Put yourself in the shoes of a prospective Member. You’re taking a leap of faith on PadSplit. You found a great property listing with incredible photos, click “book”, and start preparing for your move-in day.
Move-in Day rolls around, and you walk into a kitchen with a sink full of dirty dishes and overflowing trash cans. Would you stay? PadSplit Members often choose to use their free transfer to find a new, cleaner PadSplit property.
Lack of cleanliness is one of the main reasons for poor move-in experiences, leading to early move-outs and less revenue for PadSplit Hosts. The lack of cleanliness doesn’t just affect move-ins; it also impacts the entire atmosphere of the house. As the atmosphere in the home degrades, the house requires more maintenance, and the relationship between PadSplit Members can become more tenuous.
Cleanliness doesn’t have to be a lost cause at your co-living property! Here are six ways to encourage cleanliness.
6 Ways to Encourage Cleanliness in Co-Living Properties
Hang cleaning posters
After experimenting with different tools and product features, we’ve realized that hanging good old-fashioned posters in PadSplit properties is a cheap, easy, and efficient method to promote cleanliness and protect your property. We recommend laminating posters for durability. PadSplit Hosts can download and print all the recommended posters in PDF format from this folder. Here’s a breakdown of signs and their recommended homes:
Kitchen
- Membership Rules
- Recommended printing size: 11” x 17”
- Recommended display location: On the side of the refrigerator, fridge door, or a wall in the central part of the kitchen
- “Bugs Will Infest the Kitchen”
- Recommended printing size:8.5” x 11″
- Recommended display location: Above or near sink/stove
- “Moldy food will contaminate fridge”
- Recommended printing size: 8.5” x 11″
- Recommended display location: Front of the refrigerator
Dining Rooms/Hallways
- No Smoking Policy
- Recommended printing size: 8.5” x 11″
- Recommended display location: Up to Hosts’ discretion
- Need Help / Member Support
- Recommended printing size: 8.5” x 11″
- Recommended display location: Up to Hosts’ discretion
Bathrooms
- “Sensitive Pipes: Only Flush Toilet Paper”
- Recommended printing size: 8.5” x 11″
- Recommended display location: Above or near each toilet
Front Door
- Strangers / Don’t Allow Random People in House
- Recommended printing size: 8.5” x 11″
- Recommended display location: On the inside of the front door
Label shelves in fridge and cabinets
Labeling shelves in fridges and cabinets with room numbers could help to reduce Member-to-Member conflict caused by a lack of boundaries. It will help reduce friction and encourage cleanliness. On top of that, it will make it easier for “room turns” because Hosts and property managers will know which food should be discarded from fridges and cabinets after a Member moves out.
Provide cleaning supplies
PadSplit requires all new property listings to come with cleaning supplies before activation. Though it is not required, we highly recommend PadSplit Hosts continue to re-stock these items as Members move in and out. It removes a barrier to cleaning and will establish a safe and clean home as it encourages Members to maintain the house on their own.
Schedule a monthly cleaning service
Although PadSplit Members are primarily responsible for keeping their property clean, we’ve heard positive feedback from multiple Hosts who hire a monthly cleaning service for common areas, vacant rooms, fridges, and bathrooms. These Hosts build the monthly cleaning fee into their weekly room rate just like utilities and advertise the perk in their property listing.
Conduct bi-weekly quality assurance inspections
We suggest all PadSplit Hosts or property managers conduct bi-weekly quality assurance walkthroughs to ensure the PadSplit is in good working order for current and future Members. This is an opportunity to protect your investment and ensure that the property operates efficiently and effectively. It helps keep the PadSplit clean and in working order for new Members moving in. In addition, it establishes a connection with current Members and allows you to find and address any problems before they become more significant issues.
If you notice a lack of cleanliness during one of the walkthroughs, we recommend sending a notification to all PadSplit Members. Feel free to use this text as a guide:
“It has been brought to my attention that several members of this household continue to violate the PadSplit membership rules regarding the cleanliness of the common spaces. Please be mindful that you are in a shared living space and that all Members are responsible for the home’s cleanliness. Each Member must clean the common spaces such as the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, etc. General messiness in common areas is a violation of your Padsplit Membership Agreement. Members keep the property clean, inside and out, at all times (zero trash, clean bathrooms, and kitchen after use). Common areas must be kept free of trash and personal belongings, sinks must be kept clean and clear of items, and countertops, tables, and small appliances must be wiped down. Any Member found violating this policy will have their keys removed from their account, leading to Membership termination. Please assist me in keeping your PadSplit property clean so that we may continue to offer affordable housing to our community. Best, – Host Name”
Keep cleanliness in mind during the renovation
Creating a clean co-living environment starts at the renovation part of your PadSplit journey. We see PadSplit Hosts make a common renovation mistake: choosing low-quality materials for high-use rooms. Choose high-quality materials for the common areas of your PadSplit home. For example, replacing existing tile countertops with granite countertops will help optimize for ease of cleaning and operational efficiency. Hard surfaces that withstand cleaning chemicals are best. While more expensive upfront, Granite countertops are far more durable than laminate or tile.
Final Thoughts
Even if you’ve been having cleanliness problems with your current PadSplit, you can start setting a cleanliness standard by implementing one or all of these tips.
