How we document guest damage so claims get paid
By UniqClean team ·
I own short-term rentals too, and I live hours away from them. When a guest breaks something, the claim is only as good as the proof. A photo alone is not enough. You need to show the damage happened during that stay.
So every turnover we do starts the same way, before anyone cleans or moves anything.
The walk
We call it the Uniq First Look. The cleaner comes in the front door and walks the whole house in one direction, room by room. Open the drawers and cabinets. Lift the couch cushions. Look top to bottom. Check the lights, the remotes and the electronics.
Nothing gets cleaned until the walk is done. That way we see the house the way the guest left it.
What gets photographed
When we find damage, we photograph it where it is, before it is moved. One wide shot shows the room. One close shot shows the damage. Broken, stained, burned, cracked, scratched or missing, every item gets the same two shots.
We also photograph anything left behind or out of the ordinary, like stained linens or trash stuffed in a drawer.
What gets written down
The same day, we write it up. The report has the date, the property, the category (Damage) and a plain description of each problem. We say what it is, not what we think caused it. “Cracked bedroom window, left side” is better than “guest broke window.”
The photos go with the report, and the report is tied to that guest’s checkout, so the damage lines up with one stay.
What you get
We send you an issue report. We do not file the claim for you. You file it, on the platform, with our report and photos in hand.
Urgent items, like guest damage, a broken lock or a lockout, we flag right away.
File right away
Do not wait. Vrbo allows 14 days after checkout to file a damage claim, and it suggests you contact the guest first, in writing through its messaging, and share your photos. Our report is there so you can do that the day you get it.
Keep the original photos and any repair quotes and receipts.
Want to talk it through?
Book a call and tell us about your rental. We will tell you how we would handle it.