We’ve all been there: you’re late for your flight, and you forgot to go back to the nightstand to grab your keys. Or, maybe you bumped your diamond earrings, and they fell under the bed. Whatever it may be, accidents happen, and leaving stuff behind at a short-term rental is a common occurrence. Unfortunately, the guest might not realize it until they’ve hopped on a plane across the country. As a result, it’s important for a host to have some type of plan in place for a makeshift Airbnb lost and found. This guide will lay out some practical steps for hosts on how to handle these instances and the best ways to get these beloved items back home to their owners.
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Why is this important
At the end of the day, helping a guest retrieve their lost items is important for building a loyal customer base. When you go above and beyond, guests are impressed and leave glowing reviews. Ultimately, these positive reviews are what keep your calendar full and earn you the big bucks.
How to handle lost items
1. Check your property after every stay
The first step in any lost-and-found process is prevention. Create a habit of checking your property thoroughly after every guest stays. Check out these areas that are common for guests to leave stuff behind at:
- Inside drawers and closets
- Under the bed or couch
- Kitchen counters and cabinets
- Charging points
2. Contact the guest immediately
Once you’ve found an item, contact your guest right away. A polite, friendly message works best. For example:
“Hi [Guest Name], I hope you had a great stay! I wanted to inform you that [describe the item] was left behind at the property. Could you please confirm if it’s yours and where you’d like us to send it?”
Communicating in writing adds a layer of transparency and documentation, which can be useful if disputes arise.
3. Verify that the items are actually theirs
If you come across a high-value item like a diamond ring, ask for identifying features from the guest. This is iust to ensure you’re returning it to the right place.
4. Arrange return shipping
Once ownership is confirmed, work with guests to decide how they’d like their lost item returned. Here are commonly effective solutions:
- Guest Pickup: If feasible, invite the guest to pick the item up themselves.
- Nearby Drop-Off: Offer to drop the item at a local post office or a delivery service facility for convenience.
- Shipping: Use services like USPS, FedEx, or UPS to mail the item. Make sure the guest agrees to cover the shipping cost unless you explicitly decide to cover it yourself as a courtesy.
A note on shipping costs
It is entirely reasonable to ask a guest to cover the shipping costs. Here are some tips for handling that potentially uncomfortable situation:
- Calculate Costs: Take the item to the post office for a pricing estimate.
- Inform the Guest: Share the estimated shipping cost and request reimbursement.
- Payment Approval: Ensure the guest approves the request before sending the package.
5. Invest in good packaging materials
Invest in quality packaging materials for shipping back lost items. The last thing you want is for a lost item to get damaged. When possible, opt for shipping insurance and a tracking number. Bubble wrap, padded envelopes, etc are great items to use.
6. Contact Airbnb Support if necessary
Reach out to Airbnb Support if you’re dealing with a high-value item or if there is a dispute between you and the guest. This will help protect you from potential legal issues.
Create a lost and found policy
A great place to include your “rules” for handling lost items is in your house rules. Here you can mention how you’ll handle reimbursement for shipping costs, how long you’ll hold items, etc.
Pro tip
Host Tools offers automated messaging to make your day-to-day communication with guests easier than ever.
FAQs
What do I do if I can’t get a hold of the guest?
Sometimes this happens. If you can’t get a hold of the guest, be sure that you’ve documented all of your communications. After a reasonable amount of time, say 30 days, it is often appropriate to donate leftover items. For high-value items, we also suggest contacting Airbnb Support.
How long should a host keep unclaimed lost items?
Typically, waiting 30 days is long enough. Be sure to document your attempts to contact the guest and include the 30-day deadline. After that, many hosts will choose to donate leftover belongings.
Can I include shipping costs in my Airbnb pricing?
This isn’t a common practice. However, it is certainly reasonable to ask guests to cover the shipping costs of returning their lost items.
Ultimately, knowing how to handle an Airbnb lost and found can be the difference between a 4-star and a 5-star review. These incidents will inevitably happen, and having a plan in place
Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!
