Many second home owners are choosing to rent and manage their property on their own in order to avoid expensive property management fees, which can average 35-45% of the gross rental revenue. A common question that individuals ask when deciding if they should manage their own property is where and how do I go about finding reliable cleaning and maintenance services?
When researching housekeeping alternatives, you will have to make a decision on whether to go with a service firm or an individual housekeeper. Google has a great website to look up various local services at //local.google.com or you can look in your local yellow pages. Individual housekeepers normally are found through referrals from other individuals in the area. Here’s a quick breakdown on the advantages and disadvantages for both:
| Individual Housekeeping |
Cleaning Service Firm |
| Can be difficult to find |
Easy to find |
| More personalized service |
Larger company with defined processes |
| Flexibility with cleaning |
Adheres to fixed schedule and task list |
| Same person every time |
Multiple crews and higher staff turnover |
| Cleaning time takes longer |
Faster in and out of your property |
| Backup coverage can be limited |
Multiple crews available |
| Will probably do some light maintenance |
Will do some light maintenance w/surcharge |
If you decide to go with an individual, it’s a good idea to have a back up cleaning service firm identified in case your cleaning person is sick. Also, pay attention to setting the right cleaning expectations from the start. Do not assume that all your cleaning requirements will be remembered in a phone conversation. Write them down and even post them somewhere within your property so the cleaning crew can refer to them should the need arise. Solid, frequent communication is the key. A good cleaning firm or person can be invaluable as they can act as your inspector and notify you of any damage or problems that may occur to your property.
As for maintenance service, a reliable handyman is important especially if you are managing a remote property. As is the case with housekeeping services, you will have to decide on an individual handyman or a service firm that specializes in property management service work (i.e., apartments, resort complexes etc.).
In going with a maintenance service firm, you may be required to contract with them on a retainer basis (a signed contract along with monthly fee to have someone on “call”). A monthly retainer fee is not a bad way to go with either option as it gives remote homeowners a piece of mind that someone is readily available to handle their emergency call. However, emergency calls are rare and you it may be better to find the right individual handyman who does not charge a retainer yet is available for those less frequent 24/7 emergencies.
While it pays to have a solid preventative maintenance plan for your property, recognize that bigger problems will occasionally arise such as a major appliance breaking. When problems arise, your response time to get the problem resolved for your guests is clearly important. If you find that your guests have been unfairly inconvenienced, be prepared to offer some sort of compensation, such as a partial refund or a discount on their next stay.
About the author:
Vacation Property Services (VPS) consults with vacation property owners who want to increase their bookings and reduce their expenses by advertising and marketing their vacation rental property on the most cost effective, high traffic vacation rental websites. VPS offers advisory services to property owners on how to effectively and efficiently manage their own property. For additional information, please visit Vacation Property Services or call (800) 569-9953.