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By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
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A Colorado Springs Airbnb host has shared her shock when she had a message from a guest while on vacation that made her stop in her tracks.
The guest, who had checked out earlier that morning, sent homeowner Rachael Knapp a message, explaining that while they were packing away their belongings, they discharged a firearm in the house.
In a text message, the guest assured Knapp that it was a mistake, explaining that the bullet had gone through her vintage dining table, a chair, and into the floor.
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"There was an incident that happened this morning. As I was packing. I was also packing my firearm back in my safe and it went off and on the table, which went into the chair as well. I am truly sorry it was a total accident," they wrote, offering to replace the damaged furniture since they owned the same set at home.
Knapp, 39, had been renting the property for a year and returned from her trip to find the full extent of the damage. "I was on vacation so I was trying not to freak out and have it ruin my trip," she told Newsweek. "But when I got home, it all hit me that it was going to take a lot of effort to fix everything."
The cleaner later sent some photographs and covered the holes with tape so the next guests could use the set, with non-stop bookings since the incident, it took some time for Knapp to even see the damage for herself.
Adding to the frustration, the table—an expensive vintage piece—was uniquely suited to the home's design, making it difficult to replace. Airbnb ultimately sent Knapp money towards the repairs.
An Airbnb spokesperson told Newsweek: "We take the safety of our community seriously and have suspended the guest from the platform and reimbursed the host for damage. While issues on Airbnb are rare, AirCover provides up to $3 million of host damage protection at no extra cost on every booking in the rare event guests cause property damage, and our global Community Support team is on hand 24/7 to help."
Airbnb has official rules concerning weapons. Hosts and guests are always required to comply with applicable laws concerning firearms, ammunition, dangerous objects, and other self-defense devices.
Hosts and guests are not allowed to have firearms in listings unless possession complies with applicable laws, the firearms are clearly disclosed, safely stored, and the listing accommodates only one booking at a time.
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