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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...or is the airbnb host?

120 replies

raisinbranwhole · 20/04/2014 20:38

We've just got back from a two week break when we stayed in an airbnb flat. No real issues whilst we were there.

The host has sent through a payment demand for £250 (and given us a terrible review) stating that we left the flat 'filthy' and that the money is for extra cleaning (she's also claiming we stole towels and glasses which makes me furious).

We are a family of four (two under 4) and were there for two weeks so there was the usual dirt from that (toothpaste marks, crumbs in the fridge etc) but the flat was in no way 'filthy'. She claims that she does not expect to do anything more than a 'dust and a quick vacuum' when she gets the flat back. She does not pay a professional cleaning service (like all the other apartments we've used) but does it herself. She waited four days to return to the flat after we left.

We did a few quick cleans/wipe-ups whilst we were there but no deep cleaning: we wouldn't do this in a hotel and assumed that professional cleaners would be coming in before the next guests (and that we'd paid for this).

We're not sure how to respond to her demands: AIBU is refusing to pay for this? Is there any precedent/information on what airbnb expect? I can't find anything on their website - it's all related to hosts.

Thanks.

OP posts:
Scrounger · 20/04/2014 21:29

Does the place have any previous reviews that say / hint at problems reclaiming deposits or about cleaning? It may be that she is a bit over zealous in this and it has happened to previous occupants. £250 seems steep, further down the path she should substantiate this.

I wipe services, quick hoover / sweep and leave it looking 'orderly' but I hope that the place gets a proper clean before someone else comes in.

Original poster
raisinbranwhole · 20/04/2014 21:30

Thanks Pourquoi. We tidied up everything but didn't clean. So I guess she may well be angry with us, but it doesn't seem like there's any actual obligation on us to have properly cleaned the place before leaving.

It seems like our expectations were very different to hers and I'll know to check the next time what is expected.

OP posts:
jaynebxl · 20/04/2014 21:32

I wouldn't pay any extra until I had taken it up with the company.

Original poster
raisinbranwhole · 20/04/2014 21:35

She only has a few other reviews which are pretty positive. They talk about how clean the place was when they arrived (it wasn't spotless for us at all - we kept finding long dark hairs everywhere (presumably hers based on her hair colour)).

Our other reviews are very positive: nothing negative at all about how we left the place.

The £250 I think includes the cost of the 'stolen items' for which she can take a running jump.

God this is a real mess (no pun intended).

OP posts:
PrimalLass · 20/04/2014 21:35

There is no way I would be doing a full clean after being charged to stay somewhere for a few days.

FreshorangeforDd · 20/04/2014 21:38

Raisin was your rental in France by any chance? Several apartments and houses we have rented there have been very strict about cleaning and they inspected the property before we left and before returning our security deposit. However, it was made clear to us before our stay that this would be the case. It seemed the norm there, but the penalty for not doing so was more like £80 to £100, not £250!

PrimalLass · 20/04/2014 21:39

It says in the T&C:

Hosts have 48 hours from your checkout date to make a claim on the security deposit.

Didn't she take 4 days?

Original poster
raisinbranwhole · 20/04/2014 21:41

Primal - I think I love you. She did. We checked out Tuesday and got an email Friday.

Fresh - no. It was in the USA. What an end to a holiday though!!

OP posts:
TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 20/04/2014 21:45

Airbnb hosts usually add a cleaning fee (say £50) - didn't she have one?

Original poster
raisinbranwhole · 20/04/2014 22:01

No - no cleaning fee on the invoice. I think we must have assumed it was therefore covered in her basic fee. There was no mention of further costs in the blurb about the place.

OP posts:
PrimalLass · 22/04/2014 07:50

How did you get on?

Original poster
raisinbranwhole · 23/04/2014 01:16

She's agreed to a £50 payment. I think that our comment about how she wasn't technically entitled to anything really helped. She even apologised for accusing us of theft and said £50 was fine to 'put it behind us'.

So £50 more than we actually needed to pay, but probably worth it just to end it all. Thank you all for your advice: gave me much more confidence to respond to her!

OP posts:
FindoGask · 23/04/2014 05:41

"It seems like our expectations were very different to hers and I'll know to check the next time what is expected."

I was just about to say this very thing. I help to run a holiday rental accommodation business and have found that most people clean up after themselves to a pretty high standard, although obviously I need to do the proper deep cleaning between guests: I wouldn't expect anyone to clean behind the U-bend or polish every bit of soap scum off a shower door, etc! So I really notice when the odd person doesn't feel they should do that, and as most people are so conscientious, every overlooked thing sticks out like a sore thumb. But there's no obligation - it's a sort of tacit thing and it does sound like you both had different expectations.

Glad you got it sorted.

KepekCrumbs · 23/04/2014 06:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hairylegs47 · 23/04/2014 06:34

I hope she's changed her feedback, looks to me she posted first without checking properly. For example, you may have put the glasses in a different place than she was expecting. Ditto the towels.
When we leave a holiday rental, we always do the extra, like stripping the beds, washing the floors etc. kind of a 'Thank You' thing - daft I know as we've paid. My family think I'm a bit soft I don't even keep my house that clean

Hairylegs47 · 23/04/2014 06:36

Oh and Airbnb, never heard of it, but I'll be checking out for our next holiday Smile
TY muchly Thanks

TheRealAmandaClarke · 23/04/2014 09:42

What is airbnb?
Because I need to make sure I avoid it.

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 23/04/2014 09:54

People let out their own flats and houses; airbnb is the broker and payments processor. It's pretty good generally.

TheRealAmandaClarke · 23/04/2014 09:56

Ah" thanks doctrine
That host sounds hard work then.

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 23/04/2014 10:01

Yep, think the host has been a nightmare. She should have messages OP asking of she'd put the stuff away somewhere or taken it home by accident.

Thumbwitch · 23/04/2014 10:05

I don't really understand what she's charging you the £250 for anyway, if she's not using a professional cleaner. If she's doing it herself then it won't cost her anything like that!

Sounds like she's on the make here, if she's accusing you of stealing stuff you haven't taken as well though. Dodgy all round.

Thumbwitch · 23/04/2014 10:07

Ah, missed the update, forgot to check the second page!

Glad she's downgraded her demands, cheeky cow!

bragmatic · 23/04/2014 10:12

I used AirBnB and didn't clean up after myself - well, not a proper clean anyway. All dishes were put in the dishwasher and it was turned on. We stripped the beds but didn't wash the sheets. There may well have been toothpaste marks in the kids' bathroom, I don't know, I didn't check.

If that is the expectation, she should have spelled it out and left cleaning products for you to used.

ICanSmellSummerComing · 23/04/2014 10:25

Tooth paste marks or no, wouldn't you expect your HOST to actually spray some detergent round a sink and bathroom before new guests come in?

Op how long has she been doing it? many reviews you think are genuine etc....

what does her specific site instruction state?

" Dear so and so

I am sorry but I am going to contend your accusations against us, we have been using abrib for X years and stayed in x places with no problems. Our usual experience if for the host to do a deeper clean after we have left.

Your explicit instructions are to strip beds and put towels into basket which we did.

I am not paying £250 for someone to wipe tooth paste marks and sweep crumbs up.

There is no possibility or motivation for us to take your huge bath towels.
I am happy for this to go to abib to assess this case as we have a great past track record and we are confident they will not penalise us for leaving a few....crumbs.

yesnoyesnoyesno · 23/04/2014 10:32

If she can't be bothered to clean she should be getting someone in; it's not your job! You did as asked by stripping the bed.

We had the same thing with an airbnb person and we had actually cleaned and hoovered before we left too! Plus it was just two adults so we didn't get it dirty in the first place. I told her no and she gave up. Airbnb is turning risky like eBay with people trying it on.

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