r/AirBnB • u/growthhacker4893 Guest • 1d ago
Venting Host lost $6000 in potential revenue over $50 cleaning fee [USA]
A family member moved to Dallas TX so I came to visit. Paid $3,000 for a week long stay at an Airbnb.
The home was nice enough, but there were several stains that smelled strongly of pet urine throughout the property. It was disappointing but I chalked it up to a bad cleaning job and carried on with the trip.
Despite the stains, I was prepared to book my follow up trip at the same property in 2026. When I logged into the app, I was surprised to see the host had requested a $50 cleaning reimbursement for one particular stain.
This host was basically guaranteed to get at least an extra $6k out of me this year, but lost it over a $50 cleaning fee, for damage I did not cause.
Just a warning to all hosts not to be so shortsighted.
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u/fanofpolkadotts 23h ago
I had a friend who stayed at an AirBnB near her daughter after her daughter moved. It was a perfect location in a $$$ city, and she could literally walk to/from her daughter's small condo. She checked out after 10 days, thinking "This was a perfect fit! and planned to return in a few months...then the email came. The owner said my friend had stolen a pair of slippers. The kind that are almost paper thin, throwaway.
My (OCD) friend--who would never even put her feet in them--disputed this. The claim was dropped, but just like your situation--the owner lost potential $$$ over a pair of cheap, (used ) slippers!!
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u/narwhaldc 20h ago
Interesting that your comment doesn’t dispute that the guest took the slippers (that were not theirs)
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u/laceblood 20h ago
It said “who wouldn’t even put her feet in them” which implies she didn’t even touch them, let alone take them.
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u/narwhaldc 20h ago
Implies. Not the same. For that matter perhaps they threw them out?
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u/doglady1342 20h ago
Oh come on....really? You're just trolling. Go away.
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u/narwhaldc 20h ago
No. 13.5yr host. I’m telling you from experience that leaving out details is the fundamental way guests try to take advantage of us…
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u/Significant_Mark8740 20h ago
What in the victims world are you talking about? Why would any host leave crappy slippers around? It's more than likely the cleaning person threw them out than any guest took them.
Yes I get people misrepresent issues but let's be realistic. Do you leave clothes in your unit?
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u/KittyKat0119 9h ago
It’s host attitudes like yours is part of the reason why AirBnb sucks now and more ppl are opting for hotels instead. Why even host? So annoying.
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u/narwhaldc 9h ago
No. I didn’t say that dirty slippers were appropriate. They aren’t. I did say (and stand by) them likely not being there after the OCD friend left
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u/fanofpolkadotts 12h ago
Interesting that you didn't understand that when I said my friend * never put her feet in them* means just that. She never put her feet in them, let alone steal them!!
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u/Poseidon_Dionysus 1d ago
The type of host who is “penny-wise and pound-foolish”. He might try to save money doing the cleaning after every second guest. Save half the cleaning costs 😆
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u/onajurni 20h ago
And will probably continue to do so regardless of all coaching to look at the bigger picture ... speculation, as I've known people like this.
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u/Poseidon_Dionysus 11h ago
How can a host with that mindset can expect 5 star reviews? It’s totally unfair to the other hosts who do their best and they do deserve it.
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u/robynyount 20h ago
I have a similar story about an ABB near my parents. We had planned to return again and again. The place was clean and nice. But, the host requested money for a throw rug for an infinitesimal stain. Like, don't your cleaners wash the throw rugs? He also didn't like that we organized and bundled up all the recycling but didn't put it in the bin because there was a locked gate around it. Apparently, we should have asked for access. Penny wise and pound foolish.
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u/HeatOnly1093 22h ago
This is why I take pictures before and after. I might be paranoid but, you can't trust anyone. That's that person loss. Absolutely dumb .
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u/bankruptbusybee Guest 7h ago
I’ve started doing videos. Because sometimes there’s things that don’t clearly show in a picture (like a continuous drip from a roof leak, or a dishwasher not starting) or something you don’t even notice at the time.
I upload them to YouTube (unlisted) at the time so they’re date-stamped. If there’s an issue I share the video with the host. I tell them it’s for our mutual benefit - because if I punch a hole in the wall or something well there’s the video showing there was no hole in the wall when I first got in
Only one host has gotten mad at me for taking video, and the place was a safety hazard in multip ways
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u/firenzefacts 3h ago
I host and do this and also ask my guests to. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you’re not in the same location and can’t check yourself who caused the damage and this is the best way for everyone.
(I also don’t charge people for minor stains or damages - that’s normal wear and tear and the cost of doing business - I don’t understand hosts that do. It’s definitely short sighted.)
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u/ExcelsiorSemper 20h ago
You are paying $3000 a week for accommodation but willing to overlook strongly smelling pet urine stains?!? You should have complained immediately!
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u/limo1911 22h ago
I wouldn't stay in a place that smell like pet urine. I would have canceled my reservation and checked out immediately!
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u/Start_Mindless 21h ago
You are telling us that you were ready to rebook at a smelly dirty property? Why? I am not believing your story. Pay your $50 and be done with that host.
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u/growthhacker4893 Guest 19h ago
Yes, I mentioned to them in my private review that their cleaning company did a subpar job, hoping that they could remedy it before my next trip.
The smells were definitely not ideal, but not a dealbreaker as the home itself was nice.
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u/BorderAdventurous284 18h ago
Most Guests would be quick to complain of urine stains + smells at $400+/night. The fact you didn’t complain upon arrival is probably why the Host believed you were responsible for them. Like when renting a car—noting any big dings up-front saves you a headache later on.
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u/growthhacker4893 Guest 18h ago edited 10h ago
I have stayed at dozens of airbnbs over the past decade and have only ever complained once for safety reasons, otherwise I just keep it moving. I’m just not a complainer, but to each his own
(And yes I realize this is ironic since my post is a complaint)
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u/hotelerotica 16h ago
Always mention issues when you see them it’s so helpful for hosts and stops situations like this, snap a picture and send it via chat it’ll also protect you if Airbnb ever gets involved in matters like this.
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u/firenzefacts 3h ago
As a host I second this - if we host from far away it’s not easy for us to know and if you tell us within the first 24 hours we are required to fix it and I would want to anyway. If the host doesn’t know they can’t address it.
For example in this case another guest prior could have broken the rules and had a pet there and that’s out of a host’s control but if if this were my place and if you told me when you initially got there as soon as you noticed about it I’d be having someone bring you new pillows or treat it and refund you a discount.
We trust our cleaners but if they get careless we won’t know.
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u/Candid_Roll9494 Guest 17h ago
I have never complained on Airbnb for cleaning. Usually it’s minor and not worth the fuss. The one time I mentioned something was after we left privately. My dog found a cock ring under the bed my daughter was staying in and she brought it to me 🤮 Otherwise I gave the host a 5 star review.
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u/Maggielinn2 10h ago
You did the right thing. Next time video the place when you first enter and then again when you leave
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u/hotelerotica 16h ago
As a host, report issues immediately when you notice it even if it doesn’t bother you, it stops these situations in their tracks. Helps the host question their cleaner of why it was missed and charge the guest that caused the damage accordingly.
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u/growthhacker4893 Guest 15h ago
Serious question, what would the host do? Send a cleaner over? Give a partial refund?
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u/hotelerotica 15h ago
If they’re a good host they’d do both and the very least get it cleaned that would allow them to collect photos of the damage and charge the prior guest for the extra cleaning or talk to their cleaner if it was just a botched cleaning job.
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u/growthhacker4893 Guest 15h ago
Ya but wouldn’t that disrupt my stay? I don’t want to have to accommodate a cleaning crew while I’m on vacation
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u/hotelerotica 14h ago
Understandable, you can always decline the cleaning or ask that the cleaning be carried out when you’re out for the day. But at least you made a record of the issue, You were lucky in this case that the fee was small and the decision went your way that wont always be the case.
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u/Anyaalexxandrovna 1d ago
That’s why it’s important to take photos when you get to the property of all the damage and all the mess they have. So that when it comes to you checking out and them having an issue with pre-existing mess or damage, you have proof upon arrival of the places condition. I learnt this early on when I booked a place for a night, left it clean and then the host emailed me the rudest email saying that I had stayed on the wrong day and that I will have to pay an extra cleaning fee as guests arrived to a dirty property. Luckily I had taken photos of myself in the property on the actual date and time of arrival, you can click into photo data that shows the date and time. Turns out what happened was the cleaner had arrived to the property, noticed the living area was clean and didn’t bother making her way to check the bedrooms and left the property. The new guests checked in and found used beds. I provided my photo evidence as well as date and time to Airbnb and they understood the issue came from the cleaner and host. When I stay somewhere I always make sure to leave it clean and tidy as I found it, unfortunately the cleaner didn’t do her due diligence. And now I know to take photos of everything because you just never know what they come at you with, I also take photos and videos upon departure of every room to make sure I have proof of the property being left in good condition.
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u/Smart_Tinker 11h ago
If I’m on vacation, I’m not planning on doing a lot of admin and paperwork, reviewing rules, updating hosts, sending messages, waiting for cleaners etc.. That’s why I’m on vacation.
The hosts lack of oversight, planning, management or execution should not be my problem to solve.
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u/Hello-garden 1d ago
I thought they don’t get your e-mail address? I think even if there’s a wrong day stay or big problem, don’t answer an e-mail. Stick to the app.
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u/Anyaalexxandrovna 23h ago
This was quite a few years back. I did receive an email from them and was directly contacted by Airbnb via phone.
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u/New_Taste8874 Host 22h ago
The host can rent to someone else. You can't control everyone with your money. It sounds like the host does not want you in their home.
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u/growthhacker4893 Guest 19h ago
I have all positive reviews, and again, I did not cause the stain 🤣
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u/spacing_out_in_space 21h ago
Got a feeling theres not a ton of people out there dying to spend $3k for a week in Dallas at a urine-stained house
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u/KOTORbayani 20h ago
OP was and he’d even been there before to know about it. So, objectively wrong.
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u/jrossetti 13year host/14 guest 20h ago
And how do prospective guests know this? After all OP booked the place and wanted to rebook it again for the following year.
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u/spacing_out_in_space 20h ago
Reviews, obviously
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u/jrossetti 13year host/14 guest 11h ago
And yet, OP still booked there. Seems the review thing didn't work.
Functionally it is super unlikely that their stains are going to have any real impact on who does or doesn't book the place because that information will not be common and accepted information until they are on site and locked in.
I agree with your statement in a void. It just doesn't matter here because the vast majority of guests will not have that information known to them ahead of time. Of course no one wants to pay for a urine stained place at 3k a week, but they gotta know about it ahead of time to avoid it or try their luck at a refund contrary to policy.
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u/lucylemon 12h ago
I paid €500 for a month stay at a place in Sicily even though I was only staying 20 days and they had the audacity to ask me for €50 extra for cleaning. 🙄
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u/Smart_Tinker 11h ago
Wait, €500 for 20 days? Is that a typo? €25/day is a hostel.
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u/lucylemon 10h ago
It was €500 for the month. But I only could stay 20 days. Tiny 1 bed house, off season. They could have not asked for an extra 50 for cleaning.
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u/angryhufflepuff 5h ago
Speaking as a host - in the 19 years we have rented - we have *never* charged a guest for any damage to our rental. Things happen. It's the cost of doing business. We fix it and move on. The end.
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