Handover record for a holiday flat: recording condition without a signature
What replaces the signed Übergabeprotokoll with self check-in, and what you should capture.
Record the condition yourself at every guest change, room by room and with a date you can prove. Only then can you link damage to one booking.
What belongs in your record?
The guest's signature is not required. What matters is that you can show the condition at a given time.
- 1
Every room
Walls, floors, furniture and furnishings, not just visible damage.
- 2
Hob
It is often forgotten, but belongs in every record.
- 3
Mattresses
Stains can only be tied to one stay if the condition before it is on record.
- 4
Floors
Scratches and stains on the floor belong in every record.
- 5
A provable date
The record needs a date you can show later.
- 6
Every guest change
Not once a season but before every check-in, ideally as part of the end-of-stay clean.
Which rules apply
Under §§ 280 and 249 BGB you as the host have to show the damage and the amount, and no particular form is prescribed. On Airbnb, the Host Damage Protection Terms require you to ask the guest for the money within 14 days of checkout.
General information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the guest's signature?
With self check-in you can hardly get one, and it is not required. What matters is that you can show the condition at a given time.
Is it enough if my cleaner does the capture?
Yes, because who records it matters less than when. Best make it a fixed part of the end-of-stay clean.
Which general rules apply to hosts in 2026?
Since 20 May 2026, Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 applies directly in every EU country: where a country, region or city has a registration scheme, you get a registration number online, and platforms must collect it before your listing goes live and show it in the listing. In Germany, cities such as Berlin and Hamburg also require an approval or a registration under their Zweckentfremdungsverbot rules. Check your city's rules before your first listing.
Also in this topic: Short-Let Insurance: Covering Guest Damage ProperlyReporting damage on FeWo-direkt and Vrbo: deadline and coverA Guest Damaged My Short-Let. What to DoGuest will not pay for damage: demand, court order, claim
Next guest arriving soon?
Scan the place before check-in and after check-out. Then every claim rests on a comparison instead of a signature.
See BildProof for hosts