7 Home Maintenance Tips to Safeguard Your Property
Villa rentals, holiday homes, vacation rentals, are becoming increasingly popular. Renting a holiday home for a getaway is a new norm, and as an owner, that should be completely used to your advantage. Holiday goers are increasingly preferring having the whole space to themselves, especially after COVID-19. From a guests’ perspective, having a whole home to themselves is not only economical but also much safer.
However, renting out your homes and villas is not as simple as it sounds. Listing it and renting it is only the first step in a much longer process. Once up, it is important to ensure that your property is clean and well-maintained. From the smart gadgets, to kitchen appliances, to the interiors, to the lawn, your villa rental has to be in good shape to host guests and churn revenue. Afterall, guests are looking for a holiday home where they can lounge and relax, and if anything comes in the way of that, a bad customer experience is bound to follow.
Here are some home maintenance tips to ensure that your home is always ready to host guests.
In this Blog
Appropriate Staff Training
Generally, every vacation rental has a dedicated staff member that is committed to ensuring that the upkeep of the home is not compromised. Hiring a caretaker for your property is a must, because not only do they help in ensuring the guests you are hosting have a smooth, hassle-free stay, but caretakers generally also help in ensuring that your home is maintained and cleaned regularly, that is if you train them well.
Hiring a caretaker is an investment in itself, however, for the investment to yield results, it is of utmost important to ensure that the caretaker undergoes appropriate training. Let them know what is expected of them, set a cleaning schedule, and ensure that they greet the guests and adhere to demands. Good caretakers are a driving force to recurring guests. If the guests are satisfied and content with their stay, they won’t only return but also spread the word to others, which is only beneficial for you.
Ensure Your Villa Rental is Clean After Every Check-out
Your home is going to host varying kinds of guests, from the loud group of friends to the occasional family groups to even the bachelors, and not everyone is going to leave your home the way it was when they arrived. While some guests might actually make an effort and clean, others won’t, because they are on a vacation. They would rather lounge, relax and make the most of their time away. Hence, the onus is on you, as the owner, to ensure that your property is up to the mark for the next guests that are checking-in. An unkempt home is a guest-repeller, nobody would want to stay at an untidy home. Hence, ensure all bathrooms are neat and tidy, that no drains are clogged and that there is running water. Change the linens in all bedrooms after the check-out, ensure that there are no dirty dishes in the sink, and that the kitchen in general is clean and tidy. When it comes to a vacation home, it’s always about the little things and attention to detail. The minute, seemingly insignificant things can make a big difference in the overall customer experience.
Invest in Security
Whenever guests opt to rent a holiday home, their first and foremost concern is safety and the surroundings. How safe and secure your location and home is, is detrimental when it comes to the number of bookings. Hence, investing in a security system should be a priority. First-aid kits and fire extinguishers are a prerequisite. Install CCTV cameras, especially in the exteriors of the villa, at the entrance and exit. However, it is important to draw a line and not over-indulge. While deciding where to install security cameras, make sure that the guests’ privacy isn’t invaded. A balance has to be achieved.
Test All Appliances
Splurging in state of the art amenities and appliances is definitely a sure way to attract guests. However, if the guests cannot actually use them, their presence is pointless. A constant check needs to be done on all appliances, specifically kitchen appliances. Make sure that your induction plates are working, that your blender is not broken and that the TV remote has batteries. Ideally, a check should be scheduled before every 3-4 check-ins, but if incase that is not possible, an effort should be made to ensure a check twice a month happens.
Always Check for Breakages and Damages
While testing all gadgets is a must, it is also important to check for any breakages or repairs. A broken glass could lead to a very avoidable escalation, or a leaky faucet could lead to unnecessary complaints or the paint peeling off the wall could lead to a bad first impression. These are avoidable expenses, which can be easily taken care of when there are constant checks. Overlooking these costs can lead to several bad experiences, ultimately spoiling your property name. It is of prime importance to check for any repairs at regular intervals. From the drains, to the sofas, and the walls, the ceilings and more, a clean, working home is the key to more sales and revenue.
Splurge on Deep Cleaning
Deep cleaning, in recent times, has become significantly more present. And justifiably so. Deep cleaning is definitely an expense that might leave a hole in your pocket, but it is necessary and unavoidable. Investing in deep cleaning not only ensures that your house is safe and clean, but also gives an assurance to the guests. In lieu of the current situation, splurging on deep cleaning will definitely give your home an edge over the others.
Ensure Your Outdoors are Well-maintained
The interiors of your home definitely leave a lasting impression, but so do your exteriors. The exteriors of the villa is the first thing that the guests would notice. Hence, ensuring your exterior walls are painted, windows are intact and that the lawn is trimmed and green. Guests, while at a holiday home, are always on the lookout for places to lounge and chill in. Ensuring that your lawn is not only usable but also well-maintained automatically assumes importance. Afterall, good memories and experiences would lead to positive reviews!
Maintenance of your villa rental cannot and should not be overlooked. Ignoring piling costs and repairs would only lead to increasingly bad experiences and an exorbitant pay out of your pocket. Hence, being proactive with regular checks, instant resolving of maintenance issues and ensuring preventive measures are adopted would not only sufficiently reduce your overall cost but also ensure your guests are happy and satisfied.
