Take a Photo of Your Airbnb Before Leaving
More and more, it seems that booking a rental through Airbnb is a risky business. It was the story of a “super host” crashing into a bedroom window in the middle of the night, or less dramatic (but also disturbing) rental stories where hidden cameras were found in everything from clocks to fake motion detectors (and one family who found a camera for streaming, filming their every move). Now, thanks to the story of one traveler, we know to look out for rental owners who claim you’ve caused damage to their property – damage that can entail thousands of dollars in fees.
After leaving Airbnb in Madrid, Spain, travel writer Lee Abbamonte returned home to find an angry letter from the alleged owner of the apartment.
“At first I didn’t think it was meant for me, and I didn’t know who this woman was,” wrote Abbamonte. “I have dealt with very nice people from the management company before and during my trip to Madrid. Then the woman began to send me photographs of the apartment, claiming that we caused all this “damage” to her apartment. “
According to the email, Abbamonte and his guests, among other things, left rubbish on the floor in the room and damaged furniture, including a € 4,000 chair. But Abbamonte insists he didn’t. “The chair, which was a piece of shit, was already torn apart when we arrived,” he wrote. “We literally sat in it a couple of times and saw feathers popping out. We picked them up, that’s all. It didn’t even occur to us that it was a problem or that we should report it or anything else. “
And after talking to an Airbnb rep, Airbnb ultimately ruled in the host’s favor. In the end, Abbamonte was not charged, but he was prosecuted anyway (his account was “flagged for future disciplinary action if anything else happens”).
Take a photo of your Airbnb upon arrival and before departure.
Perhaps the easiest way to protect yourself from such a scenario is to photograph each room immediately upon arrival and right before leaving. By photographing Airbnb on the day of arrival, you can ensure that you are not responsible for any existing damage (just like you can photograph a rented car before using it). Taking photographs on the day of departure also ensures that you don’t leave the apartment in total chaos.
Having a confirmation of the time and date of departure with a time stamp is also critical. If you find that something is seriously damaged when you arrive, you should immediately report it to your host or otherwise send a photo as close to your arrival time as possible. As you leave, try taking a photo with a dated newspaper or video of the apartment with a time-stamped email as proof (or even send a thank you message to your host via Airbnb as you leave and use that as evidence).
Read reviews carefully
Of course, always check for reviews on your Airbnb before booking your trip. If there are few or no reviews for the apartment, check to see if your host has other listings with reviews, or even their own guest reviews. Also check to see if they’re Airbnb verified (which requires information such as Facebook profiles, email addresses, and government IDs). And as Reddit / cr1zzl users are encouraged , communication is key. If they are not so responsive or are not shy about asking questions, it may be better to reconsider their stay.
Chat with Airbnb
Finally, be sure to check everyone who contacts you by any means other than Airbnb’s direct messaging system. While management companies may act on behalf of some hosts, you should always check with Airbnb to make sure they are the actual owner. (In other words, don’t immediately trust emails from intended owners.) It is now common practice for hosts to email their guests with registration information or map directions. However, you shouldn’t accept so quickly from someone unverified.
Hosts must often provide documentation such as photos and receipts for any claims for damages, so having proof that you left your rental in good shape will protect you from any future problems.