The 3 Things you Need on your Property Care Checklist

Managing a successful vacation rental business requires a lot of time and effort when it comes to maintaining quality, safety, and cleanliness across your properties. Let's face it, running off of paper checklists or other manual methods makes it nearly impossible to execute at the level of quality needed to meet guests’ expectations. Instead, set your brand up for long-term success by utilizing the right technology partner to streamline and automate operations. To help you get started, Breezeway compiled the top 3 components you need on your property care checklist.

1) Clear Cleaning Standards:

The first few minutes of every guest's stay is the most important when it comes to making a great first impression, and what's better than a shining and spotless house! As heightened guest expectations continue to soar around property cleanliness it brings challenges to operators to meet these evolving demands while setting brand standards. While every property is unique, we have compiled some of the most important touch points that should be cleaned & maintained to ensure a great first impression and a memorable guest experience:

• Make sure the furniture and general space is tidy and welcoming
• Use reference photos within digital checklists to arrange furniture and decor in accordance with our brand standards
• Check under all furniture to remove any items or debris left by previous guests
  
  

Check out our VR Cleaning Checklist for more actionable insights!

One of the most unfortunate situations when operating a vacation rental is having to unexpectedly cancel reservations due to maintenance issues. To help avoid these situations, schedule routine & preventative maintenance to diagnose any major issues before they arise at the expense of your guest's stay. Breezeway client, Kris Ramsay of Pretty Picky Properties, has thought outside the box when it comes to preventative maintenance measures by keeping his top crews on retainer ahead of the busy season. Here are some other key tactics leading operators use to help prevent unexpected maintenance issues: 

• Schedule recurring pest control treatment 
• Ensure smart locks and other smart home devices are in good condition 
• Test that all home appliances and amenities are working properly (everything from small kitchen appliances to garage doors to thermostats)
  
  

Stay on top of your maintenance needs this season with our Preventative Maintenance Checklist!

3) Routine Safety Inspections:

After surveying over 700 short term rental managers for our Annual Property Operations Report, 81% of managers are regularly conducting safety inspections at their properties. The convergence of implementing safety checks over the past two years alone has brought many benefits to the STR industry with the peace of mind for guests and owners, accident prevention, reduction in liability, higher conversions at booking, and a stronger brand reputation. Here are the top safety standards to consider:

• Ensuring smoke alarms and CO detectors are installed and working correctly
• Confirming there is a basic first-aid kit available for guests
• Clearly displaying a safety card with important emergency information for all guests
  
  
  

Looking for a full scope safety checklist? Check out our Beginner’s Guide to Property Safety.