Early check-in and late check-out requests are incredibly common for short-term rental hosts. It’s up to you as the host to decide if you want to allow it and what fees if any should be included. With a little creativity, you can learn how to answer early check-in/ late check-out requests without compromising customer satisfaction. In this blog post, we’ll explore how as a short-term rental host, you can respond appropriately to these types of requests, while considering what’s best for both yourself and your guests!
In a few minutes you will learn how:
Early check-in and late check-out requests are common for short-term rental hosts.
Hosts should decide whether to allow these requests and consider potential fees.
Considerations before granting a request include availability, housekeeping schedule, and the amount of extra time requested.
Some hosts charge a fee for early check-in, discouraging guests from abusing the privilege.
Responding promptly and politely to requests is essential for customer satisfaction and positive reviews.
Hosts should balance guest preferences with their own priorities and build positive customer relationships.
The article encourages sharing tips and experiences in the comments section.
Hi friends, I wanted to introduce you to Lodgify, at www.lodgify.com. Lodgify is a great vacation rental software what can help you:
Designing a beautiful and optimized website for your growing business
Managing all reservations from one place
Accepting secure credit card payments and online bookings
Synchronizing availability calendars with your external booking channels (Booking.com, Airbnb, etc.)
… and much more!
You can sign up for their FREE 7-day trial here to get the ball rolling. Prices start from just $0*!
Early check-in/ late checkout request
It’s natural for people to want to maximize their vacation time when planning a trip. Everyone would like to check in early and start their vacation early! We frequently get these requests for our property.
Our standard check-in time is 4:00 p.m. and a check-out time is 11:00 a.m. This gives our housekeeping staff 5 hours to clean the house, change the linens, restock supplies, and do anything else they need to do to get the property in shape for the next guest. Depending on how the previous guest left the property it may only take them a few hours, but sometimes they need every last minute to get it done. As a rule, if we have someone checking out the same day as another guest is checking in we don’t allow for any early check-ins or late check-outs. This is usually the case during peak season in the Summer for us.
Things to consider before granting a request
It’s important to understand the considerations that go into granting an early check-in or late checkout request.
Availability is a key factor. Our main concern is making sure our housekeeping staff has sufficient time to properly clean the house for our next guest. If housekeeping is working through a backlog of houses, it may not be possible to grant a request at short notice. Our housekeeper has several properties to clean other than ours so their schedule is also a factor.
How much extra time do they want? We evaluate how early or late the guest wants to check in. Our standard check-in time is 4:00 p.m. If a guest asks to get in at 3:30 we will probably allow it as long as the housekeeping is done. If they want to check in at 10:00 a.m. we will generally say no.
Fees: we typically charge a fee if we have availability. Fees may vary but we tend to charge a $50 early check-in fee for every 2 hrs before the set time. I have seen other hosts who charge $50 per hour or more. We have found that some people try to squeeze in an extra day for free by checking in early and checking out late. If we assign a fee they are less willing to request something outside of the usual times.
Strategies for responding to requests promptly and politely
Responding to guest requests promptly and politely is crucial to providing exceptional service. Having a pre-written script for frequently asked questions like this will help you respond clearly and quickly to these requests. Your professional response to guest requests is not only essential for customer satisfaction but can also lead to positive reviews and repeat business.
Just because a guest is making the request doesn’t necessarily mean you should grant it. There are pros and cons, depending on the individual circumstances, and a short-term rental owner should always strike a balance between respect for the guest’s wants and your priorities. Additionally, responding politely and promptly to any early check-in/late checkout requests can go a long way toward building positive relationships with customers. Understanding your customer’s needs will give you the confidence to handle requests without being taken advantage of.
If you have any tips or experiences related to this topic, be sure to share them in the comments section below!