Check
Free
To know how much you really owe and what to do.
- The result in your language
- What they are asking for, read from the documents
- What you can dispute and what is fair to pay
- Where to answer and by when
- No account or email
Guest Defender
Asked to pay for damage after a stay? Find out what you really owe.
Upload the request from the host, the hotel or the platform, the booking and, if you have them, your photos: we read what they are asking for, apply the rules of Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo, of the card networks and of the law, and tell you for free, in your language, what you can dispute, what is fair to pay and when you must answer by. If needed, the letters are already written: €9.99 for the whole check.
What it checks
- The platform's rules. On Booking.com the property must claim damage through Booking.com, within 14 days of the end of the stay, and cannot charge it to your card on its own. On Airbnb the host must ask within 14 days of check-out: you have 24 hours to answer in the Resolution Centre and 60 days to appeal after the charge. On Vrbo the deposit comes back on its own if the host reports no damage within 14 days.
- The evidence, and what you don't pay for. Real photos, receipts or quotes are needed. Wear and tear, consumables and, on Airbnb, stains on linen are not paid for; for cleaning only the cost above the cleaning fee already paid counts, and an old item is worth less than a new one.
- Airbnb's limit in Europe. If you live in Europe (the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland or the UK), Airbnb can charge your card at most 500 US dollars, and it must prove the damage and the amount (Terms of Service, section 16). The same cap applies in Australia.
- Your card and your bank. If a hotel or a property charges you for damage after you leave, with a Visa card it must first send you the evidence within 10 business days, tell you that paying by card is optional and wait 20 business days. If a charge breaks the rules, you can ask your bank for a chargeback; in the EU, if the amount wasn't stated when you gave your card and is more than you could expect, also for a refund within 8 weeks.
How it works
- Upload the requestThe message in Airbnb's Resolution Centre, the email from Booking.com or Vrbo, the hotel's invoice or the charge on your card, with the booking and, if you have them, your photos from arrival and departure. Choose where the place was and where you live.
- See the result for freeIn a minute you see what you can dispute, what is fair to pay and why, with the deadlines in order. If something that matters is missing, such as the platform or the departure date, the app asks you.
- Send the lettersThe reply to the host or the hotel, the letter to the platform, the appeal to Airbnb, the request to your bank or the formal demand, already written with the facts and rules of your case. They accept what is fair and dispute the rest.
Price
The check is free. If you want the letters, you pay once, with no subscription and no percentage of what you save. If there is nothing to send, you pay nothing.
Ready letters
€9.99
To answer on your own, with the letters already written.
- The reply to the host or the hotel, in the local language or in English
- The letter to the platform or the appeal to Airbnb
- The request to your bank: refund or chargeback
- PDF and text to copy, in English, Italian, Spanish or French
- Your private link for 30 days
Price including taxes, per check: one payment covers all the letters of the check. You pay on Stripe's page, by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Link. The letters are sold by Link, a Stripe company and our authorised reseller, which sends you the receipt and the invoice. More details in the terms.
Your documents and your data
- To read them, the documents and photos are sent to Anthropic (Claude). Our server doesn't keep them: it deletes them as soon as the reading is done. Before that, the app makes the photos smaller and removes the location data.
- Of the check we keep only what the rules need: the platform, the name of the property, the dates of the stay and of the request, what they are asking for, the amounts, the payment method and your answers; we ask the AI not to copy your name, address, email or card number. The check stays on a private link for 30 days, then it is deleted; you can delete it earlier.
- Your name, address, email and the last 4 digits of your card for the letters are typed on your phone: the letter is filled in there and these details never reach our server. We never ask for bank codes, passwords or PINs.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of requests does it work for?
For money you're asked to pay after a stay: damage, extra cleaning, smoke smell, missing items, extras like the minibar, or a deposit that isn't returned. With Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, a hotel or a home booked directly. If it's a court document, the app doesn't prepare letters: see a lawyer straight away. Guest Defender is not affiliated with Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo or any hotel.
Which countries?
All over the world: the platforms' rules are the same everywhere, and for the bank and homes booked directly the app uses the country's rules. It doesn't work for places in Germany or Austria, or for people who live in those two countries. The app is in six languages; the letters are in English, Italian, Spanish or French.
Do I have to pay what they ask?
Not always. Real evidence is needed, and some things usually aren't paid for: wear and tear, consumables and, on Airbnb, stains on linen. An old item is worth less than a new one. If the damage is yours, the app tells you so and helps you pay what is fair, not more.
The property has already charged my card for damage: what can I do?
On Booking.com the property cannot charge you for damage on its own: it must claim it through Booking.com. A hotel, with Visa, must first send you the evidence and wait 20 business days. If the charge breaks the rules, you can ask your bank for a chargeback; in the EU, in some cases, also for a refund within 8 weeks. The app prepares the request and tells you the deadlines.
The host says they have photos of the damage: is that enough?
The photos must be real and show the damage, with receipts or quotes for the amount. On Airbnb, altered evidence, including with AI, doesn't count. Your own photos from arrival and departure and the messages you sent the host matter too: upload them. The app doesn't say a photo is fake: it asks for the original evidence.
When do I have to answer by?
It depends on the route: on Airbnb you have 24 hours to answer the request and 60 days to appeal after the charge; a card chargeback is usually asked for within 120 days with Visa and 90 with Mastercard; a bank refund in the EU within 8 weeks of the charge. The app works out the dates of your case.
Can I get a refund for my purchase?
Yes. If you change your mind, write to us within 14 days of the purchase and we will refund you, no questions asked. The details are in the terms.
Do I need to install anything?
No, the app opens in your browser. If you like, you can add it to your home screen like a normal app.
Guides on money claimed after a stay
Airbnb damage claim: how to answer within 24 hours
Airbnb host claiming damage after your stay? You have 24 hours to answer: what to write, which evidence to ask for and how to appeal a charge.
How much can Airbnb charge you for damages?
If you live in Europe, Airbnb can charge your card at most 500 US dollars for damage, and Airbnb must prove the damage. What applies in other countries.
Booking.com: the property claims damage or keeps your deposit
Property keeping your damage deposit or claiming damage after a Booking.com stay? What it can do, the 14-day limit and how to decline the claim.