Report a serious incident

A serious incident is anything that puts people at risk: violence, theft, illegal activity, medical emergencies, or a dangerous situation in your property. Reporting them quickly protects everyone.

What counts as serious

Physical assault or threat.
Sexual harassment or assault.
Theft (significant).
Illegal activity in the property (drugs, weapons, unlawful business).
Discrimination or harassment based on protected characteristics.
A resident in a mental health crisis.
A genuine fire, flood, structural, or carbon-monoxide emergency.

For damage without safety risk, use the normal dispute process — see If a resident disputes a charge with their bank.

What to do, in order

1. If there's immediate danger, call local emergency services first

Police, ambulance, fire — whoever is appropriate. Coliving is not an emergency service. Local emergency services come before any platform action.

Common numbers:

EU: 112
US/Canada: 911
UK: 999

2. Get yourself and others to safety

If the situation is unsafe for you, leave. Don't re-enter until authorities clear it.

3. Document what you safely can

After everyone is safe:

Note the time and what happened.
Photograph any aftermath (damage, evidence).
Save any messages from the resident involved.
Identify witnesses and ask if you can contact them later.

4. Report to Coliving

Through the help centre, select Report a serious incident. Include:

The booking number.
A factual timeline.
Whether police or other authorities have been involved (and case/report number).
Any documentation you have.
What outcome you're seeking.

Serious incident reports are routed to a dedicated team and acknowledged within hours, even outside business hours.

What Coliving does next

Reviews the report and any evidence.
Contacts the resident for their side, where appropriate.
Coordinates with you on next steps — booking termination, account suspension, refund handling.
Cooperates with law enforcement when legally required.

We may also place the resident's account under restriction pending investigation.

What we can't do

Investigate criminal matters — that's for police.
Provide legal representation — talk to a local lawyer for legal next steps.
Override decisions of local authorities — if police take an action, we follow that.
Reverse a payment that's already left our system without going through the dispute process.

After the incident resolves

If criminal proceedings happen, we can share evidence with law enforcement on request.
The resident's account may be suspended or banned.
Compensation (where applicable) is handled through the dispute process.
For traumatic incidents, consider local mental health support for yourself and any affected residents.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can I cancel a booking immediately because of a serious incident? A: Yes. In serious incidents you can end the booking on the spot via support. You will not be penalised for an emergency host cancellation.

Q: What if I'm worried but it's not an emergency right now? A: Report it through support anyway — flagging concerns early helps us identify patterns. Use the Report a concern option.

Q: Will the resident know I reported them? A: We may need to contact them as part of the investigation. We don't disclose the source of the report unless legally compelled.

Q: Will I be reimbursed for damage from a serious incident? A: Compensation is handled through the dispute process. Serious incidents often qualify for additional support beyond standard limits.

Q: CanColiving.comresolve legal disputes? A:Coliving.com is not a legal authority and cannot resolve disputes that require legal intervention. Our support team can mediate between hosts and guests within the platform and help reach a fair resolution based on our policies. For disputes that escalate beyond the platform — such as property damage claims or tenancy law issues — we recommend seeking legal advice or contacting your local authorities.

Q: Dispute prevention best practices for hostsA: To minimize the risk of disputes, we recommend:

Ensuring your listing accurately reflects the room, amenities, and house rules
Communicating clearly with guests before and after move-in
Documenting the condition of your property with photos before each check-in
Responding promptly to guest concerns during their stay
Keeping records of all booking-related communications

**Q: Dispute timeline explained from report to resolution A:**Once a dispute is submitted, here's what to expect:

Submission — You submit the dispute with supporting documentation
Notification — The other party is notified and given a chance to respond
Review — Coliving.com support reviews all evidence submitted by both parties
Decision — A resolution is issued based on platform policies
Processing — Any applicable refunds or charges are processed through the Wallet

Timelines may vary depending on the complexity of the case and responsiveness of both parties.

Q: Evidence checklist for faster support outcomes A: To speed up your dispute resolution, prepare the following:

Booking ID and guest details
Photos or videos of the property condition before and after the stay
Screenshots of all relevant conversations with the guest
Any signed agreements or house rules acknowledged by the guest
A clear written summary of the issue and what resolution you are seeking

The more complete your evidence, the faster our team can reach a decision.

**Q: How to handle payment-related disputes?**A: If a guest disputes a payment:

Do not process any refunds independently before contacting Coliving.com support
Gather all payment records from your Wallet
Submit a dispute through support with the booking ID and payment details
Our team will review the transaction history and mediate accordingly
Any adjustments will be reflected in your Wallet once a resolution is reached

Q: How to handle property-condition disputes? A: If a guest raises a complaint about the property condition:

Respond promptly and professionally to the guest's concern
Document the current condition of the property with photos immediately
Contact Coliving.com support and provide your evidence
If damage was caused by the guest, submit a dispute with supporting documentation
Our team will review both sides and determine the appropriate resolution

**Q: How to open a support case with complete evidence?**A: To open a support case:

Contact Coliving.com support via the Help Center or your host dashboard
Provide your booking ID, guest name, and a clear description of the issue
Attach all supporting evidence — photos, screenshots, and relevant documents
State clearly what resolution you are requesting
Our team will acknowledge your case and follow up within the expected response window

Q: WhatColiving.comsupport can do in host-resident disputes? A:Our support team can:

Mediate between hosts and guests to reach a fair resolution
Review evidence submitted by both parties
Apply platform policies to determine outcomes
Process refunds or charges through the Wallet where applicable
Escalate cases that require further review

Our support team cannot provide legal advice, act as a legal authority, or enforce decisions outside of the Coliving.com platform.

**Q: What happens during a support review?**A: During a support review:

Both parties are notified and given the opportunity to submit their side of the story
Our team reviews all evidence provided
We may follow up with additional questions if needed
A decision is issued based on platform policies and the evidence available
Both parties are informed of the outcome and any next steps

Q: When to escalate to local authorities? A: There are situations where escalating beyond Coliving.com support is necessary, including:

Physical altercations or threats to safety
Significant property damage that may require legal action
Theft or criminal activity
Tenancy disputes governed by local law

In these cases, we recommend contacting your local authorities or seeking legal counsel. Coliving.com will cooperate with official investigations where required.