Five Areas in Your Vacation Rental You Should Check Regularly

AC, Heating, and Kitchen Appliances

A faulty HVAC system can really inconvenience renters and lead to bad reviews. The best way to avoid issues with heaters and air conditioners is to perform routine maintenance checks. Instead of offering refunds to visitors because they had to endure uncomfortable temperatures, it may be cheaper to pay a professional to service your HVAC system on time.

You should also:

• Clean the exhaust duct on the dryer at least once a year
• Inspect the hose on the washing machine regularly
• Have fuel-burning appliances professionally serviced every year

Bedroom Checklist

Quality bedding is a must in every vacation rental. You need to make sure your guests have an inviting, clean, and comfortable place to sleep.

Before your guests arrive:

• Clean the mattress covers, sheets, pillows, and pillowcases.
• Deep clean comforters and blankets regularly.
• Check whether all the alarm clocks and reading lamps are working.
• Also, make sure there are enough clothes hangers in the closet.

Bathroom Checklist

If you want to make a great first impression, make sure to provide bathroom amenities.

• Stock the bathroom with high-quality shampoo and conditioners.
• Empty out trash cans in bathrooms, bedrooms, and the kitchen before your guests arrive.
• Stock up on basic cleaning supplies your guests may need during their stay, but make sure little ones can’t reach them.

Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

According to the EPA, there should be at least one carbon monoxide detector on each floor of a building.

There should be a smoke detector on every level of the property, in all stairwells and hallways, and inside each bedroom.

According to the NFPA, you should replace smoke alarms every ten years. As for carbon monoxide detectors, replace them every seven to ten years. Make sure there are fire extinguishers near all stoves and fireplaces in your rental and inspect them regularly. The average shelf life of a fire extinguisher is five years, so be sure to replace them on time.

Security and Technology

The safety and security of your guests are of top concern. However, ensuring their safety and security is not so easy if you are not around – unless you get the right upgrades.

Smart home devices make this task much simpler. Smart key locks, thermostats that can be programmed remotely, and motion detectors are great solutions for vacation rentals.

However, even though guests will certainly appreciate you thinking of their safety, they may not be so comfortable with cameras and noise detectors. To protect the privacy of your guests, you can get NoiseAware for your rental.

This tool will allow you to coordinate all tasks that have to do with the safety, quality, and cleanliness of your property. By improving your scheduling efficiency, it will help you avoid missed checks and repairs.

Verify Your Short-Term Vacation Rental Insurance Today

Interested in a policy to protect you and your business from property and liability claims?

Proper Insurance is the nation’s leading short-term vacation rental insurance provider, with the most comprehensive policy on the market. We protect homes in all 50 states with unmatched coverage for your property, revenue, and business liability, customized to include guest-caused theft/damage, liquor liability, amenity liability (bikes, kayaks, hot tub, etc.), bed bugs, squatters, and more. 

Proper’s policy covers vacation homes, townhouses, condos, duplexes, cabins, cottages, apartments, and more. With expert vacation rental underwriters, we can tailor a policy specific to your short-term rental property.

Guest post originally published in Aug. 2020 by Rebecca, a translator and avid traveler, a bookworm and horror flick enthusiast. My job has given me the amazing opportunity to travel to dozens of countries around the world, and writing on Rough Draft gives me a chance to showcase some of them.