Relocation Accommodation Receipts for Your Employer: A Guide

For employer reimbursement of relocation accommodation, keep the booking confirmation (reference, dates, total price), proof of payment and any written cancellation or amendment emails. Ask HR before you book what the policy covers and how it is paid, because rules differ between companies and countries, and avoid assuming anything is reimbursable.

Ask HR three questions before you book

Most reimbursement trouble starts before the booking, not after. Send HR or the relocation team a short message with these questions:

1. What is covered? Nights, a nightly cap, a total cap, taxes and fees, or deposits.
2. How is it paid? Direct billing to the employer, a company card, or reimbursement after you pay.
3. What proof do they need? Invoice, confirmation, proof of payment, or a specific form.

Keep the reply. If the policy has a cap, you can then filter your search against it, which is easier than finding a place you love and discovering it is above the limit.

What the booking documents contain

Aparthotel.com’s relocation guide notes that the confirmation email includes the booking reference, dates and total price, that you should keep it for reimbursement, and that booking details can be retrieved from My trip at any time. Per the site’s booking explainer, payment is taken by its booking partner as merchant of record, so the payment record may show that company rather than the property. Say so in your expense note if HR asks who was paid.

The page does not state whether a separate VAT invoice or company-name invoice is available. If your employer requires one, ask the platform’s help team before booking rather than assuming.

A simple document pack

Document	Why it helps	Where it usually comes from
Booking confirmation	Reference, dates, total	Confirmation email
Proof of payment	Shows what left your account	Card or bank statement
Cancellation or change emails	Explains any difference in cost	Booking platform
Property terms	Shows deposit and cleaning rules	Property or booking page
HR approval email	Shows the policy was followed	Your HR contact

Save these in one folder as soon as the booking is made. Do it the same day, not after the move, when your inbox is at its worst.

Key takeaway: an expense is easier to approve when the paperwork was agreed before booking and filed on the day it arrived.

Deposits, holds and taxes

Deposits and card holds are not the same as costs, and they will not appear as a normal charge in the same way. Tell your employer if a deposit is held on your card so it is not confused with an expense later. For taxes added at the property, check the extra charges guide, which sorts charges into included, added at checkout and paid at the property. Keep the receipt for anything paid on site.

Tax treatment of relocation benefits is a country-specific question. We do not give tax advice here. Ask your employer or a qualified adviser, and check official government guidance for your situation.

If the booking changes

Plans change in relocations. If you cancel, shorten or extend:

• Save the cancellation confirmation, which on Aparthotel.com shows any fee before you confirm.
• Note whether the rate was refundable or non-refundable. The booking explainer says refundable rates can be cancelled free until the deadline shown with the rate, while non-refundable rates cannot be refunded.
• Tell HR promptly, since changes can affect pre-approved totals. Our guide to flexible cancellation shows how to read the deadlines.

A short email template for HR

Hi, I’m planning to book a serviced apartment for [dates] in [city]. Could you confirm the nightly or total cap, whether taxes and deposits are covered, whether you pay directly or reimburse, and which documents you need? Thanks.

Where this fits in the bigger plan

Employer paperwork is one line in a longer process. Our relocation serviced apartment checklist puts it alongside laundry, workspace and arrival arrangements. When you are ready to compare properties against the cap HR gave you, Aparthotel.com lets you search by dates and guests and shows the total for the stay and the price per night.

Common reimbursement problems

• The name on the booking. If the booking is in your name but the employer expects its own, ask before paying whether that is acceptable.
• Currency. If you pay in a foreign currency, your bank statement shows the converted amount. Keep both the confirmation and the statement and ask HR which exchange rate is used.
• Taxes paid on site. Keep the receipt from the property for any charge not in the booking total.
• Partial approvals. If HR approves only a number of nights, record the approved dates and book accordingly.
• Late claims. Some employers set deadlines for submitting expenses, so ask for the deadline in writing.

What to say if a document is missing

If you cannot find a receipt, retrieve the booking from My trip using your email and booking reference, and ask the platform’s help team for whatever document your employer requires. The relocation guide says booking details can be retrieved at any time; whether a particular invoice format is available is not stated, so ask rather than assume. Keep the reply, and attach it to your claim. If you rely on the property itself for a receipt, ask for it at checkout rather than weeks later, when staff may have changed.

For freelancers and the self-employed

If no employer is involved but you may claim the cost for your own accounts, the same discipline applies: save the confirmation, proof of payment and any change emails. Tax rules differ between countries, and we do not advise on them, so speak to a qualified adviser and check official guidance.

Keeping the record tidy over a multi-week stay

A stay of several weeks produces more paper than a hotel night: the original booking, an extension, perhaps a second block, a deposit hold and incidental charges at the property. Name files by date and purpose, for example “2026-10-14 booking confirmation” and “2026-11-02 extension”, so a finance team can follow the sequence without a phone call. Add a one-line note to each saying what it covers. If your employer uses an expense app, upload documents as you go rather than in a single batch at the end of the month, when details blur. Finally, store a copy outside your work laptop, since you may lose access to company systems after leaving a role or changing devices.

When the employer books for you

Some relocation teams book the apartment and pay directly. You still need a copy of the confirmation, the property’s check-in instructions and a named contact at the employer in case a problem arises. Ask who is allowed to change or cancel the booking, because a team that books on your behalf may not want you to alter it. If you extend by yourself, tell them promptly so the extra nights are approved before they are charged.