What to do when a guest damages your vacation rental

Step 1: document right away

Evidence is built at the check-out cleaning, not a week later. Your cleaning provider is often the first to see the damage: ask them to:

• photograph the damage from several angles, with an overview of the room;
• repair or throw away nothing without your approval;
• report any missing item by comparing with the inventory;
• note the time of the finding, to clearly link it to the last stay.

Condition photos taken at the end of each cleaning are your best evidence: they show the property was in good condition when the guest arrived. See our guide to coordinating your cleaning teams.

Step 2: put a price on the damage

A claim without a justified amount is almost always refused. Gather:

• the purchase invoice for the item, or a link to an equivalent item;
• a repair or cleaning quote;
• the invoice for any emergency repair you already had done.

Account for wear and tear: an eight-year-old sofa isn't reimbursed at the price of a new one. A reasonable claim is more likely to succeed.

Step 3: contact the guest

Write in the platform's messaging, so the exchange is visible in a dispute. Stay factual:

1. what was found, with the photos;
2. the amount, with the receipt;
3. how you propose to settle (deduction from the security deposit, payment through the platform).

Many guests agree to pay when the request is clear and proportionate. Avoid accusations and messages written in irritation.

Step 4: use the security deposit

If you placed a card-hold security deposit, you can withhold all or part of the blocked amount, as long as you do it before the hold expires. Keep the receipts: the guest can dispute with their bank.

In Boostinghost, withholding, in full or in part, is done from the Security deposits page, as long as the hold is active. Let the guest know in the messaging, with the receipt.

Step 5: go through the platform

Without a security deposit, or if the amount exceeds the deposit, the claim goes through the platform:

• Airbnb: a reimbursement request from the Resolution Center, first sent to the guest, then passed to Airbnb if they don't pay. Requests must be made within a short time after check-out: check it in Airbnb's help center.
• Booking.com: the procedure depends on the payment method and the options enabled on your property. See Booking.com's partner help to know the remedies available.

In every case, the faster and better documented the claim, the more likely it is to succeed.

Step 6: insurance for major incidents

For water damage, a fire or major breakage, notify your insurer. Check that your policy really covers short-term rentals: many standard home policies exclude or limit them. Guarantees offered by the platforms don't replace suitable insurance.

Prevent rather than claim

• A security deposit for every stay, placed before arrival.
• Clear house rules, accepted at booking. Our house rules generator gives you a ready-to-copy text.
• An up-to-date inventory, with photos, for each property.
• Photo condition checks at every cleaning.
• A listing that filters: exact capacity, no parties, a suitable minimum stay.

If you manage for owners, specify in the agreement who decides on a deduction and how it appears in the owner's statement. See our guide to the property management agreement.