WWYD air b and b claiming damage

[Yummypumpkin]

We stayed for one night in an Air B and B. The owner wants £100 for damage they claim we made. We are unaware of it, though could have been responsible.

They want to resolve this without involving Air B and B.

Would you pay? Contact Air B and B (who i have booked around 100 stays with before without problem)?

Negotiation doesn't seem to be an option.

What's the damage?

Why don’t they want you to contact AirBnB? Sounds very dodgy

Definitely go through airbnb.

Have they given any evidence? Is it plausible you caused the damage?

Sounds like a scam to me. 100% contact Airbnb.

Surely, they are insured.

Do you have any photos of the damage? Is it something you could have done without noticing?

Without knowing the damage its impossible to tell.

Definitely go through air B&B. Why on earth wouldn’t you?

No I would not just pay.
Go through air b&b

@thisplaceisweird

It's AirBnB not Air B and B

Helpful

Go through airbnb

Thanks. I will ask her to go through Air B and B as I then can pay securely, if I take this route. The way she is implying it is in my interest not to has rung alarm bells.

It is the sort of damage one could make without noticing. She has sent a photo so the damage is real.

Not being aware of having made damage makes me feel we were not responsible (we are not clumsy or careless or drunk). It relates to a spillage. However I cannot say 100% that we did not spill something and not notice. If it were a smaller sum I would just pay but this is more than our entire accommodation bill was!

This is a common scam.

Don’t communicate with them outside of Airbnb, insist on only discussing the claim through Airbnb and I’d go as far as to contact Airbnb to let them know.

The fact they are trying to do it without Airbnb involved suggests this is something they do to all guest.

If they are genuine they won’t care about going through Airbnb.

Tell Airbnb they tried to get you to pay without going through the official process.

Tell Airbnb they tried to get you to pay without going through the official process

This.

This really won't necessarily be a scam. I am a host and it is very difficult when guests cause damage. My insurance excess is £250. So if a guest ruins my carpet or sofa I am still stuck with a £250 bill.

Get her to go through Air BnB. If you decline the official request for money there is nothing else the host can do. She can then try to make the claim from Air BnB through their host guarantee.

A few weeks ago my cooker was ruined by a guest- the whole thing had to be replaced as they had burned the hob out by melting plastic on top of it. They didn't inform us and the stress it caused was horrendous. We had guests coming in, so had to buy a portable hob urgently. Then the new cooker was delivered at 7am, severely inconveniencing the next guests who were understandably annoyed, so I had to compensate them. Sometimes the knock on effects of damage in the property are worse than the damage itself.

@thisplaceisweird

It's AirBnB not Air B and B

Well actually it's Airbnb not AirBnB if you look at their website.

Thanks. Have contacted them. Have also contacted owner through app asking her to keep communication through the app and that I'll wait to see what advised and will co-operate

@movinghouseatlast

I can see this. I'd be happy to pay something but I've seen no quote or invoice and do find it difficult to thing we spilled something without noticing. I think if she'd been less keen to contact me outside of the app, less keen for me to pay her privately etc then I might feel differently.

If it is through the app then the host has to provide an estimate of how much the damage will cost to repair in the first instance. As I said, you don't have to pay it. There is nothing she can do if you refuse to pay.

If she did this to every guest then this would be reflected in her reviews. Until very recently claims for damages had to be put in before the next guest checks in on the app. This was logistically pretty difficult to do. It could be she doesn't realise the rule on this changed less than a fortnight ago.

We have been told to make the payment. No invoice. No proof.

I am guessing if we don't she will.pursue through small claims.

I've been told to pay her directly so guessing PayPal is the best option.

I've left a one star review as this stinks but feel bullied into paying.

Keep any communication through the Airbnb app.

I have really done with air bnb. To my mind it is a massive pain in the ass. Cleaning charges etc and a weird professional but not professional way of dealing with stuff.

Don’t pay until you see a quote for repairs. There’s no way she would pursue £100 in the small claims court, no proof of damage or cost.

Thanks @Bichette.

I genuinely feel aggrieved. It was a dreadful weekend anyway due to the storm (not the owners fault of course).

At the same time I am doubting myself...

I'm also worried she is going to then demand more