After the hustle and bustle of the summer season, many Airbnb hosts find that the following months can seem a little quiet and it can be tempting to rest on your laurels until the uptake of bookings around the Christmas festivities. However, this is prime time to give your Airbnb or holiday home a deep clean, carry out more complex maintenance repair work and well, jazz the place up a bit! There are also seasonal elements to Airbnb hosting e.g. heating your Airbnb and preparing for extreme weather conditions that will need reviewing. Read on to discover how to prepare your holiday let for autumn/winter 2022.

Step 1: Deep Clean

Despite the best efforts of cleaners, the typically high turnover of an Airbnb / holiday home in the high season invariably requires some TLC once the last guest of the season has checked-out. Dedicating time to carry out a thorough deep clean of your property will go a long way when it comes to guest reviews and will also make your cleaners day job more efficient. Check that your linen is up to scratch, replenish stocks, ensure towels are fluffing up nicely … you know the drill! 

Step 2: Maintenance & Repair

You may have managed to complete a few odd jobs in the summer but now is the time to carry out any complex maintenance works and repairs. With the winter season approaching, take special care to get the boiler serviced, test your heating and apply lagging to pipes and water tanks in exposed areas to stop them from freezing or bursting in the colder months. Check your window sills, as untreated wood can rot or expand in extreme or wet weather. Lastly, clear all gutters and drains surrounding the property, as blocked drains will likely cause leaks into roofs and walls which would be disastrous.

If you haven’t had the roof of your holiday let serviced since you purchased the property and it is at least 10 years old, consider having your roof serviced. Cracked or missing roof tiles can lead to leaks and flooding if left untreated.

Step 3: Heating your short-let

Pay special attention to your heating, which is likely to have been switched off for months on end. With the current energy crisis, whilst you have little control over your bills, it will pay to invest in a smart thermostat which will allow guests to control and monitor the indoor heating with ease. In cold weather conditions, advise guests to leave the heating on a low temperature whenever they leave the property to prevent water pipes freezing.

Taking the time to bleed all radiators in your holiday let will increase their heat efficiency and prevent your energy bills rising any further! For a cheap method of preventing heat loss, you can also add adhesive strips to door and window frames to keep them draught proof.

Step 4: Decorate for the season

Just like your own home, there will be some interior design changes you may wish to make in order to spruce the place up! From throws, wintery candles, darker linens, thicker duvets and fluffy rugs; anything that makes the place cosier will be instantly more attractive to guests looking for a winter retreat. It may be worth having some professional shots taken of your holiday home in winter, especially if it has appealing features such as a wood burning stove, sauna or jacuzzi.

Step 5: Be prepared!

Unfortunately, as a result of climate change, extreme weather conditions are increasingly common in the UK. So don’t wait to see what happens this season, be prepared! Ensure your property is stocked with essentials such as non-electric lighting alternatives, spare batteries and a portable gas stove. Ensure you have a reliable point of contact to handle any power shortages or emergency maintenance work should the need arise whilst a guest is staying at your property. 

Ensure your guests are fully aware of what to do in the event of an emergency e.g. instructions on where to locate emergency supplies, where to find the stopcock on the boiler and provide full emergency contact details. This will reassure guests in the event of inclement weather and cover your back in-case there is a weather related incident on your property. 

 While it is true that the winter period is generally quieter than the high season, there is plenty to be getting on with as an Airbnb host or holiday home owner. For help hosting, please find out more at www.passthekeys.co.uk