Airbnb turnover cleaning: what it costs and how to set it up

Short-let cleaning is a different job from domestic cleaning. It is time-boxed between a checkout and a check-in, it includes linen and restocking, and the reviews of a whole business depend on it.

What it costs

Property	Typical changeover price
Studio / 1 bed	£35 to £55
2 bed	£50 to £80
3 bed	£70 to £110
4+ bed or with hot tub	£110 to £200

Add £10 to £30 for laundry if the cleaner takes linen away, or use a linen hire service at roughly £12 to £20 per bed set including collection.

Central London and peak season sit at the top of these ranges. Same-day short notice attracts a premium.

What should be in the scope

Write this down and agree it once, rather than renegotiating every week:

• Strip and remake all beds with fresh linen (hospital corners, matching sets).
• Fresh towels, one bath and one hand towel per guest, plus a bath mat.
• Full bathroom clean including descaling and mirror.
• Kitchen: surfaces, hob, sink, inside microwave, empty and clean fridge, run the dishwasher.
• Restock consumables: toilet roll, kitchen roll, bin bags, dishwasher tablets, tea, coffee, soap.
• Vacuum and mop throughout, including under beds.
• Bins out, recycling correct.
• Reset the property to the listing photos. This is the one that matters most.
• Report damage and low stock with photos, before the next guest arrives.

Making it run without you

1. A photo checklist. Ten reference photos of each room set up correctly, shared with the cleaner. This solves the "reset to the photos" problem for good.
2. A stock cupboard with a par level. The cleaner photographs it each visit; you reorder when it drops below the line.
3. A shared calendar. Give the cleaner read access to the booking calendar so they can plan around changeovers.
4. Key handling. A key safe or smart lock with a code you rotate. Never a key under a mat.
5. A single message thread per property for damage reports with photos.

Finding and keeping the right cleaner

Booking the same cleaner repeatedly is the whole game. A cleaner who knows the property does a changeover faster and spots problems you would miss. Platforms that charge full commission on every repeat booking make that expensive.

On Taskerama it works like this:

1. Post the first changeover with your scope, photos and timings. Cleaners reply with fixed prices, and every fee is shown before you accept.
2. Ask questions before you hire, in public or by private message, about linen, availability and keys.
3. Pay safely. Your payment is held until you confirm the job is done, and refunds go back to your card.
4. Rebook at 0% commission. Once you have found a cleaner you like, they can send you a payment link for future changeovers. They pay no commission, just a 2.9% plus 20p processing and protection charge, so a fair price stays fair for both of you, and each job still earns a review on their profile.

Tax and legal notes

• Short-let income is taxable. The furnished holiday lettings tax regime was abolished from April 2025, so check how the current rules apply to your property.
• In Greater London, letting a whole home short term is limited to 90 nights a year without planning permission.
• Check your lease and your insurance: standard home insurance does not usually cover paying guests.

Post your first changeover free. If you clean short lets yourself, become a tasker and keep your regular hosts at 0% commission.