Holiday-let mould: protecting your rental income
Why mould is a business problem in a holiday let
In your own home, mould is a repair. In a holiday let, it's also a guest experience problem. Guests notice a musty smell the moment they open the door, they spot black marks on silicone while they unpack their wash bag, and they mention both in reviews that future guests read. A bedroom you can't let while it's being sorted is a booking you lose, and a last-minute clean between a departure and an arrival puts pressure on everyone involved.
The good news is that most of it can be caught early, as long as the people who see the property between guests know what to look for.
Where guests notice it first
Guests don't inspect walls; they react to what's in front of them. The usual giveaways are:
- a stale or musty smell on arrival, especially in bedrooms and wardrobes;
- dark spots on shower grout, tiles and silicone;
- an air-conditioner that blows musty air when it's first switched on; see why air-conditioning units collect mould;
- spare blankets, pillows and cushions that smell damp;
- marks on curtains and window seals in rooms facing the sea.
A turnover checklist for your cleaner or manager
The person who turns the property over is your early warning system. Ask them to:
Notice the smell before opening the windows, then air every room while they clean. Look behind curtains, along window seals, at the bathroom ceiling and around the shower. Check under sinks for drips or swollen cupboard bases. Glance at the air-conditioner grilles. Open the wardrobes and smell the spare bedding. Make sure towels and linen are completely dry before they're folded away, and that wet beach towels aren't left in a pile. Anything doubtful should be photographed and sent to you straight away, with the room noted.
A short written list on the back of the cleaning cupboard door helps, especially if more than one person does turnovers.
Guest habits and the house rules
Guests behave like guests: long hot showers, wet swimwear on the backs of chairs, the air-conditioner on heat with every window shut on a cool evening. A friendly note in the welcome folder asking them to use the bathroom extractor, hang towels on the outdoor line, and open the windows for a few minutes each morning costs nothing. For properties near the sea, coastal humidity means fabrics and stored linen need extra attention.
The long gaps of the off-season are a separate risk, covered in our guide to closed-up holiday homes.
When your cleaner finds mould mid-season
A small surface patch on paint or tiles can be wiped with a damp cloth and a mould cleaner, with gloves, a mask and the windows open, and left to dry fully before guests arrive. If it comes back by the next turnover, cleaning isn't enough. Owners who live abroad can send photos for a quote, with no visit needed: a specialist prices the job and calls back. Treatment is usually one visit with no building work, which makes it easier to fit between bookings. If you'd rather understand the whole property first, a moisture survey of the let before the season starts covers every affected room and ends with a room-by-room moisture map sent to your phone.
Plans for owners who aren't there
If nobody checks the property between turnovers, a maintenance plan fills the gap. Each visit keeps humidity down and catches regrowth early. Home Protect starts from €45 a month for one visit a month; Plus starts from €79 a month for two visits a month. You can compare both on the price list for plans and treatments.
Protect your rental income — ask about a monthly maintenance plan, book an inspection from €75, or call +357 99 759144.