Holiday home inspections Manilva: a practical guide to changeover day

Your guests leave at eleven in the morning and the next family is at the door by four. On a summer changeover day there is little room for surprises. Holiday home inspections Manilva owners can rely on fit between those two moments and bring technical faults, missing items and damage to light before new guests find them. This guide is for owners of rented apartments and townhouses around Puerto de la Duquesa and Sabinillas, not for homes that stand empty for months.

In short:

• Cleaning and technical checks are two different jobs; agree who does what.
• Check for damage straight after check-out and for function just before check-in.
• Record damage with close-up and wide photos, dated, and keep the originals.
• Airbnb applies a 14-day window after check-out for certain reimbursement requests.
• Use November to March for air-conditioning servicing, resealing and lubricating sliding doors.

What the cleaning team usually misses

A cleaner looks at dirt, dust and a made bed. That is exactly the job. Whether the air conditioning in the second bedroom still cools as well as last week is not part of it. Nor is a toilet that keeps trickling after a flush, or a trap slowly dripping inside the kitchen cupboard.

In high season a holiday home takes the use of four to six people at once, day after day. What lasts a year in an ordinary home can wear out in a single season in a rental. And because reviews strongly drive your occupancy and price, one evening without cooling in August weighs heavily.

So put the division of tasks in writing: cleaning, technical checks, reporting damage and arranging repairs. That way nothing falls through the cracks.

Holiday home inspections Manilva in two rounds

Round 1 – straight after check-out (focused on damage):

• a few photos per room, before the cleaning starts
• sofa, mattresses and textiles checked for tears and stains
• crockery, glasses, keys and remote controls counted
• shower and kitchen drains run
• terrace, balcony and pool edge checked for broken glass and damage
• water meter read with all taps closed: is it still turning?

Round 2 – just before check-in (focused on function):

• each air-conditioning unit switched on and cooling or heating within a few minutes
• hot water at every tap, enough pressure in the shower
• toilets flushed, listening to check they stop
• batteries in the remotes, Wi-Fi and TV working
• smoke alarm, first-aid kit, complaint forms and house information in place
• pool clear, property aired, no smell from the drains

Adapt the list to each property. An apartment in a complex needs attention to the lift and building access; a townhouse also to irrigation and terrace drainage.

Damage: what you need to support a claim

Not every mark is the last guest's fault. Ordinary wear, defects that were already there and the platform's own terms all come into it. To support a reimbursement request, you need four things:

1. a baseline: photos of the property in good condition, including mattresses without covers
2. a check as soon as possible after departure, not after the next guests
3. original, dated photos, one close-up and one wide shot per item
4. a quote or invoice for repair or replacement

Then report it promptly to the guest via the platform. Airbnb has a 14-day window after check-out for certain requests under its host damage protection terms; other platforms set their own deadlines, so always check the current terms.

Salt, sand and the quiet season

Being close to the Strait of Gibraltar, Manilva gets its share of levante, the strong easterly wind that leaves sand and salt on sliding doors, rails and locks. A sliding door that drags is no coincidence. From November to March it is quiet enough to plan this kind of work:

• book the air-conditioning units in for a service, with clean or new filters before high season
• cut out old sealant edges in bathroom and kitchen and reseal
• clean the rails and lubricate locks and hinges
• touch up and repaint damaged walls
• replace worn mattresses, linen and inventory
• have the pool, pump and filter thoroughly checked and cleaned

What we do

Faro Costa – Property Care provides property care and inspections in Manilva for rented holiday homes. For each changeover we work like this:

1. Agree roles. We settle with you, your cleaning company or rental manager who does what and when.
2. Check after departure. A walk-through with photos per room, following your property's checklist.
3. Report. You receive a report via WhatsApp: what is in order, what looks like damage and what is urgent.
4. Small fixes. Once you approve, we sort minor items straight away, such as a handle or a sealant edge. For certified electrical or gas work we bring in a qualified specialist partner.
5. Check before arrival. Air conditioning, water, locks and facilities all working.

Frequently asked questions

Is an inspection the same as cleaning?

No. Cleaning makes the property tidy; the inspection tests that everything works and records damage. Both can happen on the same day.

How soon after departure should I check?

As soon as possible, ideally before the cleaning starts. The later you look, the harder it is to show which guest caused the damage.

Do you check whether my property meets the tourist rental rules?

We check that visible items are present and working, such as climate control, a first-aid kit, complaint forms and guest information. That is not a legal compliance check. Have your gestor confirm the current requirements for your vivienda de uso turístico.

Can you work with my regular cleaner?

Yes. We coordinate with your cleaning company or rental manager so that inspection and cleaning fit together.

Which languages do you speak?

Dutch, English, Spanish and Polish.

Want regular holiday home inspections Manilva guests will never notice but always benefit from? Contact us or email info@farocosta.com.