The short-term rental turnover checklist
43 things worth checking between guests, room by room — and the handful worth photographing, because those are the ones that get disputed.
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Before you start
Two minutes here saves an hour later.
- Walk every room and photograph anything damaged or missing Before you touch anything. A photo timestamped before the clean is the only thing that settles a dispute with a guest.
- Check for items left behind Chargers under beds, clothes in drawers, food in the fridge. A guest who gets their passport back forgives a lot.
- Open windows if the weather allows Smell is the first thing a guest notices and the last thing you can fix in a hurry.
- Start a load of laundry now Linens are the long pole. Everything else can happen while they wash.
Kitchen
The room guests judge hardest and the one most often rushed.
- Empty and wipe the fridge, including door seals Check the crisper drawer. Half a lemon left there ruins the next stay.
- Run and empty the dishwasher, put everything away Not "clean and in the dishwasher". Away.
- Wipe counters, backsplash and the front of every cupboard Handprints on cupboard doors read as "not cleaned".
- Clean the sink and polish the tap A dull tap makes a clean kitchen look dirty.
- Wipe inside the microwave
- Check and restock: coffee, filters, tea, sugar, salt, pepper, oil, foil, cling film, bin bags, dish soap, sponge, paper towelsPHOTO The most common source of "the host said it was stocked".
- Empty the bin and put a fresh liner in, plus spares underneath
- Run the garbage disposal and check for smells
Bathrooms
One hair in a shower undoes an otherwise perfect clean.
- Toilet: bowl, seat, hinges, base and the floor behind it The hinges and the floor behind are what people photograph in bad reviews.
- Shower: walls, door or curtain, drain, and the corner where the floor meets the wall Check the drain for hair every single time.
- Sink, tap and mirror — mirror last, with a dry cloth
- Fresh towels, folded the same way every timePHOTO Consistency is what makes a clean look professional.
- Restock: toilet paper (one on the holder, two spare and visible), hand soap, shampoo, body wash Visible spares stop the 11pm "where is the toilet paper" message.
- Empty the bin, fresh liner
- Wipe the extractor fan cover Nobody does this. Guests notice when someone has.
Bedrooms
Where the guest decides whether they trust the place.
- Strip and remake every bed with fresh linenPHOTO This is the single most disputed item in short-term rentals.
- Check under beds and between mattress and headboard
- Fresh pillowcases on every pillow, including decorative ones
- Check mattress protector for stains — strip it if there is any doubt If you are unsure, change it. The cost of a protector is nothing next to one review.
- Dust surfaces, headboard, lamps and skirting
- Empty wardrobes and drawers, check hangers are all present
- Test the bedside lamps and charging points
Living areas
- Vacuum, including under and behind the sofa
- Check between and under sofa cushions Remotes, coins, food. Lift every cushion.
- Straighten cushions and fold throws the same way each time
- Dust surfaces, shelves, TV screen and skirting boards
- Remotes: present, wiped, batteries working
- Mop hard floors last, working towards the door
Outside and entry
The first and last thing a guest sees.
- Sweep the entry, porch or balcony
- Check the bins are out or in, per the collection day
- Clear cobwebs from the doorway and light fittings
- Check outdoor furniture and cushions if the season calls for it
- Hot tub or pool: check and log readings if you have one
Before you lock up
The five minutes that prevent most guest messages.
- All rubbish removed from the propertyPHOTO Includes the bins outside.
- Thermostat set to the arrival setting
- All lights off except the one you leave on for arrival
- Windows shut and locked, doors locked
- Check the lockbox or keypad works and the code is the current one Test it. A guest locked out at 10pm is the worst message you can get.
- Final walk-through from the front door, as a guest would see it Stand in the doorway of every room. You will spot something every time.
Which items should you photograph?
"It was clean when I left" is not evidence. A photo is.
Four items carry almost every dispute we have seen: beds made, towels hung, supplies restocked, and rubbish removed. A timestamped photo of those four settles an argument with a guest, a co-host or a cleaner before it starts. They are the four marked PHOTO above.
That is a recommendation, not a limit. You can require a photo on every single item on this list if you want to, and some hosts do — on a new cleaner, on a high-value property, or after something has gone wrong.
The trade-off is time. Every photo you require adds a minute or two to the clean, and on a same-day turnover those minutes come out of the window before the next guest arrives. Ask for what you actually need, and change it whenever you want.