Hosting an Airbnb or holiday let in Bath, Bristol and the surrounding area is a great way to earn extra cash. But glowing five-star reviews can quickly turn into refund requests when guests are faced with drainage emergencies.

A blocked loo, foul-smelling sink or leaking pipe can turn a relaxing break into a major inconvenience for your guests. For you, it will wreck your reviews and could lead to cancellations and loss of income.

In this post, we’ll share some simple steps to prevent plumbing problems and drainage disasters, look at what to do when your guests trigger a drain emergency, and see how regular maintenance can save you from unexpected rental drainage disasters.

Short-stay guests can put a heavy strain on drains. High seasonal use, frequent changeovers and guests who don’t know the system can all impact your drainage.

Add in properties that sit empty between stays and guests who may assume, ‘it’ll be fine if I put this down the drain/toilet – I won’t be here when it causes a problem’, and you have the perfect recipe for blockages, bad smells and last-minute emergencies.

Common issues for Airbnb and holiday lets include:

• Blocked toilets from ‘flushable’ wipes and sanitary products
• Kitchen sinks choked with fats, oils and food scraps
• Hair-clogged showers and slow-draining baths
• Bad smells that put off the next guests before they’ve even unpacked.

Fortunately, good preparation, clear house rules and a simple maintenance routine can dramatically reduce your risk of an emergency drainage callout.

Pre-Guest Preparation

A little preparation can make all the difference. Run a quick drain ‘MOT’ as part of your changeover routine and before busy periods like summer or school holidays.

This could include:

• Run taps in sinks and basins to make sure the water flows away freely
• Flush every toilet and watch how quickly the water drops
• Test all showers and baths, looking for slow drainage or rising water in shower trays
• Take a quick walk around the outside of the property, making sure that gullies and drain covers are clear of leaves, mud and litter.

Adding small, thoughtful touches helps too, including:

• Fit hair strainers in showers and baths
• Leave a plunger under the kitchen sink or in a utility cupboard
• Make sure outside access points are visible and not buried under gravel, decking or pots.

House Rules

While you can’t stand over guests and police what they flush away, you can make it easy for them to do the right thing. Clear, friendly information works better than long lists of stern warnings.  

In bathrooms, add a short, polite note by each toilet asking that only toilet paper is thrown down the loo. Make sure you provide a small bin and bin liners for wipes, cotton pads, sanitary products, etc.

In kitchens, ask guests not to pour fats, oils or large food scraps down the sink; suggest scraping plates into the bin or food caddy. Remind them to use strainers over the sink plugs.

In your guest guidebook, include a short plumbing and drain section repeating these key points in a friendly tone, and leave clear instructions for reporting any problems early.

When a Guest Reports a Problem Mid-Stay

Even with the best prep, things can still go wrong. So you need to have a plan of action to deal with any drainage disasters quickly and with the minimum of fuss.

When a guest reports a problem:

• Ask them to stop using the affected sink/toilet/shower straightaway.
• If it’s safe, guide them to an isolation valve or the main stop tap to prevent further flooding.
• Have a reliable, emergency drainage company, like Mega-Rod, on speed dial for 24/7 emergencies.
• Be honest with your guests about how long any problem will take to fix.
• Take photos or videos of any damage for insurance claims or future maintenance tracking.

Build Regular Maintenance into Your Schedule

Airbnbs and holidays lets need a bit more TLC than a typical family home. A straightforward maintenance plan makes the busy season much smoother.

As a general rule of thumb:

• Arrange for a professional drain clean at least once a year.
• Consider more frequent checks if you have older pipework, lots of trees nearby or a history of recurring blockages.
• Book a CCTV drain survey now and again to spot cracks, displaced joints or root ingress before they turn into peak-season disasters.

Sensible drain care protects your property, your reputation and keeps those five-star reviews flowing. For tailored advice for your holiday let, a pre-season check, regular maintenance, or someone reliable to call in an emergency, speak to Mega-Rod today.