Short let turnaround cleaning is a fixed-scope, fixed-time changeover between one guest checking out and the next checking in, usually with a three to five hour window and often on the same day. It combines cleaning, linen changing, restocking and a presentation reset.
It differs from domestic cleaning in one crucial respect: there is no tolerance for overrun. A regular domestic clean that runs late is an inconvenience. A turnaround that runs late means a guest standing outside with a suitcase.
What a turnaround covers
Cleaning
- Kitchen: worktops, hob, sink, appliance fronts, microwave interior, inside the fridge, bin emptied and washed
- Bathrooms: full clean, descaled, mirrors polished, hair removed from every surface and drain
- Bedrooms: surfaces dusted, floors done, under beds checked
- Living areas: surfaces, floors, sofa cushions straightened and vacuumed under
- Touch points throughout
- All floors vacuumed and mopped
- Windows and glass spot cleaned
- Outdoor space swept, if applicable
Linen
- Beds stripped and remade with fresh linen, presented consistently
- Towels replaced, folded the same way every time
- Used linen bagged for laundry
- Spare linen checked and restocked
Restocking
- Toilet paper, soap, shower gel, shampoo
- Tea, coffee, sugar, milk if provided
- Dishwasher tablets, bin bags, kitchen roll, washing-up liquid
- Welcome items
Presentation and checks
- Everything returned to its photographed position
- Remote controls, chargers and manuals in place
- Heating set appropriately for the season
- Appliances checked as working
- Damage, missing items and low stock reported with photographs
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms checked
That final section is what separates a turnaround service from a clean. Your cleaner is the only person who sees the property between guests, so they are your inspection regime as well as your cleaner.
What it costs
Usually a fixed price per changeover rather than an hourly rate, because hosts need predictability for their pricing.
| Property | Typical per changeover |
|---|---|
| Studio | £35 to £60 |
| 1 bedroom | £45 to £80 |
| 2 bedrooms | £65 to £110 |
| 3 bedrooms | £90 to £150 |
| 4+ bedrooms | £130 to £220 |
London and tourist hotspots sit at the upper end. Laundry is usually separate, either charged per set at roughly £8 to £18, or handled by you.
Same-day changeovers with a tight window, bank holiday work and peak season often carry a supplement. So does a late checkout that compresses the window.
Linen: the decision that matters most
You have three options with very different consequences.
On-site laundry. Cheapest per changeover, but it ties the cleaner to the property while machines run, which usually makes the turnaround impossible in a tight window. Workable only for a single property with generous gaps between bookings.
Multiple sets in rotation. Three sets per bed is the practical minimum: one on the bed, one clean in the cupboard, one in the wash. The cleaner takes dirty linen away and brings clean. This is what most successful hosts do.
Commercial linen hire. Fresh linen delivered, used linen collected. Most expensive per changeover, entirely predictable, and it gives a consistently hotel-standard finish. Usually worth it above about three properties.
The single most common cause of a failed turnaround is linen, not cleaning.
Protecting your review score
Cleanliness is one of the categories guests rate directly, and it is the one most often mentioned in negative reviews. A few things carry disproportionate weight.
Hair. In the bath, on the floor, on the bedding. Guests find it more objectionable than almost anything else, and it is the single most common cleanliness complaint in short lets. Drains, plugholes and the shower floor deserve specific attention every time.
Smells. Drains, bins, the fridge, damp towels. A property that smells wrong reads as dirty regardless of how clean the surfaces are. Ventilate during every turnaround, run taps in unused bathrooms to refill dry traps, and never leave a bin liner in overnight.
Under and behind. Guests look under beds and behind sofa cushions far more than long term tenants do, usually looking for their own lost items, and they find yours.
The fridge. Previous guests' food left in it is a guaranteed complaint.
Consistency. One poor changeover in twenty produces a review that sits on your listing for a long time. Consistency matters more than peak standard.
Making tight windows work
- Set checkout at 10am and check-in at 4pm if your calendar allows. A six hour window changes everything
- Use a checklist per property, with photographs of how each room should look. This is what makes a different cleaner produce the same result
- Keep a stocked, locked supply cupboard on site, so nobody arrives to find no bin bags
- Use a linen rotation rather than washing on site
- Agree a reporting route with photographs, so damage reaches you before the next guest arrives rather than after they complain
- Build in a deep clean every four to eight weeks. Turnarounds maintain, they do not reset, and limescale, oven interiors and skirting accumulate invisibly
- Automate the booking of changeovers from your calendar, so nothing is missed at a busy period
Practical and legal notes
Insurance. Check the cleaning company holds public liability cover, and check your own short let policy covers contractors on site. Standard home insurance usually does not cover short letting at all.
Keys and access. Key safes are standard. Change the code regularly, not just when a cleaner changes. Some councils have views on key safes on the public highway, so check.
Waste. Short lets generate far more waste than a residence, and councils treat commercial waste differently from domestic. Check your local rules, because bin overflow is both a review problem and sometimes a compliance one.
Local licensing. Short let rules have tightened in several UK areas, with registration or licensing schemes and, in some places, limits on the number of nights. Scotland operates a licensing scheme, and parts of London have a 90 night limit. Check your council's current position, since it affects how you operate rather than just how you clean.
Fire safety. Short lets have obligations around fire risk assessment, alarms and escape routes. Your cleaner checking alarms at every changeover is a cheap and sensible control.
Scaling up
Beyond about three properties, ad hoc arrangements stop working. What holds up is:
- A single contractor covering all your properties
- Per-property checklists with photographs
- Linen hire rather than rotation
- A shared calendar with automatic booking of changeovers
- A scheduled monthly deep clean rotating across the portfolio
- A single reporting channel for damage and restocking
- An agreed supplement structure for late checkouts and peak dates
Frequently asked questions
How long does a turnaround take? Roughly 1.5 to 2 hours for a studio, 2 to 3 for a two bedroom, 3 to 4 for a larger property, assuming linen is brought rather than washed on site.
Should I charge guests a cleaning fee? Most hosts do, set at or slightly below the actual cost. Very high cleaning fees reduce booking conversion noticeably.
What if a guest leaves the place in a state? Photograph everything immediately and report it through the platform promptly, since claim windows are short. Agree a supplement with your cleaner for exceptional cleans.
How often do I need a deep clean? Every four to eight weeks depending on turnover. Turnarounds do not cover ovens, limescale, high level dust or behind furniture.
Can my regular domestic cleaner do turnarounds? Sometimes, but the discipline is different: fixed window, checklist-driven, reporting obligations. Be explicit about what changes.
