How to automate your holiday rental maintenance with Smart Home technology
Discover the 6 best Smart Home technologies for automating the maintenance of your holiday rental
April 2025
Smart devices have truly revolutionised the field of home maintenance — and now it’s time to see how they can help you to automate your holiday rental maintenance. These can easily become a holiday home owner’s best friend, cutting down on the time you spend maintaining your property and reducing the chances of problems. Here are some must-have technologies to add to your holiday rental.
The 6 best Smart Home technologies for automatic holiday rental maintenance
1. Smart thermostats
There are two major benefits to installing smart thermostats in your holiday rental. First of all, guests love them. Traditional thermostats can be confusing and hard to use, so when people rent your holiday flat, they may struggle to set a comfortable temperature. Smart thermostats are user-friendly and don’t require a manual or a phone call to figure out.
Beyond that, these thermostats are great for smart home maintenance. A smart thermostat can be controlled from anywhere, even if you’re hundreds of kilometres away from your property. With a few simple remote settings, you can ensure that your holiday home remains at a consistent, stable temperature. This will reduce your bills and also help stop potential maintenance issues that can arise when a temperature keeps rising and falling. Even if it’s the low season and there’s no one around to rent your holiday apartment, a smart thermostat can keep things ticking over comfortably for months.
2. Smart lighting technology
Many landlords don’t think too much about lighting. Yes, you need some nice lights when you’re taking photos to advertise your holiday home, but after that? Well, lighting is actually a crucial part of the guest experience — and it can be hard to get right. A digital nomad may need clear light to get work done, but a couple enjoying a romantic evening might prefer dim lighting. Smart lighting lets guests control the ambience, which really adds to the enjoyment.
Smart lighting is also a great addition if you want to cut down on your smart home holiday rental costs. Motion sensor lights prevent costly bulbs from being left on all day — just make sure they’re installed in places where they won’t negatively affect the guest experience. Remote access to lights also means you can make sure the lights are switched off when you have no guests. For a special welcome, you can switch them back on just before your new guests check in.
3. Automated irrigation systems
Not every holiday home will need an automated irrigation system, but if you have a garden, it’s an excellent choice. You’ll be able to give your plants the water they need from far away — that’s one less thing to worry about. Nowadays, smart irrigation systems can detect when it’s raining and won’t waste water trying to work on an already-wet garden.
Irrigation systems are great when it comes to automatic maintenance for holiday rentals, but there’s one important thing to keep in mind. Tell your guests when the irrigation system will be active — or you might end up ruining their al fresco lunch!
4. Automated safety systems
The question of what needs maintenance in holiday rentals can be hard to answer. There are so many things that often need a helping hand! However, you should always prioritise safety, and that’s where these automated systems really shine.
Water leak detectors are an excellent way to stop the threat of water damage. You’ll need to install more than one. For instance, place an individual detector in every area that might spring a leak, such as under sinks, behind toilets or near appliances. If too much moisture is detected, you’ll get a notification straight to your phone, allowing you to act quickly and stop the problem in its tracks.
Smart smoke detectors are another good option when you want to automate rental maintenance. The best smart detectors will detect both smoke and carbon monoxide, giving instant, real-time alerts in the event of an emergency. Keep in mind that you can’t leave them running forever. Just like a regular smoke detector, they need batteries, so you’ll have to check on them periodically.
5. Smart locks and keyless entry
Most smart devices are for the landlord’s benefit, but this is one system that guests love, so feel free to highlight it on your holiday rental website. A smart locking system means that access to your property is only granted if people have the right code. Not only does it save you time, as you won’t have to handle check-ins in person, but it also helps to keep your property safe and secure.
You can change the code after each set of guests to prevent any unwanted intruders. If you have cleaners or maintenance staff checking on the property, they can have their own separate access code. This also has an extra benefit, as you can see how long they’re in your property rental. This way, you can feel more comfortable knowing they’re doing their job correctly.
Highlight your smart locks in your listing on holiday rental portals, such as Holidu, as it’s an easy way to stand out from the competition. You might also want to mention your other smart home systems in your smart home holiday rental — don’t dwell on them too much, but let conscientious guests know.
6. Noise monitoring devices
Smart noise monitoring devices do exactly what the name sounds like —they alert you to noise disturbances. You can use them both inside and outside your property. If you have a patio or garden, an outdoor noise monitoring device could be a good choice.
These devices are a great way to show your commitment to stopping antisocial behaviour. If your holiday rental is in a residential area, your neighbours will appreciate the installation of one of these devices. A noise monitoring device can also help resolve disputes, keeping them from descending into a “he said, she said” situation.
Bear in mind that if you install noise monitoring devices, you should disclose this to your guests. Let them know that the devices don’t record conversations, but they alert you when noise hits an antisocial level of decibels. Some guests may be put off by the presence of these devices and choose to stay elsewhere. However, this may turn out to be a blessing in disguise — guests who were planning to have parties on your property are likely to think again if faced with a noise monitoring device.
Transforming your holiday property into a smart home holiday rental can certainly save you time and money. By automating your holiday home’s otherwise time-consuming maintenance, your maintenance time will be reduced. Guests will also be safer and more comfortable. If you haven’t installed any smart devices in your rental yet, consider adding some soon as a quick way to upgrade it.