The short answer
Wedding rental damage and loss charges are what the rental order says you pay if an item comes back broken, stained, dirty or not at all. Find the replacement price list, any cleaning or handling fees, what the damage waiver covers and excludes, and how and when the charge is billed. Then count and photograph items at delivery and pickup, so any charge can be checked against a record.
What counts as damage, loss or a cleaning charge on a rental?
A rental order may treat three things separately. Damage is an item returned broken or unusable, such as a cracked glass or a torn linen. Loss is an item not returned at all. Cleaning or handling fees apply to items returned dirty, wet, unsorted or not packed as the order asks, such as dishes not scraped or linens not bagged. Each may be priced differently, and a damage waiver may cover one and exclude another.
Copy the wording for each into your notes, with the page number. Note whether the order refers to a replacement price, the actual cost of repair, or a fixed fee, and whether it says who decides an item is damaged. Keep the replacement price list with it.
- Damage terms and how they are priced
- Loss or missing item terms
- Cleaning and handling fees
- Return condition requirements
- Who decides an item is damaged
How much will I be charged for a broken or missing rental?
Ask for the replacement price list, if the order refers to one, and keep it with your contract. The charge for a missing item may be its listed replacement price rather than its rental price, and the gap between the two can be wide. For example, a hypothetical charger plate might rent for $2 and carry a replacement price of $18.
Price the risk for the items guests handle. For example, if a hypothetical order has 150 glasses with a replacement price of $5 each, and 8 are missing at pickup, that is 8 x $5 = $40. Six linens returned with wax at a hypothetical $40 cleaning fee each is 6 x $40 = $240. The small items add up; the linen line may be the larger one.
Is a rental damage waiver worth it? What it does not cover
A damage waiver is a fee on the order that changes how some damage is charged. How the waiver fee itself is calculated is covered in the guide to rentals and venue inclusions; the question here is what falls outside it. Look for exclusions such as loss or theft, items left outdoors or in the rain, wax, burns and permanent stains on linens, damage from misuse, and items not returned in their crates. Check for a cap or deductible.
For example, with a hypothetical waiver that covers accidental breakage but excludes loss and linen stains, a broken chair may be covered, while the 8 missing glasses ($40) and 6 waxed linens ($240) in the earlier example would still be billed, for $280. Whether a waiver is worth its fee for your order comes down to that comparison: the fee against the charges it would remove for your likely risks. Ask the rental company in writing which of your likely risks the waiver covers. For insurance questions, rules vary by state and by policy, so ask a licensed insurance professional in your state.
- Loss or theft
- Weather and outdoor use
- Wax, burns and stains on linens
- Items not packed as required
- Cap or deductible
How and when is a rental damage charge billed?
Check whether the company holds a security deposit, keeps a card on file, or sends an invoice after pickup. Note how long after the event a charge may be made, whether you receive an itemized list first, and whether photos are provided. If a card on file can be charged without notice, ask whether the company will send the itemized list before charging it.
Put the expected date on your calendar next to any deposit you expect back. When the charge or refund arrives, compare it with your delivery and pickup counts, the price list and the waiver terms before you accept it. Keep the delivery slip and your photos together with that note.
How do I dispute a rental damage charge?
Ask for an itemized list with photos, then compare it with your signed delivery slip, your pickup count and your own photos. If the delivery slip noted an item as damaged on arrival, or your pickup count shows an item was returned, say so. Note the date of each record.
Write a short, specific message: the item, the charge, your record, and what you are asking for, such as removal of the line or the waiver being applied. Keep copies of everything. What happens next depends on the order and on rules that vary by state; a qualified attorney licensed in your state can explain your position if a large amount is at stake.
Rental damage and loss record
Use one row for a decision or deliverable. Keep unanswered items visible. Download the blank worksheet to open in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.
On a small screen, swipe the worksheet sideways to see the remaining columns.
| Item | Delivered count | Returned count | Damage or cleaning noted | Charge and basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tables | — | — | — | — |
| Chairs | — | — | — | — |
| Linens and napkins | — | — | — | — |
| Plates and chargers | — | — | — | — |
| Glassware | — | — | — | — |
| Flatware | — | — | — | — |
| Candle holders and decor | — | — | — | — |
| Crates and bags | — | — | — | — |
| Damage waiver applied | — | — | — | — |
A message you can make your own
Change the wording to suit you, fill in anything in brackets and keep the questions that apply. You decide what to send and send it yourself.
Thank you for the rental order. Before we sign, could you send the replacement price list and any cleaning or handling fees? Could you also confirm in writing what the damage waiver covers and excludes, such as loss, linen stains or weather, and whether there is a cap? If there are charges after the event, how and when are they billed, and will we receive an itemized list with photos before a card on file is charged? Thank you.
Common questions
Do I have to pay for rentals a guest breaks?
Paying for rentals a guest breaks depends on the rental order you signed. If you signed it, the rental company may bill you whoever broke the item, so read its damage wording. Ask the caterer and venue whether their contracts cover rented items their staff handle, and decide in advance whether to budget a small amount for guest breakage.
Is a rental damage waiver the same as insurance?
A rental damage waiver is a term in the rental order that changes how some damage is charged, and it should be treated as different from insurance unless someone qualified tells you otherwise. Read what the waiver covers and excludes. For questions about an insurance policy, ask a licensed insurance professional in your state.
What is a rental damage deposit?
A rental damage deposit is an amount the rental company holds, as a payment or a card hold, against damage, loss or cleaning charges, and returns under the terms of the order. Check the amount, what can be deducted, whether you get an itemized list first, and the date by which the balance should come back, then put that date on your calendar.
How do I get wax off rented linens?
Before you treat wax on rented linens, check the rental order. Some rental companies ask you not to treat stains yourself and charge a set cleaning fee instead, because it may have its own cleaning process. Ask the company what it prefers, record the answer with your order, and bag the linens as it asks.
Can the rental company charge my card after the wedding?
A rental company can charge your card after the wedding if the order allows a card on file to be charged, so check that wording. Ask whether you will receive an itemized list with photos before any charge, and how long after the event a charge may be made. Put the latest possible charge date on your calendar.
What records should I keep for rental returns?
For wedding rental returns, keep the signed delivery slip, your counts at delivery and pickup, dated photos, the rental order, the replacement price list and any messages with the company. Keep them together until any deposit is returned and the final bill is settled, so any charge can be checked against a record.