A woman from New Lenox, Illinois, is speaking out after she was charged over $18,000 for damages she says she didn’t cause during a stay at an Airbnb property in Douglas, Michigan. Amy Peto had rented the vacation home for a girl’s trip, which she described as “nearly perfect,” until she returned home and received a shocking invoice from the Airbnb host.
According to Peto, the host accused her of causing extensive damage, including a large hole in the bathtub. However, Peto claims neither she nor her friends caused any harm to the property. “That, to me, looks like a sledgehammer. And this is not damage that we did,” she stated. The host’s bill itemized repairs for plumbing fixtures, tile, a glass door, painting, and more, totaling $18,820. Peto believed the host was attempting to get her to pay for a bathroom remodel, noting that the property was on the market for $1.5 million.
After unsuccessfully trying to contact the host to dispute the charges, Peto reached out to Airbnb for help. She engaged in a back-and-forth with the company over several weeks. Eventually, Airbnb accepted her appeal, closed the case, and she was not charged for the damages.
Despite the outcome, Peto expressed frustration with Airbnb for not removing the negative review left by the host and allowing the host to retain their “Superhost” status. Peto stated she would no longer use or recommend Airbnb due to her experience.
Airbnb commented that the host provided evidence to support the claim, but its team did not find any evidence of fraud. However, Peto remains skeptical of the situation, feeling the ordeal has left a lasting negative impact on her perception of the platform.
