Airbnb Host Requesting Damages (Result Update)

bujin

Hi All. Just some clarity needed for a problem that has cropped up. My daughter had a hen do arranged for her by her maid of honour(MOH) and they stayed for the weekend at an airbnb. The MOH messaged the owner telling her that the group of 12 was a hen do and that they'd be hosting the vast majority of the hen in the house and gardens. They also said they wished to decorate the kitchen with some decorations and the owner stated this would be fine. So that's what they did. They didn't use blu tak cos they know how that can go, but they noticed on taking the decs down afterwards that these had left some sticky tape marks on two areas of the walls in the kitchen. On departure the MOH messaged the owner and sent two photos of the two areas where paint had come off as a result of the tape they had used and accepted the fault was theirs and offered to reimburse the owner for the repair.

In response the owner said she would get back to the MOH when she'd had a chance to assess the damge. The next thing is the owner messaged the MOH saying she was demanding £2,000!! in damages and sent several more photos of other supposed damage/marks she says happened at the time of the hen do. She stated that they used blu tak in the main living room too but according to the MOH and two other bridesmaids they only decorated the kitchen and used the living room as a living room, not a party room. So clealry there's a difference of opinion there.

I am wondering what will happen now, obviously the MOH is adamant they didn't cause this additional damage and the owner is adamant they did.  The MOH is currently off sick from work (after lets say an attack) and so money is very short for her and there's no way she can afford £2000! Also she's been told by someone that at present the current ruling on airbnb is that hosts are not allowed to accept parties, think this may be a hangover form covid but is still valid, (haven't checked that out so I don't know) and they suggested this could invalidate her claim anyway.

Can anyone clairify what the procedure is here and how, if airbnb get involved, they decide in a case of she said, he said.

DE_612183

I thought airbnb hosts had to take out a damage policy that covers this sort of thing and they claim off that - I don't think the party need to pay for anything?

although this is on the website:

Getting charged for damage - Airbnb Help Centre

TELLIT01

If the Airbnb owner didn't take a damage deposit and doesn't have insurance I would say it becomes their problem.  The MOH could offer a hundred quid or so to redecorate the kitchen, and emphasise the fact that they are not responsible for any other damage.  £2k certainly sounds like a try on.

bujin

Hi Both. Thank you for your responses. DE_612183 it's difficult, well we find it so to work out exactly what's what. So thanks for that link. I think looking at what we have found it would appear that something like chipped paint would come under wear and tear and not considered "damages" which is why she's saying she wants £2000.

Yes TELLIT01 this is why the MOH let her know immediately and said she was willing to offer a certain amount because she felt bad about the chipped paint so to be accused of things they hadn't done was very disappointing. They have until Sunday to respond, as they have been considering their position the owner has now come back and said  she hasn't actually had a proper quote she just picked £2000 out of the air. I'm wondering if they are trying it on and as the MOH didn't respond in the affirmative straight away re the £2000, she's going to lower that figure in the next email, anyway will be interesting to see what happens. I'll  be back I expect.

Upsidedownandaround

It sounds like they are trying it on at that price equally I wonder whether you are being given the full story.

Part of the issue may be because when they said it was fine to "decorate the kitchen with some decorations" they didn't expect that to mean they would be cellotaping things to the walls.

If thats all that was said I can understand why the host would be unhappy to find out thats what they meant and as a result they are going to have to redocorate at what is probably their busiest time of the year with high occupancy.

MalMonroe

According to info in the link provided by DE_612183, above, all claims are supposed to go through the AirBnB Resolution Centre. Has that happened? 

The host will have to prove whatever damage she says has been caused and provide an itemised list, she can't just pluck a figure out of the air. I can't believe she has admitted to doing just that!

She should have insurance for the property which covers all damage. I think she's definitely trying to pull a fast one here.

How and why is the MOH responsible for the whole bill?

Please read the information in this link - https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/767/how-the-resolution-centre-helps-you
and ask the MOH or someone else acting on her behalf to contact them.

Don't let this silly woman bully the poor MOH. Nobody has to pay her a bean. And she's not going to get a lot of business in the future if this is the way she handles things. 

P.S. The following link from this very site contains some really useful information about AirBnBs. 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/airbnb-hosting/

Ms_Chocaholic

I can only liken this to a landlord/tenant situation; if that were the case then the landlord cannot gain betterment.

https://www.propertymark.co.uk/professional-standards/consumer-guides/landlords/fair-wear-and-tear.html

Even if the host wished for the lounge to be re-painted, then surely they need to consider wear and tear, how long is it since it was decorated etc.

Vectis

'Nobody has to pay her a bean'...'I don't think the party need to pay for anything'

I can't believe some of the answers here with people saying that it's basically ok to damage a person's house (it's open to dispute how much damage there is) because the owner 'should have insurance to cover it'?

That's like saying it's ok to damage someone's car and then simply walk off because the owner of the car can claim on their insurance. Or, a more extreme example, if you wrecked a hotel room and expected the owners to say 'That's ok sir/madam. No need to worry, we'll simply claim on our insurance.'

To the OP, why not wait until an actual claim is made for damages and the amount known before looking for answers as to what to do? Then, and only then, will you know what is being claimed and for how much. At the moment everyone is guessing.

tightauldgit

bujin said:

Hi All. Just some clarity needed for a problem that has cropped up. My daughter had a hen do arranged for her by her maid of honour(MOH) and they stayed for the weekend at an airbnb. The MOH messaged the owner telling her that the group of 12 was a hen do and that they'd be hosting the vast majority of the hen in the house and gardens. They also said they wished to decorate the kitchen with some decorations and the owner stated this would be fine. So that's what they did. They didn't use blu tak cos they know how that can go, but they noticed on taking the decs down afterwards that these had left some sticky tape marks on two areas of the walls in the kitchen. On departure the MOH messaged the owner and sent two photos of the two areas where paint had come off as a result of the tape they had used and accepted the fault was theirs and offered to reimburse the owner for the repair.

In response the owner said she would get back to the MOH when she'd had a chance to assess the damge. The next thing is the owner messaged the MOH saying she was demanding £2,000!! in damages and sent several more photos of other supposed damage/marks she says happened at the time of the hen do. She stated that they used blu tak in the main living room too but according to the MOH and two other bridesmaids they only decorated the kitchen and used the living room as a living room, not a party room. So clealry there's a difference of opinion there.

I am wondering what will happen now, obviously the MOH is adamant they didn't cause this additional damage and the owner is adamant they did.  The MOH is currently off sick from work (after lets say an attack) and so money is very short for her and there's no way she can afford £2000! Also she's been told by someone that at present the current ruling on airbnb is that hosts are not allowed to accept parties, think this may be a hangover form covid but is still valid, (haven't checked that out so I don't know) and they suggested this could invalidate her claim anyway.

Can anyone clairify what the procedure is here and how, if airbnb get involved, they decide in a case of she said, he said.

I believe the host has to raise an actual claim via AirBNB for damages - has this been done or is it just messaging back and forth? 

If she declines and AirBNB get involved then they are going to look at the evidence and probably ask the host to provide receipts or quotes for the damage to be repaired. £2000 to fix a few tape marks on the wall doesn't sound reasonable at all. Equally I would imagine that it's the hosts responsibility to prove that the damage was caused by a guest so if it's he said she said then it might well be that the host loses out.

TELLIT01

Vectis said:

'Nobody has to pay her a bean'...'I don't think the party need to pay for anything'

I can't believe some of the answers here with people saying that it's basically ok to damage a person's house (it's open to dispute how much damage there is) because the owner 'should have insurance to cover it'?

That's like saying it's ok to damage someone's car and then simply walk off because the owner of the car can claim on their insurance. Or, a more extreme example, if you wrecked a hotel room and expected the owners to say 'That's ok sir/madam. No need to worry, we'll simply claim on our insurance.'

To the OP, why not wait until an actual claim is made for damages and the amount known before looking for answers as to what to do? Then, and only then, will you know what is being claimed and for how much. At the moment everyone is guessing.

If I had informed the owner of the damage I had done in one room and they came back trying to blame me for damage I know I didn't do, I would be telling the to take a hike too.  The OP's friend wasn't trying to get out of paying, but it does look like the owner is trying to take the proverbial.

bujin

Upsidedownandaround said:

It sounds like they are trying it on at that price equally I wonder whether you are being given the full story.

Part of the issue may be because when they said it was fine to "decorate the kitchen with some decorations" they didn't expect that to mean they would be cellotaping things to the walls.

If thats all that was said I can understand why the host would be unhappy to find out thats what they meant and as a result they are going to have to redocorate at what is probably their busiest time of the year with high occupancy.

Are you asking if the MOH and party have told me the truth? I can see why you'd think that but as the onwer has actually sent photos to airnbnb what damage there is, I don't have to have had the story from the MOH at all. But in any event I do believe them.

Yes of course cellotape was not a great idea and that's what they offered to pay for.  The MOH said it was Hen party and that they would be hanging some foil/Tinsel type curtains and banners and aske dif that was ok, that I feel, would have been a perfect opportunity for the host to direct them to"the manual" or state what they don't allow.

I do sympathise with the owner no one wants damage to a property, I think one of the problems too is this is a family home, the owner lives in the home with her husband and two children, so this is where things becoming a little difficult to say what was there before etc