Holiday Let Refurbishment

Finishes chosen for cleaning, not for photographs

Everything gets wiped, and it gets wiped hard. Matt emulsion in a hallway looks good on day one and is patchy by month six.

• Washable or scrubbable wall finishes in circulation areas and kitchens
• Water-based eggshell or satinwood on woodwork — repairable and quick-drying
• Hard flooring in entrances, kitchens and bathrooms
• Sealed worktops and grout that can be cleaned without discolouring
• Corner and edge protection where luggage passes

Design out the recurring damage

The same things fail in every short let: skirtings and door frames scuffed by suitcases, walls marked beside beds and sofas, shower silicone and grout, and extractor performance in bathrooms with poor ventilation.

Robust door furniture, generous luggage space near the entrance, headboards that protect the wall and properly specified extract fans remove most of it.

Make maintenance possible without a visit

Keep a documented schedule of paint colours, tile references, flooring products and appliance models so a cleaner or a local contractor can carry out small repairs without waiting for the owner to identify what something is.

Leaving a small labelled stock of matching paint, spare tiles and spare flooring planks on site is one of the cheapest useful things a refurbishment can do.

Compliance and safety

Short-let properties carry obligations around fire safety, electrical safety and gas, and the refurbishment is the point to get alarm coverage, escape lighting where relevant and certification in order rather than retro-fitting later.