Airbnb owner shares damage to R20m property in Camps Bay 'by guests'

The owner of a luxury R20m Airbnb property in Camps Bay, Cape Town, has shared the shocking extent of damage caused to his property, allegedly by guests.

In a video posted on Instagram, Ridhwaan Basa shared images of the destruction that occurred during a recent stay, including a ruined stove with a cracked hob.

“How guests left my Airbnb. This can be one of the most annoying parts of running an Airbnb business. Luckily Airbnb has cover, which these damages can be claimed through,” said Basa in the video.

The Instagram video, which has already garnered more than 2.5-million views and more than 2,000 comments, also shows stained wooden furniture and pool cues that appear to have been gnawed on.

The destruction has sparked outrage among social media users, many of whom expressed disbelief at the condition in which guests leave the properties they rent.

One commenter, Koki Ramango, expressed frustration: “So disgusting. I treat Airbnbs like my own home or even better. I can’t believe people do this.”

Another user, Lethu Dubasi, suggested taking a more severe approach: “Post the damages with their names. They should not mind if they were comfortable leaving your home like that.”

In response to such issues, a Cape Town estate agent weighed in, advising property managers and agents to protect themselves from bad tenants.

“The best thing every agent/property manager needs to do is get Superhog to check passports and have a track record of these bad tenants. We need to build the bad tenant database together,” said the agent.

Superhog is a platform that verifies tenants’ identities and helps property owners ensure their guests are trustworthy.

For Airbnb hosts, incidents such as this serve as a reminder of the potential risks involved in renting out properties and highlight the importance of protecting themselves through available insurance services.

TimesLIVE