This week, I received a call I’ve dreaded receiving for some time. A guest at one of my Airbnbs called to say they had caused serious damage to the property.
As I rushed over, a number of questions flooded my mind. What’s the extent of the damage? Have the neighbours been disrupted and contacted the police? Are the guests themselves in good condition? Suffice to say, it was one of my more stressful mornings in recent memory.
What exactly happened?
In August, I approved a stay request for two and a half weeks. Since the pandemic began, I’ve been receiving longer stays, mainly due to quarantine restrictions. In honesty, I haven’t minded the longer stays. I can better manage the month and don’t have to turnover the properties that frequently.
There was nothing out of the ordinary with this stay. I make it a point to meet all my guests and offer them any support they need during their visit. When I met this couple, nothing struck me as peculiar or out of the ordinary.
Towards the end of their stay, they had a gathering that got out of control. From what I understand, a heated altercation ensued between them and things turned physical quickly.
Suffice to say, they left a pretty scary aftermath. Doors were damaged. The TV was smashed. There was writing on walls and mirrors. Perhaps the most frightening discovery was the amount of drug paraphernalia throughout the apartment.
My wife and I were initially devastated, but then swiftly swung into damage control. We cleaned up the place up as much as we could. I called our local tradesperson to assist with repairing the broken doors and fixtures. We took a stocktake of all items that were damaged or needed replacement.
Finally, we contacted Airbnb who have been assisting us with the situation and in the recovery of a damages claim from the guest.
Why I will continue to be an Airbnb host
Despite this setback, this hasn’t deterred me from hosting my property on Airbnb.
We’ve been hosting three properties for two and a half years, so one isolated incident isn’t too alarming. I knew this was a possibility when I chose to become a host. Despite my efforts to properly screen my guests, there was still a chance that something like this could happen.
Furthermore, it could have been much worse than it was. Furniture can be replaced and doors can be repaired. It is a much better situation than if a guest was seriously injured.
While this was an unfortunate instance, and I would have liked to have avoided it, it’s done little to sway my confidence in being an Airbnb host.
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The content outlined above was written, edited and published by the Lost Realtor. The author has over 20 years or real estate sales and investing experience in the Australian property market. He has held senior positions in Australian building companies, including being the General Manager of the residential sales division of Collier Homes. His qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Graduate Diploma in Building and Construction Law.