Key Takeaways

  • A guest with approved pet access left an Airbnb unit in such poor condition that the host’s cleaner refused to clean
  • The incident highlights the financial gap hosts face when AirCover reimbursements fall short and third-party cleaners decline to complete turnover
  • The London host has now racked up over 9 million views on TikTok and received thousands of supportive comments

A short-term rental guest left has gone viral after they allegedly left behind a pet nightmare that was so bad that a host’s cleaner refused to clean the property.

In a TikTok video posted by Aurielle Property, the London host said the five-night Airbnb stay involved a guest who arrived with a “van load” of animals.

The female host said the booking included six pets, but she never expected the property to be left with thousands of dollars in damage after checkout.

The video, which has now amassed more than 9 million views and thousands of comments, shows stained cream carpeting, a discolored sofa, a damaged shower pipe, an electrical outlet hanging from the wall, and a toilet pushed out of position.

The host also alleged that floors and furniture had been used as toilets and that a vacuum cleaner, mop, and bucket were missing.

Aurielle estimated the damage at about $22,000.

This was a shocking ordeal as the property had recently been renovated, she said.

The host later said a local council had arranged the stay as temporary housing and contacted her after the video went viral.

She also claimed officials offered to send contractors and compensate her for lost income while repairs were completed.

TikTok reactions pour in after $22K pet damage post goes viral

The TikTok has since drawn millions of views and widespread reaction from hosts shocked by the alleged damage.

“I was first in shock watching this and now after watching it several more times and reading the comments – I’m raging on your behalf. Lawyer up. This is completely unacceptable. This is your home and council have violated your home. Definitely get Airbnb onto it and get compensation for all damages,” one user commented.

“How on EARTH does someone create so much damage???” a second person wrote.

“Definitely a court case… this is shocking,” a third added.

“This is actually the first air b&b host video I’ve seen where the host genuinely deserves thousands in compensation,” another person added.

@aurielleproperty

My Airbnb has been completely destroyed 😳. £16,900 of damage in 5 days. Every single thing has been urinated on or worse….. !!!!!!! Oh and the tax payer has to pay for it all….airbnb landlord airbnbsuperhost property propertyinvestment

♬ original sound – Aurielle

The episode lands in a well-documented gray zone for Airbnb hosts.

Pet-friendly listings attract stronger booking demand, but the platform’s AirCover protection requires documented evidence before reimbursement is considered and it isn’t always easy to recover the full amount.

Related: Israeli short-term rental host’s wartime generosity ends in $13M debt

When a cleaner walks, the host absorbs not just the repair bill but the lost revenue per available room from any booking that has to be cancelled or delayed during remediation.

What makes this case particularly pointed for the broader STR market is that the pet was approved — the host followed the platform’s process and still ended up with a property her own cleaner wouldn’t enter.

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