Are you thinking about letting your flat? We are here to prepare you and show you the risks.

When letting a flat – either for a short or a long-term – two factors might make the life of the owner difficult: the guest who enjoys and uses the flat, and the apartment itself where something is always broken, leaking, or clogged.

Guests come to relax, to enjoy themselves and to unwind. They therefore inevitably become less responsible to the issues of everyday life. This leads to more than one problem: on the one hand, they lose some part of their independence and consequently ask questions about everything: where the light can be switched on, how the window opens, which key opens the gate, why the safe is not working. But rest assured, they also have questions regarding the city, the neighbourhood and the country, and are moreover happy to hear their host’s recommendations on possible programmes, restaurants and sights. We very often hear quite surprising questions as well, for example those regarding public safety or the country’s political affairs. Those who let their apartment, therefore, should be prepared for their guests with a lot of patience, answers, and outstanding language skills.

The other certain sign of losing independence is that guests have a tendency to break those objects that they would normally be confident and competent using. Of course, this can sometimes be attributed to them not being familiar with a particular item, or to them being merely tired and clumsy. However, reason doesn’t change result: the owner has to deal with the broken hairdryer, remote control or the lost key in either way. And the fact that, instead of stopping to think or finding a solution, guests’ first reaction usually is to call, ask, request or sometimes demand is only the cherry on top.

Furthermore, the broken objects, furniture, or facilities have to be repaired straightaway because the guest wants to keep enjoying their stay, or if they are already leaving, the next traveller has to be greeted with a flawless apartment. This is, of course, impossible as even repairing one thing takes a lot of money and time, let alone more objects on a tight deadline. This requires a well-prepared team who are available day and night.

In conclusion, those who wish to let their flat have to be prepared for the endless stream of questions to be answered and problems to be solved. If this weren’t enough, the show must go on 24 hours a day as some guests arrive from very different parts of the world at times completely turning our everyday routines upside down. Talking about different routines, it is also important to think about the fact that guests from distinct cultures might use the apartment in a completely unexpected manner. They might not value the design or the cleanliness, or might use the objects for a different purpose than it would seem normal. After hosting such guests, hosts might not only need a more thorough cleaning, but also repairs.

The difference between cultures and the guests’ relaxation may even go past the apartment itself and disturb the neighbours and other residents in the house. In these cases, the owner has to be resolved in dictating the house rules because keeping up good-neighbourliness is essential in the long-term.

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