The Holiday Let Changeover Checklist

Every changeover, in the right order: what to clean, check, and restock between check-out and check-in.

A changeover is a race against the clock. Guests leave at ten, new ones arrive at three, and in between the whole property has to go back to day-one condition. The difference between a calm changeover and a chaotic one is almost always the order you work in.

This is the routine we use for changeover cleans on holiday lets from Eastbourne's seafront flats to the cottages of Pevensey Bay. It works for a studio or a four-bed house; only the timings change.

Before You Start

• Confirm check-out and check-in times against the booking calendar, and whether the incoming party size changes the bed setup
• Decide the laundry plan: a spare linen set to swap in, washing on site while you clean, or taking it off site to be professionally washed, dried, and ironed
• Top up the restock box: tea, coffee, toiletries, loo roll, bin liners, dishwasher tablets
• Check whether the last guests reported anything broken, so you can look at it while you're there

The Changeover, Step by Step

Work through the property in this order and nothing gets missed or cleaned twice.

1. Air and strip

Open windows in every room. Strip every bed and get the first wash on immediately; laundry is the longest job of the changeover, so it runs while you clean. Collect towels and bath mats at the same time, and check under the beds while the mattresses are bare.

2. Kitchen

Run the dishwasher early. Empty and wipe the fridge shelf by shelf, empty all bins, then work through surfaces, hob, and microwave. Restock consumables, and check glasses and crockery for chips and smears as you put them away. Guests hold a smeared glass up to the light, and then they mention it.

3. Bathrooms

Descale the shower screen and taps, sanitise the toilet, polish the mirror, and lay out fresh towels. Restock loo roll and toiletries before you leave the room, not from memory later.

4. Bedrooms and living areas

Dust top to bottom, hoover, and make the beds up properly. Check drawers, wardrobes, and under cushions for anything left behind; log and set aside whatever you find. Put the remote, wifi details, and guest book back where the listing photos show them.

5. Final walk-through

Walk in like a guest. Smell the air, look at each room from its doorway, and fix whatever catches your eye. Photograph any damage before you lock up, so there is never an argument about which guest caused it.

The Details Guests Mark You Down For

• Hair, in the bathroom or in the bedding
• Smears on glassware and cutlery
• Crumbs in the toaster and the cutlery drawer
• Dust under the bed, visible from the pillow
• The previous guest's smell: bins, fridge, drains
• Tired basics: thin loo roll, a single dishwasher tablet, no spare bin liner

"Reviews rarely say a property was clean. They always say when it wasn't."

When a Changeover Isn't Enough

Changeovers maintain a property; they don't reset one. Limescale, grout, upholstery, and the space behind appliances all build up gradually, and guests notice the accumulation before owners do. A deep clean at the start or end of each season keeps the baseline high, and it's the right first step when you take on a new property.