The Importance of Property Maintenance in Short-Term Rentals

Short-term rental management includes regular cleaning, routine maintenance, and timely repairs that, when done right, can help you charge higher rental prices, get good reviews, and attract more guests. 

Read on to learn how to increase bookings and rental income, make your property more appealing, and impact guest experience and safety by following essential checklists.

Why Rental Property Maintenance is Important For Guest Experience and Reviews

Consistent upkeep helps ensure your short-term rental stays in good condition, making it attractive to current and future renters. Equally, if not more important, routine maintenance is essential for keeping your guests happy and eager to leave positive reviews — the most influential demand drivers for short-term property rental owners. Especially when personal experiences can make or break decisions when others are looking to book a short-term rental property. 

Maintain the Property’s Appeal With Regular Cleaning and Upkeep

On top of retaining and attracting new tenants, regular maintenance of your property helps preserve and increase its value and decreases the need for costly repairs.

And although it can be time-consuming, giving the property a thorough cleaning before your next guests arrive is crucial. The key ingredients of efficient short-term rental property management are the:

• Precision of your cleaning
• Timeliness of your arrival

When tenants notice even one small thing you didn’t clean properly, they won’t hesitate to mention their dissatisfaction with your cleaning standards. Here’s a cleaning and maintenance checklist to follow:

• Replace used linens (towels, washcloths, sheets, etc.)
• Take out the trash
• Dust all surfaces (including ceiling fans)
• Disinfect remotes, light switches, sinks, and showers/tubs
• Clean windows
• Polish furniture
• Sweep, vacuum, and wash the floors

Hiring a short-term rental property management company to help with rental property maintenance, can drastically reduce your worry and improve guest satisfaction. 

How Rental Property Maintenance Ensures Guest Safety and Security

Performing basic maintenance and following safety procedures keeps guests safe and addresses potential issues before they cause property damage or put your tenants at risk. Here’s a checklist to ensure guest safety and security: 

• Check that all egress windows open easily.
• Confirm that the fire escape plan is in a conspicuous place.
• Test fire, smoke, and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries annually.
• Check the inspection date on the fire extinguisher and examine it to see if it has been discharged — replace it with a newly recharged unit if necessary.
• Check for loose staircase hand railings and secure if necessary.
• Check for trip and fall hazards and remove or mark them.
• Change locking codes for doors and safes after every guest booking.
• Ensure proper ventilation by cleaning or replacing HVAC filters every three months.

How Short-Term Rental Property Maintenance Helps Increase Bookings and Rental Income

Maximizing rental income and minimizing expenses is crucial to successful property investment. Effectively managing rental properties increases your return on investment, increases your property's desirability and market value, and helps you achieve long-term financial success. 

A well-maintained property reduces vacancy rates and attracts higher-paying tenants. Whether you maintain the property yourself or hire a professional, managing your expenses is equally important to maximizing your rental income. Partnering with a property manager can help determine where to reduce expenses and increase profitability. 

Tips and Best Practices For Effective Short- Term Rental Property Maintenance

When managing a vacation rental, there are a few best practices to follow to ensure an impressive guest experience.

• Tenants expect a clean property, so pay special attention to kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, and high-touch surfaces. When tenants report issues, address them immediately to show your commitment to guest satisfaction and foster positive reviews. 
• Regular maintenance for your rental property helps you identify issues before they negatively affect your guest’s experience or turn into costly repairs.
• Routine maintenance of your rental property using checklists can help keep you on track with safety, security, cleaning, and comfort issues.
• Your highest priorities should always be things that affect guest safety or experience and issues that may be expensive to replace or repair.
• Save money by ensuring the property stays in good condition and catching minor repairs that may lead to significant expenses when left unnoticed. 
• Have reliable contractors on call for issues beyond your skill level.

The Long-Term Benefits of Prioritizing Property Maintenance in Short-Term Rentals

Short-term rentals require considerable time to manage properly — from being available 24/7, answering guest inquiries and concerns, and communicating between tenants to check-ins and check-outs, cleaning, maintenance, and engaging in a seamless guest experience. 

Short-term rentals typically have a quick turnover, so you must coordinate quickly with maintenance and cleaning services to ensure your property is sparkling clean and prepared for the next guests. This process can be particularly challenging during busy seasons with back-to-back bookings. 

A property management service in Calgary, like Aisling Baile, takes care of these mundane tasks, so you have less to worry about. Achieve long-term success by filling your short-term rentals with happy, satisfied guests with start-to-finish property management with Aisling Baile.