For items left after checkout, give the turnover provider a simple discovery-and-handoff instruction: report where the item was found, use the agreed temporary holding place when appropriate, and contact the host. Keep ownership, guest communication, shipping, and disposal decisions with an authorized host rather than folding them into the cleaning checklist.
That’s the turnover in one piece. If you’d rather the calendar took care of itself between guests, tell us the unit and your checkout window and we’ll send a price per turnover.
Record a location without exposing private details
Ask for an item description and its location within the property, using enough detail to distinguish it without opening or searching it. A closed pouch under the bedside table can be reported as exactly that. Do not request photographs of identity documents, readable prescription labels, private messages, or the contents of a personal device as routine turnover proof. If a picture is necessary, agree on the minimum useful view and keep it in the designated host communication channel. A found item does not need to appear in the next guest's room photographs or a general property album. The immediate goal is to let the host act, not to establish a public record of someone's possessions.
Use a holding instruction with a named recipient
If handling the item is appropriate and included in the agreement, identify a specific holding location away from the next guest's supplies. Label the handoff record with the property, discovery date, description, and the host contact responsible for follow-up. Do not ask a cleaner to keep a guest's belongings at home or carry them through other properties as an informal favor. If the item is unsafe, unknown, leaking, sharp, or otherwise unsuitable for ordinary handling, ask for a report from a safe distance and arrange appropriate assistance. A general found-item box is not an instruction to handle every object. Leave enough flexibility for the provider to stop and seek direction.
Close custody separately from the clean
The host should decide how to contact the former guest and what return arrangement is available. Do not ask the turnover provider to determine who is entitled to the item, promise shipment, or accept an unverified caller's pickup instruction. When an authorized person takes custody, record the recipient and the transfer in the host's log. Keep the cleaning completion status separate: a property may be cleaned while a found-item decision remains open. Conversely, moving a possession into storage does not mean the host's follow-up is finished. Review unresolved entries before the holding area becomes a mixture of guest property, owner spares, and items that somebody assumed could be discarded.
Published scope and the limits of this guide
The published JAS scope says: “Strip & replace all linens” — Read the source service page
Cleaning does not establish ownership, authorize disposal, provide secure storage or shipping, or resolve platform and legal requirements for forgotten belongings.
Related decisions before you schedule
Keep found belongings distinct from damage and missing owner inventory. Report property exceptions
Give the remote host an actionable report and a named recipient. Coordinate from a distance
Place the discovery instruction beside the ordinary room-reset tasks. Define the turnover checklist
Frequently asked questions
Can the cleaner contact the former guest directly?
Keep guest communication with the host unless a separate authorized arrangement exists. The turnover instruction should name the host contact who receives the report and decides how to respond.
Should everything found be photographed?
Use the minimum documentation needed for the host to identify the situation. Avoid opening belongings or exposing personal information. For unsuitable or potentially hazardous items, prioritize reporting without unnecessary handling.
How long should a host keep forgotten belongings?
Check the applicable property rules, platform process, and local requirements with appropriate guidance. This article proposes a handoff record; it does not establish a legal retention period or authorize disposal.