosts work it out. That way they don't have to spend labor costs looking in to it. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't ask them to get involved. $500 for a small knick in a coffee table seems excessive. Ask the company to do what they've taken the fees to do and get involved.

[Anonymous]

Did you pay a security deposit? Is the $500 in addition to the security deposit? Are you getting the deposit back or are they retaining it as part of the "damages"?

[Anonymous]

Wow that seems unrealistically high.

[Anonymous]

This is precisely why I won't do airbnb.

[Anonymous]

I would definitely ask for a receipt - and also I thought that Airbnb covered damages through an insurance policy. If it was a legit claim, wouldn't they have filed with the insurance company?

[Anonymous]

I would deal with the host directly and try some of the following:

Ask for a receipt for the purchase of the table.
If they don't have that, then a credit card receipt or record of the purchase.
If they don't have that, then the make and model of the table so you can look it up, or even "we bought it in 2007 from Pottery Barn" so you can find a comp.

They can't very well claim that they forget where they bought it, since they are so very sure it cost $1700, right?

You can then go back at them with the info you received, verify it or find something comprable, or call them out on their BS.
You can use the formula insurance companies use for subtracting a percentage of the original cost, like they do for example, when your bathtub from 1992 is destroyed in a flood and they are figuring out how to reimburse you.

I'm not one to just believe someone and hand over $500.
Ask for pictures of the table, receipts, store name, all that. If they are lying they may realize you're not just going to roll over and accept the $100 you offer them.

[Anonymous]

OP here.. The security deposit was $300 but they never charged us for it. I did look up tables and found an identical one at ikea for $300. Thanks for the input - I am definitely going to ask for receipt of the tables purchase. I also would think since you are renting out a home as a hotel ( they clearly didn't live at this house) then you would have imsurance for this type of thing as others mention

[Anonymous]

Honestly, the fact that your guest/friend actually did damage to an object in their home and they're not making this up makes me think you have nothing to complain about. You could ask for receipts if you're concerned about the quality of the piece, but you know where you stayed. Did it look like a place that would have a $25 piece of crap in the living room?

[Anonymous]

I would no way pay that without some documentation. I recently had a contractor break a piece of furniture in my home and in order to have them replace it, I had to:

1. Allow them to fix it first
2. Show them the receipt for how much I paid for it

They tried to repair it but it still wasn't ok so they offered me a depreciated amount for the piece which I said no to because it wouldn't pay for a replacement. They then agreed on a replacement but we had to agree on what exact item together.

I would offer to have it repaired for the owner, offer to send them the new ikea one you found maybe or ask for all the proof that the other posters suggested.

When you do pay, make your guest do it of they ruined it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.. The security deposit was $300 but they never charged us for it. I did look up tables and found an identical one at ikea for $300. Thanks for the input - I am definitely going to ask for receipt of the tables purchase. I also would think since you are renting out a home as a hotel ( they clearly didn't live at this house) then you would have imsurance for this type of thing as others mention

Tell them this and you will pay $300 plus tax for the replacement cost.

[Anonymous]

Does Airbnb do reviews?
Post a bad review about these owners.

I agree with a PP that I would NEVER pay for something like this without proof.

[Anonymous]

I honestly wouldn't have accepted responsibility or agreed to pay them a dime. A hotel wouldn't charge you for chips in furniture. It is a part of normal wear and tear to be expected from guests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is precisely why I won't do airbnb.

I don't understand the appeal either. Nothing about Air BnB seems relaxing or reassuring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is precisely why I won't do airbnb.

I don't understand the appeal either. Nothing about Air BnB seems relaxing or reassuring.

It is a potential cost saver when hotels are too pricey.