Check-out instructions are one of the most over-engineered parts of a guest guide. Hosts write paragraph after paragraph of requests — strip the beds, wipe the benches, wash the dishes, take out the recycling, leave a review — and guests either ignore all of it or spend an anxious hour cleaning a professional cleaner is about to clean anyway.
Here’s what actually needs to be in your check-out instructions.
1. The time
State it clearly and early: Check-out is by 10am. Don’t bury it at the end of a paragraph. If you have any flexibility, say so: “We can often accommodate a late check-out — just message us the evening before.” This small addition prevents the awkward morning request and makes guests feel looked after.
2. Where to leave the keys
Every check-out instruction needs this. “Leave the keys in the lockbox” or “post the keys through the letterbox” or “leave them on the kitchen bench.” Make it one clear sentence with no ambiguity. If keys go missing, it’s almost always because this wasn’t specified.
3. The bins
If guests are staying more than a night or two, bins need a mention. Which bin goes out? When? Where? This is one of the most common check-out confusion points, especially for guests who have never encountered your council’s bin system. Even a single line — “Please leave any rubbish in the large black bin in the side passage” — solves the problem.
4. Windows and doors
A simple reminder: “Please close all windows and lock the front and back door when you leave.” This isn’t about distrust — it’s about protecting the property from weather and the rare opportunist. Guests appreciate knowing exactly what’s expected.
5. What NOT to ask for
Don’t ask guests to strip beds. Don’t ask them to do a full clean. Don’t write a 12-point checklist. Your cleaner is being paid to do the reset. Guests who are asked to do too much either resent it or leave a note about how much effort they put in (which creates awkward review dynamics). Keep your check-out instructions to under 100 words and guests will actually read them.
The best check-out experience is one where guests leave feeling like it was easy. That starts with instructions that are short enough to actually follow.