Running a Rental Business

Rental Host Responsibilities for Duration of Guests Stay

Managing a vacation rental property is more complex than just booking someone to stay at your short term rental property and cleaning it for the next guest upon checkout. This blog will provide great tips on the many vacation rental host responsibilities for the duration of guests’ stay! Responding to potential guests It is an […]

By The Turno Team

Last updated: November 15, 2023

Managing a vacation rental property is more complex than just booking someone to stay at your short term rental property and cleaning it for the next guest upon checkout. This blog will provide great tips on the many vacation rental host responsibilities for the duration of guests’ stay!

Rental Host Responsibilities for Duration of Guests Stay
Rental Host Responsibilities for Duration of Guests Stay

Responding to potential guests

It is an excellent quality in a host to be quick to respond to inquiries. This shows you care about the possibility of the guest staying with you. It is also beneficial for you, considering you may respond faster than other properties the guest is contacting, and they may book with you first. Email and phone are both good ways to connect with guests, email is an easier way to connect while phone can make potential guests more comfortable to stay at your property.

Taking reservations

Once a guest has decided they want to stay with you, it is time for you to make sure you want them to stay at your rental. It is smart to screen guests beforehand to avoid any loss or damage. Screening guests include asking about how many guests will be in the party, whether they will have pets and making sure they are clear about your house rules. Providing house rules in writing is important to protect both yourself and your guests.

Collecting payments

Collecting payments is the step that confirms the guests’ stay at your rental. The safest ways to collect payments are via credit cards, PayPal and personal checks.

Mark your calendar booked for specific dates

Make sure you mark your calendar with the dates of your guests’ visit. If you are managing several properties at once, or even with just one rental, using a property manager such as Avalara is a good option.

Send guest directions & Key codes

Keyless entry is both the simplest entry method for guests and the safest entry method for hosts. The personal codes used for keyless entries can be changed for each individual guest. This avoids the complication of possible lost keys or copied keys.

Guest enjoys their stay in your property!

Guest departs: Vacation rental cleaning

Now it is time for a cleaner to come in for the turnover. It is important to have a trusty cleaner that will do a great job and arrive promptly corresponding with the time of guest check out. This step can be synced with your calendar and simplified through the free software at Turno.

The Turno Team Avatar
The Turno Team , The Turno Team researches and publishes articles designed to provide short-term rental Hosts, Property Managers, and Airbnb Cleaners with insightful, useful resources. Articles written by the Turno Team cover a wide range of STR interests, from the latest industry data and best practices to real-world, practical advice on running efficient, revenue-generating vacation rental businesses in an ever-changing market. Here at Turno, we’re always looking for original ideas and hot new topics. Have something you’re curious to learn more about? Interested in authoring a guest blog? Drop us a line at [email protected].