Photograph the damage before anything is cleaned or moved, record when it was found, note what is missing against your inventory sheet, and report it to the platform quickly. Airbnb and VRBO both set time limits on claims after checkout, so check the current rules and do not wait for the next booking to pass.
What to Photograph
- A wide shot of the room, then close ups of the damage.
- Something for scale beside smaller damage, like a hand or a coin.
- Missing items shown by the empty place they should be.
- Receipts or listing photos showing the item before the stay.
Time Stamps and Timing
Photos taken at checkout, before the unit is cleaned, show when the damage was found. Report it through the platform promptly: Airbnb and VRBO each set a window after checkout for reimbursement requests, and those windows change, so check the current host terms on each platform.
How Your Turnover Crew Helps
The crew is first into the unit after checkout. At CleanStays anything broken, stained or missing is photographed and reported to the host within one hour, missing items are logged in the property notes, and anything over $50 in value is flagged directly. That record is what turns a claim into evidence rather than a guess.
Keep the Inventory Sheet Current
A claim for a missing item is stronger when the item is on a written inventory. Update the sheet whenever you add or replace something in the unit.
Hand Off Your Turnovers to CleanStays
CleanStays cleans Airbnb and VRBO properties across Calgary to a 33 point cleaning checklist, with photo proof after every clean. Read about turnover cleaning, deep cleaning and portfolio cleaning for property managers.
