An Air Force veteran and his wife are absolutely devastated after an Airbnb guest allegedly destroyed their “dream home,” leaving them on the hook for up to $75,000 in damages because AirCover suddenly decided to deny the massive claim. This is a nightmare scenario for host and TikToker Kassidy Thompson and her husband, who poured their life savings into remodeling the Kansas house only to have it ruined, forcing them to fight the platform for compensation, as found by Brobible.
Thompson shared the details on TikTok, explaining that she and her husband, who is currently in the Air Force, bought and remodeled the house. They decided to move in with her parents temporarily and rent the home on Airbnb to earn some extra money. They believed they were safe because of AirCover, which promises protection if guests cause damage during their stay. Given the security guarantees, they thought this was a secure way to manage the property.
The trouble started when they accepted a request from a verified account that had seemingly good reviews. Thompson now realizes this individual was a scammer. She says he provided an untruthful narrative, even sending photos of supposed issues inside the home. Thompson and her husband were able to debunk his claims quickly, though, because they found the exact same photos on Google. Thompson believes their failure to accept his false claims could have “made him mad.”
This is a reason you should never trust Airbnb
Things escalated dramatically after the scammer finished his stay and left. Soon after, a new reservation appeared under a different name and account, but the activity was immediately suspicious. Thompson states that security cameras caught the individual entering in “all-black clothing.” Even more troubling, they used the specific four-digit code set up for that reservation, suggesting a clear connection to the previous scammer.
At the end of this second two-day reservation, the couple returned to find the house in ruins. Thompson recalls hearing water running as soon as they walked inside. Upon inspection, they realized the plumbing had been disconnected. This wasn’t an accident. Thompson confirmed with a plumber that since the pipes were new and threaded, this damage was intentionally caused. The resulting damages were estimated to be between $50,000 and $75,000. That’s a massive financial blow for any family, especially one with an 11-month-old and another baby on the way.
@kassidyhopethomps Little Airbnb update: about 3 months ago a guest left us with $50K+ in costs to this house. We’ve paid out of pocket to get it back up and running the best we can, and today we had a plumber out just to document that our plumbing is fine for insurance/claims. We’re exhausted but still fighting for this home.
♬ original sound – Kassidy Hope ThompsoIf you’re seeing this, please like, comment, or share so our story keeps getting seen.
#airbnbhost #Airbnb #renovation #family #momsoftiktok
Thompson and her partner immediately reported the issue to the police and Airbnb. They were quickly able to connect the dots themselves, discovering that both the initial scammer guest and the second guest who allegedly caused the destruction lived at the exact same address in California. While this was useful information, the distance made it harder for the police to solve the case, according to Thompson.
They decided to pursue the claim through Airbnb, trusting the system that was supposed to protect them. The company even sent out an adjuster to assess the extensive damage, which led Thompson to believe they were “covered.” She also knew that she hadn’t been able to get in touch with the destructive guest after the rental, and she assumed Airbnb was dealing with the same issue.
@kassidyhopethomps We’re still waiting for Airbnb to resolve the damages to our place, so things have felt really up in the air. And with the government shutdown and my husband working reserve for the Air Force, it’s been a lot to navigate at once. So instead of sitting in the stress, I’m setting a daily goal for myself: make $150–$300/day in small, doable ways. Nothing crazy, just staying consistent, getting creative, and documenting to keep myself accountable. If you’re also in a “pivot and figure it out” season, follow along.
♬ original sound – Kassidy Hope Thompso#Airbnb #dailychallenge #budget #figuringitout #host
Unfortunately, Thompson suddenly received news that Airbnb had decided not to pay. Thompson recounts that the determination came with “No explanation.” She says the company claimed that the guest didn’t cause the damages and that visitors weren’t responsible, either. This is where things get really confusing. Thompson and her husband contacted the adjuster after the denial, and he let them know that the guest “never provided a statement, never said anything to them.”
This is awful. Thompson’s reaction is entirely warranted. She asks, “Like, how can they determine that if they can’t even get ahold of the guest that caused the damages?” She suspects that the entire ordeal is simply Airbnb’s way to try to make them give up rather than pay the hefty claim, since plenty of people try to break rules on the platform, but the company should own up to this.
