The responsibilities of a caretaker vary quite broadly between a simple keyholder and a complete all-inclusive service where the owner is rarely required to be involved.

The tasks may seem straight forward: clean the property in-between paying guests, or hold a key in the event that a tradesman or friend of the family need access to the property.  But there are more situations which deserve consideration.

A basic changeover clean.

Hoovering, cleaning bathroom and kitchen surfaces, dusting, changing bedding and generally preparing a property for the next guests.

Other work to be carried out during a changeover clean.

• Check batteries in appliances such as remote controls and wall clocks.
• Check all light bulbs work.
• Leave sufficient cleaning materials in the kitchen for guests, such as dishwasher tablets, bin liners and clean tea towels.
• Check smoke alarms and Co2 detectors.
• Check the inventory for missing items.
• Ensure guests have not left personal items in the property and arrange for their return in liaison with the guest and owner.
  Check guest information is still present and correct, and ensure there is plenty of local area information and guides, which can be taken out by the previous guest.

Other tasks

Arrange access for tradesmen when required, or organise tradesmen on behalf of the owner.

Rubbish collection and organisation.  This has been singled out for special consideration, given the requirements for organising waste into recycling bins.  Clear, but friendly instruction for guests will help, as long as they are followed.  Problems can arise when rubbish is not sorted correctly and the changeover day is different to rubbish collection day.  This raises the question should the caretaker remove all rubbish on changeover day and what do they do with it?

Checking the welcome book for negative and positive comments is a simple way to gather guest feedback, both to address problems and use positive comments as testimonials.

A welcome pack will ensure a guests’ holiday gets off to a good start.  A basic pack will contain coffee, tea, milk and biscuits – enough for guests to have refreshments after their journey.  This can be further enhanced with local produce such as biscuits, fresh fruit and vegetables, and wine.

And for a truly five star service, complementary tickets to local attractions or gifts for children in the arriving party may be provided.

And even if items are put into the property for the owner’s arrival,  this all has to be organised locally or course, which requires time for the caretaker to organise.

Cleaning External Areas

Is the caretaker responsible for external areas, such as patio areas and furniture?  These can be exposed to particular issues such as leaves falling off trees in Autumn and seagull droppings in coastal locations.

Gardens require regular maintenance depending on their layout and composition though this is often out-sourced like the cleaning of external windows.

In this respect, the caretaker can take the role of a property manager, whose role is not only to clean the property for guests, but also to manage or liaise with other suppliers and at the very least ensure those areas are well-maintained for the owner.

In summary there is a lot more to the basic clean that a caretaker can become involved in.  Many of the tasks are relevant if the property is holiday let as opposed to family and friends use.  Either way a check list of requirements will help to clarify the relationship with a caretaker and what is expected.