Sarah’s story
Following a guest’s departure from Shellseekers, it was discovered that their dog had chewed the upholstery on one of the property’s statement armchairs. The guests initially accepted responsibility and agreed to cover the damage. When they subsequently stopped responding, recovering the cost became more complicated.
For many holiday let Owners, the responsibility for finding a repairer, communicating with the guest and pursuing a claim through Airbnb would fall to them. At HolidayHost, we do not believe Owners should be left to manage this alone.
What HolidayHost did
The priority was to restore the chair properly while protecting Sarah from unnecessary disruption.
HolidayHost found a local upholstery specialist and agreed the proposed repair with Sarah. With the specialist identified and the repair agreed, the chair was taken to the upholsterer, who completed the work and delivered it back to Shellseekers beautifully restored.
Alongside coordinating the practical repair, the team managed the Airbnb claim process. Claims for guest damage require detailed evidence, accurate information and prompt action within Airbnb’s specified timescales. As the process is managed digitally, success depends on understanding the system and providing exactly what is required.
The chair was returned to Shellseekers fully restored before the next guests were due to arrive, ensuring the damage did not affect their stay or the presentation of the property.
Support when it mattered
Sarah had an experienced team to turn to when the guests stopped responding. HolidayHost helped her find a repair solution and managed the Airbnb claim process, easing the burden of resolving the incident herself.
When the chair was damaged, I was relieved that the HolidayHost team took care of everything. They arranged the repair, handled the Airbnb claim and made sure the chair was back in place before the next guests arrived. The speed and professionalism with which this was dealt with was very impressive and it was reassuring to know I didn’t have to manage the situation alone.
Sarah, Shellseekers
For Sarah, the experience showed the value of having a team behind her who listens, takes action and works with her to look after Shellseekers when things don’t go to plan.
Shellseekers is available to book on Airbnb. You can also contact Olivia, its local Host, to find out more.
