A guest left something behind. Who pays to post it back?

Every host ends up with a drawer of other people's things. Chargers, sunglasses, a single sock, now and then something that really matters, like a passport or a child's favourite toy. A small routine turns this from a recurring hassle into something your cleaner handles without asking you.

Decide what's worth chasing

Not everything needs a message. A disposable razor or half a bottle of shampoo goes in the bin. A phone charger or a hoodie is worth one friendly message. Medication, documents, jewellery, laptops and anything a child clearly loves are worth contacting the guest about the same day.

Writing this down for your cleaner saves everyone time. Our cleaning checklist template has space for a lost property step, so it's checked at every turnover rather than whenever someone remembers.

Message first, then post

When something worth returning turns up, message the guest through Airbnb:

"Hi Jamie, our cleaner found a grey jumper in the bedroom after you left. Is it yours? Happy to post it back if you'd like; just let me know the address and I'll send you the postage cost."

Short, friendly, and clear that postage is on them. Most guests are grateful and pay without a second thought.

The guest pays for postage

It's reasonable to ask the guest to cover the cost of sending their things back. You're already giving your time; you shouldn't also be out of pocket. The cleanest way is a payment request through Airbnb's resolution centre, so the money moves on the platform and there's a record. For larger or more valuable items, suggest they book a courier to collect.

Don't post anything before you've agreed on payment and confirmed the address. It's easy to end up chasing a few pounds from someone who's already moved on to their next trip.

Valuables need a separate process

Passports, wallets and bank cards are different. Contact the guest immediately, and if you can't reach them, contact Airbnb so they can help. Keep these items somewhere secure, not in the general box, and take a photo when they're found. If a guest is about to fly, a fast courier is worth arranging even before payment is sorted, and you can settle up afterwards.

Keep a box and a log

Give lost property a single home at the property: a labelled box in a locked cupboard. Each item gets a quick note with the date found and the booking it probably belongs to. A note on your phone is plenty.

That log matters when a guest messages three weeks later asking about a ring. Without it, you're relying on a cleaner's memory of a turnover several bookings ago.

Clear it out regularly

After about a month, clear out unclaimed items. Donate clothes and toys, recycle cables, and bin the rest. Keep documents and valuables longer, and only dispose of them after you've made a real attempt to return them.

Reduce how much gets left

You can't stop guests forgetting things, but you can make it less likely. A line in your check-out instructions asking guests to check chargers, drawers and the bathroom catches a lot. So does avoiding dark corners and cluttered surfaces where small things disappear. Rushed departures are when most things get left, so being clear about checkout time, and having a sensible answer ready for late checkout requests, cuts it down further.

When a guest says something went missing

Occasionally it runs the other way: a guest contacts you saying they left something valuable, and your cleaner found nothing. Check your log, ask the cleaner to look again in the obvious places (under beds, behind the sofa cushions, in the safe if there is one) and reply honestly with what you found. Don't promise anything you can't confirm. If the guest suggests something was taken, point them to Airbnb support and the police rather than trying to settle it yourself.