What should you photograph when arriving at and leaving a holiday rental?

1. Photograph the rooms before unpacking

Start in the living room, then follow the same route through the bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom. Take an overview before moving closer to a detail. Make sure it is clear which room each close-up belongs to.

• Show the TV and other large items in their position in the room.
• Photograph visible marks on walls, floors and furniture up close.
• Retake blurred photos while you are still there.

2. Check the small items too

Consider remotes, keys and access cards separately. Do not mark an unchecked item as present or undamaged. If you have not switched a device on, describe only its visible condition.

• Note the number of TV remotes, air-conditioning remotes and keys provided.
• Distinguish missing, damaged and unchecked items.
• Keep lockbox codes and private access details out of shared photos.

3. Report what you notice promptly

For example: ‘There is a mark on the living-room wall to the right of the door. I have attached an overview and a close-up.’ Describe what you observed without guessing the cause or who is responsible.

Airbnb’s help page asks you to report problems within 72 hours of discovering them. Do not wait to tell your host in the reservation conversation and include relevant photos.

4. Take new photos before leaving

After packing your own belongings, photograph the rooms again. Recheck the TV, remotes and keys. An arrival photo alone does not show that an item was still there at departure.

• Keep arrival and departure photos separate.
• Note when and how you returned the keys, without disclosing access codes.
• Check together with the person receiving the property where possible.

5. Share through the right channel

Airbnb allows photos and videos in messages for confirmed reservations. PDFs cannot be attached directly, although a link to a hosted document can be shared. Put the key photos and a short explanation in the reservation conversation and keep the PDF separately.

A phone’s capture date or a time printed on a photo is not an independently verified timestamp. Keep the original files. Photos help describe visible condition; they do not guarantee the outcome of a dispute.