Airbnb Damage

[Azandme]

OH stayed in an Airbnb on Tuesday night. It had a shared bathroom with an over shower bath.

Yesterday morning he went for a shower, and slipped and fell, knocking the tap off the wall and getting a set of bruises in the process.

He immediately called the host and reported it.

He's now had a damage bill of £290.

If he has to pay it, he will. I'm a little bit 🤔 though.

OH said the bath was very slippery, no idea whether that was just how it is, or if it was from one of the people before him using products.

There was no bathmat or anti slip stickery things.

It just seems a bit much to pay £290 when the only reason the damage happened was because the bath was slippery, and he's bruised more than just his ego.

So, the question. AIBU to say he isn't liable as he wouldn't have slipped if the bath wasn't slippery?

Or should he just pay up, and count his bruises.

Airbnb site is impressively vague.

Would the host not have insurance to cover this sort of accident?

If there is no anti slip mechanism in the bath then they’re opening themselves up to personal injury claims I would think.

Yeah I would ask the host for photos of the damage for your insurers and then file a claim for host liability because there are certain requirements in rental properties including anti slip mats/surface

You would think so, but from what I can gather from the website and Google, the policy is to bill the guest first and only have insurance in case the guest refuses to pay.

No way would I pay it. I'd actually message them back and tell them you plan to put a claim in for his injuries since they didn't put a non slip mat in the bath.

Hate to even say this but personal injury against the host as the shower sounds unsafe. You happy to drop that they drop their claim for damage. Insurance I think in this case

He injured himself on their property, on an extremely slippery bath, for which there was no warning or attempt to mitigate (for example, with a bath mat). I’d be tempted to suggest that they might want to consider paying for the tap themselves and your DH won’t look to take that any further.

I am never one to suggest personal injury claims but in this case I would seriously consider it. The host has done nothing to reduce the risk of slipping and they and you are lucky your husband isn't in hospital with a fractured skull. The cost of this is unreasonable especially because it was caused by an accident through normal use. It's not like your husband was drunk or swinging from the taps or something stupid.

I would contact them to say you are seeking legal advice regarding a personal injury claim based on the fact there was nothing in place to reduce risk of slipping and as a result won't be paying the £290.