How to document property damage between stays
Damage disputes are rarely about whether something broke. They are about when it broke and who can prove it. A host who says ‘the chair was fine before’ and a guest who says ‘it was already cracked’ are both stuck without evidence. A simple routine, repeated at every turnover, settles most disputes before they start and makes legitimate claims much easier.
Create a baseline for the property
Start with a complete record: wide photos of every room from the doorway, close-ups of anything valuable or fragile, and a list of items that matter, such as appliances, furniture, electronics, artwork and linen. Note any existing marks, scratches or wear honestly. Existing wear you documented protects you; existing wear you did not document weakens every future claim.
Update the baseline whenever something is repaired, replaced or added.
Photograph at every turnover
Ask cleaners to take the same set of photos at the end of every clean, from the same angles: each room, the kitchen and bathroom, beds, sofas and floors. These are your ‘before’ photos for the next stay. Phone photos carry a date and time automatically; keep the originals rather than screenshots or edited copies.
Consistency matters more than quality. The same angles every time make differences easy to spot.
Check before cleaning, not after
When a guest leaves, the first job is a walk-through, not the vacuum. Look for damage, missing items and anything unusual, and photograph it before anything is moved or cleaned. Stains, broken items and evidence of extra guests or a party disappear as soon as cleaning starts.
- Furniture, walls and floors for new marks or breakages.
- Linen and towels for stains or missing pieces.
- Appliances and electronics: do they work, are remotes and chargers there?
- Signs of smoking, pets or extra guests where they were not allowed.
Let guests report damage too
Accidents happen, and many guests will tell you about a broken glass or a stained sheet if reporting is easy and does not feel like a confession. A simple way to report an issue with a photo during the stay gives you an honest record with a timestamp, and it separates real accidents from things guests tried to hide.
It also works the other way: when a guest reports something that was already damaged on arrival, you learn that your last turnover missed it, and you have a record before anyone blames the guest.
Making a claim
Booking platforms set deadlines for damage claims, sometimes as short as a couple of weeks after checkout, so report quickly. A strong claim is short and factual.
- The booking reference and dates.
- The ‘before’ photo from the last turnover and the ‘after’ photo from the walk-through.
- A short description of what happened, if known, and any messages with the guest.
- Receipts or quotes for repair or replacement.
Talk to the guest first
Before filing a claim, message the guest calmly with the photos: ‘During the checkout inspection we found [damage] in [room]. Here are photos from before your stay and after. Could you tell us what happened?’ Many guests apologise and offer to pay, which is faster for everyone. Keep the tone factual; an accusation invites a defensive reply and a one-star review.
Use the records to prevent damage
Over time, your records show patterns: the same fragile lamp, the white sofa that always gets stained, the shower door that keeps coming off its runner. Replacing a fragile item with a sturdier one often costs less than a single claim, and removes a recurring argument.