Summer season hosting tips

Summer has arrived! Traditionally the busiest time of year for global/domestic travellers seeking short stay homes in London, it's a hugely opportune time to generate additional income, enhance guest experience and encourage return bookings.

1. Confirm Availability & Booking Periods For Your Property

If your plans are already in place for the summer, now is the perfect time to confirm the latest availability for your property. Early confirmation can make all the difference in securing advance bookings across the busy summer months, when guests typically tend to book. Likewise, you can block out the calendar with dates you know you will be in your London residence and cannot accept any bookings. 

The easiest way to do this is via your online Veeve account or the Veeve Host App which you can access 24/7. Once logged in, simply click to your listing and select ‘Select Your Availability’ to view the interactive calendar to confirm the dates your home will be vacant and free for guests to book.  

We appreciate plans can be tentative and may change, and so recommend you utilise the calendar to block out any dates to display as ‘On Request’. Not only will this give you more flexibility, it will also still allow you to receive any enquiries regarding your property during this period. In turn, this minimises inconvenience for prospective guests should you need to cancel a booking at short notice and avoids any cancellation fees (to the host) we would have to apply.  Please note, however, this does reduce your property’s visibility on some platforms.

Though we recommend logging into your online Veeve account and/or the Veeve Host App, our account managers are more than happy to assist you with any part of this process. 

 

2. Check The Accuracy Of Your Listing

If it’s been some time since you last hosted with Veeve, we advise taking a moment to check your listing is accurate and all details are up-to-date. You can review your live listing by logging into your online Veeve account and/or the Veeve Host App and selecting ‘View Details’ and ‘Preview Listing’.  

Should you wish to also review your home instructions / home manual, your dedicated account manager will be on hand to provide you with all relevant details and documentation. We recommend particular attention to the photos, Amenities, Bed Types and Home Truths sections which guests closely rely on. It’s also important to confirm any home instructions that may have changed (for example, a new WIFI code) and inform your account manager if any building work is taking place in or around your property during your guests’ stay.

3. Keep Your Guests Cool During the Summer Months
At this time of year, nights can be very warm, especially for the majority of London homes that do not have fitted air conditioning units throughout their property.  

As a Veeve host, we request you provide one fan for each available bedroom (including any rooms with a sofa bed). If your home is not fitted with centralised air conditioning, you will need to supply a fan for any bedrooms that will be in use (and any without an air conditioning unit) to ensure all guests have a comfortable and enjoyable stay.  

We suggest traditional desk or pedestal fans which can be purchased from all major online or high street retailers and retail at approximately £30 per fan. We are happy to organise this for you and deduct this cost from your account, however this is subject to the cost of the fan and any service fee (incorporating set up) or delivery fees. Should you require this service, please contact your property manager by email property.management@veeve.com. 

If fans are not provided, we may be required to purchase a fan(s) ahead of any booking for guests to use. Any costs, including service fees will be deducted from your account. Please be reassured, we will always endeavour to communicate any essential maintenance costs with you prior to purchase. 

4. Ensure All Listed Sleeping Spaces Are Ready For Use

Guests typically book homes based on the maximum number of people staying in a home and so it’s important all listed rooms are available and ready for use. If your listing includes sofa beds or other temporary beds, including Murphy beds and trundle beds, please ensure they are just as ready for use ahead of guest arrival, as all other bed types in your home. 

Please also double check you have full bedding sets for all configurations. As a minimum, this should include a duvet and two pillows 'per head' (two standard-sized pillows for one single bed and four standard-sized pillows for a double or larger bed).   

If possible, please aim to provide a lower tog duvet during the summer months as this will also help your guests have a comfortable stay.

 

5. Prioritise Preventative Maintenance

Preventative maintenance and timely home repairs are essential to ensure your home is in good working order, which in turn provides guests peace of mind during their stay. Scheduling essential maintenance tasks in advance can avoid any unexpected issues for guests and mitigate expensive service or call-out charges during peak times, plus avert delays for parts required immediately. 

Our team are more than happy to further advise on any maintenance tasks. See our list below of some key actions we recommend carrying out before you vacate your home: 

• Check all light bulbs are working
• Check all appliances are working (including fridges and freezers) 
• Check all alarm systems (if any codes have changed, please inform your property manager) 
• Stock up on commonly used batteries and bulbs to ensure a spare supply for guests (i.e. AA) 
• Top up the rinse aid and salt in your dishwasher  
• Clear any filters across appliances and white goods I.e. washing machine, tumble dryer etc. 
• Clear all gutters 

If you have specific or preferred contractors you would like Veeve to use, please pass these details onto the property management team 

Please also be aware, it’s a legal requirement to have a record of a landlord Gas Safety Certificate which is valid for the duration of the stay.

6. Consider The Upkeep & Maintenance Of Gardens & Terraces 
In the summer months, gardens and terraces are in high demand from guests seeking to make the most of the sunny weather. Therefore, please ensure all outdoor spaces are well maintained, clear of mess and/or debris and the spaces are easily accessible.  Please be advised, whilst we provide this advice to guests in our house manuals, we cannot take responsibility should maintenance action not be taken. 

While garden and terrace maintenance does not form part of the standard Veeve service, we are more than happy to provide quotes for work from our partner maintenance company should you require assistance with maintaining outdoor areas. We also recognise the importance of keeping your plants healthy during the summer months. While we encourage guests and housekeeping to assist with watering during your absence from the property, we recommend exploring the possibility of installing self-watering systems when the property may be vacant.  

If your garden does require maintenance throughout the time you are away, we suggest you make arrangements for a gardener to attend on a regular basis to carry out the watering of plants and vegetation (this includes indoor plants). Although we do request guests water plants whilst they are in stay, we cannot guarantee this will be actioned. 

7.  Allow Enough Time To Complete Your Home Preparation So You're Ready To Leave On Time

While our account managers are on hand to assist with any queries regarding preparing your home, we recommend refamilarising yourself with our Home Preparation knowledge articles. 

As the guidelines state, please ensure any precious valuables are secure or locked away, surfaces are generally clear and tidy, and plenty of guest storage and/or wardrobe space has been provided. Although our housekeepers complete a hotel-standard clean before guests arrive, your home should already be at a good level of cleanliness before they begin their work. If, for example, the oven needs a deep clean, this is not covered in the hotel-standard clean and therefore it would be added as an extra service. 

In the days leading to your departure, we request you check all lights are in working order. We also recommend leaving a supply of spare lightbulbs and batteries for guests. By providing spare bulbs and batteries, your guests are more likely to resolve any issues independently, without the need for any external contractor support. Please also ensure you vacate your property no later than 9am on the day of check-in so our housekeepers can commence their work in good time ahead of guest arrival.   

8. Consider These Finishing Touches...
Though we ensure all beds are beautifully prepared and made with hotel-quality linens, plus provide toiletries, towels and key essentials for guests to use, a few additional extra touches are always appreciated. 

Should you wish to leave any extras for guests, such as cooking oil, salt, pepper, coffee pods, dishwasher tabs, washing-up liquid and sponges, it is entirely at your discretion. This can also facilitate positive reviews for your listing to encourage future bookings. Guests will assume any amenities are for use and so please keep this in mind; we cannot guarantee they will be exactly replaced. 

9. And Relax...

With your bags packed and holiday in sight, it’s time to embrace your all-important summer downtime. We hope you have a fantastic break and enjoy the benefits of hosting over this period, whilst also hope you find this guide helpful.  

Rest assured, we put as much effort and dedication into returning your home in the condition you left it as we do into preparing your home for guests. Our friendly support team will be ready to assist you with any queries by telephone on 020 7993 5599 or email at property.management@veeve.com. 

As a final note, thank you for trusting Veeve to let your home. Have a great summer!