A shortlet turnover is the clean and reset between one guest leaving and the next one arriving. With check-out by 11:00 and check-in from 14:00, you have 3 hours. Follow a timeline, keep spare linen ready, photograph the home, and keep a buffer night free when the week is busy.
This guide is for Nigerian hosts and their cleaners. It covers the timeline, late leavers, condition photos and when to leave a night empty on purpose.
Why you have 3 hours (and how to change it)
Hosts often set check-out in the late morning and check-in in the afternoon. With check-out by 11:00 and check-in from 14:00 (2 in the afternoon), the gap is 3 hours.
That is enough for a studio or a 1-bedroom flat with a practised cleaner. It is tight for a 3-bedroom duplex, or when the guest leaves late.
Ways to win more time:
- Make check-out earlier, for example 10:00.
- Make check-in later, for example 15:00.
- Send two cleaners on busy days.
- Keep a buffer night free between some bookings.
Guests notice these times, so change them with care. Shortlet check-in and check-out times explained shows the guest side.
On Cabans, 14:00 and 11:00 are the default times. You can change “Check-in time” and “Check-out time” in your listing's Property Details. New times apply once the Cabans team approves your listing changes. Guests see them before they book, as “Check-in: from 14:00” and “Check-out: by 11:00”.
A turnover timeline
Here is a 3-hour plan for a 1 or 2-bedroom home. Change the times to fit your own check-out and check-in.
- 11:00 — The guest leaves. Walk through the home with the guest, or straight after they go. Count the keys and remotes.
- 11:10 — Photos. Photograph every room from your usual angles, and close up anything that looks damaged.
- 11:20 — Strip and air. Strip the beds, start the laundry, empty every bin and open the windows.
- 11:40 — Kitchen. Wash up, empty the fridge of leftovers, and wipe the cooker, worktops and sink.
- 12:10 — Bathrooms. Clean the toilet, shower, sink and mirrors. Restock toilet roll, soap and hand towels.
- 12:40 — Beds and towels. Make the beds with fresh linen and lay out fresh towels.
- 13:00 — Floors and dusting. Dust the surfaces, then sweep and mop, finishing at the front door.
- 13:20 — Checks. Test the power, generator fuel, inverter, water, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, TV and bulbs.
- 13:35 — Restock and reset. Put out drinking water and welcome items, and change the door code.
- 13:45 — Final walk-through. Walk through once more, take your “ready” photos, and lock up for the next guest.
A few things make every turnover faster:
- Spare linen. Keep at least two sets of linen and towels per bed, so you never wait for washing to dry.
- A cleaning kit on site. Supplies stored in the home, in one cupboard, always stocked.
- A written checklist. The same list every time, so nothing is missed. Use the shortlet cleaning checklist.
- Power first. If the grid is off, start the generator early so the washing machine and iron can run.
Your turnover kit
A turnover goes wrong when something runs out halfway. Keep a locked cupboard in the home with everything your cleaner needs:
- Linen and towels: clean, folded sets for every bed, plus spare pillowcases.
- Cleaning supplies: bleach, disinfectant, glass cleaner, dish soap, sponges, cloths, a mop and bucket, bin bags.
- Guest supplies: toilet roll, hand soap, shower gel, dishwashing liquid and drinking water.
- Small spares: bulbs, remote batteries, a spare router cable and a phone charger.
- A stock sheet on the cupboard door, so your cleaner can mark what is running low.
Refill it once a week, not on the day you run out. In December and on holiday weekends, keep double.
Laundry: at home or sent out?
Laundry is the slowest part of any turnover. You have two choices. A washing machine in the home keeps you in control, but it needs power, water and drying time. In the rainy season, sheets can take a day to dry. A laundry service saves time on busy days, but you need enough spare sets to cover the days they are away.
Some hosts do both: towels at home, bed linen sent out. Whatever you choose, never put damp or unironed linen on a guest's bed.
What guests notice first
First impressions count. A small miss can colour the whole stay. Before you lock up, check these from the guest's side of the door:
- The smell. Fresh air, not bleach or last night's cooking. Open the windows early in the turnover.
- The bathroom. No hair in the shower or sink, a clean toilet and a full roll.
- The bed. Crisp, clean linen, tucked in, with no marks on the pillows.
- The temperature. Switch the air conditioning on shortly before arrival if the power allows it.
- The fridge. Empty and clean, with cold drinking water if you offer it.
- The Wi-Fi. Working, with the network name easy to find.
- The lights. Every bulb working, including the outside light for late arrivals.
When a guest leaves late
A guest who leaves at 12:30 cuts your window in half. A late leaver is often disorganised, not rude. Help them leave on time.
- Remind them the evening before. A friendly message with the check-out time and the steps to leave. Guest message templates has one ready to copy.
- Offer late check-out only when you can. If no one arrives that day, say yes. If someone does, say no, kindly.
- Start where they are not. If they are packing in the bedroom, your cleaner can start on the kitchen with their agreement.
- Look after the next guest. If they arrive early, offer a place to leave their bags.
On Cabans, the guest taps “I am leaving” and you get an email. If they forget, you can still press “Confirm check-out” once they have gone. Their door code stops showing when you confirm the check-out, and never later than 2 hours after the check-out time. If nobody confirms, the stay completes itself 2 days after the check-out date, but confirm it yourself so you can deal with the deposit. How to confirm check-out and add condition photos shows each step.
Condition photos
Photos are your record of how the home looked. Take them the same way every time, from the same angles, so before and after are easy to compare.
- Take a set when the home is ready, before the guest arrives.
- Take another set as soon as the guest leaves.
- Take close-ups of anything damaged or missing.
- Check the date and time on each photo.
- Keep them until any question about the deposit is settled.
Photos turn “I think it was fine” into proof. They protect a good guest as much as they protect you.
On Cabans, add check-in photos with “Add check-in photos” any time from confirmation until check-out. When you press “Confirm check-out”, you can add up to 10 condition photos, 10 MB each, kept privately with the booking. If something was damaged, raise a dispute about the caution deposit with those photos. Nothing is kept until the Cabans team decides. See how caution deposit protection works.
A buffer night on busy weeks
On a busy week, back-to-back guests leave no room for trouble. One broken air conditioner or one late leaver can spoil the next check-in.
Keep a night free between bookings when:
- a long stay is ending, because the home needs a deeper clean;
- a big group is arriving or leaving;
- it is December or a holiday weekend, and everything takes longer;
- a repair is due, such as servicing the generator or air conditioners;
- it is time for your monthly deep clean.
The cost is one empty night. Compare it with a bad first impression and a guest asking for money back.
Same-day turnovers in December
December is hard on turnovers. Homes are full, cleaners are in demand, and traffic makes everyone late. Prepare in November:
- Book your cleaners for every change-over day, and agree a backup.
- Buy an extra set of linen and towels for each bed.
- Double your stock of toiletries, water and cleaning supplies.
- Service the generator and air conditioners before the rush, not during it.
- Pay your cleaners on time. In the busiest weeks, good cleaners choose who they work for.
On Cabans, close the night in your calendar with “Block Dates”, give a reason such as “Maintenance”, then press “Review and save calendar”. Guests see it as “Closed”, and the reason stays private. You cannot block nights that are already booked. A “Minimum stay (nights)” of 2 also means fewer turnovers, but it applies to the whole listing, all year. How to open, close and block dates explains the calendar.
Your turnover team
Doing every turnover alone is hard. Set your team up well:
- Pay per turnover, and agree the price for a deep clean separately.
- Give each cleaner the checklist and ask for the “ready” photos when they finish.
- Keep a stock list of linen, toiletries and cleaning supplies, and refill it weekly.
- Change codes when a team member leaves.
- Have a backup cleaner for days when your usual one is ill.
Charging guests for cleaning? Some hosts charge a fixed cleaning fee per stay. Put it in your listing so guests see it before they book.
On Cabans, add your caretaker or manager to your store under “Roles & Permissions”. Give them a role that can process bookings, and they can confirm check-outs and add condition photos. Manage your shortlet bookings with your team shows how it fits together.
Deciding on a cleaning fee? Should you charge a cleaning fee? weighs it up, and the first booking checklist covers the rest of your set-up.
Ready for your next guest? Take bookings online with your times, calendar and team in one place, or list your shortlet first.
See how other hosts present their homes: browse shortlets in Lekki, Victoria Island or the short let pages for your city.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a shortlet turnover take?
It depends on the size of the home and how it was left. Time your first few turnovers and plan from there. With check-out by 11:00 and check-in from 14:00, you have 3 hours.
What is a same-day turnover?
One guest leaves and the next arrives on the same day. It fills more nights, but it leaves little room for problems such as a late leaver or a broken air conditioner.
Should I allow late check-out?
Only when no one arrives that day, or when you have time to spare. Agree it in writing the day before, so there is no confusion.
How many sets of linen do I need?
At least two sets of bed linen and towels per bed. Three is better if guests often arrive on the day the last one leaves.
Should I take photos after every guest?
Yes. Photograph the same rooms from the same angles before and after each stay. They are your proof if there is damage.
Can I keep a night free between bookings?
Yes. Close the night in your calendar before a guest books it. It gives you time for a deep clean or a repair.
What happens if I forget to confirm the check-out?
On Cabans, the stay completes itself 2 days after the check-out date. It is better to press “Confirm check-out” yourself, with your condition photos, so you can deal with the caution deposit.
Related guides
Cleaning checklist · Check-in and check-out times · Check-in instructions template · House rules template · Shortlet security · Cleaning fee · Early check-in and late check-out
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