If you have a property that you are willing to rent out for short-term rentals, there are certain bare minimum requirements that are crucial to act upon before you do so, especially during this 2020 pandemic. Whether the property is a villa, penthouse, apartment, or duplex, following a few steps can help you prepare your place to look welcoming to the guests upon their arrival. So, the key to making your visitors feel at home and comfortable, as Katherine Flour said, is “as easy as putting yourself in their shoes and considering what you’d most appreciate if you were a guest.”

The more the apartment is ready, the better the guests’ experience, and the easier your life as a host- will be. A pleasant experience will also make your guests leave the best reviews that you absolutely require to have a positive reach in the market. You may want to follow the tips discussed below that are paramount to turn your venture a success.

Length of stay

Commonly referred to as a vacation rental, a short-term stay is leasing out a furnished property that you are not using. The first step is to decide the duration of stay that you are willing to offer to the guests’. A short-term stay could be from a few days to a few weeks, and anything more than a few months is regarded as a long term rental. Your preparations would vary depending on that duration.

Clean the entire place

Of course, a good cleaning of the apartment is the first and foremost priority while preparing your house for rentals. It is crucial to get it done before the guests arrive. The kitchen and washroom should be spick and span. Prepare each bed with clean linens and replace old towels with new fresh ones.

There are several app-based options to hire house cleaning services that provide thorough cleaning of your apartment on short notices. However, make sure you are present while they clean the place, as these services require constant supervision and the physical presence of the owner or someone related to help them around the house. If you have time, you can also do it yourself and save the expense of hiring a service. Cleaning it yourself also gives you the assurance that you have done it alright.

Declutter the place

When you rent out your apartment, it is obvious that it needs to look clean and simple. Go for a thorough decluttering by removing your old furniture items, such as sunken sofas and lumpy mattresses. Replace them with items that are more guest-worthy. Similarly, you might want to move your valuables to your devoted locked storage. Valuables include jewelry, decorative pieces, delicate china, photograph albums, artwork, clothing, firearms, mementos, personal documents, and financial papers such as birth certificates or passports that you do not want to be damaged, pilfered, or any strangers pawning over.

Another effective means to safeguard your belongings is screening the renters profile before agreeing to rent your apartment out to anyone on a short term basis. Look for profiles and references of the rentee online if available.

Set necessary amenities for your guests:

Your rental home/apartment should be well-equipped for your guests to have a comfortable and easy stay. Amenities should be up and running. Minimum facilities for the set up are mentioned below :

Fresh linen (Towels, bedding, etc.)
Extra blankets
Kitchenware
Bare minimum Electronics (Microwave, Toaster, coffeemaker, hairdryer, etc.)
Cleaning supplies
Bathroom supplies (toiletries)
Health and Safety (First-aid kit, a fire extinguisher)
Remote controls (TV, Air conditioning)
Extra light bulbs
Wifi

Organize the rooms

Bedrooms are the most significant comfort zones for guests, and it requires a little extra effort and a peaceful organization. Make all the beds using fresh linen. Keep additional pieces of sheets, pillow, and pillow protectors on the bed. Have sets of both feather and foam pillow in each of the rooms with a mattress with ample mattress pad. Place both bright and dim lights in the room and set the clock to the right time.

Prepare a well-equipped kitchen

Make certain that the kitchen is still well-equipped for cooking and dining, even after shifting your valuable and delicate things. Leave ample pieces of kitchen essentials such as china, pots, flatware, pans, ladles, roti maker, milk boiler, tissues, including other small cooking appliances such as mixer grinder, toasters, and coffee makers. Do check if the water filter, dishwasher, and micro oven are functioning properly. Leave instructions for the guests about how these appliances work. You may opt to leave personal touches like basic food in the fridge such as milk, juice, butter, cereal, local wine, and other welcoming gifts for your guests’ immediate necessities.

Arrange restroom essentials

Like every other room, the restroom also requires to be fully functional. Put basic toiletries such as soap, shampoo bottles, handwash, air freshener, etc., and other necessities such as fresh towels and hair dryer inside the bathroom shelves. Make sure that the shower, geyser, bathtub, or jacuzzi (if any) is functioning properly, the washrooms are extra clean and they shine.

Covid 19 safety arrangements

Due to the current pandemic situation, authorities have set guidelines for all sorts of accommodation facilities. You may want to take extra precautions so that your guests are safe, and so are you. Sanitize the entire place before the guests arrive and put hand sanitizer on each table and hash-washes in all the washrooms, as well as at the kitchen sink. Wear a mask while you welcome your guests and check their temperature to avoid viral transmissions.

Leave detailed instructions

Leave accurate and descriptive instructions to make your guests’ stay easier. The more information you make available to your guests, the lesser queries you have to attend to.

Leave behind instructions regarding types of equipment in the home such as the wifi password, list to the TV channels. Place all sorts of remotes necessary for the operations of the devices and the television.
Leave an address and phone number of the local grocery store, gas station, and nearby pharmaceuticals.
Also, let the guests know if there are any such restrictions from your end, such as smoking, parties, loud music, pet friendliness, etc.
Finally, make sure to include enough information on reaching out to you (phone number, email, etc.)

Conclusion

Once you are done with all the above-mentioned steps, you are all set to welcome your guests. You or your employed caretaker (if any) is required to be present the day your guests arrive, to hand over the keys and help them with an overall familiarity of the place. Repeat the same process discussed after the guests leave and prepare the apartment accordingly, so you are all set to welcome your next short-term renters.

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