Photo Reports, Damage and Missing Items

A host who isn't there can only judge the property by what you tell them. Good photos and short, plain reports protect the host and protect you. They also make it quicker to sort out a problem when one turns up.

Why the records matter

Airbnb's host damage page lists what the host may be able to claim for: "File for reimbursement for damage, missing items or unexpected cleaning"¹. To do that, it tells hosts to "Document the issue by taking photos or videos, getting repair or cleaning estimates and/or receipt"¹.

You're not the one who files the claim, but you're often the first person to see the problem. Your photos may be the evidence the host needs.

The page also notes that "Host Damage Protection is not insurance or a financial service"¹. So hosts shouldn't assume it replaces insurance. Insurance questions are for the host's insurer.

Time limits are short

The same Airbnb page says a host must file a request "Within 14 days of the responsible guest's checkout"¹. Other platforms and insurers set their own limits, and Airbnb's terms can change. The point for a cleaner is simple. Report fast. If you tell the host the same day, they have time to act. A report a week later may be too late.

What to photograph, and when

Think of three sets of photos.

On arrival. Before you touch anything, take a wide photo of each room, then close-ups of anything unusual: stains, breakages, burns, missing items from a shelf. This shows how the property was when the guest left.

When you find a problem. Take a wide shot that shows where it is, then a close shot that shows what it is. Add a coin or a tape measure if the size matters. Take a photo of any serial number or model name on a damaged appliance.

At the end. Photograph each room finished, with beds made and floors clear. This shows the property was left in good order and gives the host a record of how it looked at handover.

Some practical points:

• Use the phone's default camera, with the date and time turned on if it offers that.
• Keep photos in a folder named by property and date.
• Photograph before you move or clean the item. Once you've wiped it, the evidence is gone.
• Don't photograph guests' personal papers or valuables. If you see something private, leave it where it is and tell the host.

What a report should say

Keep the message plain. A report might say what you saw, where, when, and what you did.

1. State the property and the date of the clean.
2. Describe the problem in a sentence or two, without guessing at the cause.
3. Attach the wide and close photos.
4. Say what you did about it, such as moving the item aside or leaving it as found.
5. Ask what the host wants done next.

Stick to what you can see. "The glass on the coffee table is cracked along one edge" is a fact. "The guests smashed it" is a guess. The host can draw their own conclusions.

Damage, missing items and extra cleaning

Different problems need slightly different handling.

Damage. Report the damage and don't try to repair it unless the host asks you to. The NSW short-term rental code says guests must not "intentionally, recklessly or negligently cause damage to premises"². Whether a particular case breaks that rule isn't for you to decide.

Missing items. First, check the obvious places: cupboards, drawers, the laundry. Then list the item in your report and say where you looked. Don't suggest that anyone has stolen it.

Extra cleaning. Where the state of the property is much worse than normal, photograph it and tell the host before you start. The scope page explains why extras should be agreed first. The listing also matters. New South Wales Fair Trading expects the premises to match the advertisement³.

If you cause damage

Accidents happen. Tell the host straight away, with photos and a plain description. Don't hide it or fix it quietly. Whether your cover applies depends on your policy. Business.gov.au lists public liability insurance among the covers a business may need by law⁴. It says to "Get professional advice on which insurances your business needs by law"⁴. Ask your insurer or broker what your policy covers before you need it.

Keep the paperwork

Keep your photos and reports for each job for as long as you work for that host. Your pricing should allow for the time it takes. And record any access problems as well, as described on the keys page.