A good flat is not enough on its own. New shortlet hosts often slip on the everyday running: an out-of-date calendar, slow replies, no photos before a guest arrives. Here are 12 common mistakes, grouped by stage, each with a simple fix.
Running a shortlet business is like running a very small hotel. The fixes below are habits, not big spending. Pricing mistakes have their own guide: shortlet pricing mistakes that cost hosts bookings.
Mistakes before you list
1. Starting without permission
Some hosts furnish a rented flat, then learn their tenancy does not allow short stays. Others run into estate rules on visitors, parking or parties after the first loud weekend.
The fix: read your tenancy agreement, ask your landlord, and ask the estate about short stays. Get every yes in writing. Can I turn my flat into a shortlet? lists what to check.
2. Weak photos and a vague description
Dark phone photos and a two-line description make guests scroll past. Worse, photos that flatter the home lead to disappointed guests on arrival.
The fix: shoot in daylight, show every room, the bathroom and the view from the door. Describe the power, water, parking and security honestly. See shortlet listing tips: photos, title and description.
3. Hiding the real costs and rules
A guest who finds out about a diesel charge or a “no visitors” rule at the gate will not come back. They may also argue about the caution deposit.
The fix: put every charge and every key rule in the listing, before anyone books. That includes the cleaning fee, the caution deposit, what the price covers and your party rule.
Calendar mistakes
4. Letting the calendar go stale
This is the mistake that hurts most. A host takes a booking by phone, forgets to close the dates, and a second guest books the same nights. Someone has to be turned away.
The fix: keep one calendar as the master copy. Close dates the moment you agree any booking, anywhere. Check the calendar every week, and before every holiday period.
On Cabans, nights guests have booked are crossed out and cannot be changed. To close other nights, use “Block Dates”, then press “Review and save calendar” and “Save and publish calendar”. Guests see the change at once. How to open and close dates shows each step. Listed on other sites too? Read how to avoid double bookings.
5. No time to clean between guests
When one guest leaves at 11 and the next arrives at 12, the cleaner rushes and things get missed. The new guest notices the hair in the shower first.
The fix: set check-in and check-out times that give your cleaner enough time. If a deep clean or a repair is needed, close the night in between. Use a cleaning checklist between guests so nothing is skipped.
6. Opening dates far ahead with no plan
Opening your calendar a year ahead at your normal price can lock you into cheap December nights. It can also let guests book dates when you plan to use the flat yourself.
The fix: before you open far-off dates, set prices for busy times such as December and long weekends. Close the dates you will need. Or open fewer months ahead until you are confident.
On Cabans, add a price for a period or a special day price in the calendar before guests can book those dates. You also choose how far ahead “Guests can book up to”. See shortlet pricing for busy dates.
Guest mistakes
7. Slow replies
Guests may ask several hosts at once and book with whoever answers first. A reply the next day can mean a lost booking. During a stay, a slow reply to a broken fan turns a small problem into a complaint.
The fix: turn on notifications on your phone, and agree who answers when you are busy. Write ready-made answers to the questions guests ask most, such as parking, power and check-in.
On Cabans, requests you do not answer in time are declined and the guest is refunded. Choose a “Time to accept a request” you can really keep, or turn on “Instant book” so paid bookings are confirmed straight away.
8. No written house rules or arrival steps
Rules told by phone are easy to forget and hard to prove. Guests who cannot find the gate or the meter end up calling you at midnight.
The fix: write short house rules and clear arrival steps, and send them before every stay. Start with our house rules template and, for longer stays, a shortlet guest agreement.
On Cabans, write them once on the “Stay information” page. Guests see your house rules, arrival instructions and check-out checklist in their stay guide as soon as the booking is confirmed.
9. Not knowing who is coming
A booking for two that becomes a party for twenty is every host’s fear. It often starts with a host who never asked how many people were staying.
The fix: set a maximum number of guests and say that children count. Ask what the stay is for, especially at weekends and in December. If you ask for ID, say so in the listing before anyone books.
Money and deposit mistakes
10. No photos to back a deposit claim
A host finds a cracked TV after check-out, but has no photo of it working before the guest arrived. The guest says it was already broken. Without evidence, it is one word against another.
The fix: take dated photos of every room before each guest arrives and after they leave. Keep a simple list of what is in the home. Set a caution deposit that fits the risk: see how much caution fee a shortlet should charge.
On Cabans, you can add condition photos at check-in and at check-out, kept privately with the booking. If a guest caused damage, raise a dispute with the amount and your evidence. Nothing is kept until the Cabans team decides.
11. Not knowing your real costs
Some hosts price by guessing, then find that diesel, cleaning, internet, repairs and fees eat everything. A full flat is not a profit if each night costs more than it earns.
The fix: write down every cost for a month, including your own time. Then work out the least you can charge per night and still cover them. Our shortlet startup cost checklist lists costs new hosts forget.
Include booking costs too. Cabans charges hosts a 5% commission. The guest pays Paystack’s payment processing fee when they pay, so it does not come out of your payout. You are paid within 7 days after the guest’s stay, or sooner if the guest taps “Approve payment” after their trip.
Team mistakes
12. One shared login and no checklist
Some hosts share their own login with the cleaner or caretaker. Then nobody knows who changed a price, who promised a late check-out or who forgot to buy diesel. When a helper leaves, the host has to change every password.
The fix: give each helper their own login with only the access they need. Write a short checklist for each job: cleaning, key handover, check-out. Review it together after the first few stays. Thinking of handing it all over? Read shortlet management company or manage it yourself?
On Cabans, add team members under “Roles & Permissions”. Someone who should change the calendar or approve check-ins needs the Process Orders permission. The calendar keeps a change history, so you can see who changed what and when. The Host Academy lesson grow with your team shows how to set it up.
Already hosting? Fix these three first
You do not need to fix all twelve this week. Start with the three that cost you guests fastest:
- The calendar. A double booking means turning a paying guest away at short notice. Bring every booking into one calendar today.
- Your replies. Set up notifications and agree who answers when you are busy. A fast, friendly answer wins bookings a slow one loses.
- Photos before and after. Start taking them from the next stay. They protect you, and they protect honest guests too.
Then work down the list, one stage at a time. Small fixes add up. After a month of good habits, your home will run more smoothly, and guests will notice.
A quick self-check
Answer yes or no. Each no is a job for this week.
- I have written permission from my landlord and estate, if I need it.
- My listing shows every room, every charge and my key rules.
- My calendar is up to date today.
- My cleaner has enough time between guests.
- I have prices set for December and long weekends.
- I answer new messages within an hour or two.
- I send written house rules and arrival steps before every stay.
- I know the maximum number of guests for each booking.
- I take photos before and after every stay.
- I know my real cost per night.
- Each helper has their own login and a checklist.
- I return caution deposits quickly when all is well.
Want to see how well-run homes present themselves? Browse shortlets across Nigeria or shortlets in Lekki. When you are ready, take bookings online and put these habits to work from your first guest. Hosting in Lagos? List your shortlet in Lagos.
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest mistake new shortlet hosts make?
Letting the calendar go out of date. It leads to double bookings, angry guests and refunds. Close dates the moment you take a booking anywhere else, and check the calendar every week.
How do I run a shortlet business well?
Treat it like a small hotel. Keep an accurate calendar, answer guests quickly, clean to a checklist, write clear house rules, take photos before and after each stay, and know your real costs. Small habits, repeated every time, matter more than fancy furniture.
Should I take a caution deposit for my shortlet?
Yes, it is wise. A deposit covers damage or missing items. Set a fixed amount that matches the risk, say it clearly before the guest books, and only keep money for real, proven costs. Return it quickly when all is well.
Do I need permission to run a shortlet?
Check before you start. If you rent the flat, your tenancy may not allow short stays. Some estates also have rules on short stays, visitors and parties. Get any permission in writing.
How many days should I leave between guests?
At least enough time to clean properly, check the home and restock. For a small home, that can be the gap between the check-out time and the next check-in time on the same day. If your cleaner needs longer, close the night in between.
Can I run a shortlet while I have a full-time job?
Yes, if you have help you trust. A cleaner, someone to hand over keys and a clear checklist let you run it around work. Give each helper their own login rather than sharing yours.
What does Cabans charge hosts?
Cabans charges hosts a 5% commission. The guest pays Paystack’s payment processing fee when they pay, so it does not come out of your payout. You are paid within 7 days after the guest’s stay, or sooner if the guest taps “Approve payment” after their trip.
Related guides
How to start a shortlet business · Listing tips that get bookings · House rules template · Cleaning checklist · How to furnish a shortlet · Is a shortlet profitable?
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