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Original poster

Host charging me for damage.

27 replies

Etolise · 14/07/2023 15:02

Hello,

I frequently use booking.com. No issues in 10 years.

Last weekend, I stayed in cottage. All fine. Pleasant stay.

Today, I received a request for £149 damages for a hob Ive apparently "smashed".

I contacted Booking.com immediately and refused the charge. I also messaged the owner to check if the message was meant for me.

She is adamant it was me and that no one had been in since.

I know its my word against theirs, but I hand on heart know I didn't damage anything. Upon checkout, I made sure everything was clean and tidy. Checked everything and left the key on the side as instructed.

Technically, the property was left unlocked. The site had 2 cottages and another family were occupying the other. I also assume cleaners would come in.

Its also weird because I looked at available cottages in the same area and the one I stayed in was unavailable as fully booked. I liked the area so was considering another stay the night before I left. If no one has been in there, not sure why it was booked.

Not sure where I stand with this and am honestly shocked about the claim. In future, I will film/timestamp relevant areas of the accommodation when I check in and out as proof.

Is there anything I can do in the meantime? Has honestly put me off staying in places. Never considered anything like this before. 😩

OP posts:
Sunnydaysarentagiveneveninjuly · 14/07/2023 15:07

Did you even use the hob? Make sure they can't just take from your bank card...

Original poster
Etolise · 14/07/2023 15:14

Hey. No, I didn't use the hob at all. Ive checked to make sure I don't have my bank details stored. I usually use PayPal to pay.

OP posts:
Sunnydaysarentagiveneveninjuly · 14/07/2023 15:16

Have you receipts for meals out? Suggests to her she needs to offer up proof and then you then stop communicating..
She is a chancer..

Aquamarine1029 · 14/07/2023 15:16

You "smashed" a hob? I'd love to see pics of that.

porridgecake · 14/07/2023 15:17

This happened to me following a stay in an airbnb.
There was a bit of back and forth over a breakage in the bathroom.
It was the same situation re our word against theirs, but in the end it was established that it was the cleaner who had broken the item.
Now I take a video as we are leaving.

Movinghouseatlast · 14/07/2023 15:19

Booking.com can't/don't take money from you unless you have paid a damage deposit. It is just a request put by the owner through booking.com.

I advertise my cottage through booking .com

Movinghouseatlast · 14/07/2023 15:23

Aquamarine1029 · 14/07/2023 15:16

You "smashed" a hob? I'd love to see pics of that.

I actually did have a hob smashed by guests. They were drunk and put a plastic bag on the ceramic hob then a pan on top. The extreme high heat of the plastic smashed the hob. It cost £995 to replace as it was the whole cooker that had to be replaced. The guest offered to pay but I claimed on my insurance.

Why do you not believe a hob can be smashed?

rubyslippers · 14/07/2023 15:24

Aquamarine1029 · 14/07/2023 15:16

You "smashed" a hob? I'd love to see pics of that.

If it’s a glass induction hob they can be smashed

Quite easy to do if you drop something on it

Original poster
Etolise · 14/07/2023 16:17

Thanks for the advice so far. I went hiking that weekend, so did spend a long time outside. Only showered/slept at the property.

I ate Friday afternoon on the way. So no cooking there. I have receipts. Was too full to have anything in the evening.

Very early start Saturday morning. Had a meal on the way back in the afternoon. Also have receipts for that.

I didn't use the hob to cook at all. Made breakfast in the oven before I left and checked out an hour early and let the host know I was gone, so cleaning could start etc.

I'll leave a pic below of the hob from the website. Hopefully ok quality. Definitely did not intentionally or accidentally smash it. Didn't drop anything.

I have legal expenses on my home insurance. Just been speaking to a solicitor there. I have cover for representation if it goes that far. Don't want the hassle at all, but its the principal of the thing.

I have screenshots of the host asking me to leave the key inside the property - leaving it unlocked. No keysafe.

Will see what Booking say I guess. Urgh.

Host charging me for damage.
OP posts:
Sunnydaysarentagiveneveninjuly · 14/07/2023 16:21

Send her a hugely detailed itinerary of your trip. Include pics of receipts. Ask her when she thought you had chance to use her hob....

Original poster
Etolise · 14/07/2023 16:47

Sunnydaysarentagiveneveninjuly · 14/07/2023 16:21

Send her a hugely detailed itinerary of your trip. Include pics of receipts. Ask her when she thought you had chance to use her hob....

I just sent this. Had a message via Booking from the owner basically saying its my fault because I did it. 🙄

Host charging me for damage.
Host charging me for damage.
OP posts:
Sunnydaysarentagiveneveninjuly · 14/07/2023 17:02

Ask if she wants character references to back up your moral compass. Because she doesn't appear to bloody have one!
Unless they can prove you did it do not pay a penny op!

Sunnydaysarentagiveneveninjuly · 14/07/2023 17:06

Surely innocent until proven guilty means she needs to prove you did it. Not you proving you didn't? She has backed herself into a corner now. Personally I would honestly review your stay. And your host. Then block her..

Jongleterre · 14/07/2023 17:10

In hindsight always tKe photos and a video upon leaving.

Himawarigirl · 14/07/2023 17:10

We had something similar and always take photos when leaving a place now. Ask for evidence, if it was such dramatic damage the owner would surely have taken photos. If they have none then there is no basis on which to charge you. In our case the cleaner had come v late and struggled to deal with some bin issues that had built up, claimed it was our fault and that we had to cover private rubbish disposal so it was ready for the next guests. I pointed out that the newspapers at the top of the bin just under our single bag of rubbish were dated before our stay. Politely but firmly challenging it all resolved it. Hope you manage that too.

LotsOfThingsToThinkAbout · 14/07/2023 17:12

That's really annoying OP. I hope you get it sorted

OhComeOnFFS · 14/07/2023 17:17

I have a hob like that and my daughter smashed it when she opened a cupboard above it and took out a jar of peanut butter, which fell on the hob. It would take something with that level of force.

jannier · 14/07/2023 17:23

Don't the owners have insurance?

Ohmylordnotagain · 14/07/2023 17:27

Also if photos are produced of the smashed hob check date/time as presumably they would need to be from the day you left within a couple of hours to have any hope of 'proving' you did it.

crazeekat · 14/07/2023 17:28

has she sent you photograph of the damage?
don't pay her a single penny and make sure u leave negative feedback if she doesn't provide this

bigTillyMint · 14/07/2023 17:35

This happened to my DS and his gf. The host accused them of cracking a tile in the shower (pic showed small crack near the corner of one tile which they did not even notice and frankly could have been done before or after as it was not obvious. He was charging €500 for completely retiling the shower.

after many emails to Booking dot com, my DS stopped his bank card. Booking dot com then said they would pay the host.

stop your card!

Aquamarine1029 · 14/07/2023 17:36

Movinghouseatlast · 14/07/2023 15:23

I actually did have a hob smashed by guests. They were drunk and put a plastic bag on the ceramic hob then a pan on top. The extreme high heat of the plastic smashed the hob. It cost £995 to replace as it was the whole cooker that had to be replaced. The guest offered to pay but I claimed on my insurance.

Why do you not believe a hob can be smashed?

Show quote history

Where did I say I don't believe a hob can be smashed? That's right, I didn't.

Original poster
Etolise · 14/07/2023 18:07

Jongleterre · 14/07/2023 17:10

In hindsight always tKe photos and a video upon leaving.

Oh absolutely will from now on. I have obviously been too naive. I just go on the basis that I treat everything with respect. Gutted. Ive got a stay in August with a host Ive used 4 times before. Still going to film. Just not worth it!!

OP posts:
Movinghouseatlast · 14/07/2023 19:48

Aquamarine1029 · 14/07/2023 17:36

Where did I say I don't believe a hob can be smashed? That's right, I didn't.

Show quote history

Oh right. You seemed incredulous, interested to see a picture as if you didn't believe it.

Movinghouseatlast · 14/07/2023 19:55

Booking.com will not make you pay, they don't do that, it's in their t and c's. So don't worry about it.