In a regular residential home, there’s little debate around what constitutes wear and tear vs. damage. But when that same property becomes a short-term rental and hosts dozens of guests a year, the line between normal wear and tear and damage isn’t always clear, posing a challenge in regular property upkeep and addressing issues when they occur. This break-down and tips for minimizing both can help.
The Difference Between Normal Vacation Rental Wear and Tear and Guest Damage
The clearest distinction is based on time. Wear and tear can generally be noticed only over the course of a season, things like paths wearing in rugs and carpets, mattresses sagging, or doorknobs becoming loose. In an STR, this timeline is accelerated as each new group of guests must take many more touchpoints to become familiar with the property. For example, each guest will open several drawers and cabinets in the kitchen to find what they need, or they may not get the hang of the Andersen doors to the deck right away. They may also not be aware of or remember house rules designed to keep the property in good condition, such as taking off shoes at the entryway or rinsing off before using the hot tub.
Damage, on the other hand, is noticeable immediately upon occurrence. Kitchen drawers coming progressively looser on their tracks is wear and tear. A cabinet door completely broken off its hinges is damage. Even though damage can sting emotionally and financially, it’s important to remember that most of it is accidental and not malicious. Aunt Marie bumped a side table with a glass of red wine on it, or one of the kids pulled on a curtain a bit too excitedly during a game of hide and seek.
Another way to look at the difference is in how the issue is fixed. Wear and tear is generally corrected with seasonal or yearly property care, including touch up paint, mattress and rug rotation, carpet and upholstery cleaning, and minor décor updates. Damage generally requires an immediate solution, such as a specialist repair visit or a quick removal or replacement of the broken item.
How to Minimize Vacation Rental Wear and Damage
As a short-term rental owner, it’s important to acknowledge that these things are inevitable when renting a home and to budget for them accordingly as normal costs of doing business. However, that does not mean all hope is lost in minimizing the occurrence of each. As a general rule of thumb, the better a homeowner takes care of his or her property, the better it is treated by guests. Here are some of our top tips for protecting your home:
- Make it easy for guests to find and use things with labels, friendly house rule reminders in relevant areas (such as a sign by the front door to please remove shoes), and instructions for things that can trip guests up, like complex entertainment systems. Also, consider mirroring this information in the home’s guest guide book.
- Vet every guest before accepting a booking to help make sure they won’t misuse the property and include house rules in the booking agreement.
- Schedule regular deep cleaning for things not covered in regular turnover cleans, such as carpets and upholstery, and maintenance checks or tune-ups for all appliances. This will keep the more costly items in the home in better condition for longer, minimizing the need for major repairs or replacements.
- Whenever possible, choose durable, hospitality-grade furnishings designed to stand up to high traffic and guest use. Check out Envizzo for everything from linens and toiletries to furniture and appliances.
- Take a refundable security deposit for every reservation or self-insure against damage by building a small accidental damage fee into every reservation set aside to cover repair and replacement costs.
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