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One of the biggest growth sectors in the property market in the last two decades has been the increase in the number of homes which are let out on Airbnb as temporary living or holiday accommodation. Since its launch in 2008, more than 7.7million homeowners have listed their property on the platform – providing short-term lets in more than 100,000 towns and cities in more than 200 countries.
Although Airbnb stipulates in its terms and conditions that users should treat their host’s home as they would their own, sadly this isn’t always the case. There are plenty of horror stories of hosts who unfortunately have inconsiderate and messy guests.
Owners themselves also have a duty of care - to ensure that their property meets the standards that guests expect (and in accordance with the listing on the website). This may mean having a radical ‘declutter’ so that visitors have plenty of space before they arrive.
In either type of case, professional house clearing companies, such as ASAP Clearances – who offer high-quality house clearing services in Barnet and across North London - may need to be called in whether you’re preparing a property for letting or dealing with the aftermath of inconsiderate guests.
Here are our top tips if you are letting out your property on the platform (or maybe are offering it as a long-term rental on the private market, and not necessarily on Airbnb).
Declutter the Space
This means getting rid of everything you really don’t need (or the guest won’t want or appreciate).
This can vary from personal belongings (which you may not feel comfortable with guests using anyway) to larger items – even furniture. At the end of it all, your guest will appreciate the extra space.
This process may mean end up with a lot of unwanted ‘stuff’ with nowhere to put it – so you may need to call in a house clearance company to help you declutter and organise.
Keep it Clean
Make sure you use reputable and high-quality cleaning products – and that they are suitable for the surface or area you are cleaning. Ideally, they should be environmentally friendly too.
When cleaning, whether it’s furniture, surfaces or fixings, it’s best to work from top to bottom – that way any dust, dirt or grime won’t drop down onto an area you have just cleaned.
Focus on High-Traffic Areas
Whether you are preparing your home for an Airbnb listing, or are cleaning up afterwards, you should always focus on the high-traffic areas which are likely to come in for the most use.
These include the bedroom, the kitchen and bathroom – and the last two are more likely to harbour germs and unfortunately see messes created (for whatever reason).
Don’t Forget the Garden
If you have a garden, make sure it’s been tidied up recently – this could make it more attractive to guests and as a listing on the platform. Depending on the weather, it could also be a great USP for your property.
This includes removing all the 'deadwood' – pruning all the plants that need pruning, and any more substantial work such as removing any unsightly trees and shrubs.
At ASAP Clearances we also offer a specialist garden clearing service in Cockfosters, Hampstead, Hendon and other parts of north London and Hertfordshire. We can not only remove plants but furniture too, as well as cleaning out sheds and greenhouses.
House Clearing in Barnet from ASAP Clearances
So, at the end of the day, you might need ASAP Clearances before you list your home on the platform – or even afterwards if you have had some particularly problematic guests, or have had a series of consecutive bookings and haven't had time to give everything a really good clean.
If you would like to know more about our house clearance services, follow this link and for our garden clearances, click here. You can also send us a message on our contact page or call us on 020 3475 0508.
We also offer a number of other house clearance services, including probate clearances, hoarding clearances, and block management clearances. Whichever one you need; you can be sure that all your rubbish will be collected speedily and efficiently by our experienced team.