A damage claim is half evidence and half how you ask. Get the message wrong and a fair charge becomes a fight; get it right and the guest often just pays. Here are copy-ready templates for every step, and the tone that makes them work.
When charging a guest for damage, keep the message factual, specific, and on-platform: name the exact damage, state it was not present at check-in, reference your dated evidence, and give the amount with an estimate. Send it alongside a Resolution Center request. Never threaten or move off-platform. Copy-ready templates for the request, the follow-up, and the escalation are below. The words frame the claim; the evidence decides it.
A calm, specific message beats an emotional one
Keep every message inside Airbnb
Every message references your evidence
Never threaten; state facts and next steps
Swap the bracketed parts for your details. Each one keeps the tone calm, the facts specific, and the evidence front and centre.
“Hi [Name], thank you for staying at [Property]. During the post-checkout inspection I found [specific damage], which was not present at check-in. I have attached dated photos and a repair estimate of [amount]. I have opened a request in the Resolution Center for [amount] to cover it. Please let me know if you have any questions.”
“Hi [Name], just following up on the reimbursement request I sent on [date] for the [damage] found after checkout. The documentation is attached to the request in the Resolution Center. Could you review and respond when you have a moment? Happy to clarify anything.”
“Hi [Name], since I have not had a response to the reimbursement request for [damage], I will be asking Airbnb to review it under AirCover. All the evidence, including the dated check-in and checkout records, is attached. I would still prefer to resolve this directly if you would like to.”
“Hi [Name], I understand you are frustrated. To keep this straightforward: the request covers [specific damage] documented after your stay, with dated photos and an estimate attached. I am keeping everything on the platform so Airbnb has the full record. I am open to discussing the amount, but the damage itself is documented.”
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| State the specific damage and amount | Be vague or exaggerate |
| Reference dated evidence in every message | Rely on words alone |
| Keep every message inside Airbnb | Move to text or email |
| Stay calm and professional | Get emotional or accusatory |
| Offer to resolve directly | Threaten a review or legal action |
It is worth saying plainly, because a good template can create false confidence: no wording rescues a claim with no proof. The message decides whether the exchange stays civil and on-track; the evidence decides whether you get paid.
Write like the reviewer will read it, because they might. Every message you send about the damage becomes part of the record a case manager or a card network sees, so keep it factual, specific, and on-platform.
These templates reference your evidence in every line. Checkout Shield is that evidence: dated, GPS-verified, tamper-evident condition records you can attach to the request so the words are backed by proof.
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Score My Claim, FreeA template is a starting frame, not a script to paste verbatim. The goal when you adapt one is to add the specific facts of your case while keeping the qualities that make it work: factual, calm, and specific. Swap in the real item, the real cost, and the real evidence, and resist the urge to editorialise.
The most common way hosts weaken a good template is tone drift. Over-apologising can read as doubt about your own claim; anger reads as a complaint rather than a case; and vague softeners like "I think" or "maybe" invite a reviewer to discount the number. Keep the language plain and the claim precise. The message is the frame, but as the templates stress, it is the evidence attached to it that actually wins.
The right words at the wrong time still lose. Damage claims run on deadlines, so the sequence matters as much as the content:
Filing on day one with a clear message and strong evidence gives you the full window no matter how the guest responds. Waiting shrinks it. The full lifecycle is in the damage policy guide.
The questions hosts ask about claim messaging, answered plainly.
Keep it factual and specific: name the exact damage, state that it was not present at check-in, reference your dated evidence, and give the amount with an estimate or receipt. A calm, documented message reads as a legitimate request, while an emotional or vague one invites a dispute. The template above is a good starting point.
A brief, polite message alongside or just before the request works well: it gives the guest context and a chance to resolve it directly, which many prefer. Keep it on-platform and reference the evidence, so the message and the formal request tell the same, documented story.
Stay calm, keep it on-platform, and let the documentation carry the weight. Acknowledge their frustration, restate the specific, evidenced facts, and note that you are keeping everything on the record. Never threaten back, and never concede a valid charge just to avoid a review; a review threat tied to a charge is its own issue.
Because the on-platform message history is evidence. If the claim escalates to AirCover or a chargeback, Airbnb can see the full, timestamped exchange. Moving to text or email hides that record and weakens your position, so every message about the damage should stay inside Airbnb.
No. The message frames the claim, but the evidence decides it. A perfectly worded request with no dated proof still fails, while a plain one backed by a solid condition record succeeds. Use the templates to present strong evidence clearly, not to substitute for it.
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