How to claim damages on Booking.com
Learn how you can claim damages on Booking
November 2024
What can you do if something has gone wrong with one of your holiday rental guests? A lot depends on which booking platform guests use to rent your holiday home. Every holiday rental portal has its own system of damages, so savvy landlords should learn how each one works. Here’s what you need to know about how to make a claim with Booking.
The Booking.com damage policy
A damage policy is something that most landlords hope they never have to come into contact with. After all, most guests are respectful —they rent your house for holidays and behave well while there. However, there are occasional issues, and when the worst-case scenario happens, it pays to know about damage policies.
Before you can claim damages from Booking.com, you will need to sign up for one of its damage policies. They are:
- Damage deposit. In this scenario, you will handle the process yourself. You’ll decide how much of a booking deposit guests should pay and deduct the cost of any damages from it.
- Damage programme. This is Booking’s in-house alternative to standard damage deposits. You don’t receive a deposit directly from guests, as it is all handled by Booking.com. If a guest damages your property, you’ll need to claim damages.
- Partner Liability Insurance. This is a policy that covers very large cases of damage and protects landlords from third-party lawsuits or liability claims. It is run through Zurich Plc, and it does not cover the kinds of small damage claims that are more common in holiday rentals.
How to claim from Booking
The Booking.com damage programme is opt-in. As mentioned, if you sign up for this option, you will not collect a deposit from guests in advance. Instead, you will need to take action after the damage has occurred. Here’s what you need to know about how to claim damages from Booking:
- You have up to 14 days after checkout to report damages, so be sure to inspect your property promptly.
- Fill in a report on Booking.com. Make this as thorough as possible and include photos for best results.
- Booking.com will now ask the guest to pay. If guests accept that they caused damages, they will be asked to pay.
- You’ll receive the money in your next Booking.com payout. The damage payment is capped at US$258, or local equivalent.
The pros and cons of the Booking damage programme
Now you know how to collect from Booking, and it seems straightforward, but not all landlords like it. Before you sign up for the Booking.com damage programme, consider these advantages and disadvantages. First, the good news:
- You may see more bookings if you sign up for the damage programme versus collecting your own damage deposit. This is because when given the choice of a property that requires a deposit and one that doesn’t, many guests will go for the rental home that doesn’t.
- You’ll outsource your disputes. If you don’t want to enter into a direct conflict with guests, this is handy.
- There’s less room for human error on your side. As you’re not collecting a deposit, you won’t need to worry about storing deposit money, releasing it, and so on.
Here are the disadvantages:
- Booking.com collects no money from guests in advance. This means that guests can simply refuse to pay, leaving you to cover the damage yourself.
- Guests must accept that they caused the damage before paying. If they deny it, the situation can quickly become a “he said, she said” scenario.
- As Booking.com handles the dispute, there’s no room for compromise or reaching a deal that both you and the guest are happy with.
Alternatives to the Booking.com damage programme
The simplest alternative to the damage programme is to collect your own deposit. This is a traditional, tried-and-tested method that is still common in holiday rentals and hotels across the world. You won’t need to rely on Booking.com to act as a middleman for you. What’s more, you might see the damage right when your guests check out, which will make it harder for them to dispute it.
A safety deposit is also a good choice if you want to advertise your holiday home across several platforms. Each holiday rental website has its own policy on damages. To avoid confusion, it helps if you have a single, streamlined personal policy for your property.
If you decide to ask guests for a damage deposit, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Check local guidelines on storing the deposit. Some areas require holiday rental landlords to protect the deposit through a specific scheme.
- Act quickly. When their holiday is over, your guests will want their money back. Inspect your property and return it to them, with or without deductions, as promptly as you can.
- Keep a photographic record of the property before and after your guests’ stay to avoid ongoing disputes.
- Keep a printed, updated list of inventory within the property. Your guests should be able to inspect it when they choose to rent your holiday flat.
- Remember that some guests will vote with their feet and decide not to stay with you. If you’re the only landlord in the area demanding a security deposit, then your property will need to be very special in order to attract guests.
- Be prepared for guests to raise disputes. Don’t be unfair — if there has been a flood in the area, you can’t blame guests for water damage!
What can I do if I don’t have a damage policy and a guest damages my property?
Every option for claiming damages on Booking.com is opt-in. If you don’t tick the relevant box, you are leaving yourself with no protection. So, what can you do when a guest causes damage?
Sadly, there are not many actions that you can take. The most proactive is to report the guest’s misconduct through the Booking.com website. This alerts Booking.com to the guest’s bad behaviour. The guest will be blocked from ever booking your property again, and if they are repeatedly flagged, they may have their account suspended. However, you will still be left in the position of having to pay for the damage.
All in all, having some kind of damage policy is a must for any serious holiday rental landlord. You may never have to use it, but in an emergency situation, you’ll be very grateful that you have one. Whether you opt to use the Booking.com damage programme or make your own security deposit scheme, be sure that you’re safe and protected. In the unlikely event that guests damage your property, you’ll be able to bounce back.