South Carolina Homeowner Claims in Suit Airbnb Guest Threw Party, Trashed Home

The owner of an island home off South Carolina’s coast is suing Airbnb, claiming it only reimbursed him for a “fraction” of the damages that a guest who threw a big party did to his home.

In a federal lawsuit filed this week, Scott Shaw said the party left his home smelling of a mixture of marijuana, cigarettes, beer and vomit. Blood and vomit were found on the walls, towels and bedding, the lawsuit states.

Shaw says he believes he is owed about $150,000 in both property and punitive damages. He did not say what the company paid him. He said Airbnb claims in its marketing materials that it guarantees up to $1 million reimbursement for property damage.

“Airbnb’s `host guarantee’ is nothing close to any type of `guarantee’ and in fact it is false, misleading and deceptive,” the lawsuit states.

San Francisco-based Airbnb said in a statement Friday that it plans to “vigorously defend against these allegations.”

“Every day we support hosts around the world with our $1 Million Host Guarantee,” it said.

Shaw says about 100 people or more attended the party his Isle of Palms home. Aside from the smell, they also left holes in the walls and broke a staircase railing, door and countertop , among other things, he said.