How to Prove Guest Damage on Airbnb and Get Reimbursed
To get reimbursed for guest damage on Airbnb, you need two things: a request filed within 14 days of the guest's checkout, and proof that the damage happened during that stay. Most hosts lose claims on the second part. They know something was broken. They just cannot show it was fine before the guest arrived.
Here is how the process works and how to set up your turnovers so the proof already exists when you need it.
The deadline
Airbnb's damage policy for hosts says to file a reimbursement request in the Resolution Center within 14 days of the responsible guest's checkout. Airbnb also asks you to document the issue with photos or videos, repair or cleaning estimates, and receipts. (Airbnb Help Center)
Fourteen days sounds like plenty. It is not, if you have back to back bookings. The next guest checks in, uses the space, and now it is your word against two guests about who caused the damage.
What counts as proof
Think of it as a before and after.
Before: a timestamped photo of the item in good condition, taken after the previous turnover and before this guest checked in.
After: a timestamped photo of the same item, damaged, taken at checkout before any cleaning.
Cost: a receipt for the original item, or a repair estimate from a professional.
Conversation: your messages with the guest about the damage, sent through Airbnb.
The before photo is the one almost nobody has. Hosts take pictures when something goes wrong. They rarely take pictures when everything is fine.
Build the before photo into every turnover
The fix is simple and boring, which is why it works. Every turnover ends with the same set of photos, taken the same way, from the same angles:
- Each bed from the foot of the bed
- The couch and any upholstered chairs
- Kitchen counters, stovetop, and the open fridge
- Every bathroom: sink, toilet, and shower
- Floors in high traffic areas
- Anything expensive: TVs, artwork, rugs, outdoor furniture, the hot tub cover
Now every guest checks into a unit with a complete, dated record of its condition. When the next cleaner arrives, their first job is to walk the unit and photograph anything that changed, before they clean.
Common claims and what they need
| Damage | Before photo | After photo | Cost proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stained couch or rug | Wide shot of the piece, clean | Close up of stain plus wide shot | Cleaning quote or replacement receipt |
| Broken TV | TV on, screen intact | Crack or dead screen | Purchase receipt |
| Missing items | Item in its usual place | Empty spot | Receipt or replacement link |
| Burned or stained linens | Linens on the bed | Damage on the linen | Replacement cost |
| Wall damage | Clean wall | Holes or scuffs | Handyman estimate |
Where hosts lose claims
- No before photo. The guest says it was already like that, and you cannot prove otherwise.
- The cleaner cleaned first. The evidence is gone before anyone photographed it.
- Photos with no date. A photo with no timestamp does not show when it was taken.
- Waiting too long. The 14 day window closes, or a new guest has already stayed.
How Clyn handles this for you
Clyn turns the turnover photos into a dated condition report for every stay. Your cleaner takes the photos in the Clyn app, Clyn's AI checks each one against the unit's standard, and every report is saved by date and property. When a guest damages something, you open the report from before their stay and the report from after, side by side.
You can start free with one property and five AI quality reports a month at clyn.com.