Mid-Term Rental Issue - Insurance Relocation

[Josh Power]

Hi,

I typically rent my 3-bedroom property through a short-term rental platform, but I was recently contacted by an insurance relocation company looking to place a family in temporary housing while work is done on their home. I agreed to rent the place to them for two months off-platform, accepting the first month of rent right away. 

The family viewed the house, loved it, and requested that I install satellite TV and add it to the costs, which I did. However, within three days of moving in, one family member reported experiencing asthma issues and mentioned an unidentified smell. I checked the property but couldn’t detect anything unusual. I have previously had air quality testing done, and I have never received complaints from other guests.

The family decided to move out after just six days. They were very nice and told me that I shouldn’t return the month’s rent to their insurance company, considering it was an issue beyond my control. Their insurance has asked me to return the month's payment for the remaining days of their rental (Unfortunately, I did not have a cancellation agreement).

I am unsure how to handle this situation, especially since I couldn't fill the majority of the rental dates and had to offer discounts for the days I did manage to book. My main concern is maintaining a good relationship with the relocation company for potential future stays, as they were very understanding and realized it was due to asthma issues (I have not worked with the company before).

I would appreciate any thoughts on how you would proceed in this situation. I understand my error in not having a written cancellation policy and I will make sure to have one in the future.

Thank you in advance!