How to deal with damage to your Airbnb

When you host on Airbnb, it's inevitable that things will get broken. But where is the line between normal wear and tear and serious damage? And how can you make sure that you both keep your belongings safe and don't end up out of pocket if things do get broken? On our blog this week, we look at the best way to handle damage to your Airbnb.

Types of damage

Normal wear and tear

Wear and tear to your Airbnb is something that you'll have to accept. Wear and tear falls into two categories - cheap and easily replaceable things are broken, or old things finally break. If a guest breaks something cheap like a glass or a plate, and they let you know about it, it's probably not worth your time to chase up. If old things finally break, like a cheap toaster stops turning on after you've had it for two years, the guest who it stopped working for can't be blamed. You'll have just have to take the hit of replacing it as a business expense or as a consequence of sharing your home with strangers. 

Some examples of wear and tear include:

• Scratches to the non-stick coating on a saucepan

• A broken glass

• An old or cheap kitchen appliance stops working

• An already loose door handle falls off

• A lightbulb goes out

Damage and serious damage

More serious damage, like a guest spilling red wine over an expensive white sofa, is a different matter. If the damage caused by your guest will cost you a significant amount of money, or cause you to have to alter other bookings, then it's definitely worth following up. Examples of this sort of damage include:

• A smashed window pane

• Cracked tiles in the kitchen or bathroom

• A broken vase

How to deal with damage

When dealing with any damage caused by guests, make sure to be polite, and keep all of your communications within Airbnb. This means that Airbnb will have the full evidence. In all cases, documenting with photos will allow Airbnb to make a clearer decision. Claims through Airbnb will need to make within 14 days of the guest checking out, or the next booking - whichever is first. If you have a busy calendar and the damages will cause you to lose or cancel a booking, then raise this with Airbnb through the resolution centre.

Security deposit

Your first option is to set up a security deposit. This can be used to deter guests who might not care about damaging your property (such as a guest who wants to throw a party). Your guest doesn't actually pay the money for the deposit, but it is reserved in their bank account. By accepting a booking with a security deposit, the guest agrees that they may be charged the full amount for any damage that they cause. To make a claim, go through the Airbnb resolution centre. You can request a payment up to the maximum amount of your security deposit, which the guest can then agree to, decline or make an alternative proposal.

Host guarantee

The host guarantee is provided by Airbnb, as protection for damages up to US $1 million either above the security deposit or if there was no security deposit. Like with the security deposit, you can make host guarantee claims through the Airbnb resolution centre. While physical damage and and theft are covered, cleaning fees are not, as there is a separate cleaning fee that you can add to your bookings. 

Insurance

No matter if you're just renting out your spare bedroom for one night a year or if you have ten properties listed on Airbnb, you should make sure that you have adequate insurance. Ordinary household insurance is unlikely to cover short-term rentals, so make sure that you check his first.

How to protect against damage

Make sure you can access the property

Having an easy access solution like KeyNest is essential for being able to deal with damages properly. By letting your cleaner access the property without any hassle, you can ask them to carry out a quick inventory or routinely take a video of the property as as evidence of the condition of the property. In case of more serious emergencies, like a burst pipe, then KeyNest lets maintenance staff get into the property quickly and without you even needing to be there yourself.

Reduce opportunities for damage

If you're letting guests stay in your spare room, then you'll want to make sure that any valuables have either been secured or locked away. There's no point having a priceless antique vase on a wobbly table right next to the door.  If you are running an Airbnb business, then you can reduce the cost of damages by having similar or interchangeable things inside your properties - having the same kettle from the same store, for example gives you the chance to quickly transfer things from a property with less bookings, and buying in bulk might allow you to buy cheaper.

KeyNest is a key exchange service with 4000 locations worldwide, letting you let guests in remotely and give access to cleaners and maintenance staff.