Why Professional Inspections are Key to Airbnb Success
Hiring professional Airbnb inspectors to check your short-term rental (STR) property for cleanliness and safety sets high standards for your Airbnb operations.
Regular inspection reports ensure your properties are well-maintained, comply with regulations, and provide guests with positive experiences. This helps earn your STR properties better reviews and higher booking rates.
But how can you find and use effective Airbnb inspectors? Below, we provide strategies for identifying, hiring, and integrating inspectors into your operations so you can enjoy the value of Airbnb inspectors.
The Benefits of Hiring Professional Inspectors
Airbnb inspectors do more than just confirm your cleaning teams have thoroughly sanitized your STR property.
Trained inspectors can identify any damages caused by guests. Not only does this help you quickly make necessary repairs, but it also protects you from liability, thanks to the photos and timestamps included in inspection reports. These provide a good defense if guests make any claims against your business.
Periodic inspections also inform you of maintenance issues, like leaky faucets or malfunctioning light bulbs. By addressing these issues promptly, you can keep them from becoming bigger problems. This saves you from more costly repairs down the road and improves guest satisfaction.
Tips for Finding and Hiring Effective Inspectors
One great way to find qualified Airbnb inspectors is to ask other hosts and property managers for recommendations. You can also perform an online search for “Airbnb inspectors near me” or check with your local Airbnb community forums. Read online reviews to see what other hosts have to say about an inspector’s reliability and service quality.
Ask to see a prospective inspector’s Airbnb inspection checklist. This should cover items such as cleanliness, safety, amenities, staging, and guest instructions to ensure the property meets Airbnb standards.
Airbnb inspectors should also be familiar with neighborhood or building guidelines as well as local STR regulations and standards.
For instance, your HOA may require that outdoor garbage and recycling bins be located in certain areas on the property, or your city may have a regulation for the minimum number of working smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors. You may also need a specific type of liability insurance or license. Inspectors ensure your property meets each of these localized standards before guests arrive.
Learn what type of digital tools an inspector uses. Dedicated Airbnb turnover management software can help inspectors verify their checklists and quickly generate reports. Some inspectors use video conferencing to provide real-time feedback to hosts on the cleanliness of properties, but not all property managers may be able to be on call for every inspection. You’ll want to choose an inspector whose methods work for you and your business operations.
How to Integrate Airbnb Inspectors into Your Cleaning Operations
Managing your existing cleaning professionals and your new Airbnb inspectors may be challenging. Coordinating schedules and making sure this does not interfere with your guest bookings can be time-consuming and labor-intensive for both small property managers and large management companies.
Turno simplifies the operational processes of turnover management by automating the inspection scheduling process. You can connect an inspection project to each cleaning project and auto-schedule each team based on their integrated booking calendars. This makes turnover management run smoothly for everyone – your cleaners, inspectors, and you.
The entire process can be completed anywhere using Turno’s mobile apps, allowing hosts and property managers to stay informed of their properties’ status. In addition, quality control features like problem reporting, photo guidance, and inventory management help hosts identify, verify, and deal with issues quickly and efficiently.
Challenges and Considerations in Hiring Inspectors
Along with the benefits of quality control inspections, Airbnb hosts must consider the challenges of using Airbnb inspectors.
Your operational costs will rise with Airbnb inspection fees. This may require you to raise your rates. However, according to an internal survey conducted by Airbnb, travelers are willing to pay more for inspector-certified properties.
Turnover time between guests might increase as inspectors need time to assess your properties fully. Software solutions like Turno streamline this process through automated scheduling, optimizing project start times, and minimizing inconveniences from delays.
Selecting trustworthy and qualified inspectors is challenging, as not all inspectors assess property features using the same standards. Not all Airbnb inspectors are familiar with local STR regulations, which can cause them to overlook key property features. You’ll also want to choose an inspector you’re comfortable working with. Take the time to properly vet Airbnb inspector candidates and ensure your properties enjoy good quality control.
How to Build an Airbnb Inspection Checklist
An Airbnb inspection checklist covers all items an inspector must examine to ensure a vacation rental property meets quality standards. These inspection items include everything from checking for clean bedding to assessing the water pressure in the sinks and showers.
Hosts and property managers can tailor an inspection checklist to fit their unique needs. For instance, properties located in rainy climates may need inspectors to check their rain gutters, downspouts, and roof leaks more often.
When developing your Airbnb inspection checklist, make sure to cover the following key areas:
- Living areas: Is the furniture and flooring free of damage, dust, and stains? Are all entertainment amenities like the TV and stereo functional?
- Bedrooms: Are clean linens, pillows, and blankets provided? Do all the lamps, alarm clocks, and light switches work properly? Are there functional storage areas, such as closets and drawers?
- Kitchen: Do all appliances, including fridge, stove, oven, microwave, and dishwasher, work properly? Are there clean utensils and dishes in drawers and cabinets? Are the countertops clean and free of clutter?
- Bathrooms: Are the mirror, sink, bathtub/shower, and toilet all properly sanitized? Are there sufficient clean towels, soaps, shampoos, and conditioners? Does the plumbing work properly? Are there any leaks?
- Outdoor areas: Is the patio furniture clean and in good condition? Is the landscaping well-maintained? Are any outdoor amenities, such as the grill or pool, clean and working?
- Technology: Is the Wi-Fi connection strength good in all rooms? Is the password available? Do all smart devices, such as the TV and thermostat, work properly?
- Safety Items: Do guests have access to a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, and emergency contact information? Are all locks, windows, and door handles in good working order? Do the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors meet required standards?
Checklists should be regularly updated based on guest feedback, changes to local regulations, and Airbnb policies.
FAQs About the Role of Airbnb Inspectors
Let’s examine some frequently asked questions about Airbnb inspectors.
How much do Airbnb Inspectors make?
According to Glassdoor, the hourly rate for Airbnb inspectors ranges from $29-$41/hour. An independent Airbnb inspection may cost about $100. However, this can vary based on your region and local regulations.
Do I need an inspector after every cleaning?
Not every property needs to be inspected every time, and in fact, the majority of STR properties are not. The decision comes down to the business preferences of the host or property manager. Some hosts engage their cleaning teams to perform both functions. With a detailed cleaning and inspection checklist, plus time and compensation built into the partnership, some STR cleaners are willing to take on the double duty.
That said, there are benefits for those who choose to make inspections a required part of every turnover. Performing inspections after every cleaning ensures your property is ready for your next guests and free of health hazards. Cleaning standard violations can result in warnings, suspensions, or even removal from Airbnb.
In addition, inspectors can identify and record damages caused by previous guests. Photos can be uploaded with an app and compared against representative photos to confirm when the damage took place. This photographic evidence provides a defense against any false claims made by guests.
What do I do if the inspector finds something wrong or dirty?
Inspectors should document any issues with photos and videos, which can be shared with you via an automated problem-reporting tool like Turno. If a guest was responsible for the damage, inform the guest through the Airbnb platform and request that they cover any repair or cleaning costs. Share any specific rules regarding damage on your listing and provide repair estimates.
Your guest will have 24 hours to respond. If they do not respond, decline to pay, or only pay a partial amount, you can contact Airbnb’s Community Support team to determine if the guest caused the damage. Share all evidence of the damage with the team to back up your claim.
If Airbnb finds your guest was at fault, they will follow up with the guest and request payment. If the guest does not pay or files an unsuccessful appeal, their payment method will be charged.
What should be checked in an annual or bi-annual property inspection?
More thorough inspections should be performed at least annually, ideally at the start of every summer and winter. These inspections can check the airflow in the HVAC system and assess the attic for pests or signs of leaks. Turnover inspectors shouldn’t take the time to check these following every guest’s departure, but as a property owner, you want to stay on top of the property’s overall well-being.
Strategic Advantage of Professional Inspections
Offering inspector-certified properties builds trust among your guests. Effective inspections ensure guests stay in properties that are safe and comfortable. This motivates guests to leave positive reviews, improving your reputation and increasing bookings.
Regular inspections inform you of minor issues and let you deal with them before they become big problems. This helps you keep your properties in good condition and avoid expensive repairs.
If you become the target of a wrongful claim, inspection reports can provide the evidence to protect you from financial loss or legal action. You will also have documented proof to back up any claims you make if a guest damages your property. That said, Airbnb inspections can be complex to schedule around your regular cleaning services and guest bookings. To make your turnaround process smoother, a software solution like Turno automates your scheduling and payment process, ensuring convenience for everyone.
