Review Alcove's process for charging tenants below
Accidents are rare, but they happen. If the Tenant, the Tenant's guest(s), or the Tenant's pet(s) are responsible for damage during a stay, the Tenant should let the Landlord know right away.
The best way to do this is by sending the Landlord a message through our support tickets, just in case our Tenant Support team needs to refer to it later. The Tenant should provide photos, if possible.
Informing the Landlord about any damage right away allows them ample time to address the issue and prevent additional charges. It also provides an opportunity for both parties to work towards a resolution.
The reimbursement process:
1. The Landlord may request reimbursement
If the Landlord believes that the tenant is responsible for damage, missing items, or unexpected cleaning costs, they may send the tenant a reimbursement request through Alcove.
- If the Tenant pays the full amount, the request will be closed.
- If the Tenant pays a partial amount, declines the request, or ignores the request, the Landlord may involve Alcove as a next step.
2. The Landlord may involve Alcove
If the Landlord involves Alcove, a member of our Tenant Support team will determine if the tenant responsible for the damage and if the amount the Landlord is requesting is reasonable. They’ll do this by reviewing evidence provided by the Landlord, as well as any notes the Tenant included in their initial response to the Landlord’s request. Someone may also follow up with the Tenant, their roommates, or others who may have information about the Landlord’s damage claim.
3. Alcove may ask the Tenant to pay
The tenant will be given the opportunity to voluntarily submit a timely payment or an appeal. If the tenant doesn’t submit a timely payment or appeal, or the Tenant’s appeal is unsuccessful, the Tenant’s payment method will be charged in order to reimburse the Landlord. The Tenant will never be charged without advance notice or a chance to appeal before and after the Tenant has been charged.
Dealing with damage is never fun, but this process is designed to be as fair as possible. For more info, please visit: Reimbursement process for maintenance due to damage caused by housemates