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.

Ask to see the quote OP

If you rent out your property to strangers it is a business and you need to have appropriate insurance.

I want to tell.you all the damage but I've outed myself on a thread before and now I feel reluctant to.

Could cleaning a spill (which must have been small enough for us not to notice, ie a small volume of liquid) cost £100????

I have wood floors and have never managed to stain them.

Ask to see the quote don't just pay it off imagine this a guest has damaged her property last year she has repaired it but she still has photos of the damage done last year she can send you those pictures demanding payment and it looks legit but unless she goes through them she can run this con on repeat and no-one is the wiser

@Yummypumpkin

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.

Told by who? Her, or Airbnb?

Where is the spill, and what liquid was spilled? Is it somewhere you sat with drinks that match the description?

You were there for one night and have no memory of an incident. I wouldn’t pay without some proof.

Thanks guys.

I was sitting in that area with liquid.

I definitely could not have spilt a large volume of liquid.

The stain would seam to measure about 6cm square and to be very light.

She is saying the entire area needs restaining.

I feel prepared to pay something as I was sat in that area with a drink and it is possible and probably unprovable on her part.

But I will ask for a quote. Is it unreasonable to ask that I send someone to quote?

£100 is also such an exact amount of money....

To be fair, I can well imagine that our wood floor would cost circa £100 to restain… we had quotes for fixing the damage the old owners have done moving out earlier this month and they’ve all been £100 - 400 for small areas. I have little knowledge of the type of floor that we have or why it seems to damage so easily, though!

And we were advised that a wider area than the stain would need to be restained, or the stain would be visible - it needs “blending”.

It all seems a bit of a con to me; I love the floors but I think we’re going to swap for something lower maintenance!

Is it Airbnb who have advised you to pay?

Honestly, unless you were drinking paint stripper i think this is bollocks!!

What’s the host’s score/reviews like?

Is it Airbnb who have said you have to pay?

Hmm what were you drinking that would have stained a wooden floor? Was it vodka or something?

@takeyourfinalposition thank you! I really like people that give me the other perspective! So that is very factual.

It is airbandb who said we violated terms and must pay however there is no quote or detail and they're saying I should discuss with the owner.

A lesson learned I guess....

You have all been super

They have only 6 reviews, but they are positive

We once reported badly a draining shower/ toilet and sink. We booked for the week and were only a couple of days in. We were told it was our fault and that they'd look into what we should pay once they got it fixed. We were irritated as, like you, any damage we might have caused to the drains was not something we were aware of. Thankfully it turned out an item was blocking the drains that clearly wasn't ours. Owner apologised and said they could tell from the item that it was the previous guest, we enjoyed the rest of our stay.
You can't prove you didn't do it, but similarly, can she prove you did?

They're probably fairly new to hosting and a bit precious about the place. I run an Airbnb and haven't ever requested damage money, most things are mistakes and wear and tear. It's upsetting, but I've learned to view it as part of the running costs. In the last year I've had a microwave destroyed through misuse, furniture damaged by drinks/astringent beauty products, super glue on a rug, front door handle pulled off, oven door damaged, ink stains on leather sofa and lots of other small damages. I can't always be sure which guests were responsible, so don't usually say anything. Your hosts is in for a shock if they think they can bill guests like that each time. I do wish people were more respectful and careful though! Most would deny or get nasty if I said anything, you sound gentle and easy going and it doesn't sound like major damage from what you say.

Sounds proper dodgy, I wouldn’t pay tbh.

I once stayed in a place for a few nights and the kettle didn’t work on the first morning, we just boiled water on the hob and told them when we checked out because it just wasn’t wasnt that big a deal & the owner tried to charge us £££ for a new kettle.

I wrote back explaining we’d not even used it, and if it was that expensive they should return it for a refund or get a new one out of what we’d paid for the stay, I never heard another word.

Air bnb say you violated terms? I thought they didn't contact you via them?

She won’t go through small claims without proof and not for £100!! You still have to prove loss and pay a court fee if you go to small claims.

AirBnb hosts (and I speak as one) have a certain responsibility to 'guest proof' their accommodation. A floor that needs restaining after a small spillage doesn't really sound very practical IMO.

Don’t pay, especially don’t pay without photographic proof of damage and an invoice.
It is wear and tear . Also people use Airbnb instead of hotel rooms so the hosts should expect a little west and tear.

I don't see how you can be asked to pay for something if you don't know what it is!

Have they sent you a photo of the damage? If so, right click on the image to look at the date and time in “properties” to check it ties in with the end of your booking.

So much good advice.

Sequins...that is spot on. I THINK this place was her mums (lots of mobility features about the place). I know it is a new let. I think she maybe in longer term should increase nightly rental fee to give her some buffer.

Love the broken kettle story!!

I guess I need to make an offer.

I'd hate a good natured person to feel aggrieved. I will make an offer whilst stating I cannot take responsibility.

I think with the airbandb they are just going route of least resistance. Its an impossible situation for them.

You really don’t need to make an offer. You can Just Say No.

Oh @somebodylikeyew that would demand me overcoming a lifetime of avoiding conflict! Though you are of course right.

I have emailed doing a shit attempt at negotiation and being reasonable.

I sent her photos to a couple of people in the trade who said this wasn't a trade job, and anyone could do a light sand.

I didn't mention this.

Isn't it weird...you read some threads thinking God why can't OP get a grip on something so minor...here I am, obsessing about a light stain, culpability, confrontation and commerce.

You do seem rather determined to roll over and have this unreasonable person think well of you!

Any chance you could see this as a chance for some new boundary setting practice??

Orrrrrr… actually, I think you scuffed my car last night. Send me five hundred quid immediately

If a spillage is so damaging that she wants £100, I think you would have noticed. It obviously wasn't just a couple of drops of something.

I would simply ignore her and tell her you'll see her in court (which she won't do because she has no evidence you did anything).