Host Guarantee not working

[Carl127]

Two weeks ago we had a guest stay, that unfortunately damaged our carpet by burning a hole in it when trying to clean hot ash from the wood burner. The carpet needs replacing and at a cost of £400.

We use Airbnb specifically because of the host guarantee that guarantees to cover costs of damage or liability. 

I have been trying unsuccessfully to put a claim in to Airbnb. These is no host guarantee center or person to contact! Concerningly it seems that Airbnb are putting in place a lot of obstacles to avoid a claim. So far, I have had to make a claim against the guest via the Airbnb resolution center. The guest has paid my £80 damages deposit and Airbnb have hence “closed”the claim.

I have called the customer service centre multiple times,  who could not  progress my claim and instructed me to write an Email. After writing 6 emails so far and not getting any reply, I am not confident of how to proceed this matter. 

I would have thought that a company the size of Airbnb, would have dedicated host guarantee personnel that could call and speak to me directly and help me through this worrying process.

I am concerned to continue operating through Airbnb, relying on the host guarantee and liability cover , only to find this backup is not available as advertised on the website. I worry at my exposure to damage and claims from future guests as there doesn’t apear to be any guarantee! 

I would urge other hosts and super hosts to investigate the true coverage that is in place and see how hard it is to access the service. I have repeatedly asked for a senior account service manager to contact me to help me with this process, but this has not happened.  Does anyone have similar experience???

Carl * UK Superhost.

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*[Surname hidden for safety reasons–in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Helen3]

Airbnb guarantee is not home insurance for STR - you  need your own speclalist insurance for that and should not rely on the Airbnb Gurantee, for the many areas listed under its exclusions in it's policy.

I am a little confused about the processs, you asked the guest for £400 and they only agreed to pay £80 and then you lodged a claim under the gurantee, in line with the process they outline in the Help Centre for the rest?

Normally you would be assigned a case manager who would ask for supporting information.

What has happened from there, did they ask you for a receipt ? Have they turned it down or just not considered it?

If you can clarify it would be easier to provide advaice @Carl127 

[Carl127]

Hi Helen, thanks for your input.

I was contacted by a case office ( called Gwen) who asked for a repair quote. I supplied these to her by reply and haven’t heard anything more from her. I got a reply instead from Kylie L, saying that as the damages deposit had been paid the case had been closed.

The terms from the host gurarantee on the website is : 

The Airbnb Host Guarantee provides protection for up to $1,000,000 to a host for damages to covered property in the rare event of guest damages above the security deposit or if no security deposit is in place.

I have again contacted the help center today. Who’s only help was to tell me to write a email. No address given.  neither have I had a reply to any of my reply emails to my raised claim. 

I would laugh at the incompetency if it wasn’t so serious.

Airbnb sell their service on their “host guarantee” and host Protection insurance. However it seems that these protections are not actually in place. This leaves a lot of hosts very exposed.

I certainly won’t be able to continue hosting through Airbnb without the promised protection.   

[Sarah977]

@Carl127   As I can see you are new to the Community forum, you might want to type "Host Guarantee" into the search bar here- you'll find endless threads spanning several years on the total BS of the purported host guarantee. Hosts have had their homes completely trashed by guests to the tune of thousands of dollars, not to mention the loss of income while replacing and repairing and never gotten a penny out of Airbnb. Some hosts have managed to, seems to be luck of the draw as far as the case manager you get, as well as how you present your case. But even if doing all according to rules as far as submitting receipts within the time frame, staying polite and patient, and getting a symapathetic case manager, the claim can still go nowhere.