Schoolies faced a hefty $5,000 damage bill from Airbnb host – but here’s why they say the charges are unfair and they have the evidence to prove it
A group of girls have fired back at an Airbnb host who accused them of causing $4,815 worth of damage to the apartment they were staying in during Schoolies celebrations.
Samiya, Charlize and four other friends who graduated from high school 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 right in the middle of the Schoolies action.
The weeklong stay cost the girls a total of about $4,100, which Samiya booked through Airbnb under her name.
‘We kept the apartment spotless. If I tell you, we vacuumed every morning,” Samiya told A Current Affair.
“Like, I think this is 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 comes back on me, so I wasn’t taking any chances at Schoolies.”
After their stay, Airbnb host Amanda wrote a positive review, describing the girls as “neat and tidy” and “great guests” who she would “highly recommend” to other hosts.
Samiya (left) and Charlize (right) stayed in a Gold Coast apartment with their four other friends during the week-long Schoolies celebrations
However, despite the glowing review, Amanda sent Samiya a bill for $4,815 for apparent damage to items in the apartment.
Samiya and Charlize immediately refuted the refund invoice, claiming that photos sent to them by the host showed that 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 cans.
Charlize explained that she immediately started recording on her phone as soon as she stepped into the apartment.
“I made a whole vlog of the apartment,” Charlize said.
“Well, she clearly didn’t think we’d have any evidence of anything.
‘But as young girls we love to vlog, we love to take pictures of everything. It’s great that we did that because I’m sure she wasn’t expecting it.”
Samiya said she read through the refund claim and noticed that the TV, which the host said was damaged, was completely different.
The TV in their apartment was all black and on a black stand. However, the photo in the claim showed a TV on a silver stand.
When Samiya told the host that the TV was different, the host argued that there were multiple televisions in the apartment.
The Airbnb host provided a photo of the damaged TV (right), but the girls’ video showed that their apartment had a different TV, which was all black and on a black stand (left).
The Airbnb host also charged the girls for three coffee cans (right), but the video they took as they entered the property only showed one canister on the kitchen bench (left).
The host claimed the sofa was damaged, but a photo taken just 45 minutes after Charlize and her friends arrived shows that the hole in the sofa’s fabric was already there.
The Airbnb host charged the girls for three coffee canisters, but in a video they took as they entered the property, only one canister was 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 are responsible for the damage.”
Samiya said she believed she and her friends were being “abused” because of their young ages.
The Airbnb host refuted claims that she had mixed up the apartments and was convinced that the girls had caused the damage.
“Well, I don’t have the wrong apartment and I didn’t mix up the guests because that’s my apartment and that’s my furniture,” Amanda said.
“I have my cleaner’s pictures and everything, so you know, that’s what I have.”
Airbnb changed their decision after A Current Affair reporter contacted them on behalf of girls.
Samiya received an email from the executive’s team explaining that the claim had been canceled.
Samiya said she felt like the host and Airbnb were trying to take advantage of her and her five friends because they were young (photo, Schoolies 2024)
“Based on all the evidence and facts, it is clear that you are not responsible for the damages. Therefore, we canceled the card during the previously initiated file recovery,” the email said.
In a statement, Airbnb said it was investigating the matter and had temporarily suspended the host’s account pending a final decision.
“Our team works hard to ensure our community has positive experiences during every part of every trip, and our ground rules for hosts and guests help make clear our expectation that we will treat each other, homes and neighborhoods with respect – and the consequences for violations,” the statement read.
‘We are currently investigating the issues raised and have temporarily suspended the host account pending a final decision.
‘Our Customer Support team is in contact with the guest and continues to support them.’
After Airbnb’s investigation, the host was removed from the platform and the girls were refunded their stay.