Being charged damages by air Bnb

[newlabelwriter]

A couple of weeks ago we received an email from air Bnb to say our host has asked for a payment of £229 for broken table leg (photo below). Spoke to my family and nobody had any recollection of any damage made, it was from what I recall a very basic ikea type table and an item we didn’t use for more than putting keys, wallet keys wallet on. Genuinely have no idea how the damage happened but obviously have no evidence of this.

Emailed the resolution centre who were looking into it and they replied saying we’d never had any complaints, positive feedback etc but I’ve just had an email asking me pay £179 for repair to the table. I’m really angry because a) to the best of my knowledge we didn’t damage the table b) the repair is a really simple fix and would cost nowhere near this amount to get it repaired. To me it looks like it could be existing heat / water damage from bubbling on paint (although I’m no expert) c) it’s just really annoying!

anyone else had any experience of this - not sure what to do next?

thank you

Have you gone back to the host and told them you didn't do it?

That’s a ridiculous amount even if you did damage the table!

I’d keep on questioning it and refuse to pay such an overblown amount anyway.

Wow! That’s long term water damage.

That looks like the end result of buying cheap furniture. It probably just split on it's own...

Looks like general wear and tear from cheap furniture. Definitely wouldn’t pay that.

It does look like water damage. Is it a tiled floor? It’s possible some water or a drink was spilt and the leg was sitting in it. Those cheap tables are really easy to damage.

Ask for a before you stayed photograph of the table , what evidence have they got it was you.

Aren't those tables about £10 in Ikea?!

Yes, I’ve contacted the host and gone via a mediator from
air Bnb and actually offered to pay £50 as a gesture of goodwill (whilst still being v clear we had no idea how the table was damaged).

We’d have noticed if there was a split drink or similar as the floors were tiled and we’d have gone flying 😉

Why didnt they claim it on their insurance

I also thought it looked like water damage. No way would I pay.

Looks like the IKEA lack range which are essentially cardboard with laminate over so very easy to damage. But also very cheap to replace?

You could ask to see the receipt from getting the table fixed/the replacement table.

To be honest, it looks more like wear and tear than damage; i.e. something that happened gradually over time.

No idea re insurance. I’ve gone back to air Bnb but nothing back yet. So pissed off.

The 'repair' will cost the price of a roll of sticky white tape.

But are they trying to charge you or are they keeping a deposit you paid ? If they're trying to charge you I'd just ignore them surely ?

I would want proof it was you who caused the damage to a cheap chipboard table before I paid anything and a reason why if its so expensive they didnt claim on their insurance.

If you haven't paid a deposit why wouldn't you just ignore them

Thats water damage. Not from one spilt drink. I would also be querying the amount... proof of purchase?

Unless they live in a country where you have to fly a plane to IKEA, and check the table in as extra luggage, and get three taxis both to, and from the airport - they are taking the proverbial.

That’s a £10 IKEA Lack side table. It’s made of dust and plastic.

That would hack me off. I would just refuse.

Was this in the UK

As many have said that looks like long term wear on tear on a cheap ikea laminated table. Certainly doesn't look like damage from one event. I couldn't even think what you would have done to do that sort of damage. That's the trouble with furnishing something like and air b and b with cheap furniture. We've had cheap ikea stuff like this for a temp measure and they do end up splitting for no reason other than just cheap materials. I wouldn't pay but the £50 goodwill gesture is kind of you x