Charging A Cleaning Fee vs. Having Renters Clean
Many owners are tempted to just let their guests clean upon leaving a vacation rental property rather than hiring a housekeeper. But is this really the best thing?
Hiring housekeepers is very important. Allowing guests to clean your vacation rental property upon their departure can be disastrous. Everyone's perception of clean is different. And if it's clean, is it sanitized? Remember, if a guest does not leave your vacation home acceptably clean, then that is a reflection on you (the owner).
Also, a housekeeper can be your eyes and ears from a distance. They can let you know if things are missing, broken, need replacing, etc in your second home.
Plus who wants to spend the last day of their vacation cleaning? I have always charged a cleaning fee to my renters, and though a couple of people have asked if they can just clean themselves, I have never lost a booking over this policy.
The only time I would recommend that you have your guests clean themselves upon departure is if a housekeeper is not readily available in your area.
© Christine Karpinski 2006
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