A guest checks out. Your cleaner sends photos. A lamp is broken, the sofa is stained, and something is missing. You file with Airbnb — and Airbnb pays part of it, or nothing at all. That is not the end of the road in Ontario. This guide walks through the steps that still work after a denial: a stronger appeal, your own insurance, a direct demand, and Small Claims Court.
TL;DR
- Most denials come down to proof and timing. File in the Resolution Center within 14 days of checkout, or before your next guest checks in — whichever comes first.
- AirCover host damage protection covers guest damage up to $3 million, but it is not insurance. Airbnb decides, and wear and tear, cash, and standard checkout cleaning are excluded.
- If Airbnb short-pays, ask for a second look with new evidence — receipts, repair invoices, and before-and-after photos carry the most weight.
- Your own short-term rental insurance is a separate claim. Report the loss there too, even if Airbnb is still reviewing.
- In Ontario, the backstop is Small Claims Court, which handles claims up to $50,000. A true short-term guest is usually not a tenant, so the Landlord and Tenant Board is usually not the forum.
On this page:
- Why Airbnb Denies or Short-Pays Damage Claims
- Step 1: Document the Damage Like It Will Be Disputed
- Step 2: File the Resolution Center Request on Time
- Step 3: Ask Airbnb to Step In — and Appeal With New Evidence
- Step 4: Check Your Own Short-Term Rental Insurance
- Step 5: Send a Clear Demand to the Guest
- Step 6: Ontario Small Claims Court — the Backstop
- Why the Landlord and Tenant Board Usually Does Not Apply
- How to Make the Next Claim Easier
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why Airbnb Denies or Short-Pays Damage Claims
AirCover for Hosts includes host damage protection. It can cover damage a guest causes to your home and belongings, theft during the stay, extra cleaning beyond a normal turnover — smoke smell, stains, pet accidents — and income lost if damage forces you to cancel a confirmed booking.
It also has clear limits. It does not cover normal wear and tear. It does not cover cash or securities. It does not cover damage from acts of nature. And it does not cover a standard checkout clean — laundry, dishes, and trash are your cost of doing business. Our guide to Airbnb cleaning fees in Toronto shows where a normal turnover ends and extra cleaning begins.
Two more things catch owners out. First, Airbnb can value an item at less than its replacement cost once age and use are counted. A five-year-old TV is rarely paid out as a new TV. Second, Airbnb decides the claim. Host damage protection is a program run by Airbnb, not an insurance policy you hold. A denial is a business decision you can challenge with better proof — it is not a court ruling, and it does not end your other options.
Step 1: Document the Damage Like It Will Be Disputed
Every later step runs on the evidence you collect in the first hours. Do not clean or repair first and document later.
- Photos and video, before anything is touched. Wide shots and close-ups, with the date visible in the file. If your cleaner found it, their timestamped photos from the turnover are often the strongest proof you have.
- Before photos. A dated photo set from before the stay — even your listing photos and your last turnover report — is what turns “it was already like that” into a closed question.
- A short written log. Checkout time, when the damage was found, who found it, and what the guest said in messages. Keep all guest messages inside Airbnb, where Airbnb can read them.
- Costs on paper. Original purchase receipts where you have them, plus a repair quote or a paid invoice. Receipts beat estimates. A paid invoice for work already done is the hardest document to argue with.
- A police report for theft or deliberate damage. If items were taken or the unit was vandalized, file one and keep the report number. It supports both an Airbnb claim and an insurance claim.
Claim only what the guest actually damaged, at a fair, market value. An inflated claim gives the reviewer a reason to doubt the whole file.
Step 2: File the Resolution Center Request on Time
The clock is the rule owners break most. You must open a reimbursement request in the Resolution Center within 14 days of the guest’s checkout — or before your next guest checks in, whichever comes first. Miss that window and the claim can be refused on timing alone, no matter how good your photos are.
If a repair quote is still pending, file anyway. Open the request with the photos and the costs you have, and add the quote when it lands. A filed claim with one document missing beats a complete claim filed on day 15.
The request goes to the guest first. The guest has 24 hours to respond. They can pay in full, pay part, decline, or not respond at all. Keep your message short and factual: what was damaged, when it was found, and the amount, with the invoice attached. Do not threaten, and do not move the conversation off Airbnb.
Step 3: Ask Airbnb to Step In — and Appeal With New Evidence
If the guest declines, pays only part, or stays silent, involve Airbnb in the same Resolution Center request. That is the step that puts your claim under host damage protection. Send the full evidence package in one organized submission: before-and-after photos, the log, receipts, and the repair invoice or quote.
If Airbnb denies the claim or offers less than your documented cost, you can ask for the decision to be looked at again. In practice, a second look only moves when you add something new:
- A paid repair invoice that replaces an earlier estimate.
- The original purchase receipt, showing what the item cost and when you bought it.
- Before photos you had not already sent.
- A cleaner’s or contractor’s written statement about the condition they found.
State the case number, list the new documents one by one, and name the exact amount you are asking Airbnb to correct. Be polite and brief. Airbnb treats many of its decisions as final, so treat the appeal as your best one shot — lead with new proof, not with frustration. If the amount is large and the file is strong, this is also the point where many owners ask a manager to run the claim. A Toronto Airbnb management company files these claims every week and knows what a complete package looks like.
Step 4: Check Your Own Short-Term Rental Insurance
AirCover is not your only coverage. If you carry a proper short-term rental policy, guest damage is exactly the kind of loss it exists for — and it covers stays Airbnb never sees, like direct bookings.
Report the loss to your insurer or broker promptly, even while Airbnb is still reviewing. Policies have their own notice rules, and waiting for Airbnb’s final answer can put you offside with your own insurer. Send the same evidence package, plus Airbnb’s decision once you have it. Your insurer will sort out who pays first; your job is to report on time and keep every document.
Then weigh the deductible honestly. A claim for a broken lamp may sit below your deductible and not be worth filing. A claim for flooring, furniture, and lost nights is a different matter. Our guide to short-term rental insurance in Ontario explains what a proper policy covers that a standard home policy often does not.
Step 5: Send a Clear Demand to the Guest
If Airbnb is out and insurance does not close the gap, the debt does not vanish. The guest still owes you for damage they caused. The next step is a written demand.
Keep it short and complete: your name, the property, the stay dates, what was damaged, the amount with invoices attached, a payment deadline, and a plain statement that you will file in court if it is not paid. Send it somewhere you can prove delivery, and keep a copy of everything. Some guests pay at this stage, because a court claim is a different weight than a platform message.
Two practical notes. First, you will need the guest’s legal name and an address where court documents can be served if you do go to court — if you do not have them, get legal advice early rather than late. Second, be realistic about amounts. Court makes sense when the loss is real, documented, and worth your time. It rarely makes sense over a stained sheet.
Step 6: Ontario Small Claims Court — the Backstop
For a claim the guest will not pay, Ontario’s Small Claims Court is the forum built for this size of dispute. Since October 1, 2025, it hears claims up to $50,000, not counting interest and costs. That ceiling covers nearly every guest-damage loss a condo owner will ever face.
The basic shape of a case:
- File a Plaintiff’s Claim (Form 7A). The filing fee for an infrequent claimant is $108. You can file online or at the courthouse.
- Serve the guest. The claim must be properly delivered to the defendant, and you file proof of service with the court.
- The guest has 20 days to file a Defence. If they do not respond, you can ask the court for a default judgment.
- A settlement conference and, if needed, a trial follow. Many cases settle once both sides see the evidence in one place — which is why your Step 1 file matters so much.
One deadline sits over all of this. Under Ontario’s Limitations Act, 2002, you generally have two years from the day you discovered the damage to start a court claim. That is a long window compared with Airbnb’s 14 days — but do not let it make you slow. Evidence fades, guests move, and receipts get lost.
This is general information, not legal advice. For a large claim, or any claim where the facts are disputed, a licensed Ontario paralegal or lawyer can handle a Small Claims case for a fee that is often modest next to the loss.
Why the Landlord and Tenant Board Usually Does Not Apply
Owners often ask whether they should file with the Landlord and Tenant Board instead. For a true short-term stay, usually not.
Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act does not apply to living accommodation provided to the travelling or vacationing public, or occupied for a seasonal or temporary period in a vacation home or similar establishment — section 5(a) of the Act. A guest who booked your condo for a week is a guest, not a tenant. Their damage claim runs through Airbnb, insurance, a demand, and Small Claims Court — not the Board.
The line can blur if a stay turns into something longer or the person is really living in the unit as their home. If you are not sure which side of the line a stay falls on, get legal advice before you pick a forum. Filing in the wrong place costs you the one thing damage claims run on: time.
How to Make the Next Claim Easier
The easiest claim to win is the one you prepared for before the guest arrived.
- Photo the unit at every turnover. Dated photos after each clean are your before-and-after proof, every single stay.
- Keep receipts for furniture and electronics in one folder, with purchase dates. Depreciation fights are won with paperwork.
- Put the big rules in writing. No smoking, no parties, no extra guests — clear house rules for your Toronto condo make a damage claim cleaner to argue.
- Keep spare, standard furnishings. A replaceable lamp with a receipt beats a one-of-a-kind piece with no proof of value.
- Know what management covers. When you compare managers, ask who documents turnovers and who runs damage claims. Our guide to Airbnb management fees in Toronto shows what full service should include.
Damage will happen again. Owners who treat documentation as part of every turnover get paid. Owners who start gathering proof after a denial usually do not.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do if Airbnb denies my guest damage claim?
Ask Airbnb to reconsider with new evidence — a paid invoice, the original receipt, or before photos you had not sent. At the same time, report the loss to your own short-term rental insurer, send the guest a written demand, and, if the amount justifies it, file in Ontario Small Claims Court, which hears claims up to $50,000.
How long do I have to file an Airbnb damage claim?
You must open a reimbursement request in the Resolution Center within 14 days of the guest’s checkout, or before your next guest checks in, whichever comes first. The guest then has 24 hours to respond. If they decline, pay part, or do not respond, you can involve Airbnb under host damage protection.
Does AirCover cover all guest damage?
No. Host damage protection can cover damage to your home and belongings, theft during the stay, extra cleaning, and income lost when damage forces a cancellation. It does not cover normal wear and tear, cash or securities, acts of nature, or a standard checkout clean. Airbnb decides each claim, and older items may be valued below replacement cost.
Can I take an Airbnb guest to court in Ontario?
Yes. A guest who will not pay for damage can be sued in Ontario Small Claims Court, which handles claims up to $50,000. You file a Plaintiff’s Claim (Form 7A, $108 for an infrequent claimant), serve the guest, and they have 20 days to file a Defence. You generally have two years from discovering the damage to start.
Should I file with the Landlord and Tenant Board for guest damage?
Usually no. Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act does not apply to accommodation provided to the travelling or vacationing public under section 5(a), so a short-term guest is not a tenant and the Board is usually not the forum. Guest damage goes through Airbnb, insurance, a demand letter, and Small Claims Court.
Will my own insurance cover damage Airbnb refused to pay?
Often, yes — if you hold a proper short-term rental policy. Report the loss to your insurer promptly, even while Airbnb is reviewing, because policies have their own notice deadlines. Send the same evidence package and Airbnb’s decision. Whether a claim is worth filing depends on the amount versus your deductible.