Short-Term Rental in Poland: Disputed Charges After Checkout — What to Do

You booked an apartment in Poland through Airbnb or another platform for a weekend, everything seemed fine, you checked out — and then your card is charged for "damage", "cleaning" or an "administration fee". The amount looks inflated, or entirely unjustified. Here's the catch: short-term letting is a different legal world from an ordinary residential tenancy. Different law, different rules, a different route to getting your money back. This guide explains how to push back.

This guide is general legal information, not legal advice. How the rules apply depends on your individual circumstances, the contract, and the evidence. If you need advice or representation, the matter should be assessed by a qualified Polish lawyer. Twoja Sprawa helps you organise the documents for that assessment.

Key distinction — short-term lets vs the Polish Tenants' Protection Act

This is the crucial point. The Polish Tenants' Protection Act (ustawa o ochronie praw lokatorów — the statute protecting residential tenants) covers tenants of residential premises, i.e. lets for a longer period (usually at least several months). It protects against unscrupulous landlords and sets rules on deposits, notice periods, refund deadlines, and so on.

A short-term let (an apartment booked for a weekend, a week, or a month via a platform) is a different world:

• Your protection comes mainly from the contract/terms of the platform (Airbnb, Booking.com, etc.) — not from the Tenants' Protection Act.
• These arrangements are governed largely by the Polish Civil Code (Kodeks cywilny, KC) — contract, liability, and damages.
• Consumer protection law does apply, but only to a limited extent — particularly if you booked through a foreign platform.

⚠️ This distinction changes the whole strategy. You cannot rely on the Tenants' Protection Act — it simply doesn't apply. You have to build your case on the contract and on consumer rights instead.

What can legitimately be deducted — the general rules

On a short-term let, the host can charge you for:

• genuine damage — but only damage that actually happened and was your fault (e.g. a broken cupboard, a hole in the wall),
• genuine extra cleaning — but only if the apartment was left significantly dirtier than a normal check-out condition,
• utility charges — if the contract provides for them (though these are usually included in the price).

What cannot legitimately be deducted:

• ordinary wear and tear (worn paint, light scuffs, normal everyday soiling),
• a vague "administration fee" for handling the booking (that's the platform's or host's own overhead),
• charges not agreed in the contract or house rules,
• excessive amounts — e.g. billing you for a whole new bed over one stained sheet.

⚠️ Drawing the line between "damage" and "normal wear" is a question of fact. Photos or video taken on arrival and on departure are your strongest evidence.

Platform procedures (Airbnb, Booking.com, and others)

Airbnb

Airbnb runs its own Host Damage Protection / AirCover scheme for host damage claims:

• The host has to report the damage within 72 hours of your checkout,
• Airbnb tries to mediate first — asking whether you'll pay or want to dispute it,
• If you don't agree, the case goes to Airbnb's Resolution Centre, which assesses it based on photos and the house rules,
• You can appeal Airbnb's decision (but only within Airbnb's own system, not in court).

Booking.com

Booking.com usually does not mediate between guest and host over damage claims — that's treated as a matter between you and the property owner. Booking.com itself is only the booking platform.

Other platforms

Every platform has its own rules — always check the terms and conditions.

Important: a platform's dispute-resolution process does not replace your right to go to court. If you believe a charge is unlawful, you can still bring a claim before a Polish court.

How to fight back — step by step

Step 1: Check the contract and house rules

Re-read what you signed up to, or accepted, at the time of booking: - What kind of damage can the host deduct for? - What is the reporting procedure? - How long does the host have to report it? - Are there any caps on deductions?

If the contract doesn't allow the deduction, you already have a strong argument.

Step 2: Gather your evidence

As soon as a charge is raised against you: - Log into the platform — download every email, screenshot every message, save every statement made during the negotiation. - Photos/video from your stay — if you photographed the apartment showing it was clean or that the alleged damage didn't exist, that's your strongest evidence. - Messages to the host — anything like "everything was fine", or acknowledgement of a clean handover with no reservations. - Witnesses — anyone who stayed with you and can confirm the apartment's condition.

Step 3: Negotiate on the platform / with the host

First, try a direct message to the host:

I've been charged for [reason given]. I don't accept this charge because [explanation — e.g. I left the apartment clean, the damage wasn't caused by me, the charge isn't justified].

I'm attaching photos/evidence. Please cancel the charge.

Platforms such as Airbnb prefer an amicable resolution — if you and the host can agree, it's resolved faster.

Step 4: If the host won't budge

• Open a dispute on the platform — if it has a formal process (Airbnb's "Resolution Centre", for example).
• Wait for the platform's decision — mediators at Airbnb/Booking.com assess the case on the evidence submitted.
• If you're not satisfied, escalate to a higher level within the platform, if one exists.

Step 5: If you lose on the platform (or there's no procedure at all)

At this point you have three options:

1. Send a formal demand letter to the host:

   I am requesting cancellation/refund of the charge of [amount] dated [date], as this charge is unjustified / does not arise from the contract / is excessive. I am enclosing the following evidence: [list].

   I am allowing 14 days for a response. If I receive no reply or no agreement, I will proceed with a court claim.

2. Chargeback (for card payments) — approach your own bank: - Card schemes (Mastercard/Visa) run a "chargeback" procedure for disputed transactions. - The usual window is up to 120 days from the transaction date. - You'll need to provide evidence: the contract, correspondence, photos, and your dispute with the host. - It doesn't guarantee a refund — it's a card-scheme procedure, not a legal remedy.

3. Court claim — if the amount is significant, you can sue the host/property owner: - Forum: the ordinary Polish court for the location of the apartment (or where the contract was concluded). - Claim: refund of the amount wrongly deducted. - Evidence: photos, correspondence, the contract, condition reports.

Common landlord "tricks"

When should the matter go to a lawyer?

It's worth getting a specialist involved when:

• the charge is a substantial amount (e.g. over PLN 500) — a court claim may then be worthwhile,
• the host isn't responding, either on the platform or to your demand letter,
• the evidence is clear-cut (photos, messages) and the charge is obviously unjustified,
• the dispute involves a foreign platform — you may need to bring the claim in a different country (the European Consumer Centre Poland handles cross-border consumer-to-business disputes within the EU),
• you want to try a chargeback — ask for advice on preparing the documents your bank will need.

When might a claim not be worth pursuing?

Before you file a claim, ask yourself:

• how many hours of your own time is this dispute worth?
• would the cost of the claim, plus the risk of losing, eat up the whole amount at stake anyway?

Example: a PLN 200 charge. A court claim costs roughly PLN 100 in fees, plus your time. Win, and you get your money back — but lose, and you're out the court fee as well as the time spent.

It's usually worth trying a chargeback (free) or negotiation first.

Common mistakes

• Doing nothing — thinking "it's the internet, there's nothing I can do" — but you do have rights, especially if you booked as a consumer, including through a Polish account.
• Not collecting evidence — photos from your stay are gold. Photograph the apartment on arrival and on departure.
• Waiting too long to act — the more time passes, the weaker your evidence becomes. Act immediately.
• Not reading the contract — read the platform's terms and the host's house rules; that's where both parties' obligations are set out.
• Skipping the chargeback option — if your card was charged, your bank may be able to help. It's a free procedure (within the time limit).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a host charge me for damage at all? Yes, but only if the damage genuinely occurred and was your fault, and if the contract/house rules allow for it. No — for ordinary wear and tear.

How long does a host have to report damage? On Airbnb — usually 72 hours after your checkout. On other platforms — check the terms. After that window, it's questionable practice to charge you for "newly discovered" damage.

Do I have to pay the charge straight away? For card payments, the charge may be taken automatically. You can still file a chargeback with your bank or negotiate with the host. You are not obliged to simply accept an unlawful deduction.

Can I claim compensation for the inconvenience? If an unlawful charge caused you real harm (stress, problems with your bank), you could in theory pursue compensation for that too — but it would need to be assessed by a court. Start by focusing on recovering the money itself.

What if the host buries the charge inside a cleaning invoice? Read it carefully — if the contract/house rules state that cleaning is included in the price, any additional charge for it is unjustified. Dispute it.

Related articles: - Landlord won't return the deposit — what can a tenant do? (in Polish) - Rental deposit — what a landlord can and cannot deduct (in Polish) - Tenant's checklist before handing back the flat and reclaiming the deposit (in Polish) - How to prepare an evidence pack for a dispute with a company (in Polish)

Content reviewed: 2026-07-13.