Airbnb guest damage in Malaysia: who pays for repairs?

Is it worn out, faulty or damaged during a stay?

A sofa slowly fading, an aircond that stops cooling and a fresh burn mark on the table are three different clues. Finding a problem after checkout does not by itself tell you which guest, if any, caused it.

Start with the earlier condition, the item's age and any records. A technician may help tell a fault from misuse. Dated photos and item details give you something concrete to compare, instead of relying on everyone's memory of one small scratch.

For Airbnb bookings, its Host damage protection guidance describes certain guest-caused damage that may qualify, while excluding normal wear and tear. Do not treat every replacement as a recoverable guest charge.

A deposit, platform protection and insurance do different jobs

First check which channel handled that stay. Airbnb's damage protection terms set listing and booking eligibility limits. The protection is not insurance, and it does not automatically cover a booking made elsewhere.

A deposit does not mean you can automatically deduct the repair bill. Airbnb limits who may collect deposits, with specified exceptions. Check its deposit and payment rules for that booking rather than using one approach on every channel.

With insurance, check whether the policy covers the unit's actual rental use and this type of loss. Platform eligibility, an insurance claim and the owner-manager agreement each have separate terms. A photo of the broken item alone cannot settle whether the cost will be reimbursed.

Agree who does what before handing over

These four questions belong in the management discussion:

• 01Who checks the unit after checkout, and how are problems reported?
• 02Who keeps the earlier condition records, new photos, item details and repair quotations?
• 03Who contacts the guest or follows the platform's reimbursement process?
• 04Who approves repairs, who pays initially and how are costs handled if they are not recovered?

Agree which work is included and what needs your separate approval. Platform requests have time limits, so the person handling the case should check the current requirements promptly. A month-end update may be too late to start looking for the checkout photos.

If you are comparing teams, our guide on what to ask a property manager covers the wider service questions. Here, the point is to identify who follows a damage issue through, not assume that appointing a manager makes every cost their responsibility.

The next booking is coming. Repair first or wait?

The next guest may be due before a reimbursement decision arrives. If the item affects safety or whether the unit can be used, assess that first. Stop using suspect equipment and arrange a qualified check where needed.

Discuss the options with the responsible team, then use the agreed approval and emergency arrangements. Who may authorise urgent work? Who pays while a request is being reviewed? Those points should be agreed, not left to guesswork on check-in day.

Getting the repair done does not decide who ultimately bears the cost. And unless you have agreed otherwise, do not assume the manager will pay upfront.

Ask for a clear status, not just "being handled"

Keep the stages distinct: repair needed, work completed and paid, request submitted, and money actually received. That way a finished repair is not mistaken for a successful recovery.

"Request submitted" is not "payment received". Ask how those updates will be explained under the management arrangement, without assuming a particular report format or payout date.