What To Do If A Guest Causes Damage To Your Rental
BY MIKEL HUBBARD
FORMER HGTV PRODUCER | CO-FOUNDER, THE HOST CO |
OWNER, TIMES EIGHT PROPERTY & DESIGN
Running your own Airbnb business is exciting. But having unfamiliar people in your space who adore what you’ve created can also cause issues.
People mess up! Which means at some point, you are going to have damaged items to fix.
Start by talking to your guest
Accidents happen and a guest may not mention they broke something, but they’ll often fess up if you approach them. “Hope you had a great stay! The cleaner noticed the vase in the bedroom was broken after you left. Not a big deal! But the vase was $75 so I’m going to send over a payment request if that’s ok” One way the Host Co can help is you can put things like wine glasses or towels in your store so guests can buy the damaged items directly from you without having to go through Airbnb or even having to tell you.
Contact Airbnb
If your guest becomes difficult with resolving damage in your space, never forget to reach out to Airbnb support to have them aid in the issue. You can also leave them a review as other hosts will want to know if they are difficult to work with.
3. Ask for a deposit upon stay
Add a deposit feature when guests book with you that clearly states the repercussion for causing damage in your space. If they damage something in your Airbnb, as a last resort, the cost can come out of the deposit they put down.
Your best bet is not to freak out on the guest. Be rational and calm, even if it’s clear the guest was hoping you wouldn’t notice the damage they caused. Sometimes accidents happen, people get embarrassed to admit it or had no idea someone else in their party broke something. To keep your reviews positive and possibly a relationship for future stays, it is smart to remain patient and open-minded when resolving these issues.
Don’t forget to share this article with your fellow Airbnb hosts and let us know what you think about our tips by sending us a DM or tagging us on Instagram @thehostcompany
