Reporting damage on Booking.com: deadline, process and ceiling
Reporting damage on Booking.com: deadline, process and ceiling
Through Booking.com you can send the guest a payment request, up to 14 days after checkout. The platform caps it at €250.
Booking.com does not pay itself, it asks the guest to pay. Anything above €250 you must settle directly with the guest, and for that you need robust evidence.
Booking.com for Partners, damage policy optionsIn 60 seconds
You file the payment request in the Extranet on the relevant reservation. It is possible up to 14 days after checkout.
Booking.com reviews it and asks the guest to pay. The platform does not step in as payer the way an insurer would.
At most €250 is obtainable this way. Larger losses must be settled directly with the guest or through your own insurance.
Processing can take up to 30 days. Do not count on a quick credit.
Because the platform absorbs less than Airbnb does, your own evidence carries more weight here: it is the basis for everything above the ceiling.
What Booking.com provides
Partners may submit a damage payment request up to 14 days after checkout and attach evidence. The platform contacts the guest for payment; the amount recoverable this way is limited. Alongside this there is a self-managed damage deposit option and liability cover for third-party claims. These are platform rules, not law.
The three routes on Booking.com
| Route | What it does |
|---|---|
| payment request | up to €250, platform asks the guest |
| self-managed deposit | amount is yours, but more cancellations |
| partner liability | third-party claims against you, not your property damage |
How to operate without AirCover is in Damage from Booking.com and Vrbo guests; how to build the evidence is in Proving damage in a holiday flat.
Common mistakes
Booking.com asks the guest to pay; it does not pay like an insurer.
Above €250 you settle directly with the guest.
The request goes in with proof, not as a bare assertion.
What to do next
File the payment request in the Extranet within 14 days. Do it with BildProof, about two minutes a room →
Attach receipts and condition evidence directly.
For amounts above the ceiling, prepare the direct route to the guest.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to report?
Up to 14 days after the guest checks out. The deadline matches Airbnb and Vrbo, though without the additional cut-off at the next check-in. If you already document at every turnover, you will meet it comfortably.
What if the damage exceeds €250?
Then the platform route only covers you up to that amount. The remainder you must pursue directly against the guest or through your own insurance. That only works with your own robust evidence, because the platform no longer mediates above the ceiling.
Does the partner liability cover my property damage?
No. Liability cover responds to third-party claims against you, for instance if a guest is injured. Damage to your own furnishings is not included. For that you need the payment request, a deposit, or your own insurance.
This page gives general information as at the date shown. It does not replace legal advice on an individual case.