Financial Matters • Managing Your Vacation Rental • Podcasts

Should you charge a cleaning fee?

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by Tyler Pyburn
Written by Tyler Pyburn
4.3/5 - (3 votes)

Homeowners new to renting frequently ask whether to include cleaning in the rental cost. There are a number of factors to take into consideration when making this decision

There really isn’t a right or wrong answer – but it’s worth looking at the issue from different perspectives so that you can make the right decision for your rental.

Joan Talmadge and I sat down to discuss this topic, and here’s what we talked about:

  • What are the pros and cons of charging a cleaning fee?
  • Is it better to bake the cleaning fee into the cost of the rental?
  • Can you give the renter a choice of paying a cleaning fee or cleaning the home themselves?)

https://soundcloud.com/user-514068010/should-you-charge-a-cleaning-fee-for-your-vacation-rental

If you are looking for more information about cleaning fees, take a look at our blog post.

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About the author

Tyler Pyburn

Tyler Pyburn - I am a newcomer to WeNeedaVacation.com, but am absolutely ecstatic to be part of such a seasoned team as a Marketing Manager. I've spent the past few years as a digital marketing maven helping brands build their online presence and will assume a similar role here. I also had a short stint as a sports reporter for CBS, but now I’d much rather find my way to a bleacher seat at a Cape League game than in the press box. My wife and I live on the south shore with our three dogs; Dale,Trot, and Vinny.Email Tyler

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1 Comment

  • The bottom line is that you need a clean house, and I mean spotless, for your incoming guests. If you leave the cleaning up to your outgoing guests, you take a chance that they may be rushed to leave and do a shoddy job of cleaning. So, I have professional cleaners come in between renters. Here is how I state it in the lease,

    .” Landlord will present the property in a neat and clean state. If tenant is not satisfied with the condition of the property on the arrival date, he shall notify the landlord immediately. The tenant shall also leave the premises in a neat and clean state with any personal property removed, trash bagged and put in cans behind the house, dishes and utensils cleaned and stored properly and all contents of the refrigerator removed.

    If premises are found to be grossly unkempt, the security deposit shall be forfeited to pay for the excess cleaning required. ”

    I will not risk my clients coming into a dirty house. Yes, I eat the cleaning charges because I keep my rentals competitive. I do not charge extra for cleaning..

    Hope this helps,

    Jerry