What If Something Is Damaged During a Booking?

If you believe your Cook may have caused physical damage to your home or belongings during a booking, you can report it through your booking. Reporting damage doesn't automatically mean PlatedUp determines your Cook caused it, and it doesn't automatically guarantee reimbursement, repair, or replacement — PlatedUp reviews the circumstances and reasonably available evidence.

What if something is damaged during my booking?

You can report new physical damage to your home or belongings that you believe happened during your Cook's service — like broken cookware, a damaged countertop or surface, a broken dish, or damage to an appliance. An item having a problem while your Cook happens to be present doesn't by itself mean your Cook caused it — PlatedUp looks at what actually happened.

If there's an immediate safety issue — like fire, gas, or an electrical hazard — address your safety first and contact emergency services or a qualified professional if needed. If anyone was injured, contact PlatedUp Support and see Safety During an In-Home Booking or Reporting a Safety Concern — this article covers property damage, not physical injury or food safety.

Report damage within 7 days

Report property damage through your booking as soon as reasonably possible, and no later than 7 calendar days after your booking ends. Report serious or obvious damage promptly rather than waiting.

This 7-day window is separate from PlatedUp's service-refund reporting periods — reporting damage within 7 days doesn't reopen or extend the 24-hour service-issue window or the narrow 72-hour food-safety window described in Refunds. For example, discovering damage on day 4 lets you report the damage itself, but it doesn't make an unrelated cooking-quality concern from that same booking newly eligible for a refund.

Open your booking, select Report a Problem, then Property Damage. Nothing here limits any rights you may have under applicable law.

What information should I provide?

Include whatever's reasonably available — photos or video of the damage, a description of what happened, in-app messages, a repair estimate, or a receipt or invoice for higher-value items. You don't need every type of evidence for every claim, and a legitimate report won't be rejected just because you don't happen to have a photo from before your booking.

When reasonably possible, avoid disposing of, repairing, or altering the damaged item before PlatedUp has had a chance to review it — unless there's a safety reason, a need to prevent further damage, or a necessary emergency repair. If you do need to act quickly for safety reasons, take photos first if it's safe to do so.

How PlatedUp reviews a damage report

PlatedUp may ask your Cook to respond with their own explanation and evidence. Your report alone doesn't automatically establish that your Cook caused the damage, and your Cook's response alone doesn't automatically clear them — PlatedUp reviews the available evidence from both sides, along with relevant booking information, to determine what most likely happened.

Knowingly false or abusive damage reports may result in account review or restrictions.

Existing damage, wear, and equipment failure

Damage that already existed before your booking doesn't become your Cook's responsibility just because they used or were near the item. Normal wear and tear, and an ordinary mechanical or electrical failure, also aren't automatically your Cook's responsibility — an item breaking while your Cook is using it normally isn't the same as your Cook physically damaging it.

A Cook isn't required to use equipment they reasonably believe is unsafe, or to follow an instruction that would require an unsafe action — if your Cook stops using something for that reason, that's expected.

Repair or replacement

When a damage claim is substantiated, PlatedUp's platform-resolution process focuses on addressing the actual damage — generally the reasonable cost of repair, or, if repair isn't reasonably possible, the reasonable value of a comparable replacement, taking into account the item's age and condition. This process isn't intended to upgrade your property beyond its condition before the damage.

Does property damage mean my booking is refunded?

Property damage and a refund for your cooking service are reviewed separately. Your Cook completing your cooking service properly, but accidentally damaging something, doesn't automatically entitle you to both a full property resolution and a full service refund for the same booking. Submitting a damage report doesn't automatically refund PlatedUp's service fee — that continues to follow the Refunds policy based on the impact on your actual service. If the same incident also prevented your cooking service from being completed, you may separately qualify for a service refund under Refunds.

Serious damage or suspected theft

For suspected theft, report it to PlatedUp Support and consider filing a police report — PlatedUp may ask for a police report for a theft-related claim. Don't try to resolve suspected theft directly with your Cook.

For serious or high-value damage, PlatedUp may need additional documentation, a professional assessment, or to involve an applicable insurance or claims process.

PlatedUp will review reported property damage and may request additional information. Depending on the circumstances, a matter may also need to be handled through an applicable insurance or other claims process.

Still need help?

If you need to report damage from a specific booking, or have questions about an existing report, contact PlatedUp Support.