Top 5 Guest Complaints About Housekeeping

Dave Roberts
7/10/2026

For many vacation rental managers, the halfway point in the season starts generating several recurring themes of guest housekeeping complaints. In a survey of VRHP members, a top five list of those complaints was compiled. As you might suspect, the lines get blurred between housekeeping, property condition, and outside uncontrollable forces. While we tend to focus on the immediate concern and take corrective action, it is also important to determine if there are some preventable actions that can reduce the opportunities for reoccurrence with a future guest.

Guest Complaint #1: “It just does not seem clean.”

At the middle point of the season, properties start showing their heavy usage. Guests often mistake property wear and tear with housekeeping misses. That can create a tough situation for vacation rental managers.

Rental management companies can attempt to mitigate these issues by having a manager visit the property to see it for themselves, determine what can be done, and communicate to the guest on an immediate course of action. Often, simple ideas can make a world of difference. Can extra towels be delivered? Can you offer a mid-stay clean? Would any small kitchen appliance help? Could you change all the batteries in the TV remotes?

After returning to the office, work with other department leaders to produce an action plan during the next turnover day. With a blitz-like focus, coordinate with the owner, vendors, and internal staff to make a significant impact on the property condition. For example, can you get the carpets cleaned? Or have your housekeeping professionals perform a mini-deep clean? Do kitchen items need restocking? Or changing that one difficult-to-get light bulb? Executing on this plan can have a positive impact on the incoming guests versus dealing with disappointment week after week for the remainder of the season.

Guest Complaint #2: “The property was not ready when I arrived.”

Labor shortages have had a significant impact on property readiness at scheduled check-in time. Crews are fully scheduled, and if Murphy’s law hits, a traffic jam, a “trashed” house, or anything else that causes a delay, it can result in a property not being ready. Any delay in gaining access to a clean and ready property could make guests upset.

What ways could you hedge against this? Can you notify your incoming guests of the situation in advance? How about asking them what time their anticipated ETA is? What if you knew when your departing guests vacated the property? Could they text a notification that they checked out early so you can get your crews started earlier?

For those instances where the property is not ready by the normal check-in time, this is where your customer service team really comes into play. Like property condition concerns, can they offer some low-cost solutions like a free midweek linen exchange or extra towels? If the guest is more agitated, are you able to get them out of the house by offering a gift card to the local supermarket or sending them out to dinner? (Hint: Make sure you give them a spending limit). Usually, by delivering the extra service, many guests will get past this initial situation and enjoy the rest of their vacation.

Guest Complaint #3: “The exterior is not appealing.”

Along with guests staying in the property more than ever before, the exterior condition can have as much, if not more, impact than the interior. The first impression that every guest gets is when they arrive. The quality of the curb appeal can put the guest at ease or amp them up before they even set foot inside the property. In addition to landscaping, the appearance of the main access point is critical. Even something as small as having the trash receptacles next to the entry can subconsciously have an impact on the guest as the last thing the guest remembers before entering the property is the sight (or smell) of trash. Can your cleaners or inspectors sweep the entryway (including the door and door frame) to remove dirt, spider webs, etc.?

For rental properties that have amenities like a private pool, hot tub, or even a large yard, guests will spend most of their “house time” in that location. Can the service provider hose off and align the outdoor furniture in a visually appealing manner? Are leftover pool toys placed in one location or discarded? Is there the correct quantity of supplemental equipment for outdoor games?

If the property is equipped with a grill, can you supply your cleaners with a grill brush to do a quick clean and ask them to submit a picture when completed? If there is not a grill brush provided, can you leave one for the next guest to use? Can you use a scale to check the amount of fuel (if it uses propane)?

Guest Complaint #4: “The floors are dirty.”

Many guests do not wear shoes in the rental property, and walking around on the floors can bring to the surface issues that are not visibly apparent. If you utilize a checklist process for your cleaners, it is recommended to have an outcome-based requirement. For example, instead of stating to “vacuum the carpet,” set the requirement as “the carpet is free of debris.” Canister vacuums also require regular attention in areas like cleaning the filter between the actual canister and the motor. When the filter becomes clogged, the airflow is reduced, making those deep-down particles get brushed to the surface but not sucked up.

Solid floor grime will build up over time, especially with oils from your guests’ feet. Having the proper dilution for the floor cleaner being used is critical to its effectiveness. When was the last time you had your dilution system checked? Overdiluted floor cleaner (too weak) will not cut through the dirt. Underdiluted (too strong), and it will leave a residue that will attract dirt and make the floor feel sticky. This same issue can impact the countertops in the property as well. Work with your chemical supplier on a regular basis to ensure your dilutions are correct. With new formulations coming out all the time, ensure the chemicals you are using are still the best applicable for your scenario.

Guest Complaint #5: “The shower liners are old and dirty.”

While a shower liner in a private home may last six months to a year, in vacation rentals they may only last three to four weeks during prime season. As recognized by homeowner’s water bills, multiple showers (and longer showers) are taken daily by about every guest. Most of the time, guests are showering to wash components of activity off them. Sand, suntan lotion, dirt, bug spray, and perspiration are some of the things that are getting cleaned off the body and can land on a shower liner. This conglomeration of foreign materials can be a breeding ground for organic growth when mixed with the high humidity a hot shower can deliver.

To combat this, your housekeepers, inspectors, and maintenance team must carry shower liners with them every time they are out in the field. Can you incentivize them to check and change shower liners while they are in the home? Could you schedule a changing of the shower liners every so many weeks?

Your specific vacation rental company will have a slightly different list of top five guest complaints. The key thing to remember is that it is always valuable time spent to ask questions and get to the root cause of the issue (not the symptom). If there are immediate actions that can be taken, either proactive or reactive, it will have a positive impact on your in-house and future guests, your owners, and your brand reputation for the rest of the season.

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