Kaution for a holiday flat: what is allowed
Whether you may charge a Kaution, how to agree it validly and how to justify deductions.
Agree the Kaution before booking and justify each deduction separately. On Airbnb, most hosts may not charge a deposit.
What applies to a Kaution for a holiday flat?
Whether a deposit is possible depends on how you let. How you settle it is much the same everywhere.
- 1
Before booking
A Kaution you only ask for on arrival is not validly agreed.
- 2
Airbnb
Most hosts may not charge a deposit there, neither through Airbnb nor off the platform.
- 3
Booking.com
You choose between a self-managed damage deposit and the Booking.com damage program.
- 4
Vrbo
A deposit claim must be filed within 14 days of checkout.
- 5
Evidence each item
Each deduction must be listed with its amount and proof; keeping back a lump sum cannot be enforced.
- 6
Settle promptly
If you keep something back, send a list with each item, amount and proof.
Which rules apply
The platform's rules apply: on Airbnb most hosts may not charge a deposit, on Booking.com you choose between a deposit and the damage program, and on Vrbo a claim must be filed within 14 days of checkout and may not exceed the deposit.
General information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
How high may the deposit be?
You set the amount yourself: in the contract for direct bookings, and in your settings on Booking.com and Vrbo. On Vrbo a claim may not exceed the deposit held. On Airbnb most hosts may not charge a deposit at all.
May I charge a deposit through Airbnb, Booking.com or Vrbo?
On Airbnb, most hosts may not charge a security deposit, neither through the Resolution Center nor off the platform. On Booking.com, outside the US, you choose between a self-managed damage deposit and the damage program. On Vrbo you must file a deposit claim within 14 days of checkout, and it cannot exceed the deposit.
Which general rules apply to hosts in 2026?
Since 20 May 2026 the EU short-term rental Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 applies directly: where your country, region or municipality sets up a registration procedure, you get a registration number online, which platforms must obtain before the listing goes live and show in the listing. In cities with a Zweckentfremdungsverbot such as Berlin or Hamburg, you also need approval or registration with the city.
Also in this topic: Mattress stains from guests: what does the guest pay?Furniture damaged by a guest: repair or replacement?Party damage in a holiday flat: who is liable for what?Guest smoked despite the ban: what can you claim?
Next guest arriving soon?
Scan the flat before check-in and after check-out. Then every deduction from the Kaution rests on a comparison.
See BildProof for hosts