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

I think the cleaner probably hoovered into it after you left.

This is why i no longer use airbnb. They will just take it off your debit card, the back won't help you either, it's a scam that airbnb allows.

Really, can they do that.

I wouldn't even offer £50 - you've done nothing wrong! A replacement table would cost less, if it's IKEA as it appears to be.

Tell them to take you to the small claims court, they'll soon back off

I would be asking how they think you’ve caused that damage? I wouldn’t even know how to make that happen if I was asked to do it!

I'd tell them that if they're really proposing to charge you that much to fix what looks like a cheap £10 table, you'll be reporting them to the police for fraud.

Water damage which in all fairness you could have done without knowing IKEA furniture is a bastard for this I put a set of drawers up and a bit of water spilt this happened within minutes! Is it a dining table? Cos it looks like one of those lack tables that are like a fiver

Take to court for what?

That is damage over a long period of time. Left my 'metal' leg glass table outside and found tge legs were wooden 🙄 they've gone the same as your pics. I would challenge it and not pay. CFs

The small claims court = a civil court where disputes involving small sums of money are settled.

It’s water damage - my money is on an over-exuberant cleaner who’s been getting it doggy whilst mopping the floor.
I’d point that out and refuse to pay anything.

Obviously I know that but what would the OP be taking the host to court for?

You can't take someone to court for asking you to pay for something you didn't do. Clearly the host could take the OP to the small claims court if they are in the UK but what claim does the OP have?

I think you misread the comment - it says "tell them to take you to the small claims court"

The image of a cleaner getting it doggy whilst they mopped made me chuckle.
Plus my predictive text changed doggy to soggy...

We had one of these sorts of tables years ago on a tiled floor, and over time, cleaning the hard floor with chemicals and it getting wet, this is exactly what happened! This is not damage from a one off incident, this will be something that has happened over an extended period of time, probably from cleaning the floor regularly between guests. You can see where the laminated coating on the table leg, is peeling due to water damage, which wouldn't happen after a one off spilt drink or similar anyway. This has happened over time. I would point blank refuse to pay it. They could well pull this stunt after every guest leaves. Also, those tables are literally £35. Don't pay OP,

No one said the OP had a claim. The advice to the OP was:

"Tell them [the hosts] to take you [the OP] to the small claims court, they'll soon back off" (my italics and insertions).

Oops! Soggy obvs 😂

That is DEFINITELY water damage that's caused it to puff up (have had this with two if those type tables) and it won't have happened overnight. Also, the table would cost less than £20 to replace.
Withdraw your goodwill gesture and tell them to fuck off.

Im I would be telling them where to go and leaving a poor review .
They are just trying it on

Yup

That's quite obviously long term damage. Damage like that doesn't occur overnight.

I'm surprised it wasn't rejected just from the picture!!

I wouldn't offer £50.00 even. The cost of replacing the table, for a brand new one, would be far less.

Absolute fucking chancers!

1. It is a table that cost £10-£20
2. That damage is cause by water sitting on the floor - prob whist cleaning it
3. WTF???!?!! £179!!!

I would very firmly refuse and state I am very happy to go to court. This is why we would never use AIR B&B. When DD was 3 she managed to break a TV in a Marriott by freak accident. We assumed we would pay for it but they wouldn't hear of it and actually apologised that we were left without a TV for the night and gave DD a free ice cream because she was upset she'd broken it! Air B&B is incredibly scammy these days, avoid.

Can you cancel your debit/ credit
card and get a new one? Just to make sure they can't automatically charge your card.