The first action in any damage claim is photo documentation. That’s what most people should do when something is damaged in a clean. Most people pick up the phone to call the provider, and that’s the wrong thing to do. The foundation of every single successful claim is documentation. The clock starts when the clean is complete.
Understanding Each Policy is Key
Urgent Pro operates two distinct policies for when a cleaning service does not go to plan.
The first of these is workmanship. If the cleaner missed half the kitchen, or made the bathroom worse, or did not clean to the scope agreed, then that is considered a warranty issue. How the service warranty works is covered in the master warranty document. The cleaning service warranty window depends on the clean: 24 hours from completion for a standard house clean, and for a bond or end of lease clean, 14 days from completion or 72 hours from the agent’s exit condition report, whichever ends first. The remedy for a workmanship issue is a re-clean.
The second of these is physical damage. If something was in a serviceable condition before the clean, and it is broken, scratched, or otherwise damaged as a result of the clean, then the remedy is to claim for the damage. The remedy is not a re-clean.
Using the wrong process for the wrong remedy delays resolution for both issues, so it is important to make sure the correct complaint is lodged through the correct pathway from the start.
For a broader look at your options when a home service falls short, see the guide to your consumer rights.
Step 1: Document Before You Do Anything Else
You must report the damage, with photographs, within 48 hours of the end of the service. That window exists because the intervening causes, other members of your household, pets, a second contractor, become impossible to exclude after that point.
Before you speak to anyone, document the following:
- At least three pictures showing the damaged item at different angles with good, natural light
- The surrounding area for context
- Any pre-existing marks or wear in the area to show the item was in good condition
- A timestamp, if your phone allows it
Keep the damaged item. Do not throw away fragments, packaging, or anything else related to the item. Keep the item until Urgent Pro reviews your claim. Even if it appears to be beyond repair, it may still be valuable to the assessment.
Include proof of value with your pictures: a receipt or proof of purchase if you have one, or the approximate age of the item and an online listing or link for a comparable item. For claims above A$500, you are also required to submit an independent repair quote.
Photographs taken immediately carry more weight than photographs taken days later, after the area has been partially cleaned up.
Step 2: Contact Urgent Pro, Not the Provider
Report the damage to Urgent Pro, the single point of contact for damage claims, so the claim is recorded and assessed under the damage claims policy.
You can reach Urgent Pro through:
- Email: support@urgentpro.com.au
- Phone: 1300 105 453
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm AWST
When you make contact, provide your booking reference and any photos or other information you collected. Photos taken on your phone will typically include a date and time stamp in the metadata. The descriptions you provide should be factual.
What Happens After You Report
Your claim is assessed under the damage claims policy. Urgent Pro’s Trust and Resolution team triages every claim within 2 business days. To facilitate a timely resolution, provide factual descriptions and documentation that supports your claim, including when and how you discovered the damage, a description of the item, and how you believe the damage occurred.
You will have the option to choose between three remedies: repair of the item to a like-for-like standard, replacement on a depreciated value basis, or monetary compensation paid to your bank account. Credit toward a future booking is only used with your written consent, never as the default.
Where the damage costs less than the contractor’s policy excess (commonly A$500 to A$2,000 for home-service trades), the contractor is expected to settle with you directly, and Urgent Pro may step in to help reach a fair settlement. The Urgent Pro Damage Backstop is a goodwill layer of up to A$2,500 per claim, paid at Urgent Pro’s discretion, which may apply where the contractor’s policy does not respond within 30 days or the excess gap leaves you with no practical remedy. It is not insurance.
If the claims process does not resolve it, you can request an internal review, and you can contact your state or territory consumer protection agency: NSW Fair Trading, Consumer Affairs Victoria, the Office of Fair Trading Queensland, or Consumer Protection WA (1300 304 054). A small claims tribunal or court in your jurisdiction is the further option.
What Is and Is Not Covered
A claim is covered where the item was functional and undamaged immediately before the service began, the damage was caused by the contractor’s actions during the service, it is not within an exclusion, and it is reported within 48 hours with supporting evidence.
Damage the service did not cause, such as damage in other areas of the home with no link to the clean, is not covered.
The most common cleaning damage claims are glass breakage (oven doors, shower screens and splashbacks), blind and window furnishing failure, sliding doors coming off their tracks, scratches to floors and surfaces, and damage to wall-mounted items. Oven door glass most often cracks from thermal shock, accumulated micro-fractures or hinge failure, not from a single act of careless cleaning.
Items lose their value due to wear and tear over time. Compensation should return the consumer to the position they were in before the damage, not to a better position. An item that had already depreciated over seven years should not be substituted with a brand-new equivalent. As Consumer Affairs Victoria explains for property damage claims, compensation for an item in poorer condition will be less than for a new item.
Disclose valuable or fragile items before the clean: antique or high-value items above A$500, brittle items, fragile blinds and shutters, sliding doors and shower screens with known issues, and ovens older than 10 years. Under the cleaning annex, damage to an undisclosed item above A$500 is excluded. With disclosure, full insurance value applies up to the contractor’s public liability limit.
The following are not covered by the claims policy, subject to your statutory rights:
- Damage that existed before the service began, including making a pre-existing crack, chip, or loose fitting worse through ordinary careful handling
- Wear and tear and end-of-life failures, where a part breaks because it has reached the end of its useful life
- Hidden defects, such as internal cracks in glass that cannot be seen from the outside, or weakened fixings concealed beneath a finish
- Customer non-disclosure, where you were aware the item was fragile or damaged and did not disclose it before the service
- Damage caused or contributed to by you, members of your household, pets, children, tenants or other visitors, during or after the service
A scratch that your cleaner revealed by moving the couch is not damage caused by the service. It is a pre-existing condition that was hidden. A distinction must be made for the claim, and photographs taken by the provider at the start of the job are evidence on both sides.
If a contractor declines to clean your oven or move your blinds, that is the Right to Decline in action. Contractors must photograph and note items they decline to handle rather than risk causing damage. Declining to handle a visibly damaged item is the correct response to that risk.
Your Rights Under Australian Consumer Law
Under the Australian Consumer Law, a service must be provided with due care and skill: the provider must use an acceptable level of skill and take reasonable care to avoid loss or damage. Your rights under the consumer guarantees apply in addition to the Urgent Pro claims process and cannot be excluded.
The One Habit That Changes Everything
To give your claim the best chance of success, follow this simple habit before any professional cleaning visit: take photos of all surfaces, floors, and fragile items in the rooms to be cleaned, including the oven, shower screen, blinds, and anything else that could be damaged. This takes only a few minutes, and you will have a time-stamped record of the condition of your property before the provider arrived.
Most claims under A$500 are resolved on photo evidence alone, which is why photographs of the property’s condition before the clean matter so much. If you need to rebook after a damage incident, all cleaning services on the Urgent Pro platform are available across five cities, with every provider having cleared the five mandatory checks before activation.
FAQs
How long do I have to report cleaning damage?
You have 48 hours from the end of the service. Report within that window with photos, a written description, proof of value where you have it, and your booking reference. The window exists because intervening causes become impossible to exclude once it passes.
Should I contact the cleaner directly or go through Urgent Pro?
Contact Urgent Pro directly. Urgent Pro is the single point of contact for damage claims and facilitates the claim with the contractor and, where needed, the contractor’s insurer.
What is the Urgent Pro Damage Backstop?
The Damage Backstop is a goodwill layer of up to A$2,500 per claim, paid at Urgent Pro’s discretion, which may apply where the contractor’s public liability insurance does not respond within 30 days, or where the excess gap leaves you with no practical remedy. It sits behind the contractor’s $10 million public liability cover and is not an insurance product.
Is my expensive item covered if I did not mention it before the clean?
Under the cleaning annex, damage to an item above A$500 that was not disclosed before the clean is excluded. To keep full cover, disclose valuable items, antiques, artworks and collectibles before each booking.
What if the contractor disputes the claim?
Urgent Pro’s Trust and Resolution team assesses contested claims with supporting evidence from both parties. Claims above A$500, contested claims and claims involving items of extraordinary value may need an independent inspection at the contractor’s insurer’s expense. You can also request a free internal review. If the outcome remains unsatisfactory following the internal review, you can escalate to your state consumer agency or tribunal for further assistance. The protections provided under the Australian Consumer Law apply and cannot be excluded.
Can I make a claim for something the cleaner moved and put back?
You can only make a claim if the item was damaged during the move. If the cleaner moved an item and returned it undamaged, and you later find a scratch nearby, you would need to prove the scratch was caused during the move and was not pre-existing. The photos provided by the contractor on arrival and your own pre-clean photos are the evidence that resolves this.