Whether it's a beach apartment in the south or a holiday apartment in the mountains, as a host, you don't always live in the immediate vicinity of the holiday home you want to rent out. In this article, we give you tips on how to best manage your holiday apartment remotely and what special features you need to consider when renting abroad.
When renting out your property remotely, you face particular challenges as a host, as you cannot be on site to carry out tasks such as cleaning and maintenance, or to perform the key handover and welcome your guests.
Whether you live just 100 kilometres away or thousands of kilometres away in another country, you need practical routines and procedures to ensure a smooth and relaxed rental experience for everyone involved.
Legal and tax principles
Before you can rent out your holiday apartment abroad, you need to find out about local regulations regarding any necessary licences, permits and safety standards. Different tax rules also apply depending on the country.
Tenancy agreement and communication – security for both parties
A written rental agreement is mandatory – and especially important if you are not on site. Make sure that the agreement is written in a language that your guests understand. Details about arrival and important information about using the holiday home should be sent in advance – ideally together with the rental agreement.
Communication is also crucial: let your guests know how best to reach you while you are away and respond to enquiries quickly, politely and courteously. Many hosts use WhatsApp, email or other messaging services to be quickly available during their guests' stay.
A nice welcome video in the digital guest folder can add an extra personal touch when renting out your holiday home remotely.
This comes across as professional and friendly and builds trust. Another advantage is that you can easily update the digital guest folder remotely at any time.
Key handover – simple, flexible & digital
One of the biggest challenges when managing a holiday apartment abroad is key handover. A tried-and-tested solution is to ask neighbours, friends, or a local agency to help out.
Alternatively, you can opt for smart solutions such as key safes or electronic door locks. These not only save your guests time, but also offer them more flexibility when arriving.
However, when renting abroad, be sure to check in advance whether key boxes are legally permitted, as this is not the case in some countries. You can find out more about this topic in our article Key handover in holiday home – your options.
Cleaning and maintenance – reliable partners are worth their weight in gold
Clean holiday home is essential when renting out property. Since you are not on site yourself, you need a reliable cleaning team or a local property management company to take care of cleaning, laundry and minor maintenance. It is important to make clear agreements: What services are included? How are prices and deadlines regulated? It is best to work with local, established service providers who have experience with holiday properties and find out which companies other hosts in the vicinity of your holiday home work with.
Smart home and security – remote control
Modern smart home technologies help you keep an eye on everything, even when you're away:
- Monitor doors, windows and movements when your home is empty via an app to prevent break-ins
- Control your heating, lighting or air conditioning digitally
- Use smart thermostats to save energy
There are numerous technical systems that notify you of unusual activity, so you can always be sure that your property is protected.
Emergencies and property management – when things go wrong
Even the best organisation cannot replace a helping hand on site. Minor glitches – such as a broken washing machine or a guest who has locked themselves out – cannot always be solved remotely or digitally.
That's why it's often worth hiring a reliable local partner. A caretaker service or property management company abroad can take care of many practical matters:
- Emergency contact for guests
- Key handover and check-out
- Cleaning and laundry service
- Organisation of tradespeople
Of course, this will incur costs for you as a host – but the gains in security, quality and time are often priceless. Consider which areas you would like to outsource to an external service provider and which you can easily manage yourself using smart home control.
Conclusion – managing a holiday apartment abroad made easy
Managing a holiday apartment abroad can seem very challenging at first. But with good planning, modern tools and the right local partners, the organisation usually runs smoothly – even across national borders. Prepare thoroughly, use smart technologies and rely on experienced service providers. This will ensure that your guests feel completely at home – and that you can enjoy your rental without any worries.
With atraveo by e-domizil as your reliable partner, the whole process is no problem at all – we support you in all aspects of the rental, such as communication and payment processing, except for guest service.
