Redeem now - A TikToker and Airbnb host went viral with a video showing a trashed rental apartment.
- After a couple of follow-up videos, people began to question whether she staged the damage.
- She denied the accusations, but people are still calling her out.
An Airbnb host and TikToker went viral in early February with a video showing an apartment she said guests recently trashed. But a growing number of people have accused her of staging the incident, although she refuted the claim and uploaded another video with further proof of the costly damages.
As shown in the first video, the damages to the Philadelphia apartment included the safe being thrown outside, the furniture tossed around, graffiti on the walls, and laundry detergent smeared on the ground. The TikToker, Marian Heredia, also said the guests left the water running in the bathroom and locked the door.
@mariheredi Small bump in the road! But we keep pushing. Airbnb has insurance and they’ll be paying us out for all lost bookings, furniture replacements, and cleaners. Check me out on Instagram @thewealthygirls to learn more! #airbnbhost ♬ original sound - 🤎🤍The video amassed almost nine million views, and many of the top comments were in support of the host, and seemed to think that the damage was a "personal" attack because of its severity.
Heredia posted a couple of update videos showing the apartment as they repaired it. She said it took one to two days to restore it fully. In the second update clip, the house looked brand new and shiny — with fresh bar stools in the kitchen, glittering counters, and a spotless bathroom.
@mariheredi Update for you guys 😫 our unit is all good and back in business! Airbnb will be paying us for all damages! Check us out on insta for more info @thewealthygirls #airbnb #airbnbhost #airbnbhorrorstory ♬ Chill Vibes - Tollan KimThe comment section then began to fill up with suspicious viewers questioning whether the initial damage video was staged, asking why Heredia didn't address whether she was pressing charges or explain the backstory behind why the guests viciously trashed the apartment in the first place.
"Was this for promo?" one viewer asked. "Lol cus we wanna know why they trashed it."
In the most recent video posted about the apartment, Heredia denied accusations that she staged the incident. She began the video by claiming to show a toilet with a severe mess inside, although she partially covered it with her head, implying that the scene was too revolting to show on camera.
@mariheredi Replying to @crashlycosplay #greenscreenvideo answering all questions and concerns you guys had! Wasn’t expecting the video to blow up but welcome new followers! Follow us on ig @thewealthygirls to learn more about us 😊😊 #airbnb #airbnbhost #airbnbhorrorstory #businessowner #phillytiktok #financialliteracy ♬ original sound - 🤎🤍"No amount of views is worth me doing that to a toilet," she said.
She said she wasn't going to press charges against the guests because it would be a hassle, and that Airbnb was paying them for the cleaners and items that needed to be replaced.
"I posted the video because we like to show the good and bad of being an entrepreneur Airbnb host, and we like to be realistic with our followers," she said.
A growing chorus of viewers still expressed doubt in the comment section, saying that something was fishy and pointing at how she claimed she didn't know who caused the damage, despite having booked the customers. Other viewers expressed frustration that Heredia wasn't pressing charges against the guests.
"I've never sued anyone, so I don't know the process," one person wrote. "But baby, those ppl need some kind of repercussions for their actions."
Airbnb and Heredia did not respond to Insider's request for comment.
Axel Springer, Insider Inc.'s parent company, is an investor in Airbnb.
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