The list that starts in October
By the end of the season, your team has a mental list for every property: repaint the kitchen, replace the sofa, fix the gutter, service the log burner, deep clean the carpets, replace the worn mattress guests mentioned. Some are in the maintenance log, some in reviews, some in emails from cleaners, some in someone's head.
In November you start getting quotes. Owners take weeks to reply. Contractors book in for January, then slip. Easter arrives with a property still half-painted and guests booked.
Why winter works overrun
Off-season works are a small project per property, multiplied across a portfolio, with each dependent on an owner's decision and a contractor's availability. Without a single list per property, jobs are forgotten until they come up again in a review.
Holiday lets also have winter bookings, so the gaps available for works are not as wide as they look. Works scheduled without checking the calendar clash with Christmas, New Year and half-term stays.
What overruns cost
Blocking dates for works that overrun means cancelling or moving guests, which hurts reviews and owner income. Jobs that never happen show up again in reviews next season. Owners who approve late feel their property was neglected. And your team spends the spring firefighting rather than preparing for the season.
The off-season planner we build
We build a planner that turns scattered notes into a scheduled programme per property.
- Job collection: jobs are gathered through the season from maintenance reports, cleaners' notes, review themes and owner requests, and stored against each property as winter works.
- Property plans: at the end of the season, each property has a list of works with priority, rough scope and the trade needed.
- Quotes and approval: quotes are requested from your contractors, and owners receive a single link to approve, decline or discuss each item, with photos and quotes attached.
- Scheduling: approved works are scheduled into real gaps in the booking calendar, with dates blocked across all channels once confirmed.
- Progress: contractors mark works done with photos, and your team sees which properties are on track, at risk or overrunning.
- Ready check: before each property's first spring booking, a ready check confirms works are complete and the property has had a deep clean.
| Stage | Owner sees | Your team sees |
|---|---|---|
| Job list | Proposed works with reasons | All jobs per property |
| Quotes | Quote and photos for each item | Quotes outstanding |
| Approval | Approve or decline per item | Approved programme |
| Works | Progress with photos | On track or at risk |
After the change
Every property enters winter with a clear list of works. Owners approve quickly because they see what, why and how much in one place. Works fit around winter bookings rather than cutting into them. And properties are ready for spring, with reviews less likely to mention the same problem as last year.
The same history helps with owner conversations about bigger investments, such as a new kitchen or a hot tub, because you can show what guests said and what has already been spent.
Is this your winter?
- Winter works lists are scattered across notes and emails.
- Owners take weeks to approve quotes.
- Works have overrun into spring bookings.
- Jobs mentioned in reviews are forgotten until next season.
- Works are scheduled without checking winter bookings.