My guest stole from me. Now what?!
1. Document Everything
The moment you or your cleaner discover the missing items, stop what you're doing and start photographing. I know it seems weird to photograph something that… isn't there…?! So you may have to get creative with how you go about this!
Ex: If the item was previously photographed in a listing photo, retake a picture of the area staged the exact same way that clearly shows the one missing item.
2. File A Claim. Immediately.
Under AirCover, you have 14 days to file a claim, but personally I recommend you do this before the next guest checks in. Even if your next guest isn't coming for a few days, I would still file the claim within a few hours. The longer it takes you to get the claims process going, the more disorganized your operations look, and the less likely an Airbnb service rep is to take your case seriously.
Even if you're not sure the cost of the item to replace, just give it an estimate and you can always adjust later! Find the same item online and upload a screenshot of the cost + shipping + taxes.
3. Stay Cool and Collected
Be professional in all communication and do not let your emotions take over. This is critical for two reasons.
A) If you come in swinging with anger and accusations, the guest will immediately get defensive and will probably deny the request to pay. When that happens, you have the option to escalate the issue to an Airbnb service rep, who will right away read the messages between you and the guest. Unlike damages where you can clearly show the broken item, theft is more of a “he said, she said” situation, and if you're the one coming off crazy, your Airbnb rep will be that much more likely to side with the guest.
B) You could be wrong! I had two instances where I thought the guest stole something, and they insisted they didn't. I was definitely upset about it, but I kept my communication level-headed and told the guest I'd be filing the claim in the meantime until the items turned up. In both those cases we ended up finding what was missing in super random places! A cutting board under the bathroom sink, and all our board games under one of the beds. Turns out those guests both had kids who just ended up hiding things. I would have so regretted if I came in guns blazing just for the items to turn up by the time my cleaner finished the job that day!
I had another case where a set of bed sheets was just gone. Turns out the guest's daughter had just started her period during the trip and was so embarrassed about getting blood on the sheets that she threw the set out and didn't tell anyone. They felt so guilty about it they immediately covered the cost and sent an additional $50 for the inconvenience of having to replace it! Give your guest the benefit of the doubt and always approach them kindly, no matter how fired up you might be feeling in the moment!
Has a guest ever stolen from you?! What did they take? It only happened to me once in over 900 reservations, and they took all our bulk supply of TP, paper towels, detergent, and coffee. They refused to pay, but my Airbnb rep sent me the payment almost as soon as they took over the case!
