Owner guide
Changeovers and local support: close the gaps between bookings
A changeover is a chain of handovers. Cleaning may be finished while linen is missing, a key is unavailable or a reported fault is unresolved. Give each link a named responsibility and a way to confirm that the next arrival can proceed.
Map the whole interval between guests
Start with departure, entry by the person preparing the property, linen collection, cleaning, maintenance access and the readiness check before arrival. Allow time for the actual size and condition of the property. A calendar gap that looks adequate on a screen may be too short once travel, parking and laundry are included.
Write a normal sequence and a disrupted one. Decide what happens if a guest leaves late, the cleaner cannot enter or an essential appliance fails. A list of tasks is incomplete without the person who makes the next decision. Avoid opening tightly spaced bookings until the proposed timing has been tested with the people who will do the work.
Agree the reset standard and useful evidence
Give the cleaner a property-specific checklist with the agreed room arrangement, linen setup, kitchen inventory, bathroom supplies and waste instructions. Separate routine work from occasional deep cleaning and specialist maintenance. Make the expected result clear enough that a replacement person can follow it without knowing the property’s history.
Use dated completion notes and appropriate photographs to show the agreed checks. Focus on condition and missing items rather than collecting excessive images of guest possessions. Record exceptions separately: a stain requiring treatment, a broken handle or a supply running low. A completion message should not hide a defect that needs a decision before the next guest arrives.
Make access and supplies resilient
Test how an authorised person enters if the normal access method fails. Agree where keys are held, who can use them and how a lost key or failed code is reported. Do not circulate unrestricted access details among everyone involved. In a shared building, check practical arrangements with the appropriate building contact before relying on them.
Choose minimum stock levels using actual consumption and replenishment lead times. Keep clean linen protected and give used linen a separate collection process. Track items that repeatedly disappear or fail, then decide whether the quantity, quality or instructions should change. Someone must own restocking; a cleaner noticing an empty cupboard does not establish that supplies have been ordered.
Separate ordinary messages from urgent local action
For Hive Stewards UK, the 15% Inbox & pricing plan covers remote guest communication, booking requests, calendar and pricing work. It does not include emergency support or callout coordination. An owner choosing it needs a separate practical arrangement for local tasks and urgent problems, with the guest-facing contact route agreed in advance.
The 20% Fully managed plan includes cleaner scheduling, restocks, maintenance callout coordination and emergency support. Attendance depends on local availability and the property arrangements agreed before service begins. Repairs and contractor charges remain separate. Agree spending limits, preferred contacts and what happens when the owner cannot be reached; do not equate coordination with a guaranteed arrival time.
Review failures as a process, then adjust the calendar
Keep a short issue log: what happened, when it was found, its effect on the stay, the action taken and any cost. Review repeated patterns such as linen delays, confusing access or underestimated cleaning time. The useful question is what must change before the next booking, rather than who sent the most messages during the incident.
If the timetable repeatedly fails, extend the gap, adjust arrival arrangements or restrict dates until capacity is reliable. Reserve time for planned maintenance and owner visits too. Confirm responsibility and costs whenever a supplier changes. The final check before arrival should establish that the property is ready, any material limitation is communicated and unresolved issues have an authorised decision.
Common questions
Can I keep my existing cleaner?
That can be discussed for the property. Availability, the checklist, communication and completion evidence need to be agreed; naming a cleaner alone does not establish the whole changeover process.
Does an enquiry response time apply to an emergency?
No. The aim to reply within two working days concerns new enquiries. Operational and emergency arrangements are agreed separately, and emergency coordination is only included in Fully managed.