Your Essential Vacation Rental Checkout List

Here’s an important tip: Vacation rental owners love sloppy renters.

Why? because of the extra add-on fees they can charge. Many vacation rental hosts provide checkout instructions, which are crucial steps. What they don’t mention is that following those steps could save you hundreds of dollars in unexpected fees. 

The key to protecting yourself starts the moment you arrive and continues right up until you hand over the keys. Savvy travelers know documentation is their best defense against unfair damage claims or missing item charges. 

Keep the kids and dogs out when you first enter your vacation rental. Walk through the entire property with your phone camera, filming the condition of each room and noting any existing damage, wear, or missing items. This initial documentation becomes invaluable evidence if disputes arise later, proving what condition you found the property in versus how you left it.

What follows is your vacation rental departure checklist.

The Day Before Your Departure

Don’t wait until checkout morning to figure out what your host expects. Sometime the day before you leave, pull up your rental confirmation email and any messages from your host – this is where you’ll find the specific checkout instructions that could save you from surprise fees or disputes.

Vacation rental checkout requirements aren’t one-size-fits-all. 

Some hosts want you to strip beds and start the washing machine, while others prefer you leave everything untouched. Some require dishes to be washed and put away, while others just want them loaded in the dishwasher. 

The checkout details are usually buried in:

• Your original booking confirmation email
• Follow-up messages from the host
• The property listing on Airbnb, VRBO, or other platforms
• A physical binder or posted instructions inside the rental

Pro tip: Sometimes the instructions for the same property vary from document to document, so it’s a good idea to look at all of them!

Look specifically for requirements about cleaning, trash disposal, key return, and any items you’re responsible for resetting (like thermostats or security systems). Screenshot or write down the essentials – you don’t want to scramble through emails while trying to pack.

The Night Before Your Departure

Confirm the checkout time so you get up on time and have enough leeway to do your walkthrough, cleaning tasks, and packing. Typically, it’s between 10 and 11 am, and your rental agreement will have that information.

Finally, the night before, gather all the items that belong with the rental – they quickly get spread out!

Collect keys, garage door remotes, parking passes, pool gate keys, or any other items the host provided. Check common spots where these items migrate: kitchen counters, nightstands, car cup holders, and jacket pockets. Missing a $5 garage remote could cost you a $50 replacement fee.

Your Room-by-Room Walkthrough

This isn’t about deep cleaning – it’s about protecting yourself from unfair damage claims and ensuring you haven’t missed anything that could cost you later.

Pro tip: Start by watching your entry video so you remember what was broken or damaged before you arrived, then work systematically through each space with your phone camera ready.

Kitchen: Your Highest-Risk Area

The kitchen generates more damage disputes than any other room. Start here while you have the most energy and attention:

• Check appliances for new damage before you clean them. Look for scratches on the stovetop, dents in the microwave, or chips in the coffee maker. Take photos of anything questionable.
• Clean only what’s required per your checkout instructions, and photograph the condition after. Some hosts require spotless ovens; others just want dishes done.
• Check for missing items, such as dish towels, pot holders, or specialty cookware, that you may have moved to other rooms.
• Take a quick video of the room, noting any previous damage as you go and zooming in on any areas of concern.

Bathrooms: Focus on Water

Water damage claims can be costly and hard to dispute after you’ve left:

• Dry off any areas that are wet after your morning showers, including the floors, mirrors, and window sills.
• Pile all the used towels, washcloths and floor mats in the center of the room – this makes it easy for the cleaning people to pick them up for washing.
• Take a quick video of the room, noting any previous damage as you go and zooming in on any areas of concern.

Bedrooms: Protect Against Linen Claims

• Strip beds if required by your checkout instructions.
• Use the photos you took upon arrival to return furniture to its original position. Be careful! Moving furniture can scratch hardwood floors.
• Fold the luggage rack and return it to the closet.
• Check closets and drawers one final time – forgotten items often hide in bedroom storage.
• Take a quick video of the room, noting any previous damage as you go and zooming in on any areas of concern.

Living Areas: The Details That Cost You

• Return all furniture to its original arrangement. That coffee table you moved for more space? Put it back exactly where you found it. Again, be careful not to damage the floors or rugs accidentally.
• Check cushions and upholstery for new stains, tears, or excessive wear that could be attributed to your stay.
• Test remote controls and return them to their designated spots. Missing or broken remotes are surprisingly common post-stay charges.
• Take a quick video of the room, noting any previous damage as you go and zooming in on any areas of concern.

Outdoor Spaces: Weather and Security Concerns

• Secure all patio furniture according to local weather conditions. Unsecured items that blow away or cause damage could become your liability.
• Check the proper shutdown procedures outlined in your rental agreement for hot tubs, grills, pools, or fire pits and complete those procedures.
• If you brought a pet, be sure to patrol the yard and pick up and dispose of any poop.
• Document the condition of outdoor equipment like grills, umbrellas, or sports equipment you may have used.
• Take a quick video of the area, noting any previous damage as you go and zooming in on any areas of concern.

Before You Hand Over the Keys

These final steps protect you from disputes and ensure you haven’t left anything behind that could complicate your departure or cost you money later.

• Secure all windows and doors – unlocked entries could make you liable for theft or weather damage.
• Turn off all lights and adjust the thermostat to the temperature specified in your checkout instructions
• Check that ceiling fans, TVs, and other electronics are turned off.
• Leave keys, remotes, and parking passes exactly where instructed – usually a lockbox, key hook, or specific counter location.
• Send a departure message to your host with a timestamp confirming you’ve checked out and followed all instructions.

Pro tip: Don’t delete those photos or messages until you’re certain there won’t be any disputes. Most platforms give hosts a limited window to file damage claims, but keeping your evidence for 30-60 days after checkout gives you peace of mind and protection if issues arise later.