Airbnb Host Tried To Send Me A $35,000 Bill For Deferred Maintenance

A few weeks ago, I was staying at an Airbnb in Contra Costa County, CA where the hosts also lived in the house along with two other permanent residents. About three weeks into my stay, the electricity tripped, and when I went looking for the host’s husband in the garage, he pointed out an active leak. There were already brown stains on the wall and what appeared to be mold, and the leak was next to the circuit breaker, which concerned me as a possible safety issue.

What stood out to me was that no one seemed to investigate or fix it right away. Days passed, the water kept leaking, and a large puddle remained in the garage. When I raised it again, the host’s husband said he had filed an insurance claim and a claim with Airbnb.

Later, Airbnb sent me a bill for $32,000 for mold damage, claiming I caused it through bathtub overflow use. The host told Airbnb that, during my stay, water passed through the overflow plate area and caused damage below.

What confuses me is that the remediation estimate itself says the water intrusion resulted from a bathtub overflow where the overflow plate was not properly sealed. To me, that sounds like a maintenance or installation issue, not necessarily guest-caused damage from normal shower use.

I also later spoke with the downstairs tenant, who told me there had been a leak there months earlier. In addition, the host family and others in the home also used that bathroom.

So I’m trying to understand how Airbnb can hold me responsible for $32,000 when there were apparent signs of prior damage, multiple people used the bathroom, and the remediation paperwork points to an improperly sealed overflow plate.

I’m also dealing with personal property still at the house, including a stroller and other items I have not been allowed to retrieve. Has anyone dealt with a similar Airbnb damage claim or dispute involving what looks like a maintenance issue?

Location: Contra Costa, California

https://imgur.com/a/Hp87TgP