You found damage, but do not know when it happened

## At a glance

• When damage was found and when it happened are different facts; record unknowns as unknown.
• Finding damage after check-out does not establish that this guest caused it.
• Take an overview and a close-up from a consistent direction.
• Handle repairs and the next arrival separately from cost discussions.
• Keep original photo files and share them only with people who need them.

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A photo does not tell you when it happened

During the post-departure check, you find a crack in a chair leg. You take a photo but cannot clearly remember whether it was there during the last clean. You also need to arrange a repair and decide whom to tell. Before rushing to identify a cause, record what you see now and when you found it.

Separate discovery time from occurrence time

“Found today” is a confirmed fact. “Yesterday’s guest broke it” needs evidence. Record only what is confirmed: what you saw, where, the last inspection and who used the property between checks. A date on a photo does not establish the entire sequence.

Crack visible in the rear leg of the chair on the right of the dining table. Found during the check-out inspection at 11:30 on October 4. The September 28 inspection photo does not show this area, so the earlier condition cannot be confirmed.

This conveys what is known and unknown more accurately than “Someone broke it.”

Take photos that can be compared

A close-up alone may not show which chair or leg is affected. Keep an overview and a close-up with the location noted. Photographing agreed inspection points from the same direction during routine checks creates a useful comparison. Do not fill a missing earlier record with a similar room’s photo.

Separate repairs from costs

If the damage affects the next stay, check safety and usability first. Record the request, visit, repair and operation check separately. Tell the preparation staff if you provide a replacement chair. Review cost requests and compensation through the original booking platform’s process and required evidence. Community anecdotes do not guarantee the same outcome or amount.

Protect the original files

Photos saved only from messaging apps can blur the difference between when they were taken and received. Keep originals where possible, noting who took them and when. Distinguish cropped explanatory copies from originals, and share photos containing personal belongings or documents only with those who need them.

How to use stayV Host

The paid Plus plan in stayV Host lets you gather discovery photos and findings in condition records hidden from guests, and track repairs and rechecks in task management. Keep submission originals separately and review compensation procedures on the original booking platform.

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