Power, Water and Internet for a Shortlet

In a Nigerian shortlet, three things shape a guest’s stay: whether the lights stay on, whether the water runs, and whether the Wi-Fi works. You do not need 24-hour power to host well. You need a plan for each, a listing that says honestly what guests get, and a fast answer when something fails.

This checklist covers all three. It names no brands and no equipment prices, because both change quickly. Ask a qualified installer to size anything you buy.

What guests expect

Guests who choose a shortlet over a hotel still expect the basics to work. In practice, that means:

• light, fans and phone charging at night, even when the grid is off;
• running water in the kitchen and bathroom, and a working shower;
• Wi-Fi that can handle video calls and streaming;
• air conditioning in the bedroom, at least at night, if your listing shows it.

An outage is easier to live with when the guest was warned about it and the host answers fast. A guest who knows the generator runs from 18:00 to 07:00 plans around it. A guest who expected 24 hours feels misled.

Backup power

Grid supply varies by area and by feeder. Hosts cover the gaps with one or more of these:

Your backup power checklist:

• Know what runs on backup. Write down which sockets, lights and air conditioners work on the inverter or generator.
• Check your band. Ask your electricity company which tariff band your feeder is on. Band A feeders are meant to get the most hours of supply.
• Service on a schedule. Book generator and inverter servicing between stays, not during them.
• Keep fuel and units stocked. Check the fuel level and meter units at every turnover.
• Put safety first. Keep the generator outdoors, well away from windows and doors, so fumes cannot reach the rooms. Fit a carbon monoxide alarm indoors.
• Leave a torch or rechargeable lamp in the bedroom and the kitchen.

If the generator only runs at set hours, say so plainly. Give guests a switch-over time they can rely on, and keep to it.

Water supply

• Source. Know where your water comes from: a borehole, the public supply or tanker deliveries.
• Storage. An overhead tank keeps water flowing when the pump is off. Check it is clean and covered.
• Pumping. A pump needs power. Make sure it runs on backup, or fill the tank before guests arrive.
• Treatment. Borehole water may need treating. Have it tested, and keep any treatment system serviced.
• Hot water. Check every water heater works, and tell guests how long it takes to heat.
• Drinking water. Do not expect guests to drink from the tap. Leave bottled water, or tell them where to buy it.

Keep a plumber’s and a water supplier’s number in your phone. A burst pipe or an empty tank on a Saturday night needs someone who picks up.

Internet

• Pick a connection that suits the area. Fibre where it reaches, or a 4G or 5G router where it does not.
• Keep a backup. A second router on another network, or a pocket Wi-Fi device, covers an outage.
• Power it on backup. Connect the router to the inverter, so Wi-Fi survives a power cut.
• Test the speed at every turnover, from the bedroom and the living room.
• Renew on time. Set a reminder a few days before the subscription or data runs out.
• Change the password from time to time, and after any problem with a guest.

Put the network name and password on a card in the flat, or send them to the guest when they arrive.

On Cabans, you add the Wi-Fi network name, the Wi-Fi password and the door code under “Stay information”. Guests see the network name once their booking is confirmed. The password and the code show only while they are checked in, and they are never emailed. See how to add house rules, arrival steps, door code and Wi-Fi.

A five-minute check before each guest

Add these steps to every turnover, after the clean and before the guest arrives:

1. Switch off the grid supply and check the backup comes on.
2. Note the fuel level and the meter units, and top up if they are low.
3. Run every tap and shower, and check the hot water.
4. Check the tank is full, or that the pump runs.
5. Run a Wi-Fi speed test in the bedroom and the living room.
6. Turn on each air conditioner and fan for a minute.
7. Check the torch or rechargeable lamp is charged.

If your cleaner does the turnover, give them this list and ask for a quick message when it is done. Our shortlet cleaning checklist covers the rest of the turnover.

Being honest in your listing

Describe power, water and internet in plain words in your listing, and repeat the key points in your house rules. For example:

• “Grid power with an inverter for lights, fans, TV and Wi-Fi. The generator runs from 18:00 to 07:00 and powers the air conditioners.”
• “Borehole water with an overhead tank. Hot water in both bathrooms.”
• “Fibre Wi-Fi with a 4G backup. Good for video calls.”

Never write “24/7 power” unless you can keep that promise every day of the year. Promise a little less than you deliver, so a rare problem does not feel like a broken promise.

See how other hosts describe power and water in shortlets in Lekki and shortlets in Ikeja. Our guide to a shortlet listing that gets booked covers the rest of your description. The shortlet house rules template gives you a layout to add these points to.

When something fails mid-stay

Something will fail at some point. A generator will not start, a pump trips, or the internet drops. How fast you answer matters as much as the fix. Follow these steps:

1. Answer within minutes. Say you are on it, even before you know the fix.
2. Say what happens next. For example: “The technician is on the way.”
3. Offer a stopgap. A power bank, bottled water, a pocket Wi-Fi device or a fan.
4. Fix the cause, not just the symptom, before the next guest arrives.
5. Follow up once it is fixed, and write down what failed and when.

If a failure lasts more than a few hours, think about a small gesture: bottled water, a meal, or a discount on a future stay. It shows you take the problem seriously. Write down what you offered, so you are fair to every guest.

Keep a list of trusted technicians for power, plumbing and internet, with their numbers. Our guide to shortlet mistakes new hosts make covers other problems worth planning for.

On Cabans, a checked-in guest can send you a request from their stay page, such as “Report an issue” or “Call for help”. You get an email, and the request appears in the “Guest requests” panel on the booking. Press “Start” when you are on it and “Mark as done” when it is fixed. The guest is not emailed when you update a request, so send a short message too. See how to answer guest requests and bill extras.

If a guest leaves early, the unused nights are not refunded unless you approve a refund. After a serious failure, approving a refund for the unused nights can be the fair thing to do. Those nights then go back on sale.

Not listed yet? List your short let with power, water and Wi-Fi described honestly, and browse shortlets across Nigeria to see what guests compare you with.

Ready for guests? Take bookings online, and keep requests, bills and your team in one place with shortlet booking management. Cabans charges hosts a 5% commission, and the guest pays Paystack’s processing fee when they pay. You are paid within 7 days after the guest’s stay, and sooner when the guest approves the payment after their trip. New to hosting? The free Host Academy takes you from your first listing to your first check-out.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

Shortlet startup cost checklist · Furnish a shortlet apartment · Shortlet house rules template · Check-in instructions template · What comes with a shortlet?