A group of girls have fired back at an Airbnb host who accused them of causing $4,815 worth of damages to the apartment they stayed in for Schoolies celebrations.
High school graduates Samiya and Charlize and four other friends spent months saving for their Schoolies celebrations.
The six girls decided to rent a high-rise apartment on the Gold Coast‘s glitter strip to be in the heart of Schoolies action.
The week-long stay cost the girls a total of about $4,100, which Samiya booked under her name through Airbnb.
‘We kept the apartment spotless. When I tell you – we vacuumed every morning,’ Samiya told A Current Affair.
‘Like, I think that’s the most cleaning I’ve ever done in my life…because I knew it was all in my name.
‘If this comes back on anyone, it’s coming back on me, so I wasn’t taking any chances at Schoolies.’
After their stay, the Airbnb host Amanda wrote a positive review, describing the girls as ‘neat and tidy’ and ‘amazing guests’ that she would ‘highly recommend’ to other hosts.
Samiya (left) and Charlize (right), along with their four other friends, stayed at an apartment on the Gold Coast during the week-long Schoolies celebrations
However, despite the glowing review, Amanda sent Samiya a $4,815 bill for apparent damages to items in the apartment.
Samiya and Charlize immediately refuted the reimbursement bill and claimed photos sent to them from the host showing the damaged items did not match the furniture in the apartment during their stay.
The bill included $3,000 for the couch, $1,395 for the TV, $325 for the shower head and $93.29 for three coffee canisters.
Charlize explained she immediately started recording on her phone the moment she stepped into the apartment.
‘I made a whole vlog of the apartment,’ Charlize said.
‘Well, she obviously didn’t think we would have any evidence of anything.
‘But as young girls we love to vlog, we love to take photos of everything. It’s great that we did that because I’m sure she didn’t expect it.’
Samiya said she read through the reimbursement claim and noticed the TV, which the host said they had damaged, was completely different.
The TV in their apartment was all black and situated on a black stand, however, the photo provided in the claim showed a TV on a silver stand.
When Samiya told the host the TV was different, the host argued that there were multiple televisions in the apartment.
The Airbnb host provided a picture of the damaged TV (right) however, the girls video showed their apartment had a different TV which was all black and situated on a black stand (left)
The Airbnb host also billed the girls for three coffee cannisters (right) but the video which they took while entering the property showed only one cannister on the kitchen bench (left)
The host claimed the couch was damaged, but a photo taken just 45 minutes after Charlize and her friends arrived shows the hole in the couch’s fabric was already there.
The Airbnb host charged the girls for three coffee canisters, but a video they took upon entering the property showed only one canister on the kitchen bench.
The girls tried to appeal the bill and sent their evidence to Airbnb but were told there was still ‘reason to believe that you’re responsible for the damage’.
Samiya said she believed she and her friends were being ‘taken advantage of’ because of their young age.
The Airbnb host refuted claims that she had mixed up the apartments and was adamant the girls had caused the damage.
‘Well, I haven’t got the wrong apartment and I haven’t mixed up the guests because that is my apartment and that’s my furniture,’ Amanda said.
‘I got the photos from my cleaner and stuff so, you know, that’s what I’ve got.’
Airbnb changed their decision after A Current Affair’s reporter reached out to them on behalf of girls.
Samiya received an email from the executive’s team explaining the claim had been cancelled.
Samiya said she felt the host and Airbnb were trying to take advantage of her and her five friends because they were young (pictured, Schoolies 2024)
‘Based on all the evidence and facts, it is clear that you are not responsible for the damages hence we have cancelled the card on file recovery that was initiated earlier,’ the email read.
In a statement, Airbnb said was it was investigating the matter and had temporarily suspended the host’s account pending its final decision.
‘Our team works diligently so that our community has positive experiences on every part of every trip, and our ground rules for hosts and guests help make clear our expectation to treat each other, homes and neighbourhoods with respect – and consequences for violations,’ the statement read.
‘We are currently investigating the issues that have been raised, and pending a final decision, we have temporarily suspended the host account.
‘Our Customer Support team is in contact with the guest and continues to provide them with support.’
Following Airbnb’s investigation, the host was removed from the platform and the girls were given a refund for their stay.
