Setting up your checkout instructions is a vital stage in the Airbnb listing process. They help visitors understand what is expected of them after their stay. Since your visitors are most likely on vacation, you should ensure that your checkout method is quick and easy to follow.
The checkout guidelines must be suitable for both the host and the visitors. It is necessary to establish a balance between making your work as simple as possible and easing the travel of your visitors. Learn what to add to your Airbnb checkout instructions and download our free, editable template below.
Why are Airbnb’s checkout instructions so essential?
If you are tempted to bypass this phase of the procedure, reconsider. Airbnb checkout instructions are necessary for several reasons. Let’s discuss this.
Encourage visitors to leave home in the same condition as they found it.
In turn, this makes your and your housekeeper’s jobs much simpler. By setting precise checkout instructions, you communicate to your visitors exactly what you expect of them, leaving no room for confusion. The underlying message of the checkout instructions should be “leave it in better condition than when you found it.” We prefer to believe that all visitors are well-intentioned, but it’s best to explain your expectations in advance than to leave them to chance.
The objective is to urge your visitors to tidy up without being too demanding. You should bear in mind how much you are charging as a cleaning charge and whether or not the checkout instructions correspond to this amount. For instance, if your cleaning cost is rather expensive, visitors may anticipate that the majority of their needs will be met. It makes no sense to charge a large cleaning fee and require customers to complete a laundry list of tasks upon departure. On the other hand, if your cleaning charge is quite modest, it is appropriate to ask your visitors for a little more.
Demonstrate your dedication to providing superior customer service.
Leaving checkout instructions to demonstrate to your visitors that you value your vacation rental home and give the highest level of service possible. It demonstrates your dedication to keeping the home as clean as possible and demonstrates the kind of host you are.
Guests like staying with hosts that go above and beyond, and it is this attention to detail that encourages them to submit a favorable review. Which boosts your likelihood of booking future guests! When executed properly, clear checkout instructions preserve your property in good condition and help you create additional revenue for the foreseeable future.
What should your Airbnb checkout instructions include?
In your Airbnb checkout method, you should include the checkout time, any tasks that are not included in the cleaning charge, reminders, and crucial handoff instructions. Essentially, anything the visitors must do before leaving the property. We’ve also given you a free, printable template for Airbnb checkout instructions that incorporates the steps outlined below.
Arrival time
Ensure that visitors do not overstay their designated checkout time by including it in your Airbnb checkout routine. Enforcing a checkout time provides your housekeeper with sufficient time to finish up before your next visitors arrive. This is particularly crucial when you have consecutive reservations. Explain to your visitors why they must check out on time (“the housekeeper comes at midnight,” for example), so they understand why you are enforcing this policy.
If you are concerned that your checkout time will not be observed or if you have had problems in the past, you may choose to impose a late checkout charge. You would include this in your Airbnb house rules and checkout instructions.
Light and warmth
The last thing you want is for your energy bill to rise because a visitor forgot to turn off the lights before leaving. In your Airbnb checkout guidelines, remind visitors to turn off the lights and any other electrical equipment, such as the television, that should be turned off. On the contrary, you may like to remind visitors to plug in and recharge certain gadgets (like an electric golf cart, video game consoles, etc.).
You may also request that visitors reset the thermostat to a certain setting. This guarantees that the heat isn’t running excessively and costing you a fortune in energy bills, but that the home won’t get uncomfortably cold while you’re away. Depending on the local climate, this may need to be changed to meet changing seasons. Don’t forget to indicate the thermostat’s location since it is not always obvious!
Doors and windows
It may seem obvious to shut and lock all windows and doors before leaving the house, but you should always mention it. It is so basic that it is easy for visitors to forget! Remind visitors to latch and lock all windows and doors, and call attention to any windows or doors that are easy to overlook, such as those in lofts or patios.
Similarly, it may be quite advantageous to establish friends with the neighbors to have an additional pair of eyes on the home. Before you can visit the property yourself, they may inform you if a guest has left a window open or if they observe something unusual.
Linens
Depending on the amount of the cleaning cost, you may request that your visitors take care of their bedding. If you charge a large cleaning price, visitors who pay the fee and handle their linens will not be pleased. However, this request is appropriate if your cleaning charge is reasonably minimal.
Typically, hosts would request that visitors leave their soiled towels on the bathroom floor or in the bathtub so that the housekeeper may wash them. This is OK if the housekeeper will arrive the same day the visitors check out… Consider, however, that if the housekeeper is unable to arrive immediately, the towels may begin to mildew and may even harm the bathroom floor. Instruct visitors to accommodate your cleaning personnel and their schedule as best they can.
Discarding food
Guests often stop at a nearby grocery shop or bring food with them to keep in the kitchen. But there is nothing worse than opening a refrigerator to discover moldy leftovers from a prior party. Avoid this nasty situation by requesting that visitors dispose of any food they bring.
If you generally keep a few condiments in your refrigerator, inform your guests that they may remain. Additionally, guests should discard any pantry goods they brought. This is analogous to the backcountry idiom “bring it in, pack it out,” which means that if you brought it with you, you must take it with you.
Returning keys
Perhaps the essential detail to include in your Airbnb checkout instructions is what the visitors should do with the keys. Miscommunications may result in many more hours of labor on your side, which is something we must avoid.
Whether visitors must leave the keys in a lockbox, at a neighborhood coffee shop, or with a member of your staff, don’t leave them wondering as to what to do with them.
For this reason, many hosts are resorting to digital lock alternatives in the present day. A physical key might rapidly become an additional source of concern. Regardless of the choice you choose, communicate it clearly and be accessible if visitors have questions.
How to explain the check-out process to your Airbnb guests.
There are many straightforward methods to deliver Airbnb checkout instructions. To eliminate the possibility of visitors not getting your instructions, you should use many methods.
Airbnb enables you to create scheduled messages and automatically send them to guests the night before or the morning of their check-out. In addition, you might post a notice with your checkout instructions in an area where visitors would see it (such as the kitchen or living room).
Finally, you may leave a note for visitors using our free, printable checkout instructions form.
How may checkout instructions be sent to other listing sites?
Sending checkout instructions is straightforward on other vacation rental listing websites. Don’t forget: if your property is listed on numerous OTAs, you’ll need to set up an automatic message on each one separately.
Vrbo checkout procedures
Initially, ensure that your checkout time is set correctly on Vrbo. To modify the checkout time on a Vrbo listing, follow these steps:
- Click the entry you want to modify
- Select “Properties”
- Click “Rules & policies”
- Click “Check-in & checkout”
- Select a time from the “Check out before” drop-down menu.
- Click Save
Regarding the automated message, Vrbo permits the creation of “templates” to send to visitors. To develop a Vrbo template, you must:
- Choose “Inbox”
- To view your stored templates, click the paper icon
- There you may add a new template.
Booking.com payment policies
To arrange an automatic Booking.com message:
- Select “Properties”
- Select “Template planner”
- Click “New template scheduling”
Here you may specify your checkout policies and choose when the message will be automatically delivered to the customer.
Automating checkout procedures using software for vacation rentals
When your property is posted on many sites simultaneously, it is difficult to remember to maintain each listing identical and send automatic messages to each site. The automation capabilities provided by Lodgable enable you to send automatic emails to your guests across all listing platforms. This eliminates the need to alter and update your automatic messages for each OTA. It reduces your burden by eliminating redundant activities and streamlines the process.
