Preparing for high season

A deep clean

Go beyond the turnover list: windows inside and out, behind and under furniture, inside cupboards, curtains, upholstery, grout, extractor hoods. A home that starts the season deeply clean is far easier to keep looking fresh between quick turnovers.

Fix the list of small things

Gather every note from the past season — the loose handle, the slow drain, the flickering bulb — and fix them all now. Small faults are cheap and quick when the home is empty; during the season they become guest complaints.

Restock in bulk

• Linens and towels: replace tired items and make sure you have enough sets for back-to-back stays.
• Consumables: toiletries, cleaning products, coffee, tea, bin bags, light bulbs, batteries.
• Kitchen: replace chipped plates, blunt knives, scratched pans.

Plan the team

Confirm cleaning and laundry availability for the busiest days, and the backup if someone is ill. Make sure everyone has the current checklist, the codes and the emergency contacts. A short meeting with the team before the season starts is often the best hour you will spend all year.

Look at the home as a guest would

Read your listing and house manual again. Are the photos still accurate? Has anything changed — a new sofa, a removed barbecue, a new coffee machine? Update descriptions and instructions so that guests find exactly what was promised.

Agree on the season with your manager

Block your own dates, confirm spending limits for repairs, and agree how and how often you will be updated during the busy weeks.