Airbnb says man’s losses not covered after rental home robbed in Montreal

A Toronto man says the Airbnb he was staying at in Montreal last week was robbed and learned that his losses are not covered by the short-rental company.

Kiefer Sonnenberg, 23, loves to travel and estimates he’s stayed in hundreds of Airbnbs.

So when he and his friend booked a trip from Toronto to Montreal last week, they booked one in the Plateau neighbourhood.

“We thought it was awesome. And the place that we’re staying at, it looked great. So, yeah, I mean, it was a decent price for the Airbnb, too,” he said in an interview.

Kiefer Sonnenberg loves to travel. (Submitted photo)

After hitting the tourist hotspots, from Schwartz’s to the Bell Centre to watch a Habs game, he said they were having a great time. But after the game, they found themselves locked out of their apartment.

“It was really strange because we typed in the lock combo and we went to open the door, but the latch lock had been closed on the door to our apartment. Similar to one you’d see in a hotel,” he said.

They called the host, but it was too late for a locksmith to let them in, so the host booked them another spot for the night. When they returned the next day, they found some of their luggage was missing.

Sonnenberg said his camera, lens, batteries, chargers and AirPods were gone. The same day, the exact items showed up in a Facebook Marketplace ad from that neighbourhood.

Kiefer Sonnenberg said after his Airbnb was robbed, his camera that looked identical to his was listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace. (Submitted photo)

Sonnenberg contacted the seller but decided not to take the risk of meeting him, and went to the police to file a report. After contacting Airbnb to let them know what happened, he discovered his losses weren’t covered.

“I don’t have the additional insurance through Airbnb, which I didn’t even know was a thing,” he said.

“We take reports like this very seriously,” an Airbnb spokesperson told CTV News. “We’re actively investigating the incident and have made contact with the guest to further support them.”

Sonnenberg said he didn’t think about purchasing travel insurance for a trip from Toronto to Montreal, but CAA-Quebec spokesperson David Marcille said people shouldn’t assume they are covered when travelling within Canada.

“If you’re travelling, you should be getting insurance no matter where,” he said. “Call your insurer, ask … how much are you covered for? What are the limits?”

Sonnenberg said his only option left is to go through his renter’s insurance, which could affect his premium, adding that his story should be a warning to others before booking an Airbnb.

“Don’t let something like this ruin your trip,” he said.