Have you ever rented out an amazing Airbnb in hopes of having a relaxed weekend with your family, or maybe an amazing trip with your partner? Maybe you’ve got a cabin in the mountains, on a lake. Or a cool loft in the city. Airbnb is super convenient, and you don’t have to deal with the stuffiness of hotel check-ins.
But what do you do when you have a problem? Maybe you have a leak or maybe you’ve got a roach infestation. What do you do if you’ve got Cockroaches in Airbnb lodgings?
Since cockroaches are basically everywhere, it’s not surprising to find them in Airbnbs. Encountering a cockroach during your stay at an Airbnb is not unusual.
- Take photos or videos of the roach infestation for proof
- Contact your host immediately
- You are within your rights to ask for a refund
Now that we know the essentials that should be followed when encountering these unwanted guests on Airbnb, let’s further dissect the dos and don’ts.
Cockroaches in Airbnb
While the idea of your rented Airbnb having a sudden cockroach infestation is disgusting, it is also not uncommon. It happens in hotels, too!
However, seeing any signs of an infestation as a cockroach, droppings, or even a dead roach husks, you can be confident that if you find those, there are likely far more that you can’t see.
Immediately photograph or video the evidence of infestation so that you can present it to your host, and/or to your Airbnb representative.
Immediately photograph or video the evidence of infestation so that you can present it to your host, and/or to your Airbnb representative.
What should guests do if they find cockroaches in an Airbnb?
As a guest, you have certain steps to take when you’re encountered this nasty situation. Here’s what you need to do if you encounter these creepy crawlies in your Airbnb:
1. Get Photographic Evidence
Whether you’re staying at a hotel or an Airbnb, the first action to take as soon as you encounter a cockroach is to take a picture to support your claim. Since you’ll be demanding a refund, it is critical for you to provide solid evidence, both for your host and for Airbnb itself.
If you’re desperate and still need a room, ask the host to thoroughly clean the room and perform adequate pest control services to eliminate any signs of cockroaches in the future.
2. Contact the Host
The most important thing to do is communicate your troubles with the Airbnb host and file a complaint. In a case like this, we would suggest sending a message with the photographic evidence, and requesting a call back from the host to understand the next steps.
You can explain to the host what you have found, and what remedy you would like. If the host has other properties in the area, perhaps they can shift you to another one while the roach problem is remedied. If not, you can ask for a refund.
Make sure that your tone is stern but friendly. Don’t be mean, don’t insult your host, don’t freak out and say that their home is disgusting. Simply say that you have found evidence of a cockroach infestation and would like a refund.
Make sure that your tone is stern but friendly. Don’t be mean, don’t insult your host, don’t freak out and say that their home is disgusting. Simply say that you have found evidence of a cockroach infestation and would like a refund.
With luck, the host will be able to accommodate your needs. But they may be unwilling to provide a refund, and if this is the case, you’ll need to reach out to Airbnb corporate.
3. Contact Airbnb Help
You can reach out to Airbnb directly. Depending on where you are in the world, there are different contact phone numbers. The main guest help website can be found here and you can also use the app.
Note that some Airbnb representatives may not feel that a small number of roaches warrants a full refund, but others will offer a refund and maybe even a voucher for other lodgings. If you find that your representative is not taking your issue seriously, you could try calling the helpline back again and see if another rep sees it differently.
Be reasonable, polite, and firm.
Be reasonable, polite, and firm.
What should hosts do if they receive a complaint of cockroaches in an Airbnb?
Although finding cockroaches in an Airbnb is a nightmare for a guests, the hosts are at risk in this situation. Your guests may give bad reviews and permanently mark your listing as low quality.
You should take your guest complaint seriously and respond as best you can to reasonable requests. Be polite and apologetic, and try your best to work the situation out.
You should take your guest complaint seriously and respond as best you can to reasonable requests. Be polite and apologetic, and try your best to work the situation out.
Here’s what you should do if you’re an Airbnb host and you come across the troubling situation of a cockroach complaint:
1. Provide Any Evidence You Have of Pest Control
If you regularly get your home treated for pests, you can send over the evidence of the last visit by an exterminator to your guests (a receipt or paid invoice is good). This will help show the guests that even if there are some number of roaches on site, a professional is regularly treating the Airbnb and hopefully whatever infestation is a small one.
2. Contact Your Pest Control Company
If you’ve already got a company on board, reach out to them as soon as possible and tell them your guests have found evidence of infestation. See if someone can get over there immediately to assess the situation.
If the expert says that it’s unlikely there’s an infestation, this may calm everybody’s nerves.
If the expert says that it’s unlikely there’s an infestation, this may calm everybody’s nerves.
3. Offer a Refund or Change of Accommodations
A roach infestation is not your fault. Roaches are everywhere, and depending on your climate and location, even if you keep your Airbnb spotless, perhaps your neighbors don’t. Sometimes these infestations just happen.
Something as common as cardboard boxes can attract these pests, it’s just the reality of living in a world with insects.
However, keep those personal feelings aside and apologize for the inconvenience.
You have to decide on their evidence and circumstances whether you want to offer them a full refund, a change of venue, or whatever. Just know that your guest may well leave a nasty review that could harm your business in the future.
4. Report to Airbnb
Your guests will likely beat you to this, but we recommend contacting Airbnb at the earliest opportunity and registering this as an issue. Ideally, Airbnb should hear about the cockroach infestation from you before they hear it from your guest.
Moreover, inform them of your efforts to calm the situation down, and explain what you have offered your guests as compensation.
5. Fix the Infestation
We don’t recommend trying to DIY a roach infestation that your guests have discovered. Spend the money to have it professionally addressed, with evidence that you can provide to future renters.
Don’t screw around here trying to save a few dollars.
Conclusion: Don’t Freak Out! Request a Solution
When met with a horrifying situation of cockroaches at an Airbnb, the most important thing to note is not to freak out. Keep your nerves calm, take lots of pictures of the intrusion, and present them to your Airbnb host to register an official complaint.
Typically your complaint about cockroaches in an Airbnb will be followed by your request for a complete refund. You will likely receive the refund fairly quickly, but understand that it is possible that you will not.
If you don’t, you can connect to Airbnb directly and get their input. Again, most likely they will provide you with a refund, but it is possible that they will not.
Stay firm and polite, and you will find the remedy you seek.
