Standard Inventory - Furnishings Property Owners Should Include

Guests choose furnished apartments and holiday homes for several reasons. Perhaps the most important reason guests choose this type of accommodation is for the typically wide range of domestic facilities and features included. It means the guest is able to carry on their usual domestic routines and really enjoy the accommodation.

As a property manager or holiday home owner, providing a comprehensive inventory is not only good for ensuring happy customers and repeat business but it also makes financial and safety sense.

For example, providing an ironing board ensures that clients don’t iron clothes on the dining table using a bath towel underneath. Similarly providing plastic storage containers will ensure that crockery or pots are not placed in the freezer.

Rent-A-Home provides a suggested standard inventory which we recommend as the minimum inventory of furnishings for corporate accommodation and for holiday rentals. Property managers may find the appropriate inventory may vary for a unique holiday rental property or luxury city apartment and property managers should use their discretion and judgement to provide appropriate inventory.

Tips for maintaining your inventory of furnishings and ensuring longevity and reduced risk of damage or injury include among other things:

-         regular cleaning
-         regular maintenance
-         protective covers or dust protectors
-         instructions for usage
-         insurance for valuable or sentimental items
-         record of inventory in a welcome/arrival folder 

Suggested Standard Inventory for a Furnished Property.

Lounge/ living room

-          Television – at least 51 cm diameter screen. 
-          Lounge suite – 3 seat sofa and sofa beds preferred
-          Side table and lamps
-          Stereo/ music player
-          VCR, Cable TV (e)
-          DVD (e)
-          Computer/ Internet facility (e)
-          Display cabinet
-          Coffee table
-          Prints / Art work 

Dining Room

-          Dining table
-          Dining chairs 
-          Side board/ Servery (e)
-          Place Mats
-          Prints / Art work 

Kitchen

-          Set of pots and pans, plus wok and oven baking dish
-          Crockery: plates, bowls, side plates, cups/mugs* Super strong non chip
-          Glassware: drinking glasses; wine glasses
-          Cutlery: knives, forks, spoons, teaspoons* 
-          Utensils: Chef knife set, spatula, tongs, wooden spoons, bottle opener, can opener, potato peeler
-          Electricals: refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, toaster, kettle 
-          Serving dishes oven proof and suitable for the table
-          Salad bowls or mixing bowls
-          Chopping board (wooden or plastic), colander, baking trays
-          Storage containers e.g. Tupperware 
-          Tea pot/ pouring jugs, coffee plunger
-          Linen: tea towels, cleaning cloths and sponges
-          Bin – foot pedal operated
-          Wine glasses, champagne glasses, vase, decanter, ice bucket (e)
-          Full dinner setting (e)
-          Vase x 2
-          Fruit Bowl
-          Salt & Pepper Shaker
-          Serving Platter
-          Superior electrical equipment for luxury homes: bread maker, pressure cooker, jaffle maker, coffee percolator, electric fry pan (e) 

Bedroom

-          Bed mattress with ensemble mattress or base
-          Two pillows for each sleeping space (ie Queen size bed 4 pillows)
-          Mattress protector and pillow protector
-          Linen: fitted sheet, flat sheet, quilt/ doona cover, additional pillow cases and blankets
-          Bedside table and bedside lamp
-          Alarm clock (in main bedroom)
-          Clothes drawers
-          Clothes hanging space
-          Waste paper bins
-          Prints / Art work

Bathroom

-          Shower and or bath
-          Vanity unit /sink
-          Linen provided by commercial linen service: towels, bathmat, hand towels, face towels*
-          Waste paper bins
 
Laundry and Other Items

-          Iron
-          Ironing Board
-          Vacuum
-          Mop
-          Bucket
-          Dust pan
-          Telephone handset and prefer line available (local call connection available) – Protel or other service
-          Ashtray 
-          Extension cord
-          International plug adaptor
-          Small toolbox containing at least: screwdriver set (essential)
 
Notes:

-         * denotes one must be available for each occupant
-         all items must be in good condition and in working order
-         e denotes executive standard properties