Airbnb AirCover vs. Proper Insurance vs. Safely vs. Vrbo: Where Each Actually Pays Out

Side-by-side comparison of Airbnb AirCover, Proper Insurance, Safely, and Vrbo damage protection. Real payout mechanics, coverage caps, and the scenarios where each platform actually pays and where it leaves you exposed.

The four products answer fundamentally different questions. AirCover is free but uses depreciated value and is legally discretionary. Vrbo's program is underwritten insurance but caps at $5,000 and excludes vandalism. Proper Insurance pays replacement cost with no sub-limit on guest damage and explicitly covers intentional damage. Safely provides replacement cost with $10,000+ content coverage and $1 million liability on a per-booking model.

For most multi-unit operators, the right answer is **AirCover or Vrbo on every booking (free or bundled)** layered with a **third-party policy from Proper or Safely** as the primary protection against high-value damage. The platform programs fill the small-claim floor. The third-party policies fill the high-value ceiling and the exclusion gaps.

## 01 / MatrixSide-by-side comparison

The practical differences are in the details. The matrix below pulls the specs from each product's published terms. Two things matter most: the valuation method (replacement cost vs. Actual Cash Value) and whether intentional damage is covered. Both line items split the products into two distinct tiers.

| Coverage attribute | AirCoverPlatform | VrboPlatform | ProperInsurance | SafelyInsurance |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Max property damage coverage | **$3M**Aggregate cap | **$5,000**Top tier | **Policy limit**No sub-limit on guests | **$10,000+**Per booking |
| Valuation method | ACVDepreciation applied | ACVAdjuster discretion | ReplacementNew for old | ReplacementNew for old |
| Legal standing | Not insuranceDiscretionary program | InsuranceGenerali underwriter | InsuranceAll-risk policy | InsuranceStated policy |
| Intentional damage / vandalism | PartialCase-by-case | ExcludedMajor gap | CoveredExplicitly included | Covered |
| Pet damage | Partial | ExcludedUnauthorized pets | Covered | CoveredPet-friendly included |
| Theft / missing items | Limited | Excluded | Covered | Covered |
| Liability coverage | **$1M**Separate program | No | **Varies**Policy dependent | **$1M** |
| Filing window | **14 days** | **14 days** | **Policy terms** | **Short window** |
| Guest vs. host pays | **Free to host** | **Guest opt-in**$59–$119 | **Host pays**Annual policy | **Per-booking**Host or pass-through |
| Avg. recovery on claimed amount | **56.75%**Avada, 20K+ bookings | **68.29%**Avada, 20K+ bookings | **~95%+**Replacement cost | **~95%+**Replacement cost |

The matrix makes the trade-off visible. Platform programs are convenient and free or cheap, but they pay less and exclude more. Third-party insurance costs real money but pays replacement cost and covers the scenarios (vandalism, theft, premium items) where the platform programs leave you exposed.

## 02 / Deep divesHow each product actually pays out

AirCover is the largest-scale platform protection program in short-term rentals, with a $3 million coverage cap and no per-host cost. It is also the product most commonly misunderstood. The Host Damage Protection Terms explicitly state that AirCover is not insurance. Airbnb handles claims on a discretionary basis, meaning they can deny or reduce any claim at their internal judgment. When Airbnb pays, they pay Actual Cash Value, which deducts depreciation based on the item's age. Our companion piece on [how Airbnb calculates damage payouts](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/how-much-does-airbnb-pay-damage-claims/) walks through the exact formula and category rates.

Avada Properties' analysis of 20,000-plus Smoky Mountain bookings found that Airbnb hosts recover an average of 56.75 percent of the amounts they claim. That number includes denied claims and partial denials. For an operator at scale, AirCover is the correct floor but should not be treated as comprehensive protection, especially for furniture past year 3 or for any scenario involving intentional damage.

- Free and automatic on every Airbnb booking

- $3M cap is the highest of any platform program

- Separate $1M liability coverage included

- No booking-by-booking opt-in required

- Discretionary, not a legal insurance obligation

- ACV reduces payouts by 15–40% on most items

- Labor costs frequently excluded from payouts

- Average recovery under 57% of claimed amount

Vrbo damage protection is structurally different from AirCover. It is actual insurance underwritten by Generali Global Assistance, purchased by the guest at booking in one of three tiers ($59 / $89 / $119 covering $1,500 / $3,000 / $5,000 respectively). Because it is insurance, claims have legal weight and adjusters are obligated to pay valid losses. That is why Vrbo's average recovery rate is higher than Airbnb's at 68.29 percent.

The problem is the $5,000 cap. A single sofa, a mattress, and some electronics in a party damage scenario can exhaust the top tier. More critically, Vrbo damage protection [explicitly excludes intentional damage and vandalism](https://www.steadily.com/blog/vrbo-damage-protection). For party-prone properties or premium listings, this is a fatal coverage gap. One real case on the BiggerPockets forums: a host with $6,000 in documented party damage (blood, broken windows, destruction) would have received $0 under Vrbo's program because the damage was intentional. The host ultimately recovered through Airbnb AirCover instead.

- Actual insurance with legal claim standing

- Higher recovery rate than AirCover (68% vs. 57%)

- Guest pays the premium, not the host

- Simpler claim process than Airbnb Resolution Center

- $5,000 cap is low for premium properties

- Excludes intentional damage and vandalism

- Excludes theft and missing items

- Excludes unauthorized pet damage

- Wear and tear reclassification at adjuster discretion

Proper Insurance is the most comprehensive third-party STR-specific policy in the market. Its key differentiators are threefold. First, **replacement cost valuation**: Proper pays new-for-old on both buildings and contents, meaning no depreciation deduction. Second, **no sub-limit on guest damage**: where platform programs cap guest-caused damage at a specific dollar amount, Proper treats guest damage as a fully covered peril under the main policy. Third, **explicit coverage for intentional and malicious damage by guests**, which is typically excluded from both Vrbo protection and standard homeowner/landlord policies.

Proper uses a "special form all-risk" coverage structure, meaning every peril is covered unless specifically excluded in the policy. This is the inverse of how most insurance operates (which uses "named peril" structure) and is a meaningful advantage for STR operators dealing with unusual damage scenarios. Pricing is based on an annual policy, which means the math favors properties booking more than ~50 nights per year.

- Replacement cost pays full value, no depreciation

- No sub-limit on guest-caused damage

- Covers intentional damage and vandalism

- All-risk coverage form (strong default position)

- Covers all booking platforms and direct bookings

- Annual policy cost, not per-booking

- Requires underwriting and application process

- Premiums higher than standard landlord policies

- Less useful for low-occupancy properties

Safely operates on a different pricing model than Proper. Instead of an annual policy, Safely charges per-booking, which makes it attractive to operators who want to avoid fixed insurance costs or who manage a mix of owner-direct and platform bookings. Base content coverage is [$10,000 per booking with higher limits available](https://safely.com/) for luxury properties, and the policy includes $1 million in homeowner and property manager liability coverage for guest injuries.

Safely's positioning is similar to Proper on the coverage side, with both offering replacement cost valuation and covering scenarios that platform programs exclude. Safely's distinguishing features are the per-booking pricing model (easier to pass through to guests as a damage waiver fee), integrated guest verification as part of the product, and explicit coverage for pet-caused damage even on pet-friendly listings. For property managers running 100+ units across multiple owners, the per-booking model simplifies accounting and allows the cost to flow through to the guest or owner as a line item.

- Replacement cost valuation (no depreciation)

- $10,000 base content limit, higher available

- $1M liability coverage included

- Per-booking pricing simplifies pass-through

- Integrated guest verification

- Pet damage covered even on pet-friendly listings

- $10K content cap lower than Proper's policy limit

- Per-booking cost adds up at high occupancy

- Less comprehensive than Proper on structure coverage

- Not a replacement for full property insurance

## 03 / ScenariosWho actually pays on real damage events

Here is the same damage scenario run through all four products. The numbers assume adequate documentation and a host with clean baseline photos. Real-world recoveries run 10 to 20 percent below these figures due to partial denials, labor exclusions, and adjuster wear-tear reclassifications.

| Damage scenario | AirCover | Vrbo | Proper | Safely |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3-year-old $1,800 sofa, ruinedUpholstered, guest accident | $1,260 | $1,260 | $1,800 | $1,800 |
| Pet damage to flooring, $2,400Pet-friendly listing | $1,800 | $0 | $2,400 | $2,400 |
| Party damage, $6,500 totalIntentional, multiple items | ~$4,500 | $0 | $6,500 | $6,500 |
| Stolen TV + linens, $1,200Theft, post-checkout | $720 | $0 | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| Water damage, $18,000Guest caused, flooding | ~$13,000 | $5,000 | $18,000 | $10,000 |
| Burned mattress, 4 yrs, $900Cigarette burn | $720 | $720 | $900 | $900 |

Two patterns emerge. First, the difference between ACV and replacement cost is roughly $200 to $600 on typical residential items, which adds up fast across a portfolio over time. Second, the intentional-damage and theft exclusions on Vrbo create dollar-for-dollar zeros where the other products all pay. On a party damage claim where Vrbo would pay nothing, Proper and Safely both pay in full and AirCover pays a depreciated amount.

## 04 / Cost mathWhat coverage actually costs at 100 units

For a 100-unit operation at typical STR occupancy (65 percent, ~237 nights per unit per year), here is the approximate annual cost math. Exact pricing varies by region, property value, and underwriting; these figures are directional for a middle-market portfolio.

### Annual coverage cost · 100-unit portfolio

Indicative only. Quote your own portfolio to get real numbers. Pricing varies materially based on property value, loss history, geography, and the specific scope of coverage.

The math only works if the coverage gap it closes is larger than the cost. At 100 units doing 15-20 claims per year (0.71 percent claim frequency on ~2,100 bookings), the average uplift from replacement cost valuation and vandalism coverage runs $40K to $120K annually, depending on how much high-value damage the portfolio sees. For premium listings, party-prone properties, or anyone with furniture past year 5 on most items, the uplift exceeds the policy cost. For budget properties with mostly minor damage, the free AirCover floor is often sufficient.

## 05 / RecommendationWhich product makes sense for your operation

#### AirCover + Vrbo only

Platform programs are sufficient for most small portfolios. Annual insurance costs are hard to justify at this scale unless you have premium listings or high damage history. Use AirCover as the default and let Vrbo's guest-opt-in protection handle Vrbo bookings.

#### AirCover + Safely

Per-booking pricing fits mid-sized portfolios because costs scale with bookings, not fixed annual commitments. Safely fills the replacement-cost gap and covers vandalism. Keep AirCover as the free floor for small claims under the Safely threshold.

#### AirCover + Proper

Proper's annual policy becomes cost-effective at scale because the fixed premium amortizes across more bookings. Proper's all-risk coverage and no-sub-limit structure are the strongest protection available. Use AirCover for small claims that fall below any deductible.

Two adjustments to the above. If your portfolio includes **premium or luxury listings** (ADR above $500), the math favors Proper at any portfolio size because the replacement-cost gap on a single claim can exceed the annual premium. If your portfolio is **party or vandalism prone** (downtown urban, bachelor/bachelorette market, event properties), the Vrbo exclusion gap makes third-party coverage mandatory regardless of portfolio size.

### A note on stacking

None of these products are mutually exclusive. You can file an AirCover claim for a small damage event on an Airbnb booking, then also file a third-party policy claim on the same event if the platform recovery is insufficient. Third-party policies typically act as "excess" coverage above platform programs, meaning they pay the difference between your loss and what the platform recovered. This is the primary reason multi-unit operators usually stack coverage rather than choosing one.

### Related reading in this series

## FAQCommon questions

No. Airbnb's Host Damage Protection Terms explicitly state that AirCover is not insurance. It is a discretionary protection program, meaning Airbnb can deny or reduce claims at their judgment. Proper Insurance and Safely are actual insurance products with different legal standing and regulatory oversight.

AirCover does cover some forms of intentional damage on a case-by-case discretionary basis. Vrbo damage protection explicitly excludes intentional damage and vandalism. Proper Insurance explicitly covers intentional and malicious damage by guests, making it the strongest option for party-prone properties.

Replacement cost pays the full cost to replace a damaged item with a new equivalent, with no deduction for age. Actual Cash Value pays the depreciated value, deducting based on age and category. On a 3-year-old $1,800 sofa, replacement cost pays $1,800 and ACV pays roughly $1,260. Proper and Safely use replacement cost. AirCover uses ACV.

Most multi-unit operators use both. AirCover is free and automatic. Proper is a paid annual policy providing replacement cost and vandalism coverage. At 100 or more units with furniture past year 3, the math usually justifies stacking a third-party policy on top of AirCover.

Vrbo damage protection is purchased by the guest at booking in three tiers maxing at $5,000. It is underwritten by Generali and is actual insurance. Recovery rates are higher than AirCover (68.29% vs. 56.75%), but the low cap and explicit exclusion of intentional damage make it insufficient as a primary protection layer for premium properties.

### Sources & Primary References

- Airbnb. [Host Damage Protection Terms](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2869). Defines AirCover's $3M limit, ACV valuation methodology, and discretionary program structure.
 https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2869

- Vrbo. [What is Damage Protection](https://help.vrbo.com/articles/What-is-Damage-Protection). Coverage tiers, pricing, and Generali underwriting relationship.
 https://help.vrbo.com/articles/What-is-Damage-Protection

- Proper Insurance. [Vacation Rental Insurance](https://www.proper.insure/vacation-rental-insurance/). All-risk coverage structure, replacement cost valuation, and intentional damage coverage for guests.
 https://www.proper.insure/vacation-rental-insurance/

- Safely. [Safely Short-Term Vacation Rental Insurance](https://safely.com/). $10K content coverage, $1M liability, per-booking pricing model, pet damage coverage.
 https://safely.com/

- Avada Properties. [Airbnb and Vrbo Damage Claims Statistics and Assumptions](https://avadaproperties.com/airbnb-vrbo-damage-claims-statistics-and-assumptions/). 20,000+ booking analysis with 56.75% Airbnb recovery and 68.29% Vrbo recovery.
 https://avadaproperties.com/airbnb-vrbo-damage-claims-statistics-and-assumptions/

- Steadily Insurance. [Vrbo Damage Protection Overview](https://www.steadily.com/blog/vrbo-damage-protection). Third-party analysis of Vrbo exclusions including intentional damage and vandalism.
 https://www.steadily.com/blog/vrbo-damage-protection


Airbnb Cleaning Checklist: Room-by-Room Turnover Guide With Time Estimates (2026)

Complete Airbnb cleaning checklist with time estimates by room and property size. 80+ tasks organized room-by-room for vacation rental turnover cleaners. Interactive, printable, built for operations teams managing 50+ units.

# The Airbnb Cleaning Checklist Your Cleaners Will Actually Use

80+ tasks organized room-by-room with time estimates by property size. Built for operations teams managing professional cleaning crews, not individual hosts winging it.

A complete Airbnb turnover clean covers 80 to 100 tasks across six areas: kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, living spaces, entry and outdoor, and laundry with final walkthrough. According to CleanBnB, a solo cleaner takes 2 to 2.5 hours for a studio and 3.5 to 4.5 hours for a 2-bedroom. According to Uplisting, most turnover cleaning jobs for smaller units take between one and three hours. The checklist below is organized in the order cleaners should work through each room, starting with tasks that need time to set (laundry, soaking) and ending with visual staging.

## Estimate your turnover time

Select your property configuration. Times are for a solo cleaner doing a standard turnover.

## Room-by-room checklist

Work through each room in order. Start laundry and soaking tasks first, then clean top-to-bottom, left-to-right within each space.

### Kitchen

- Start dishwasher if dirty dishes are presentRun immediately so it finishes before you leave

- Clear and wipe all countertops with disinfectant

- Clean stovetop, burner grates, and drip pans

- Clean inside microwave (walls, ceiling, turntable)

- Wipe oven exterior and check interior for spillsOpen door and look. Scrub visible spills. Full oven clean is a deep-clean item.

- Clean refrigerator interior: remove all guest food, wipe shelves and drawers

- Wipe refrigerator exterior and handles

- Empty and wipe dishwasher filter area; unload when cycle completes

- Clean and dry sink basin and faucet

- Run garbage disposal with ice and citrus peel if applicable

- Wipe small appliances (coffee maker, toaster, blender)

- Flush coffee maker with clean water cycleGuest complaint hotspot. Stale coffee residue is visible and smells.

- Clean cabinet fronts and drawer pulls (fingerprints)

- Restock: dish soap, sponge, trash bags, paper towels

- Restock: coffee pods/grounds, sugar, creamer, tea bags

- Check knife block or drawer: all pieces present, clean

- Replace kitchen towels and dishcloths with fresh set

- Empty all trash and recycling; replace liners

- Sweep and mop kitchen floor

- Final visual: staged welcome arrangement if applicable (fruit bowl, snacks, welcome note)

Microwave interior (grease on ceiling), coffee maker residue, refrigerator produce drawers, and crumbs in silverware drawer. These are the four items guests mention most in negative cleaning reviews.

Photograph: full kitchen counter view, open refrigerator (empty shelves), stovetop, and staged amenities. Four photos, 30 seconds.

### Bathrooms

- Spray shower/tub with cleaning solution and let sit while you work other surfacesDwell time does the work. Spray first, scrub last.

- Clean toilet exterior, seat, bowl interior, and base

- Clean mirror until streak-free

- Wipe and disinfect sink basin, faucet, and counter

- Scrub shower/tub walls, floor, door or curtain

- Clean shower door glass (both sides) or replace shower curtain liner if stained

- Check drain for hair and clear if needed

- Wipe all fixtures (towel bars, robe hooks, TP holder) for water spots

- Wipe exhaust fan cover (dust buildup)

- Restock: toilet paper (2 rolls minimum, one on holder, one backup visible)

- Restock: hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash

- Stage fresh towel sets (bath towel, hand towel, washcloth per guest)

- Place fresh bath mat

- Empty trash; replace liner

- Sweep and mop floor, paying attention to base of toilet and behind door

- Final check: no hair on any surface (floor, pillow, countertop)

Hair on the floor behind the toilet is the single most common guest complaint in cleaning reviews. Second is water spots on faucets and mirrors. Third is mildew at the base of the shower door track or along the caulk line.

Photograph: full bathroom from doorway, staged towels, shower/tub (dry and clean), and toilet area. One wide shot plus one detail if anything looks borderline.

### Bedrooms

- Strip all bedding: sheets, pillowcases, duvet cover. Start laundry immediately.

- Check mattress protector for stains; replace if soiled

- Make bed with fresh linens: fitted sheet, flat sheet, pillowcases, duvet

- Fluff and stage pillows and decorative throws

- Dust all surfaces: nightstands, dresser, headboard, shelving

- Wipe lamp bases and check bulbs (replace if burned out)

- Check under bed for guest belongingsCheck every time. Left items create awkward guest messages and shipping costs.

- Open and check nightstand drawers for guest items

- Check closet: empty hangers aligned, luggage rack positioned, extra blanket folded

- Wipe light switches and door handles

- Clean mirror or glass surfaces

- Vacuum carpet or sweep/mop hard floors (including under bed edge)

- Empty trash; replace liner

Hair on pillowcases (check the far side of the pillow), dust on headboard top edge, and guest belongings in nightstand drawers. Pillowcase hair is the cleaning miss most likely to generate a one-star cleanliness sub-rating.

Photograph: made bed from foot of bed (full frame), and one wide shot from the doorway showing the whole room. Two photos per bedroom.

### Living & Dining Areas

- Check sofa and chair cushions: lift, vacuum underneath, check for lost items

- Spot-clean upholstery stains; flag for deep clean if needed

- Fluff and arrange throw pillows and blankets

- Dust all surfaces: coffee table, side tables, entertainment center, shelving

- Clean TV screen (dry microfiber only, no spray)

- Test TV and confirm correct input; place remote in standard location

- Wipe dining table, chairs, and any bar or counter seating

- Check chair seats for crumbs or sticky residue

- Clean windows interior (if visibly smudged) and sliding glass door

- Wipe light switches, door handles, thermostat

- Reset thermostat to property default temperature

- Check ceiling corners for cobwebs

- Vacuum carpet or sweep/mop hard floors (move furniture if accessible)

- Empty all trash; replace liners

TV remotes placed in random locations (guests blame cleaning for this), sticky residue on dining chair seats, and cobwebs in ceiling corners near light fixtures. Also: forgotten items wedged between sofa cushions.

Photograph: one wide shot of the living area showing staged furniture, and one of the dining area with table and chairs. Two photos total.

### Entry & Outdoor

- Sweep or vacuum entryway

- Clean front door (both sides), door handle, and lock

- Verify smart lock or lockbox code is set for next guest

- Shake out or replace welcome mat

- Place welcome guide / info binder in standard location

- Check porch or patio: sweep, wipe furniture, remove debris

- Check grill: clean grates, confirm propane level if applicable

- Check hot tub if applicable: water clarity, cover position, chemical levelsHot tub turnovers add 15-30 min depending on condition

- Inspect pool area if applicable: remove debris, check gate latch

- Remove any guest-generated trash from exterior areas

- Verify exterior lights are working (porch, pathway)

Dirty door handle (the first thing the guest touches), grill grates left crusty from the previous guest, and porch furniture cushions that were rained on and not dried. Outdoor misses set the tone before the guest walks in.

Photograph: front entry (clean door and mat), patio or deck from one angle, and hot tub/pool if applicable. First and last impression areas.

### Laundry & Final Walkthrough

- Transfer laundry: fold or bag for off-site processing

- Wipe washer/dryer exteriors and clean lint trap

- Restock laundry detergent pod/container if guest-accessible

- Walk entire property: lights off except staging lights

- Verify all windows are closed and locked

- Verify HVAC set to property default

- Check smoke detectors: indicator lights visiblePress test button quarterly, not every turnover. Visual check only during standard clean.

- Verify WiFi is working (check with phone)

- Sniff test: walk through each room. Note any odors, especially pet, smoke, or mildew.

- Note and photograph any pre-existing damage or maintenance issuesReport to ops team immediately if urgent (leak, broken lock, safety hazard)

- Lock all doors; confirm property is secure

- Upload photos and mark task complete in operations platform

Lint trap left full (fire risk and guest frustration), windows left unlocked (security and HVAC waste), and thermostat left at the previous guest's setting (72 degrees when the default is 68 adds up fast across a portfolio).

Photograph any damage or maintenance issues found during walkthrough. Include a wide shot for context and a close-up for detail. These photos are your documentation if damage attribution becomes a question later.

## Deep clean schedule (every 3-4 months)

Standard turnovers do not cover everything. These items need scheduled deep cleans every 3 to 4 months, or after every 15 to 20 turnovers, whichever comes first. A deep clean typically adds 2 to 4 hours beyond the standard turnover time depending on property size. [Turno's deep cleaning guide](https://www.turno.com/airbnb-deep-cleaning/) covers the full scope in detail.

#### Kitchen

- Full oven interior clean

- Inside all cabinets and drawers

- Behind and under refrigerator

- Behind stove and microwave

- Range hood filter (soak and scrub)

- Descale coffee maker and kettle

#### Bathrooms

- Grout scrub (shower, floor, backsplash)

- Recaulk if discolored or peeling

- Inside medicine cabinet or vanity

- Shower head descale (vinegar soak)

- Exhaust fan interior cleaning

#### Bedrooms

- Rotate or flip mattress

- Wash mattress protectors

- Wash all pillow inserts

- Vacuum under bed (full access)

- Dust ceiling fan blades

- Wipe baseboards

#### Whole Property

- Window tracks and sills (all rooms)

- Light fixture interiors (bugs, dust)

- HVAC filter replacement

- Carpet deep clean or hard floor polish

- Upholstery deep clean

- Behind and under all furniture

## Why photo documentation is part of the clean

Photo documentation during turnover cleaning is not optional for professional operations. It protects the property manager, the cleaner, and the owner. According to [Airbnb's Host Damage Protection](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2869) terms, hosts must provide photographs, videos, or receipts as proof when filing damage claims within 30 days of checkout.

Most operations platforms, including [Breezeway](https://www.breezeway.io/), require photo uploads as part of task completion. Breezeway and similar platforms automate task workflows so that photos flow into a central system without manual file management. The photos your cleaners take during turnover become the property's condition record.

At scale, these photos pile up fast. A 200-unit portfolio generating 8 photos per turnover at 70% occupancy produces roughly 3,000 to 4,000 photos per week. Reviewing them all manually is not realistic. Some operations teams use [structured review workflows](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/how-to-review-turnover-photos-at-scale/), and a growing number are adding AI inspection layers like [RapidEye](https://rapideyeinspections.com) that compare new turnover photos against a per-property baseline to flag damage, missing items, and cleanliness failures that human reviewers miss.

## Sources

- CleanBnB. "How Long Should It Take an Airbnb Cleaner to Clean?"
 [getcleanbnb.com](https://getcleanbnb.com/blog/how-long-should-it-take-an-airbnb-cleaner-to-clean/)
https://getcleanbnb.com/blog/how-long-should-it-take-an-airbnb-cleaner-to-clean/

- Uplisting. "Airbnb Turnover Cleaning Guide."
 [uplisting.io](https://www.uplisting.io/blog/airbnb-turnover-cleaning)
https://www.uplisting.io/blog/airbnb-turnover-cleaning

- ResortCleaning. "Strategies for Efficient Airbnb Turnover Time Management."
 [resortcleaning.com](https://www.resortcleaning.com/blog/strategies-efficient-airbnb-turnover-time-management)
https://www.resortcleaning.com/blog/strategies-efficient-airbnb-turnover-time-management

- Turno. "Airbnb Deep Cleaning: The Complete Guide."
 [turno.com](https://www.turno.com/airbnb-deep-cleaning/)
https://www.turno.com/airbnb-deep-cleaning/

- Airbnb. "Host Damage Protection Terms."
 [airbnb.com](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2869)
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2869

- Breezeway. Property operations platform used by short-term rental managers for task automation, photo documentation, and inspection workflows.
 [breezeway.io](https://www.breezeway.io/)
https://www.breezeway.io/

### Related guides


Airbnb Cleaning Fee Statistics (2026): Averages, Trends, and Revenue Impact

Airbnb cleaning fee statistics from 685,000+ US listings. Average fees by bedroom count, revenue impact by fee-to-ADR ratio, Superhost data, and platform trends.

# Airbnb Cleaning Fee Statistics (2026)

Average cleaning fees by property size, the fee-to-ADR sweet spot for revenue, Superhost patterns, and how Total Price Display changed the market. Data from 685,000+ US listings.

## Average Cleaning Fees by Property Size

According to AirROI's analysis of 685,000+ US entire-home Airbnb listings using AirDNA data, cleaning fees scale predictably with bedroom count. The percentage of listings charging a fee also rises with property size.

| Bedrooms | Avg Fee | % Charging Fee |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Studio | $83 | 58.8% |
| 1-Bedroom | $102 | 83.4% |
| 2-Bedroom | $156 | 88.0% |
| 3-Bedroom | $210 | 91.3% |
| 4-Bedroom | $285 | 92.8% |
| 5-Bedroom | $371 | 94.2% |
| 6-Bedroom | $458 | 94.7% |

## Cleaning Fee Impact on Revenue

The relationship between cleaning fees and revenue is not linear. According to AirROI, there is a clear sweet spot: listings charging 25-50% of their ADR as a cleaning fee earn the most.

| Fee-to-ADR Ratio | Annual Revenue | Occupancy | Avg Rating |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No fee | $37,474 | 39.9% | 4.85 |
| Under 25% | $59,010 | 44.7% | 4.88 |
| **25-50% (sweet spot)** | **$64,405** | **46.2%** | **4.88** |
| 50-75% | $57,176 | 46.3% | 4.86 |
| 75-100% | $51,894 | 44.8% | 4.83 |
| Over 100% | $44,493 | 41.2% | 4.80 |

## Superhost Cleaning Fee Patterns

## Total Price Display Impact

## What Cleaning Actually Costs

## Sources

## Related Statistics


Airbnb Damage Claim Statistics (2026): Rates, Approvals, and Costs

Verified Airbnb and Vrbo damage claim statistics: claim frequency, approval rates, average costs, and filing benchmarks. Primary-source data from 20,000+ bookings.

Industry Data
Airbnb Damage Claim Statistics (2026)
How often guests cause damage, what platforms actually approve, and what hosts recover. Every statistic verified against its primary source.
12 sources verified
Primary data only
Updated May 2026
0.71%
of Airbnb bookings result in a damage claim
Avada Properties, 20K+ bookings
56.75%
of claimed amounts approved by Airbnb AirCover
77%
of hosts don't collect any damage deposit
Superhog / Know Your Guest, 165 hosts
How Often Guests Cause Damage
of Airbnb bookings result in a damage claim. On Vrbo, the rate is lower at
0.43%
.
According to
Avada Properties
, analysis of 20,000+ bookings in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.
Only
0.02%
of Airbnb reservations globally led to property damage reimbursement of
$1,000 or more
Airbnb Newsroom
, October 2024.
Cite
Around
10% of bookings cause some form of damage
, of which 90% can be covered by a damage waiver. Based on 130 properties and 5,000 bookings per year.
According to Nick Taylor, Managing Director of
Nox
(Cape Town property management).
43.9%
of STR operators cite guest property damage as a top concern.
Rent Responsibly / SSTRI 2024
, survey of 3,535 owners and 469 property managers.
Platform Claim Approval Rates
According to Avada Properties' analysis of over 20,000 bookings in the Smoky Mountains region, Vrbo consistently approves a higher share of damage claims than Airbnb.
Platform
Approval Rate
Claim Frequency
Airbnb AirCover
0.71% of bookings
Vrbo
68.29%
0.43% of bookings
Hosts win
11.52 percentage points more
of their claimed amounts on Vrbo compared to Airbnb.
, 20,000+ bookings.
42%
of US homeowner insurance claims were closed without payment in 2024, up from 25.7% in 2004.
Weiss Ratings
, 2024 insurance industry analysis.
Safely pays
80% of claims within four days
. Guesty reports 85% of claims pay out within four days, with coverage up to $20,000 per booking.
Safely
and
Guesty
, 2025.
Average Damage Costs
Unauthorized parties cause an average of
$1,560 in damages
per incident, with combined damages from surveyed hosts exceeding
$270,000
Lodgify
, survey of 170+ hosts managing 2,242 properties.
Some hosts reported
$5,000 to $25,000+
in party-related damages, not including legal fees and lost revenue.
, same survey.
For every 100 checkouts, property managers spend
12-16 hours monthly
on deposit reconciliation.
, December 2025.
Security Deposits vs. Damage Waivers
of hosts don't collect a damage deposit from guests.
57%
of hosts don't know what a damage waiver is.
Superhog / Know Your Guest
, survey of 165 hosts.
31.6%
of hosts surveyed had no short-term rental insurance at all.
, survey of 170+ hosts.
83%
of guests prefer properties with a damage waiver over traditional security deposits. Listings that switched from deposits to waivers saw a
6-10% increase in bookings
Enso Connect
, 2024.
When offered a choice,
68%
of Airbnb guests choose the damage waiver over a security deposit.
Listings without security deposits receive up to
30% more bookings
than comparable listings that require one.
Nowistay
Damage Detection and Documentation
In-person walk-through inspections eliminate
98%
of all mistakes made during turnover. Remote photo-based inspection catches
87%
, an 11-point gap.
Properly
Breezeway has tracked over
300,000 issues
reported by inspectors, cleaners, and field staff through their mobile app.
Breezeway
53.1%
of hosts experienced at least one unauthorized party in the previous two years. Only
of hosts use any prevention tools.
, 170+ hosts managing 2,242 properties.
Sources
Avada Properties.
Airbnb & Vrbo Damage Claims: Statistics and Assumptions.
https://avadaproperties.com/airbnb-vrbo-damage-claims-statistics-and-assumptions/
Airbnb Newsroom.
An Update on Our Work to Crack Down on Parties and Disruptive Behavior. October 2024.
https://news.airbnb.com/an-update-on-our-work-to-crack-down-on-parties-and-disruptive-behavior/
Truvi / Nox.
How Damage Waiver Improves Guest Experience.
https://truvi.com/success-stories/how-damage-waiver-improves-guest-experience-nox/
Rent Responsibly / SSTRI.
2024 Vacation Rental Stats Roundup. Survey of 3,535 owners and 469 property managers.
https://www.rentresponsibly.org/2024-vacation-rental-stats-roundup/
Lodgify.
Unauthorized Parties Survey. 170+ hosts managing 2,242 properties. 2023.
https://www.lodgify.com/blog/unauthorized-parties-survey/
Superhog / Know Your Guest.
Host Survey. 165 hosts. 2023.
https://truvi.com/blog/what-is-know-your-guest/
Enso Connect.
Protect Vacation Rentals and Earn with Damage Waivers. 2024.
https://ensoconnect.com/resources/protect-vacation-rentals-and-earn-with-damage-waivers
Nowistay.
Security Deposit: Why It's a Bad Idea for Vacation Rentals. 2024.
https://www.nowistay.com/ressources/security-deposit-vacation-rental-why-bad-idea
Weiss Ratings.
US Homeowner Insurance Claims Analysis. 2024.
https://weissratings.com/
Safely.
Vacation Rental Damage Waiver.
https://safely.com/articles/vacation-rental-damage-waiver/
Guesty.
Security Deposit or Insurance? December 2025.
https://www.guesty.com/blog/security-deposit-or-insurance/
Properly.
Remote Inspection: Pros and Cons.
https://www.getproperly.com/remote-inspection-vacation-rental-pros-cons/
Breezeway.
Top Vacation Rental Issues.
https://www.breezeway.io/blog/top-vacation-rental-issues
Related Statistics
How Often Do Vacation Rental Guests Cause Damage?
Airbnb AirCover Damage Claim Guide
Wear and Tear vs. Damage Guide
State of Vacation Rental Operations 2026


Airbnb Security Deposit Statistics (2026): Deposits vs Damage Waivers

Airbnb security deposit statistics: what percentage of hosts collect deposits, guest preferences for damage waivers, booking impact, and platform protection tiers.

Industry Data
Airbnb Security Deposit Statistics (2026)
What percentage of hosts collect deposits, why guests prefer damage waivers, and how deposit requirements affect booking conversion rates.
5 sources verified
Primary data only
Updated May 2026
77%
of hosts don't collect any damage deposit
Superhog, 165 hosts
83%
of guests prefer properties with a damage waiver
Enso Connect, 2024
30%
more bookings without a security deposit
Nowistay, 2024
Deposit Adoption Rates
of hosts don't collect a damage deposit from guests.
57%
don't know what a damage waiver is.
According to
Superhog / Know Your Guest
, survey of 165 hosts (in partnership with For The Host and Short-Term Rental Advisor).
31.6%
of hosts had no short-term rental insurance at all, relying solely on platform protection or nothing.
Lodgify
, 170+ hosts surveyed.
Guest Preferences
of guests prefer properties with a damage waiver over traditional security deposits.
Enso Connect
, 2024.
When offered a choice between a damage waiver and a security deposit,
68%
of Airbnb guests choose the waiver.
67%
of tech-enabled property managers generate revenue from damage waivers.
22%
report significant gains.
, survey of tech-enabled PMs.
Booking Impact
Listings without security deposits receive up to
30% more bookings
than comparable listings that require one.
Nowistay
Listings that switched from security deposits to damage waivers saw a
6-10% increase
in bookings.
Administrative Cost
For every 100 checkouts, property managers spend
12-16 hours monthly
on deposit reconciliation.
Guesty
, December 2025.
Sources
Superhog / Know Your Guest.
Host Survey. 165 hosts. 2023.
https://truvi.com/blog/what-is-know-your-guest/
Enso Connect.
Protect Vacation Rentals and Earn with Damage Waivers. 2024.
https://ensoconnect.com/resources/protect-vacation-rentals-and-earn-with-damage-waivers
Nowistay.
Security Deposit: Why It's a Bad Idea. 2024.
https://www.nowistay.com/ressources/security-deposit-vacation-rental-why-bad-idea
Lodgify.
Unauthorized Parties Survey. 170+ hosts. 2023.
https://www.lodgify.com/blog/unauthorized-parties-survey/
Guesty.
Security Deposit or Insurance? December 2025.
https://www.guesty.com/blog/security-deposit-or-insurance/
Related Statistics
Airbnb Damage Claim Statistics (2026)
Short-Term Rental Insurance Statistics (2026)
Vacation Rental Party Statistics (2026)
Airbnb Cleaning Fee Statistics (2026)


How Much Does a 0.2-Star Rating Drop Cost You on Airbnb? (Revenue Math)

A 0.2-star rating drop correlates with 5-10% fewer listing page views per Opago. 4.9+ listings see 18.2% higher revenue than lower-rated ones per AirDNA. The real math behind Airbnb rating elasticity.

# How Much Does a 0.2-Star Rating Drop Cost You on Airbnb?

**A 0.2-star rating drop correlates with a 5 to 10 percent reduction in listing page views.** Fewer page views compress booking conversion, which compresses occupancy, which compresses revenue. Over 90 days, a single bad review from one ops failure cascades far beyond the refund on that stay. This page breaks down the cascade, the non-linear threshold effects around 4.7 and 4.8, and the scenario math for a 50-unit portfolio.

## The rating-to-revenue cascade

Rating is not a standalone metric. Every tenth of a star moves a downstream number. Here's the chain, with each stage attributed to a primary source.

Stage 1 — trigger

−0.2★

A 0.2-star rating drop over 90 days, triggered by a run of ops failures. Often one or two bad reviews pulling a rolling average down.

Stage 2 — visibility

−5–10%

Listing page views drop 5 to 10 percent per Opago's portfolio data. Fewer guests see the listing in search results.

Stage 3 — conversion

Compressed

Fewer page views paired with the visible rating drop compresses look-to-book conversion. Guests skip anything under 4.7–4.8.

Stage 4 — revenue

Compounds

4.9+ listings see 18.2% higher revenue than lower-rated peers per AirDNA 2023. The gap is real and compounds monthly.

## Why 4.8 and 4.9 are non-linear breakpoints

Rating impact is not a smooth curve. Specific thresholds trigger platform-level consequences that reshape search visibility and guest behavior. A 0.1-star move from 4.7 to 4.8 is worth more than a 0.1 move from 4.4 to 4.5, because 4.8 is the Superhost floor.

## The scenario: 50-unit portfolio, 0.2-star drop over 90 days

Most portfolios feel a rating slide as abstract. The math below makes it concrete. A single ops failure often produces the one or two bad reviews needed to move the rolling 90-day average by 0.2 stars on a mid-volume listing. Here is what that costs across a 50-unit portfolio over a year at representative numbers.

### Worked example

Assumptions: 50 listings, average ADR $220, baseline occupancy 72%, 365 days. Delta uses conservative 5% page-view reduction and the midpoint of AirDNA's 9.7% occupancy gap and 7.7% ADR gap.

Illustrative calculation using AirDNA and Opago signals. Real portfolios vary by market and mix.

## How to defend the rating operationally

Rating defense is an ops discipline, not a marketing one. Reviews reflect operational execution with a lag. The practical levers all show up in the hub's 12 KPIs, but four matter most for rating specifically.

- Track 90-day rating trend per listing, not lifetime
Lifetime average is a lagging vanity metric. Rolling 90-day trend is actionable. Set a per-listing alert at −0.1 over 90 days; investigate every triggered listing within the week.

### Track 90-day rating trend per listing, not lifetime

Lifetime average is a lagging vanity metric. Rolling 90-day trend is actionable. Set a per-listing alert at −0.1 over 90 days; investigate every triggered listing within the week.

- Tie every negative review to a root-cause category
Tag every critical review to one of the [5 Ops Failure Rate categories](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/what-is-ops-failure-rate-short-term-rentals/): late clean, missed supplies, missed maintenance, damage missed, or guest issue in first 24 hours. Pattern emerges in 30 days.

### Tie every negative review to a root-cause category

Tag every critical review to one of the [5 Ops Failure Rate categories](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/what-is-ops-failure-rate-short-term-rentals/): late clean, missed supplies, missed maintenance, damage missed, or guest issue in first 24 hours. Pattern emerges in 30 days.

- Hold Inspection Pass Rate above 90 percent
Most rating damage compounds from cleanliness and condition issues. [Inspection Pass Rate](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/what-is-good-inspection-pass-rate-vacation-rentals/) is the upstream lever. Below 90 percent, rating drift is mathematically coming; fix it before it arrives.

### Hold Inspection Pass Rate above 90 percent

Most rating damage compounds from cleanliness and condition issues. [Inspection Pass Rate](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/what-is-good-inspection-pass-rate-vacation-rentals/) is the upstream lever. Below 90 percent, rating drift is mathematically coming; fix it before it arrives.

- Respond to every 3- or 4-star review publicly
Public response shows future guests the operator is on it. Specific, non-defensive, short. Public responses do not change the star rating but do change the conversion impact of the visible low-star.

### Respond to every 3- or 4-star review publicly

Public response shows future guests the operator is on it. Specific, non-defensive, short. Public responses do not change the star rating but do change the conversion impact of the visible low-star.

## Frequently asked questions

### How fast does a rating recover after a drop?

Rolling 90-day averages recover as high-star reviews age in and low-star reviews age out. Lifetime averages move slowly and essentially never fully recover for high-volume listings, which is why 90-day trend is the useful metric. A listing that holds 4.9 operationally for 90 straight days typically recovers most of the visible rating drop even if the lifetime number stays slightly lower.

### Is the 22% Superhost booking uplift verified?

The "Superhost equals 22 percent more bookings" figure is frequently cited in Airbnb-adjacent content (including Hostaway's 2026 rating analysis citing Complete Hospitality Management as the source). It is not a figure Airbnb has published directly as a controlled experiment result. Use it as directional rather than precise. The first-party data we rely on in this page is the AirDNA 2023 comparison across rating tiers, which is measured rather than estimated.

### Does one bad review permanently damage a high-rated listing?

One 1-star review on a listing with 80 prior 5-star reviews reduces the visible rating from 5.00 to roughly 4.95. Immaterial on the surface. The damage isn't the math; it's the visible 1-star sitting at the top of recent reviews. Future guests read the most recent reviews first. The fix is a few new 5-star reviews after the bad one, not the long-run average.

### Should rating trend be tracked for Vrbo and Booking.com too?

Yes, but with different thresholds. Vrbo Premier Host 2026 requires 4.6+ (lower than Airbnb's 4.8 Superhost floor) but demands 99% acceptance and 0% host-initiated cancellation — see our [Superhost response time playbook](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/airbnb-superhost-response-time-requirements/) for the cross-platform comparison. Booking.com scores on a 10-point scale with 8.5+ as the competitive floor. Track by platform; don't mix.

## Related ops references

Hub page

Vacation rental operational KPIs: the ops scorecard for 100+ unit portfolios

Upstream

What is Ops Failure Rate for short-term rentals?

Cross-platform

Airbnb Superhost Response Time Requirements (2026)

## Sources

- [Opago, "5 KPIs That Short Term Rental CEOs Track" (April 2026) — 0.2-star drop correlates with 5-10% page-view reduction across 7,000+ London portfolio](https://www.opago.co/blog/5-kpis-that-short-term-rental-ceos-track---and-the-1-they-almost-always-miss)
https://www.opago.co/blog/5-kpis-that-short-term-rental-ceos-track---and-the-1-they-almost-always-miss

- [AirDNA, "Host's Guide to Airbnb Ratings" (2023 data) — 4.9+ listings see 7.7% higher ADR, 9.7% higher occupancy, 18.2% higher revenue](https://www.airdna.co/blog/hosts-guide-to-airbnb-ratings)
https://www.airdna.co/blog/hosts-guide-to-airbnb-ratings

- [Airbnb Help Center — How to Qualify for Superhost Status (4.8+ rating requirement, quarterly evaluation)](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/829)
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/829

- [Hostaway, "How Airbnb Star Ratings Can Make or Break Your Vacation Rental Business" — Guest Favorites badge data, distribution benchmarks (96% 4+, 86% 4.5+)](https://www.hostaway.com/blog/airbnb-star-ratings/)
https://www.hostaway.com/blog/airbnb-star-ratings/


Airbnb Superhost Response Time Requirements (2026) — Ops Scaling Playbook

Airbnb Superhost requires a 90% response rate within 24 hours plus a 4.8+ rating. Vrbo Premier Host 2026 adds a 99% acceptance rate and 0% host cancellations. How 100+ unit operators actually staff these thresholds.

# Airbnb Superhost Response Time Requirements (2026)

**Airbnb Superhost requires a 90 percent response rate within a 24-hour window.** Add a 4.8+ overall rating, at least 10 reservations (or 3 reservations totaling 100+ nights), and a cancellation rate below 1 percent. Airbnb evaluates status quarterly in January, April, July, and October. This page covers the exact thresholds, how they differ from Vrbo's 2026 Premier Host standards, and how operators at 100+ units actually staff compliance without burning out a messaging team.

## Airbnb Superhost — the four requirements

### Response rate

Percentage of new inquiries and reservation requests replied to within 24 hours. Superhost calculation uses a 365-day window.

### Overall rating

Lifetime average review score across all listings where the host is the owner. Co-host listings don't count.

### Reservations

At least 10 completed reservations, or 3 reservations totaling 100+ nights, within the past 12 months.

### Cancellation rate

Exceptions apply for Major Disruptive Events and other valid reasons per Airbnb's Help Center policy.

## Airbnb vs Vrbo: the response-rate metrics side by side

Vrbo's 2026 Premier Host program (effective January 1, 2026) is meaningfully stricter on acceptance and cancellation than Airbnb Superhost, and shifts eligibility from the account level to the individual listing level. Baseline Vrbo responsiveness targets are separate from Premier Host.

## How operators at 100+ units staff 90% compliance

Solo hosts hit the 90 percent response rate with phone notifications and a willingness to reply during dinner. Ops organizations managing 100+ listings across channels need a different mechanism. Inquiries arrive in unpredictable bursts, staff turnover breaks Slack rotations, and any single gap in coverage drags the 30-day rate below 90. Four levers, used together, sustain compliance without over-hiring.

### Coverage rotation, not assignment

Message response is an always-on function, not a per-person task. Two or three agents on a rolling shift with 30-minute SLA handoffs covers 14 hours per day; an overnight solo on a paging schedule handles the rest. Assigning inquiries to individual owners is where compliance breaks.

### Templated first-touch inside 15 minutes

A templated acknowledgment ("Got your message — checking dates/availability, will reply in full within the hour") sent within 15 minutes satisfies the response-rate metric while the full answer gets prepared. The metric does not require a complete answer; it requires a reply.

### PMS inbox aggregation across channels

Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com each have their own inbox. An agent tab-switching across three browser tabs drops messages. Aggregating all three into a single PMS inbox (Hostaway, Guesty, OwnerRez, Hospitable) is the difference between a 92 percent rate and an 87 percent rate.

### AI-assisted triage, not AI-sent replies

AI models are strong at classifying inquiries (availability check, maintenance issue, refund request, upsell candidate) but brittle at composing final replies to paying guests. Use AI to route and to draft; have a human send. The split keeps response rate high without the reputation risk of a bad auto-reply.

## Sub-1-hour responses: policy vs practice

Airbnb's own Help Center text on response rate and time explicitly notes that "your response time gives guests an idea of how quickly they'll receive a response from you, but has less impact on your host status." The threshold Airbnb enforces is the 24-hour response-rate calculation, not sub-1-hour reply speed.

Separate from the policy, industry studies on sub-1-hour replies report a booking-conversion advantage. According to [Aeve AI's 2026 analysis](https://www.aeve.ai/blog/airbnb-vrbo-response-time-listing-ranking-2026), listings responding within an hour convert enquiries at roughly 1 percent versus 0.8 percent for over-an-hour responses, and receive approximately 16 percent more daily impressions. Treat these as third-party correlation data, not Airbnb-published policy. The practical implication is the same either way: a 15-minute templated first-touch captures both metrics at once.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does response time affect Airbnb search ranking?

According to Airbnb's own Help Center, response rate influences Superhost status and search placement. Response time itself is described as having "less impact" on host status. Third-party analyses do suggest a search impression advantage for sub-1-hour responders, but that signal sits outside Airbnb's published policy. Don't rearchitect your ops org around it; do use the 15-minute templated first-touch described above, which satisfies both the policy metric and the third-party signal.

### Is Superhost calculated on 30-day or 365-day response-rate data?

Both calculations exist. The general response-rate metric shown in the host dashboard uses a 30-day window. The Superhost eligibility calculation uses a 365-day window, so a single bad month affects the Superhost rate more slowly than the dashboard number. Operators should watch the 30-day number as the leading indicator and the 365-day number as the eligibility indicator.

### What happens to acceptance rate on Vrbo after 24 hours?

Per the Vrbo Help Center on responsiveness metrics, responses after 24 hours are considered "no response" and booking requests are automatically declined. That matters for Premier Host eligibility under the 2026 standards: auto-declines count toward the host-initiated cancellation rate if not handled, which has a zero-tolerance threshold for Premier Host.

### Can automation alone hit the 90 percent response rate?

Yes for the literal metric, no for the business outcome. A fully automated inbox that replies to 100 percent of inquiries with canned templates will clear the 90-percent response-rate bar. But rating, acceptance, and cancellation rate are all downstream of response quality, not reply speed. Ops organizations sustain Superhost long-term by using automation for triage and templates, not for end-to-end replies.

### Are co-host listings counted toward Superhost?

No. The Airbnb Help Center explicitly notes that "listings where the host is a co-host don't count toward Superhost eligibility." Co-hosts, experience hosts, and service hosts cannot be evaluated for Superhost status based on those roles. Property management companies acting as co-hosts on owner accounts need to route Superhost responsibility to the account owner, not the co-host seat.

## Related ops references

Hub page

Vacation rental operational KPIs: the ops scorecard for 100+ unit portfolios

Sibling metric

What is Ops Failure Rate for short-term rentals?

Sibling metric

What is a good Inspection Pass Rate for vacation rentals?

## Sources

- [Airbnb Help Center — How to Qualify for Superhost Status (article 829)](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/829)
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/829

- [Airbnb Help Center — Improve Your Response Rate and Response Time (article 430)](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/430)
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/430

- [Vrbo Help Center — About Responsiveness Metrics in the Vrbo Inbox](https://help.vrbo.com/articles/About-responsiveness-metrics-in-the-Vrbo-inbox)
https://help.vrbo.com/articles/About-responsiveness-metrics-in-the-Vrbo-inbox

- [Vrbo — Premier Host Policy (official 2026 standards)](https://www.vrbo.com/tlp/trust-and-safety/premier-host-policy)
https://www.vrbo.com/tlp/trust-and-safety/premier-host-policy

- [RentalScaleUp, "Vrbo Premier Host Standards Get Stricter in 2026"](https://www.rentalscaleup.com/vrbo-premier-host-2026-standards/)
https://www.rentalscaleup.com/vrbo-premier-host-2026-standards/

- [Aeve AI, "How Response Time Impacts Airbnb, VRBO & Booking.com Rankings 2026" (sub-1-hour conversion data)](https://www.aeve.ai/blog/airbnb-vrbo-response-time-listing-ranking-2026)
https://www.aeve.ai/blog/airbnb-vrbo-response-time-listing-ranking-2026


AirDNA vs Key Data Dashboard: Methodology Compared

Key Data Dashboard observes real bookings via direct PMS integrations with Breezeway, Hostfully, Hostaway, Avantio, and Beds24. AirDNA models bookings from public Airbnb and Vrbo scrapes. The two are complementary, not competitive, on the accuracy question.

# AirDNA vs Key Data Dashboard: which has real bookings?

Both publish vacation rental performance metrics. They get those metrics in fundamentally different ways, which is why they sometimes disagree on the same market.

**Key Data Dashboard observes real bookings** through direct PMS integrations. **AirDNA models bookings** from public Airbnb and Vrbo scrapes. Neither is universally more accurate; they measure different slices of the market and the right one depends on the question.

AirDNA

#### Where the data comes from

Public listing pages on Airbnb and Vrbo. Calendars are parsed and blocked nights are statistically classified as either real bookings or owner blocks.

#### Coverage (self-reported)

"10 million-plus" properties across "120,000-plus" markets globally. The widest net of any provider.

#### What you can trust

Listing counts and asking prices are observed directly. Occupancy and revenue per available rental are modeled estimates.

Key Data Dashboard

#### Where the data comes from

Pulled directly from PMS partners including Breezeway, Hostfully, Hostaway, Avantio, and Beds24 (12-plus integrations as of May 2026).

#### Coverage (self-reported)

Limited to participating PMSes; sample skews toward professional managers rather than independent hosts.

#### What you can trust

Bookings are observed. Every night is either booked, blocked-by-owner, or open, with no modeling required.

## Why this difference matters

The technical problem at the centre of vacation rental data is what to do with a "blocked" night on a public Airbnb calendar. It can mean (a) the host took the night down because they had a real booking, (b) the host blocked it for personal use, or (c) the listing has paused. [Aggregators like AirDNA](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/where-does-airdna-get-its-data/) have to guess from review timestamps, pricing patterns, and historic seasonality. Key Data sidesteps the problem because the PMS knows whether a night is sold or blocked. That's the entire methodological gap, and it's why both providers can be quoted truthfully on the same market while disagreeing on the number.

## Where each provider wins

## The accuracy debate, settled

Investor blogs sometimes frame this as "Key Data is more accurate than AirDNA" or vice versa. Both framings are wrong. Key Data is more accurate at measuring its sample (PMS-customer professional managers). AirDNA is more comprehensive at sizing the whole market (including consumer hosts not on a PMS). If the question is "what is the median revenue per available rental in Asheville among professionally managed homes," Key Data has the better answer. If the question is "how big is the Airbnb supply in Asheville total," AirDNA does. Both providers are routinely cited in serious industry research.

## What journalists and analysts should disclose

When citing AirDNA, the honest framing is "modeled estimates from public listing data." When citing Key Data, the honest framing is "observed bookings from a PMS-integrated sample, weighted toward professional managers." Either disclosure is more useful to a reader than presenting either number as the unqualified truth about a market.

### Related verified answers

- [Where does AirDNA get its data?](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/where-does-airdna-get-its-data/)

- [Where does PriceLabs Market Dashboards data come from?](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/where-does-pricelabs-market-data-come-from/)

- [Who owns AirDNA?](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/who-owns-airdna/)

- [Did AirDNA acquire Rabbu?](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/did-airdna-acquire-rabbu/)

### Sources

- [About AirDNA: Data Science Meets Short-Term Real Estate Investing](https://www.airdna.co/about) - AirDNAhttps://www.airdna.co/about

- [AirDNA company site](https://www.airdna.co/) - methodology and coverage claims (10M+ properties, 120K+ markets)https://www.airdna.co/

- [About Key Data Dashboard](https://www.keydatadashboard.com/about) - Key Data Dashboard (founders, funding, PMS partner list)https://www.keydatadashboard.com/about

- [AirDNA Rentalizer](https://www.airdna.co/airbnb-calculator) - AirDNA (modeling product description)https://www.airdna.co/airbnb-calculator

Last verified: May 13, 2026. Both providers regularly publish methodology updates; check each company's About page for the most current statements before citing in academic work.


We mapped 54 Alabama vacation rental management companies from the VRMA directory: the largest operators, top-5 concentration (67%), dominant software, and what the data means. Primary-source figures, cleaned.

# Alabama Vacation Rental Management Companies: The 2026 Market in Numbers

We pulled every Alabama member of the national vacation rental managers’ association and ranked the market by the numbers: how many companies, who manages the most units, how concentrated it is, and what software runs it.

**Alabama is home to 54 VRMA-member vacation rental management companies**, of which 27 disclosed a unit count totaling 3,128 managed units. The market is best described as a concentrated, operator-led market.

The largest reporting operator is **Travel and Trust, Inc.** at roughly 1,000 units. The top five reporting operators control about 67 percent of all units disclosed, the most common property management system among members is Streamline, and the median member company was founded around 2009.

## 01Alabama at a glance

VRMA member companies headquartered in Alabama, March 2026.

## 02The largest operators

Ranked by self-reported units managed. Figures are disclosed by the operators themselves.

| # | Operator | Units (self-reported) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Travel and Trust, Inc.HUNTSVILLE | 1,000 |
| 2 | Beach GetawaysOrange Beach | 575 |
| 3 | Caribe ResortOrange Beach | 210 |
| 4 | Beaches of AlabamaOrange Beach | 175 |
| 5 | Mandoki Hospitality,Inc.Gulf Shores | 150 |
| 6 | Sunset PropertiesGULF SHORES | 150 |
| 7 | Roberts Brothers, Inc.Dauphin Island | 135 |
| 8 | Crye Leike Gulf Coast Real Estate - Flip Flop VacationsGulf Shores | 125 |
| 9 | Bella Beach PropertiesOrange Beach | 110 |
| 10 | Dauphin Island Beach RentalsDauphin Island | 97 |

## 03How concentrated is the market?

The five largest reporting operators control about **67 percent** of every unit disclosed by Alabama members. That is unusually concentrated, the mark of a resort-anchored market.

## 04What software runs the market

Most-named property management systems among Alabama members.

According to the VRMA directory, the unit-heavy incumbents in Alabama still lean on Streamline and legacy HomeAway/Escapia systems, the same generational pattern we documented across the whole industry in [the PMS market analysis](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/vacation-rental-pms-generational-shift/).

## 05What the data says

According to the VRMA public member directory (compiled March 2026), Alabama has 54 member vacation rental management companies, of which 27 disclosed a unit count totaling 3,128 managed units. The largest reporting operator is Travel and Trust, Inc. at roughly 1,000 units, and the top five reporting operators hold about 67 percent of disclosed units, making Alabama unusually concentrated for its size.

Most Alabama members are small independents rather than large portfolio operators; the median member company was founded around 2009. Among members that named a property management system, Streamline is the most common, consistent with the broader industry pattern in which Streamline and legacy HomeAway and Escapia systems still run most unit-heavy incumbents.

## 06Compare other states

Figures come from RapidEye's analysis of the **VRMA (Vacation Rental Management Association) public member directory**, compiled March 2026. Counts cover companies that list a Alabama headquarters. Unit counts are **self-reported**; only 27 of 54 Alabama members disclosed one, so the 3,128-unit total is a floor, not a census of every short-term rental in the state.

We de-duplicated companies that appear under multiple brand spellings (keeping the higher figure) and excluded entries whose self-reported totals reflect national franchise networks, timeshare or HOA portfolios, or brands since acquired and folded into a national operator. Alabama required only standard de-duplication; no national-franchise, timeshare, or HOA totals needed to be removed.

## 07Sources

- VRMA (Vacation Rental Management Association) — Public Member Directory, compiled March 2026 (primary data set).https://www.vrma.org/search/newsearch.asp

- RapidEye — The Largest Short-Term Rental Management Companies (2026).https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/largest-short-term-rental-management-companies/

- RapidEye — The Vacation Rental PMS Market Just Flipped: 40 Years in One Chart.https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/vacation-rental-pms-generational-shift/

## 08Frequently asked

### How many vacation rental management companies are in Alabama?

According to the VRMA public member directory compiled in March 2026, Alabama has 54 member vacation rental management companies. Of those, 27 disclosed a unit count, together reporting 3,128 managed units.

### Who is the largest vacation rental management company in Alabama?

Based on self-reported figures in the VRMA directory, the largest reporting operator in Alabama is Travel and Trust, Inc. with approximately 1,000 units. The five largest reporting operators together account for about 67 percent of all units disclosed by Alabama members.

### What property management software do Alabama vacation rental companies use?

Among Alabama members that named a property management system, Streamline is the most common, consistent with the broader pattern in which Streamline and legacy HomeAway/Escapia systems still run most unit-heavy incumbents.


Appliances fail invisibly, and platforms default to "it was probably old." Here's what documentation actually wins these claims, plus real repair and replacement costs.

# Appliance Damage in Short-Term Rentals: Why "It Stopped Working" Claims Fail

A guest checks out. Your cleaner runs the dishwasher and it floods the kitchen. The dryer makes a sound like a cement mixer. Three burners on the stovetop won’t ignite. The TV displays nothing but a black screen.

You know something happened during that stay. But proving it? That’s where appliance damage claims fall apart.

I’ve written about [outdoor amenity damage](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/outdoor-amenity-damage-vacation-rental-pools-hot-tubs-grills) before, where the challenge is proving function, not just appearance. Appliances present the same fundamental problem, but with a different competing explanation. For outdoor equipment, platforms wonder if weather caused it. For appliances, they wonder if it was just old.

And honestly? They might be right. Appliances do fail. That’s just what they do.

But the difference between a dishwasher that fails at year 8 versus year 12 is potentially $500-1,300 you’re eating. When guest misuse accelerates that failure, you deserve reimbursement. The documentation challenge is proving it.

## The Invisible Damage Problem

Most property damage is visible. Scratches, stains, broken glass, holes in walls. You photograph it, you have evidence.

Appliances fail invisibly:

- A photo of a stove looks identical whether it works perfectly or three burners are dead

- A TV screen that’s off looks the same as one with a fried backlight

- A dishwasher door closed tells you nothing about whether the pump seized

- A dryer sitting there reveals nothing about whether the heating element burned out

When you file a claim saying “the dishwasher doesn’t work anymore,” you’re asking the platform to trust that it worked before this guest arrived. Without evidence of baseline function, they won’t.

## What Platforms Actually Require

Both Airbnb and Vrbo give you **14 days after checkout** to file appliance damage claims. But the evidence standards are where things get complicated.

### Airbnb’s Documentation Requirements

Airbnb’s [Host Damage Protection Terms](https://assets.airbnb.com/help/2026_Host_Damage_Protection_Terms-English.pdf) require “Legitimate and Verifiable Evidence,” including:

- Photos and videos

- A complete inventory with make, model, purchase date, and condition at time of loss

- Repair estimates with justification documents

- Proof of ownership

For appliances, they explicitly exclude losses from “deterioration” and “degradation in condition or loss of function over time due to use, age, lack of maintenance.” This is the “it was probably just old” clause, and it’s what kills most appliance claims.

Payments are based on **Actual Cash Value** (ACV), meaning replacement cost minus depreciation. More on that math below.

### Vrbo’s Process

Vrbo’s [damage deposit claims](https://help.vrbo.com/articles/How-do-I-file-a-damage-deposit-claim) follow similar timelines but with less explicit documentation guidance. They “encourage” sharing photos or evidence with the guest. In practice, the same principle applies: without proof the appliance worked before and doesn’t work now, you’re unlikely to win.

For the full breakdown of each platform’s process, I’ve covered [Airbnb AirCover claims](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/airbnb-aircover-damage-claim-guide) and [Vrbo damage claims](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/vrbo-damage-claim-guide-2026) in detail.

## Major Kitchen Appliances

These are your highest-stakes appliance claims. When a refrigerator compressor dies or a glass stovetop cracks, you’re looking at hundreds to thousands of dollars.

### Repair and Replacement Costs

| Appliance | Typical Repair | Replacement (Installed) | Average Lifespan |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dishwasher | [$175-325](https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-do-dishwasher-repairs-cost.htm) | $500-1,300 | 9-16 years |
| Refrigerator | [$150-400](https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-refrigerator-repair-cost.htm) | $1,000-3,000 | 10-18 years |
| Range/Oven | [$130-310](https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-oven-repair-cost.htm) | $350-1,400 | 13-20 years |
| Garbage Disposal | Replace only | [$200-625](https://www.angi.com/articles/what-s-it-cost-replace-garbage-disposal.htm) | 8-15 years |
| Glass Stovetop | [Up to $600](https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-oven-repair-cost.htm) | Part of range | N/A |
| Microwave | [$100-200](https://www.angi.com/articles/microwave-repair-and-what-it-costs.htm) | $150-500 | 8-12 years |

### What Actually Breaks from Guest Misuse

**Dishwashers:** Pump failures from food debris that should have been rinsed. Control board damage from interrupted cycles. Guests running the dishwasher with dishes blocking the spray arms, causing motor strain.

**Garbage Disposals:** The classic: silverware dropped in and ground up. Also bread, rice, and pasta expanding and jamming the mechanism. These are [frequently jammed by items that shouldn’t go in](https://www.angi.com/articles/what-s-it-cost-replace-garbage-disposal.htm).

**Glass Stovetops:** Dropped pans, sliding heavy pots, or cleaning with abrasive materials. A single crack can cost $600 to fix.

**Refrigerators:** Blocked vents from overpacking, compressor strain from leaving the door open, temperature dial adjustments that cause freezing/thawing cycles.

### Why Photo Documentation Fails

A checklist photo of your dishwasher captures “dishwasher exists” and “door closes properly.” It doesn’t capture:

- Whether the pump runs

- Whether it drains correctly

- Whether the spray arms spin

- Whether it completes a cycle without error codes

Same with stovetops. A photo of all four burners shows they exist. It doesn’t show whether they ignite. You need video of someone actually testing each burner.

## Laundry: The Most Common Appliance Damage

Washers and dryers see more guest misuse than any other category. Guests treat them like commercial machines, and they’re not.

### Repair and Replacement Costs

| Appliance | Typical Repair | Motor/Major Repair | Replacement | Average Lifespan |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Washer | [$180-250](https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-washing-machine-repair-costs.htm) | $250-700 | $700-1,300 | 8-16 years |
| Dryer | [$100-430](https://www.angi.com/articles/dryer-repair-cost.htm) | Varies | $375-1,400 | 10-15 years |

### What Actually Breaks

**Washers:**
- Overloading causing motor strain and bearing damage
- Wrong detergent (pods in HE machines, or vice versa)
- Foreign objects in pockets destroying the pump
- Running on wrong settings (hot water on cold-only fabrics, damaging seals)

**Dryers:**
- Overloading causing motor strain and overheating
- Running while empty (burns out the heating element)
- Blocked lint traps causing thermal fuse failures
- Drying prohibited items (shoes, rubber-backed mats)

The dryer situation is actually dangerous. The [National Park Service cites CPSC data](https://www.nps.gov/articles/p52-dryer-fires.htm) showing 15,500 clothes dryer fires annually, with lint buildup and restricted airflow as major contributors. Guest overuse accelerates lint accumulation and airflow problems.

### Documentation That Works

For laundry, you need video showing:

- Washer filling, agitating, and draining

- Dryer heating (you can feel the exhaust vent) and tumbling

- No unusual sounds or error codes

- Lint trap clear and vent airflow normal

This is where [video walkthrough inspections](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/video-walkthrough-inspections-vs-photos-damage-detection) become essential. A photo of a washer tells you nothing about whether it works.

## Entertainment and Electronics

TVs, sound systems, and gaming consoles present the purest version of the “prove function” problem. A black screen could mean “turned off” or “completely broken.”

### Common Damage Scenarios

**TVs:**
- Backlight failure from power surges (guests unplugging/plugging during storms)
- Dead pixels from impact (someone bumped it, the mount wasn’t secure)
- HDMI port damage from forcing cables
- Remote lost or broken (minor but constant)

**Sound Systems:**
- Blown speakers from volume abuse
- Connection damage from cable yanking
- Soundbar knocked off mounts

**Gaming Consoles (if you provide them):**
- Overheating from blocked ventilation
- Controller damage
- Disc drive failures from rough handling

### What It Costs

TV replacement costs vary wildly by size and type. Budget a few hundred for a basic 50” up to $1,500+ for larger or smart TVs with premium features. Repairs are rarely economical for modern flat panels.

Soundbar replacement: $100-500 depending on quality.

### Documentation Approach

For electronics, your baseline documentation should show:

- TV powered on, displaying a picture

- All HDMI ports working (switch through inputs)

- Sound system playing audio

- Remotes present and functional

A 15-second video of each item actually working is your evidence. Photos can’t prove function.

## Small Kitchen Appliances: Usually Not Worth the Fight

Coffee makers, blenders, toasters, instant pots. These break constantly in rentals, but the economics rarely justify a claim.

| Item | Replacement Cost | Claim Effort |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coffee maker | $30-150 | High |
| Toaster | $20-80 | High |
| Blender | $30-200 | High |
| Instant Pot | $60-150 | High |

Unless you have a $200+ espresso machine or high-end appliance, the time spent documenting, filing, and following up exceeds the replacement cost. Budget these as consumables and replace as needed.

The exception: if a small appliance failure causes secondary damage (a coffee maker that shorts and scorches the counter, for example), document both the appliance and the resulting damage.

## Climate Control: The Expensive Exception

HVAC systems and thermostats can generate massive repair bills, but they’re also the hardest to attribute to guest misuse.

**What actually happens:**
- Guests set the thermostat to extremes and leave windows open
- Filters get clogged from guests who smoke inside (against rules)
- Portable AC units run continuously at lowest settings, freezing coils

**The challenge:** Proving a guest caused HVAC failure versus normal wear is nearly impossible. HVAC systems have 15-25 year lifespans and complex failure modes. Unless you have clear evidence of misuse (cigarette residue in filters, thermostat set to 50°F for a week), these claims rarely succeed.

Document thermostat settings and filter condition as part of your turnover inspection. It won’t guarantee a successful claim, but it establishes baseline.

## The Depreciation Math You Need to Understand

Even with perfect documentation, platforms calculate reimbursement based on Actual Cash Value, not replacement cost. Here’s what that means:

**Formula:** ACV = Replacement Cost × (Remaining Lifespan / Total Lifespan)

**Example:** A dishwasher that costs $800 to replace, with a 12-year average lifespan, purchased 8 years ago:

ACV = $800 × (4 / 12) = **$267**

You’d get $267 even with airtight documentation, because the appliance had depreciated to that value.

### Lifespan Data Platforms Use

These ranges come from [industry lifespan guides](https://www.mrappliance.com/expert-tips/appliance-life-guide/) and inform how platforms calculate depreciation:

| Appliance | Expected Lifespan Range | Average |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dishwasher | 9-16 years | 12 years |
| Refrigerator | 10-18 years | 14 years |
| Washer | 8-16 years | 12 years |
| Dryer | 10-15 years | 13 years |
| Electric Range | 13-20 years | 16 years |
| Gas Range | 15-23 years | 19 years |

### When It’s Worth Fighting

Do the math before investing documentation effort:

- **Newer appliances (1-4 years):** High ACV, worth pursuing

- **Mid-life appliances (5-8 years):** Moderate ACV, pursue for expensive items

- **Older appliances (9+ years):** Low ACV, often not worth the effort unless repair is cheap

A $150 repair on a 10-year-old dishwasher? Just fix it. A $600 glass stovetop replacement on a 3-year-old range? Document thoroughly and file.

## What Documentation Actually Wins These Claims

Appliance claims succeed when you can prove:

- **The appliance worked before the guest arrived** (baseline function)

- **The appliance doesn’t work after they left** (post-stay condition)

- **The timeline eliminates other explanations** (it was this guest)

### Baseline Function Testing

This is where most property managers fail. Photo checklists can verify presence and appearance, but not function. You need:

**Video of each appliance operating:**
- Stovetop: All burners igniting
- Oven: Heating up (show the temperature display)
- Dishwasher: Starting a cycle, water running
- Washer: Filling and agitating
- Dryer: Tumbling with heat
- TV: Powered on, displaying picture
- Refrigerator: Running, interior light working, temperature display

This takes an extra 2-3 minutes during turnover inspection. For a property with $15,000+ in appliances, that’s reasonable insurance.

### Post-Stay Documentation

When an appliance fails after checkout:

- Video the failure (error codes, no response, unusual sounds)

- Document the same thing you documented at baseline, showing it now fails

- Get a repair tech’s diagnosis in writing

- Keep the repair invoice with detailed notes on what failed

### Training Your Team

Your cleaners and inspectors need to know this matters. I covered team training in detail in [How to Train Your Cleaning Team on Damage Documentation](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/train-cleaning-team-damage-documentation-vacation-rental), but the key for appliances: they need to actually test things, not just photograph them.

## Smart Appliances: The Future of Proof?

Some modern appliances log usage data that could theoretically prove misuse. Samsung washers and dryers, for example, can [run diagnostics](https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10004796/) showing error codes and cycle history. GE SmartHQ stores recent cycle data.

In theory, this is powerful evidence. A usage log showing a guest ran the dryer 15 times in one day, or that the washer was overloaded repeatedly, would support your claim.

In practice, few hosts know this data exists or how to access it. And it requires smart appliances, which most rental properties don’t have.

If you do have connected appliances, learn how to pull the diagnostic data. It could be the difference between a denied claim and a successful one.

## The Honest Reality

Appliance damage claims are hard. Platforms default to “wear and tear” because appliances do naturally fail, and proving guest-caused acceleration is genuinely difficult.

What changes the odds:

- **Documented baseline function** (video, not just photos)

- **Immediate post-stay documentation** (same appliance, now failing)

- **Professional diagnosis** (repair tech confirming cause)

- **Reasonable depreciation expectations** (know what ACV you’re actually claiming)

We built RapidEye to solve the documentation layer of this problem. When your turnover inspections include video walkthroughs that capture appliances actually operating, you have the baseline evidence that photo checklists can’t provide. You can see [real examples of what our system catches](https://rapideyeinspections.com/showcase/) across different damage types.

## Quick Reference: Appliance Damage Claims

**Timelines:**
- Airbnb: 14 days to file, 30 days for full documentation
- Vrbo: 14 days to file damage deposit claim

**Documentation needed:**
- Baseline video showing appliance functioning
- Post-stay video showing failure
- Make, model, purchase date
- Repair diagnosis and invoice

**Worth claiming:**
- Newer appliances (high ACV)
- Expensive repairs ($400+)
- Clear evidence of misuse

**Usually not worth it:**
- Old appliances (low ACV)
- Small appliances under $100
- Failures without clear causation

Appliances are expensive. Documentation is time-consuming. But when a $2,000 refrigerator fails three stays after installation, having video proof it worked perfectly makes the difference between eating that cost and recovering it.


Less than 1% of vacation rental bookings result in a damage claim: 0.71% on Airbnb and 0.43% on Vrbo. Data from 20,000+ bookings analyzed by Avada Properties.

# How Often Do Vacation Rental Guests Cause Damage?

## Claim rates by platform

According to [Avada Properties' analysis of over 20,000 bookings](https://avadaproperties.com/airbnb-vrbo-damage-claims-statistics-and-assumptions/) in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg (average stay: 3 nights), damage claim rates break down as follows:

| Platform | Claim Rate | Approval Rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Airbnb | 0.71% of bookings | 56.75% approved |
| Vrbo | 0.43% of bookings | 68.29% approved |

According to the same Avada analysis, short stays (1-2 nights) generate the same amount or more damage claims than longer stays of 7+ nights. Bookings made far in advance (90+ days) show fewer damage claims than last-minute bookings, though the difference is not dramatic.

## When damage does happen, it can be expensive

While claims are rare, individual incidents can be costly. According to [Minut](https://www.minut.com/blog/vacation-rental-water-damage-costs-prevention), a single moderate water damage incident can easily exceed $10,000, especially if the leak goes undetected for days. Water damage and freezing account for nearly one in five of all home insurance claims, costing US property owners over $13 billion annually.

The gap between the low claim rate (<1%) and the real damage rate is the core issue. Many instances of damage go unnoticed during a standard turnover clean, especially gradual damage like scratches, small stains, or wear that accumulates over multiple stays. By the time it is noticed, it is impossible to attribute to a specific guest.

### Related

## Sources

- Avada Properties. [Airbnb & Vrbo Damage Claims: Statistics and Assumptions (Analysis of 20,000+ Bookings)](https://avadaproperties.com/airbnb-vrbo-damage-claims-statistics-and-assumptions/)

- Minut. [The Hidden Cost of Water Damage in Short-Term Rentals](https://www.minut.com/blog/vacation-rental-water-damage-costs-prevention)


When multiple guests cycle through your STR, proving which one caused damage becomes nearly impossible. Here's what actually happens to your claim.

# The Back-to-Back Booking Problem: How to Prove Which Guest Caused the Damage

You have a checkout at 11am, check-in at 4pm. Your cleaner finds a stain on the couch during turnover but doesn’t report it. They’re focused on getting the place ready for the next guest. Two days later, that guest checks out. Now your cleaner notices a scratch on the hardwood too.

Which guest caused what?

This is the attribution problem. And it kills more damage claims than missing photos ever will.

## Why Attribution Is Different From Documentation

We’ve written plenty about [why damage claims get denied](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/why-str-damage-claims-get-denied) and how to document properly for [Airbnb](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/airbnb-aircover-damage-claim-guide) and [Vrbo](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/vrbo-damage-claim-guide-2026). But attribution is a narrower problem that those guides don’t fully solve.

Documentation is about proving damage exists. Attribution is about proving *who* caused it.

Airbnb’s [Host Damage Protection terms](https://assets.airbnb.com/help/2026_Host_Damage_Protection_Terms-English.pdf) are explicit about this. They require evidence that establishes “the time, cause and origin” of the damage. You also have to explain “why the Responsible Guest is responsible” before they’ll even consider your claim.

Notice that language. Not “a guest.” The *Responsible* Guest.

Vrbo’s process is similar. If a guest disputes your damage charge, Vrbo [requests additional documentation from both parties](https://help.vrbo.com/articles/What-happens-if-my-card-on-file-is-charged-for-property-damage) to verify the claim. If you can’t prove timing, the guest’s denial carries just as much weight as your accusation.

## How Common Is This Problem?

More common than most people realize.

U.S. short-term rental occupancy [landed at 56.9% in 2025](https://aspenchamber.org/sites/default/files/files/2026-01/Aspen%20Monthly%20Research%20Update%20-%20December%202025%20Review.pdf). Professional operators often run [60% or higher](https://help.airdna.co/en/articles/10261024-2025-u-s-str-market-trends-insights-and-opportunities). Average length of stay hovers around [4 to 4.5 days](https://info.keydatadashboard.com/hubfs/US%20Quarterly%20Reports/2024-Summer-USReport.pdf), with a median of just 3 nights.

Do the math. A property at 60% occupancy with 4-day average stays has roughly 55 turnovers per year. That’s 55 windows where damage could occur. At least a third of those will have same-day or next-day turnovers where the margin for error is measured in hours.

The more properties you manage, the more turnovers you’re running, the more likely you’ll face this exact scenario.

## The Four Scenarios (And What You Can Actually Do)

Let me walk through the escalating levels of this problem. Each one has different odds of recovery.

### Scenario 1: Damage Caught During Turnover

This is the best case. Your cleaner finishes prepping the property after Guest A checks out and before Guest B arrives. They notice a burn mark on the countertop.

**What you can do:**

- Have them photograph it immediately with timestamp visible

- Report it in your property management system

- File with the platform before the next guest checks in

- You’re still within the 14-day window and can clearly attribute to Guest A

**What usually goes wrong:**

The cleaner sees it but doesn’t report it. They’re rushing. They figure someone else will handle it. They’re not sure if it was there before. By the time you find out, Guest B has already stayed.

This is why [training your cleaning team on damage documentation](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/train-cleaning-team-damage-documentation-vacation-rental) matters so much. If they’re not empowered to stop and document, the window closes fast.

### Scenario 2: Damage Discovered One Turnover Late

This is the most common scenario I hear about. Guest A checks out. Turnover happens. Guest B stays and checks out. During that second turnover, your cleaner finds damage.

Now you have a problem.

**What you can do:**

- Check your turnover photos from the previous cleaning. Was the damage visible then?

- If not, you can reasonably argue Guest B caused it

- If the previous photos don’t show the area clearly, you’re stuck guessing

**What’s probably already lost:**

Your claim against Guest A. Even if they caused it, your cleaner documented the property as ready for Guest B. That documentation now works against you.

I’ve seen [forum posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/AirBnB/comments/v739yg/how_do_you_claim_damages_when_you_dont_know_which_guest_is_responsible/) where Airbnb told hosts in this situation to “report both guests for damage and pursue arbitration with both.” That’s a nightmare. You’re now accusing someone who might be innocent, damaging your reputation, and still unlikely to get paid.

**What would have prevented this:**

Complete visual documentation of the property after every single turnover. Not just photos of the areas your checklist covers, but baseline comparison that would flag new damage automatically.

### Scenario 3: Damage Discovered Multiple Turnovers Late

This is the worst case. You find damage and you genuinely have no idea when it happened. Could have been two guests ago. Could have been five.

**What you can do:**

Honestly? Very little.

You could file against the most recent guest and hope they don’t dispute it. That’s ethically questionable and will likely fail anyway. Platforms look at your documentation history. If you can’t show the property was undamaged before their stay, your claim is weak.

You could try to trace back through your photo archives and find when the damage first appeared. But if you’re taking 50+ photos per turnover across dozens of properties, that’s thousands of images to review manually. Nobody does this.

**What’s definitely lost:**

Any realistic chance of recovery. You’re also now outside the 14-day window for earlier guests, so those claims are procedurally dead even if you could prove attribution.

**What would have prevented this:**

Automated comparison between turnovers. If your system flagged the first time that damage appeared, you’d know exactly which stay it came from.

### Scenario 4: Damage Noticed Mid-Stay But Not Documented Properly

This one’s tricky. Your cleaner or a mid-stay inspector notices something seems off during a guest’s stay. Maybe a stain that wasn’t there at check-in. But they don’t photograph it. They mention it verbally. They assume it’ll get handled at checkout.

Then checkout comes, and the documentation is incomplete.

**What you can do:**

- Gather whatever partial documentation exists

- Note the date the damage was first observed (even without photos)

- File the claim and be transparent about what you have

**What’s probably already lost:**

The strength of your evidence. [Airbnb’s terms](https://assets.airbnb.com/help/2026_Host_Damage_Protection_Terms-English.pdf) specifically warn that documents cannot be “doctored or falsified” and must be verifiable. A verbal observation without contemporaneous photos is hard to verify.

**What would have prevented this:**

A system that captures everything during inspections without relying on human judgment about what’s worth photographing.

## Insurance Has the Same Problem

This isn’t just a platform issue. If you’re filing with your STR insurance instead of AirCover or Vrbo’s damage process, you face the same attribution challenge.

Insurance claims require a “date of loss.” [Generali’s vacation rental damage form](https://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/content/dam/gga/pdfs/VRD_Claim_Form_Without_Assignment_756122_0824.pdf) asks for the “date of the incident” and a detailed description of how the loss occurred. [Safely’s claim process](https://hello.safely.com/support-center/how-to-submit-a-claim) requires submission within 60 days of the date of loss, with photos and invoices.

If you can’t pin the damage to a specific stay, you can’t establish a date of loss. And if you can’t establish a date of loss, your claim has a hole in it before you even submit.

We covered this in more detail in our piece on [how documentation affects STR insurance claims](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/str-insurance-claims-documentation-requirements).

## The Tools Landscape

Some property ops tools are starting to address this. Properly explicitly says their verification photos help clients [figure out when damage occurred](https://help.getproperly.com/en/articles/5470548-take-verification-photos) by reviewing previous turnovers. RentCheck creates [unalterable, time-stamped records](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/rentcheck/id1134017691) of property condition.

But there’s a difference between capturing photos and actually analyzing them.

Taking 50 photos per turnover doesn’t help if nobody’s looking at them. You just have a larger haystack to search through when something goes wrong.

This is what we built RapidEye to solve. Our [baseline comparison system](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/ai-baseline-comparison-catches-what-inspections-miss) automatically flags changes between turnovers. When damage appears, you know exactly which stay it came from because the system already identified when it first showed up.

You don’t have to go hunting through thousands of photos. The attribution is already established.

## What Actually Solves This

If you’re running a high-occupancy portfolio with back-to-back bookings, here’s what the attribution problem requires:

- **Complete visual documentation of every turnover.** Not just checklist items. The whole property, captured consistently.

**Complete visual documentation of every turnover.** Not just checklist items. The whole property, captured consistently.

- **Automated comparison between turnovers.** Manual review doesn’t scale. You need something flagging changes before you even know to look.

**Automated comparison between turnovers.** Manual review doesn’t scale. You need something flagging changes before you even know to look.

- **Time-stamped, tamper-proof records.** Platforms and insurers want evidence they can trust. Metadata matters.

**Time-stamped, tamper-proof records.** Platforms and insurers want evidence they can trust. Metadata matters.

- **Immediate flagging when damage appears.** Finding out days or weeks later puts you in Scenario 3. Finding out same-day keeps you in Scenario 1.

**Immediate flagging when damage appears.** Finding out days or weeks later puts you in Scenario 3. Finding out same-day keeps you in Scenario 1.

Per-turnover baseline comparison isn’t a nice-to-have for high-occupancy operations. It’s the only way to answer “which guest?” with confidence.

We’ve processed over a million photos for a single property management company. The pattern we see is clear: the operators who can attribute damage to specific stays recover it. The ones who can’t, don’t.

If you’re managing 30+ properties and back-to-back bookings are normal for you, this is worth thinking about. Our [honest assessment of whether AI damage detection is right for your portfolio](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/is-ai-damage-detection-right-for-your-rental-portfolio) might help you decide if the investment makes sense for your situation.


Best AI Guest Messaging Software for Short-Term Rentals (2026)

The best AI-powered guest messaging and communication platforms for short-term rentals in 2026. Hospitable, Conduit, Duve, Akia, and Enso Connect compared.

Best for Multi-Channel Automation
Hospitable
AI messaging that sounds like you, across every channel
Visit Hospitable
Hospitable built its reputation on one core promise: your guests never know they're talking to an AI. The system learns your communication style and generates replies that match your voice across Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and Agoda simultaneously. It doesn't just template responses; it adapts tone and context per conversation.
The platform goes beyond messaging into full property management: calendar sync, dynamic pricing, task automation for cleaners, and a Copilot AI assistant that answers natural language questions about your business performance. But the messaging engine is what made them. According to Hospitable, their AI generates over 30,000 replies daily across their user base.
The unified inbox consolidates every channel into one view, and the AI can draft responses for edge cases that need your approval before sending. Rated 4.9/5 on G2, which is unusually high for operations software in this space.
30K+
AI replies daily
4.9/5
G2 rating
4
OTA channels
Best for: Hosts and managers who want their AI to sound exactly like them across all booking platforms