Something always goes wrong on a trip: a boiler that gives up, a leaking tap, a glass knocked off the table. Handled well, it is a small moment. Handled badly, it becomes the thing everyone remembers about the stay.
Safety first
If there is a smell of gas, a water leak you cannot stop, sparking electrics or anything that feels unsafe, deal with that before anything else: leave the room or the place if needed, and call the local emergency number. Then tell the host.
Tell the host early, with the facts
Message the host as soon as you notice the problem, through the booking platform. Say what it is, where, and when it started. A problem reported on day one can often be fixed during your stay; the same problem mentioned at checkout usually cannot.
- "Bathroom: no hot water since this morning, the boiler shows error E1."
- "Kitchen: we broke a wine glass tonight, sorry. Happy to replace it."
What not to do
- Do not try to repair things yourself unless the host asks you to. A well-meant fix can make it worse and make it look like your fault.
- Do not hide accidental damage. It is almost always found, and it is taken far better when you mention it first.
- Do not keep it to phone calls. Say it in writing too, so there is a record of when you reported it.
Keep a record as it happens
Note each problem with the time you noticed it, add a photo if it helps, and add to it when things change: when the host replied, when someone came to fix it. At the end of the stay you have a short, dated history instead of a blur of messages.