Free Vacation Rental Checklist: Guest Checklist for Booking, Arrival and Check-Out, a Host Cleaning and Turnover Checklist, and a House Information Sheet for Guests (PDF, Word, Excel)

What is on the vacation rental checklist

Total price

The nightly rate plus cleaning, service and other fees and taxes; compare totals, not nightly rates.

Arrival photos

Photos or video of every room and any existing damage, taken before you unpack, so you are not blamed later.

Turnover

Cleaning and resetting the home between guests, usually in the few hours between check-out and check-in.

Damage and missing items

What the cleaner finds, recorded with photos so the host can decide whether to claim from the deposit.

House information

Wi-Fi, times, rules, how things work and local contacts, printed and left where guests will see it.

For guests: booking and arrival

Compare rentals on the total price, including cleaning and service fees, and read the cancellation terms and recent reviews. Check the layout as well as the photos: how many bathrooms, stairs for older relatives, parking, and air conditioning if it will be hot. Book and pay through the platform, never by bank transfer to someone who emails you. When you arrive, walk through with your phone recording before you unpack and tell the host about any damage in writing. Find the smoke alarms and the fire extinguisher. Compare the rental with hotels on the hotel comparison worksheet.

Checking out and the deposit

Each host has their own check-out list, usually in the house book: dishes, trash, towels, thermostat, keys. Doing exactly what it says, and messaging the host when you leave, is the simplest way to get the deposit back and earn a good review. Take a few photos of the clean house on the way out.

For hosts: turnovers and guest information

A printed turnover checklist keeps cleaning consistent, whoever does it, and makes it easy to train a new cleaner. Ask cleaners to note damage, missing items and maintenance with photos, and to report items left behind. Restock supplies from a list rather than by memory. A house information sheet saves you answering the same messages every week; leave it on the kitchen counter and send a copy before arrival. For deeper cleaning between seasons, add tasks to a cleaning schedule, and keep a home inventory of furniture and equipment for insurance.

Editing the files

The PDFs are fillable. Hosts can change the turnover list and welcome sheet in Word to match their property.

Questions

What should I check when I arrive at a vacation rental?

Photograph every room and any damage, report problems to the host in writing, find the smoke alarms and fire extinguisher, and read the house rules.

How do I get my vacation rental deposit back?

Follow the host's check-out instructions, leave the home tidy, report damage on arrival and message the host when you leave.

What is a turnover checklist?

A cleaning and restocking list used between guests in a short-term rental, room by room.

What should a guest welcome sheet include?

Wi-Fi, check-in and check-out times, access, parking, house rules, how appliances work, trash day, emergency contacts and local tips.

How long does a rental turnover take?

It depends on the size of the home; a two- or three-bedroom house often takes three to five hours.