The short-term rental services list: who to have on call before your first guest

Which vendors does a short-term rental host need?

Two per category (or three), but definitely more than one. There will always be a delay, or a problem, so the best hosts always have a follow up option.

For each one, write down:

• Name and direct contact (a person, not just the company line)
• When they're available, including nights and weekends
• What they charge, especially for after-hours calls

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What utilities do you need to set up for a short-term rental?

Water, electricity, gas (if the property has it), trash and internet. Set them all up in your name, or your company's, before move-in day so nothing gets shut off between the previous occupant and your first guest. The process varies by city and provider, so start as soon as you have access to the property.

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How do you get internet installed on time?

Internet is the slowest utility to set up and the one guests notice first. Treat it like a deadline.

1. Book the install the day you get access. Install windows can run a week or more out.
2. Give the provider a window, not a single date. Ask for the earliest slot in your range, and if none are open, ask for a self-install kit you can pick up or have mailed.
3. Find a rep if you can. Some providers will give you a direct sales contact. One email can then set up an account for each new property, instead of a long call each time.
4. Ask about a combined modem and router. One box is simpler for guests to reset. If the provider only offers separate units, compare the monthly router rental against buying a mesh Wi-Fi system outright.
5. Finish the wiring last. Once the internet is live, connect every device that depends on it (smart lock hub, streaming device, Wi-Fi system) and tidy the cables before your photo shoot.

A sample email to a provider rep:

Hi,

I need to set up internet at two new properties: [address 1] and [address 2]. My install window is [date] afternoon at the earliest and [date] morning at the latest. If nothing in that window is open, please send a self-install kit I can pick up or have mailed.

Thanks,

[Your Name]

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Why you shouldn't launch with open repairs

An unreported problem at launch, like a toilet that backs up, can delay your first booking and becomes the guest's problem if it doesn't. Professional install crews are scored on it: a property that goes live with a pending repair counts as a failed setup.

On your final walk-through, run every faucet and toilet, flip every switch, test the HVAC in both modes, and open every door and window. Anything that fails gets fixed or scheduled before the listing goes live.

If you rent the property (rental arbitrage), report repairs to the leasing office or property manager in writing the day you find them, and follow up until there's a date.

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Your contact sheet

Keep this information clear and somewhere that your cleaners and co-host(s) can easily access. For each vendor, and backup vendor, take down the Name, Phone, Hours of Availability, After-hours Rate (what they charge for those 1am emergency calls).

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FAQ

What contacts should an Airbnb host have?

At least two each for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, locksmith, bed bug treatment and pest control, plus your utility and internet providers. Record a direct contact, availability and pricing for each.

How far ahead should you set up internet for a rental?

Book the install as soon as you have access to the property. Install appointments can be a week or more out, and internet is the utility guests notice first.

Should you buy or rent a Wi-Fi router for a rental?

If the provider offers a combined modem and router, take it, since guests only have one box to reset. If they don't, compare the monthly rental fee against buying a mesh Wi-Fi system once.

What should you check before your first guest?

Every faucet, toilet, switch, door and window, plus heating and cooling. Don't launch with any repair still open.

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