Shortlet turnover basics: a reliable handover between stays

A shortlet handover is a small operations system: confirm the stay, prepare the home, record issues, and preserve the message history. The key is making responsibility visible before the guest arrives.

Create one stay record before promising access

• Listing or unit, guest name and a reliable contact.
• Check-in and check-out dates and the number of guests agreed.
• Booking terms, amount and channel used.
• Payment status recorded separately as requested, pending, confirmed or refunded.
• The host or manager responsible for the next action.

A booking request is not a confirmed stay, and a payment screenshot is not proof that money has settled. Confirm both deliberately. If a different person pays, record the payer and connect the payment to the guest and stay instead of guessing.

Run a readiness check before arrival

• Cleaning completed and independently checked where the team allows.
• Fresh linen and the agreed guest supplies in place.
• Electricity, water, cooling and internet checked close enough to arrival to be meaningful.
• Locks, smoke or fire-safety equipment and other safety-critical items checked by the responsible person.
• Access instructions, house rules and one support contact sent through the agreed channel.

Use checkout to create the next handover

Record the departure time, returned keys or access status, cleaning outcome, inventory or condition changes, maintenance issues and whether the unit is ready for the next stay. A concise handover could say: “Checkout complete 11:10; two keys returned; cleaning complete; bedroom lamp not working and assigned to Musa for 15:00; next guest due 18:00.”

Record damage as facts, not accusations

• Name the exact item and room.
• Record when the issue was found and who found it.
• Keep relevant photos and the prior condition record where available.
• Separate observed damage from an opinion about who caused it.
• Record the platform, manager or guest follow-up and its outcome.

Common turnover mistakes

• Marking a stay paid because a screenshot was sent.
• Sending access instructions before the stay and payment are confirmed.
• Closing turnover when cleaning is assigned rather than checked.
• Deleting the issue history after a quick repair.
• Using a public staff group for guest identity documents or door codes.