A home in Georgia that was listed on Airbnb burned down soon after its renters stepped out for a hike.
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On January 4, visitors staying at the property valued at $1 million and situated near Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains left the property for a walk. Later in the afternoon, a surveyor working nearby noticed sparks coming from the house which quickly evolved into flames and eventually burned down the house, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC).
The Context
The investigation into what caused the fire was inconclusive, the newspaper reported. It added that a fire analysis found that the cause of the fire did not appear to be an electrical or fire issue.
The owner of the property, Nicholas Libertin, told AJC the home was a source of extra income in addition to being a vacation home for his family. He had listed it on Airbnb and other renting platforms charging between $200 and $500 a night.
According to the newspaper, due to the fire's origin being undetermined, Airbnb would not reimburse Libertin for the fire as that is typically used when renters are deemed responsible for damaging a host's property.
Views
Libertin told AJC that the situation was eye-opening about how an Airbnb host may be reimbursed when a home is damaged and it's unclear who is responsible for the damage. The analysis noted that one explanation could be that ashes from the property's fireplace had sparked to areas that were easy to burn, but it was not proved conclusively that this was the case.
"If you don't have unequivocal proof of the cause, I don't think they'll cover it," he was quoted as saying by AJC.
Libertin told the outlet that his own homeowner's insurance covered some of the damage but was short of the overall cost the fire caused his property and what it would take to reconstruct it, AJC reported.
"This is the worst-case scenario despite us being 'properly' insured," he said according to AJC.
What's Next
Libertin told the publication he is communicating with the company and trying to find a resolution. He was also contemplating taking the issue to an arbitrator if that process fails and may look to take Airbnb to court, according to the publication.
Newsweek contacted Airbnb for comment via email on Wednesday. Newsweek contacted Libertin via LinkedIn.
Stock image of three people watching house fire. An Airbnb home went up in flames while the visitors were out on a hike. Now the homeowners are trying to sort out who is going to...Stock image of three people watching house fire. An Airbnb home went up in flames while the visitors were out on a hike. Now the homeowners are trying to sort out who is going to pay for the damage. zamrznutitonovi/Getty Images
