Airbnb told me I wasn’t liable for $4,472 in damages, then reversed and says they’ll charge my debit card. What do I do? [USA]
I’m genuinely confused and hoping someone has experience with Airbnb damage claims.
Timeline:
- Stayed at an Airbnb in end of April, early May.
- Apartment remained consistently hot during the stay and didn’t seem to cool properly, which made us think the AC may not have been functioning correctly.
- Thermostat may have been lowered during the stay because the apartment stayed warm. There were NO house rules, listing disclosures, or instructions about minimum thermostat settings or warnings that lowering the temp could damage the HVAC.
- We checked out Sunday.
- Host didn’t contact us about HVAC damage until Tuesday.
- Host requested ~$4,472 in damages, claiming lowering the thermostat froze the system.
I disputed it.
A few days later, Airbnb emailed me saying (I have screenshots):
“After reviewing all available information, we determined that guest responsibility could not be substantiated… the listing did not include thermostat restrictions or warnings, setting the thermostat to 55°F is a standard residential option… the charge will not be applied to your account.”
I also contacted Airbnb support afterward and was again told I was NOT responsible and that I would not be charged over Airbnb messages. I also have screenshots of this.
Then later:
- Airbnb timeline showed money was owed.
- I appealed and attached the emails and messages saying I wasn’t liable.
- Airbnb denied the appeal and now says 55°F was “an excessively low temperature” and contributed to the malfunction.
- No new evidence was sent to me.
- No explanation was given for why Airbnb changed from “55°F is a standard residential option” to “55°F was excessively low.”
- They now say my debit card will be charged June 3.
My questions:
- Has anyone had Airbnb reverse a determination like this?
- What can I do from here?
- Can Airbnb charge after explicitly saying “the charge will not be applied to your account”?
LAST UPDATE: WE ARE NOT BEING CHARGED
Got this email:
First, I want to acknowledge how frustrating this experience must have been — receiving conflicting information about a closed case is not the standard we hold ourselves to, and I'm truly sorry that happened to you.
After a thorough review of your case and all prior correspondence, I want to reassure you: no payment will be pursued in connection with this reservation. The original determination stands, and you will not be charged.
In cases like yours, your voice genuinely matters. The feedback you've shared helps us grow and improve the experience for every guest in our community — and we don't take that lightly.
We're grateful to have you as part of the Airbnb community.
We hope this brings the matter to a close, and we look forward to supporting many more positive experiences for you ahead.
Please don't hesitate to reach out directly if there is anything further we can do.