Handling theft & damages without getting bad reviews
Member since 2019 · 33 posts · 6 votes
Handling theft & damages without getting bad reviews
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Real Estate Agent · Colorado | stan.store/JamesCarlson · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
1yI'm not an Airbnb-hater like some -- I think the platform offers the broadest exposure to people who want an STR or MTR, and hosts avoid Airbnb at their peril -- but your question does speak to the inequity between guests and hosts on the platform.
Airbnb has made a strategic decision to give more weight to guests' happiness than to the hosts'. Because reviews so strongly inform your listing's search ranking, and because Airbnb makes disputing a review so onerous -- damn near impossible -- hosts are over a barrel and have to comply with sometimes absurd request from guests or, in your experience, just consent to outright theft of small items.
I'm not offering any answers. Just griping a bit.
19 Replies
- 1yAndrew SteffensBusiness MemberTampa, FL · Member since 2022 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
Hey Devin,
It is a fine line. 1-2 missing towels, cracked coffee pot, etc we are usually chalking up to a cost of doing business. I think it also depends on the cost of the unit - is it an efficiency at $50 a night or mansion at $1,500 a night. I mistakenly have taken home pool towels and never charged by hotels. If it is of a more egregious nature submit the claim to Airbnb. I think it also depends on the cost of the unit - is it an efficiency at $50 a night or mansion at $1,500 a night. It is possible to get a bad review taken down on ABNB for retaliation. Booking.com I have not had to make a claim yet luckily.
Good luck!
Vacation Rentals of Florida53 Reviews- Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes1y
Quote from @Andrew Steffens:
Hey Devin,
It is a fine line. 1-2 missing towels, cracked coffee pot, etc we are usually chalking up to a cost of doing business. I think it also depends on the cost of the unit - is it an efficiency at $50 a night or mansion at $1,500 a night. I mistakenly have taken home pool towels and never charged by hotels. If it is of a more egregious nature submit the claim to Airbnb. I think it also depends on the cost of the unit - is it an efficiency at $50 a night or mansion at $1,500 a night. It is possible to get a bad review taken down on ABNB for retaliation. Booking.com I have not had to make a claim yet luckily.
Good luck!
Hope you never have to with Booking, as they are completely worthless in that aspect. Partly I think because of being based overseas, and partly because they (like VRBO & AirBnB) just don't give a crap about hosts - we're just there as golden cows to be milked.
Skyline Properties
- 1yJohn UnderwoodPro MemberInvestor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
I never have these issues.
Just curious what size house do you have, what your price pint for a nightly booking, do you do 1 night bookings, what type of house and general location do you have?
- 1yMike GrudzienPro MemberLender · Eugene, OR · Member since 2019 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
1) generally I always report everything to Customer Service: get the incident reported into my account notes what occurred, when and how. Take pictures. Write your review.
2) yes, generally the price point by itself will segregate the demographics. If you have a $45/night apartment in a Class B location, well there's that clientele. My STR is $225/night, 2 night minimum and a $125 cleaning fee. With site fees and taxes it's around $650-700 to walk in the door. And I get that clientele. - Real Estate Agent · Colorado | stan.store/JamesCarlson · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes1y
I'm not an Airbnb-hater like some -- I think the platform offers the broadest exposure to people who want an STR or MTR, and hosts avoid Airbnb at their peril -- but your question does speak to the inequity between guests and hosts on the platform.
Airbnb has made a strategic decision to give more weight to guests' happiness than to the hosts'. Because reviews so strongly inform your listing's search ranking, and because Airbnb makes disputing a review so onerous -- damn near impossible -- hosts are over a barrel and have to comply with sometimes absurd request from guests or, in your experience, just consent to outright theft of small items.
I'm not offering any answers. Just griping a bit.
- 1yBruce WoodruffPro MemberContractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
Above responses are good. I'll just add this: do not be afraid to leave a 1 star review for a bad guest. Most guests just have a few (<5) reviews. So a 1 star will really hurt them. You should have 100+ reviews, so a 1 star retaliation review will not even be noticed once it's averaged in.
- 1yJay HinrichsBusiness MemberReal Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:
Above responses are good. I'll just add this: do not be afraid to leave a 1 star review for a bad guest. Most guests just have a few (<5) reviews. So a 1 star will really hurt them. You should have 100+ reviews, so a 1 star retaliation review will not even be noticed once it's averaged in.
I got a 1 star from a totally loony host. I would take that with a grain of salt as well.. I mean myself and my banker stayed there did not cook made no mess.. but I think they wanted us to strip the sheets and I did not do that.. nor will I.. place sucked.. they had the roku tV could not figure out how to work that.. and no instructions on how to get on the internet ( the code) etc etc.. just poorly run.. I dont know how to leave a review as a guest or how to even check the reviews. Being in RE all my life and dealing with all sorts of clients some great some wack jobs I dont trust reviews anyway.. I thought I would try HOsting I put our Columbia River front house up.. Had one guest one weekend and that was enough for us.. They called wanted this or that.. being a host is something folks have to be geared for I think its not really investing in real estate its buying a mini hotel business :) - Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes1y
Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:
Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:
Above responses are good. I'll just add this: do not be afraid to leave a 1 star review for a bad guest. Most guests just have a few (<5) reviews. So a 1 star will really hurt them. You should have 100+ reviews, so a 1 star retaliation review will not even be noticed once it's averaged in.
I got a 1 star from a totally loony host. I would take that with a grain of salt as well.. I mean myself and my banker stayed there did not cook made no mess.. but I think they wanted us to strip the sheets and I did not do that.. nor will I.. place sucked.. they had the roku tV could not figure out how to work that.. and no instructions on how to get on the internet ( the code) etc etc.. just poorly run.. I dont know how to leave a review as a guest or how to even check the reviews. Being in RE all my life and dealing with all sorts of clients some great some wack jobs I dont trust reviews anyway.. I thought I would try HOsting I put our Columbia River front house up.. Had one guest one weekend and that was enough for us.. They called wanted this or that.. being a host is something folks have to be geared for I think its not really investing in real estate its buying a mini hotel business :)That's for sure. I don't like it at all compared to my long term rentals, but I kind of boxed myself into it as the house needs to help pay for some of its own keep. In a couple of years I think I will probably just let friends and family use it when we're not there in the winter because I'm just not a big fan.
Skyline Properties - 1yJay HinrichsBusiness MemberReal Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
Quote from @JD Martin:
Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:
Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:
Above responses are good. I'll just add this: do not be afraid to leave a 1 star review for a bad guest. Most guests just have a few (<5) reviews. So a 1 star will really hurt them. You should have 100+ reviews, so a 1 star retaliation review will not even be noticed once it's averaged in.
I got a 1 star from a totally loony host. I would take that with a grain of salt as well.. I mean myself and my banker stayed there did not cook made no mess.. but I think they wanted us to strip the sheets and I did not do that.. nor will I.. place sucked.. they had the roku tV could not figure out how to work that.. and no instructions on how to get on the internet ( the code) etc etc.. just poorly run.. I dont know how to leave a review as a guest or how to even check the reviews. Being in RE all my life and dealing with all sorts of clients some great some wack jobs I dont trust reviews anyway.. I thought I would try HOsting I put our Columbia River front house up.. Had one guest one weekend and that was enough for us.. They called wanted this or that.. being a host is something folks have to be geared for I think its not really investing in real estate its buying a mini hotel business :)That's for sure. I don't like it at all compared to my long term rentals, but I kind of boxed myself into it as the house needs to help pay for some of its own keep. In a couple of years I think I will probably just let friends and family use it when we're not there in the winter because I'm just not a big fan.
My Place in Vegas we hit the happy medium furnished mid term rental. that has worked we get double the rent HUGE security deposit as these clients are coming from insurance companies or corporate short term gigs.. few things we had to replace over 5 years.. And the latest tenant wanted us to run it like a hotel room IE she was out of soap.. or wanted us to run over to change a light bulb.. we quashed all of that really quickly.. But I know my wife when we take up residency in a year or so.. All furniture beds bedding etc etc will go to the dump and she will want all brand new !! I dont blame her though who knows what people do !!!.. But for double the going rent Its worked well without the ( for us) extreme hassles and neediness of STR clientele.. Just not our bag. If I was going to go into that It would have to be at scale and run it like a hotel operator and expect damage and theft etc.
- 1yMichael BaumPro MemberOlympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
Hey @Devin Bost, so I think it depends on the item taken or the damage done.
We lose beach towels every year. I chalk it up to kids getting told by their parents to hurry up so they can get on the road and they cram everything into their bag in a hurry and not realize they grabbed one of our towels.
I pickup beach towels at the end of the season for less than $5 each (sometimes for $2) and I stock up. Nothing fancy.
I have lost 2 waffle makers. I have a stockpile of 3 more I got for $5 each so I don't sweat it.
2 broken carafes on coffee makers. I find new ones on Craigslist usually for 5 bucks or so. I just put them in storage and bust them out as needed.
We had a guest bust the futon in the master bedroom. AirBNB guests so I put in for $200 to replace it. AirBNB paid it in 3 days after I sent photos. No argument from the guests. Got another one for free off Craigslist. Kind of a bummer as it was a handmade futon from a local woodworker. Ponderosa Pine. Looked cool but a bit hard to use.
The bottom line is most people don't mean to break things or grab stuff but it does happen. If it is just a couple of bucks, then don't sweat the details.
The only time I enforced the minimum $50 charge for taken items is when a lady took all the dishwasher pods. This was early in our STR management time so I left the entire tub out. It had about 80 pods in it. She took 75 of them. I charged her $50 for those 75 pods. She was pissed. She said she thought it would be OK and they were hers anyways due to staying at our house.
She didn't leave a review so I didn't have to deal with a 1 star but I let AirBNB know (another AirBNB guest) and they said if she left a negative review they would remove it.
Learned a lesson on leaving a ton of pods out....
- 1yBruce WoodruffPro MemberContractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votesWell Michael, you have a huge advantage what with your "Deals Of The Day' and finding all that great stuff on the cheap. Lol.........
Quote from @Michael Baum:
Hey @Devin Bost, so I think it depends on the item taken or the damage done.
We lose beach towels every year. I chalk it up to kids getting told by their parents to hurry up so they can get on the road and they cram everything into their bag in a hurry and not realize they grabbed one of our towels.
I pickup beach towels at the end of the season for less than $5 each (sometimes for $2) and I stock up. Nothing fancy.
I have lost 2 waffle makers. I have a stockpile of 3 more I got for $5 each so I don't sweat it.
2 broken carafes on coffee makers. I find new ones on Craigslist usually for 5 bucks or so. I just put them in storage and bust them out as needed.
We had a guest bust the futon in the master bedroom. AirBNB guests so I put in for $200 to replace it. AirBNB paid it in 3 days after I sent photos. No argument from the guests. Got another one for free off Craigslist. Kind of a bummer as it was a handmade futon from a local woodworker. Ponderosa Pine. Looked cool but a bit hard to use.
The bottom line is most people don't mean to break things or grab stuff but it does happen. If it is just a couple of bucks, then don't sweat the details.
The only time I enforced the minimum $50 charge for taken items is when a lady took all the dishwasher pods. This was early in our STR management time so I left the entire tub out. It had about 80 pods in it. She took 75 of them. I charged her $50 for those 75 pods. She was pissed. She said she thought it would be OK and they were hers anyways due to staying at our house.
She didn't leave a review so I didn't have to deal with a 1 star but I let AirBNB know (another AirBNB guest) and they said if she left a negative review they would remove it.
Learned a lesson on leaving a ton of pods out....
Hey, ain't it time for another one soon? - Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes1y
Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:
Well Michael, you have a huge advantage what with your "Deals Of The Day' and finding all that great stuff on the cheap. Lol.........Quote from @Michael Baum:
Hey @Devin Bost, so I think it depends on the item taken or the damage done.
We lose beach towels every year. I chalk it up to kids getting told by their parents to hurry up so they can get on the road and they cram everything into their bag in a hurry and not realize they grabbed one of our towels.
I pickup beach towels at the end of the season for less than $5 each (sometimes for $2) and I stock up. Nothing fancy.
I have lost 2 waffle makers. I have a stockpile of 3 more I got for $5 each so I don't sweat it.
2 broken carafes on coffee makers. I find new ones on Craigslist usually for 5 bucks or so. I just put them in storage and bust them out as needed.
We had a guest bust the futon in the master bedroom. AirBNB guests so I put in for $200 to replace it. AirBNB paid it in 3 days after I sent photos. No argument from the guests. Got another one for free off Craigslist. Kind of a bummer as it was a handmade futon from a local woodworker. Ponderosa Pine. Looked cool but a bit hard to use.
The bottom line is most people don't mean to break things or grab stuff but it does happen. If it is just a couple of bucks, then don't sweat the details.
The only time I enforced the minimum $50 charge for taken items is when a lady took all the dishwasher pods. This was early in our STR management time so I left the entire tub out. It had about 80 pods in it. She took 75 of them. I charged her $50 for those 75 pods. She was pissed. She said she thought it would be OK and they were hers anyways due to staying at our house.
She didn't leave a review so I didn't have to deal with a 1 star but I let AirBNB know (another AirBNB guest) and they said if she left a negative review they would remove it.
Learned a lesson on leaving a ton of pods out....
Hey, ain't it time for another one soon?Deal of the Day has been hereby cancelled due to tariffs 🤣🤣
Skyline Properties - 1yMichael BaumPro MemberOlympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votesThe algorithm is running most of the time so I parse it a couple of times a day. Lots of garbage.
Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:
Well Michael, you have a huge advantage what with your "Deals Of The Day' and finding all that great stuff on the cheap. Lol.........
Hey, ain't it time for another one soon? - 1yMichael BaumPro MemberOlympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votesHehe! Needed now more than ever! I think things will smooth out in the next few months.
Quote from @JD Martin:
Deal of the Day has been hereby cancelled due to tariffs 🤣🤣
- Property Manager · Fort Collins, CO · Member since 2024 · 28 posts · 13 votes1y
We've set a reimbursement threshold to streamline our process. For damages or theft under $500, we consider it a cost of doing business and do not pursue reimbursement. If the total exceeds $500, we move forward with submitting a claim.
- Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 292 votes1y
Hey there Devin - Totally feel you—we’ve had similar issues. It’s a tough balance between protecting the property and avoiding bad reviews. We’ve found that being consistent with documentation and setting clear expectations helps. It doesn’t eliminate the problem, but it makes it easier to handle when things go sideways.
Happy to connect to share more ideas! - 1yJosh SedivyBusiness MemberSt. Louis, MO · Member since 2024 · 134 posts · 55 votes
You’re not alone, this is a common challenge for hosts. Set clear, friendly expectations from the start, keep good documentation, and don’t hesitate to enforce your policies calmly. Staying professional goes a long way, most guests respond well when treated with respect.
- Real Estate Agent · Worcester, MA · Member since 2024 · 107 posts · 45 votes1y
Totally feel you, Devin. We document everything with photos and time-stamped notes, and my cleaner sends us photos during every turn. We submit a guest damage claim and let the guest know—sometimes even call them to get their perspective. If they decline the claim, Airbnb still pays out. And if they leave a retaliatory review because of it, you can usually get it removed for violating review policies.
- Investor · Member since 2015 · 222 posts · 173 votes1y
This subject is one of my Airbnb pet peeves. Let's say guests put a hole in a door. You contact the guests, they say, "It was already like that. We didn't do it." You call Airbnb to file a claim through Aircover. Your guest writes a bad review to the tune of bathrooms were dirty, lots of noise, not enough toilet paper, one star (they do this because they think that you are going to write them a bad review). You call Airbnb and say that none of this about your property is accurate. Because the guest didn't write something like, "The host tried to get us to pay for damages that we didn't do" it won't be retaliation and the review will not be taken down. So, you are really taking a big risk by reporting damages, which is EXACTLY what Airbnb wants. Airbnb is 80% support for guests and 20% support for hosts. I try to avoid calling Airbnb customer service for anything, which again is EXACTLY want Airbnb wants.
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