When Your Airbnb Host Tries to Charge You for "Normal Wear and Tear"

We’ve stayed in more than a dozen Airbnbs over the years with zero issues—until Paris. Buckle up.

We checked into our cute little apartment in a great neighborhood—safe, clean, neatly decorated, perfect for our family of five. My daughter hopped in the shower while one of my sons brushed his teeth. He turned on the bathroom sink, and suddenly—disaster. The faucet shot out scalding hot water fast, and the lever jammed in the “on” position. The sink started filling up like a mini bathtub.

Cue chaos: my husband trying to shut it off, my daughter grabbing pots and pans so we could scoop water into the tub, and me messaging the host in a mild panic. Thankfully, she responded quickly and showed us where the shut-off valve was hidden in the wall. We slowed the water to a trickle—crisis averted—but then realized we had no hot water anywhere.

The host promised a plumber, and after almost 48 hours, the faucet was fixed and the hot water returned. Inconvenient, sure, but as homeowners ourselves, we know things happen.

Then came checkout day. The host messaged me saying we owed 380 euros for the plumber and asked me to send money through Airbnb. Excuse me, what?!

I started researching and reaching out to other Airbnb hosts. Every single one confirmed this sounded like normal wear and tear, not guest damage. They also asked if we’d been compensated for two days without hot water (we hadn’t).

So, I politely explained the situation again and declined to pay directly—requesting that all communication go through Airbnb’s Resolution Center. And this is where Airbnb earned major points. They investigated, went back and forth with me a few times,

kept me updated, and ultimately ruled that we were not responsible. Huge relief!

What I Learned

• Document everything. Keep all communication in the Airbnb app.

• Take photos or videos if something isn’t working properly.

• Be kind but firm. Don’t let anyone pressure you into paying for something that wasn’t your fault.

• Airbnb has your back. Those service fees suddenly feel worth it when things go sideways.