Is short-term or long-term rental gentler on my apartment?

Which type of rental makes most sense for protecting the apartment?

Surprisingly, our data shows that short-term rental causes less wear on the property than long-term rental. This is down to a number of factors.

Read the article for more insight.

Is short-term or long-term rental gentler on wear and tear in my apartment?

As a homeowner or landlord, you often face a strategic choice: should the apartment be let long-term to a permanent tenant, or offered as a short-term home for visitors? Wear and tear is a key parameter in that equation. On the surface, it may seem logical that more changing guests must mean more wear, but the data we at BY Administration have observed from our clients tells a different story. A closer look at how the apartment is actually used in the two scenarios reveals big differences, with a direct impact on maintenance costs and the long-term value of the investment.

Long-term rental: the apartment as a home

In a long-term tenancy, the apartment becomes a full home. It becomes part of the tenant’s daily life, which means intensive and constant use of all facilities.

Floors and high-traffic areas: Flooring in the hallway, kitchen and living room is exposed to daily foot traffic, furniture being moved and (possibly) children playing. Harder surfaces such as wood or tiles can take more, but wear patterns become clear over time.

Kitchen and bathroom: These are by far the most exposed rooms. Cooking happens here every day, with spills, grease and heat. Cupboards, handles and appliances are used intensively. The bathroom can bring damp and limescale, and frequent use of the shower and toilet puts a constant strain on areas the landlord needs to keep an eye on.

“Common areas”: The living room, bedroom and office area are used for many hours a day. Walls can get scuffed or covered in decorations, doors are opened and closed countless times, and windows are used often.

The decisive element in long-term rental is the division of responsibility. The tenant is responsible for day-to-day cleaning and upkeep. Even the most careful tenant can overlook long-term wear, and the quality of cleaning varies greatly. As a landlord, you only get a full picture of the condition at move-out, often months or years apart.

There is, however, the important factor that the landlord requires a deposit before move-in. But when we talk to landlords, we often hear that it is very hard to charge for things that are part of long-term wear, such as the condition of the bathroom, windows and kitchens. Wear on floors and walls is often easier to see, and so, unfortunately, we often find that many landlords are not compensated enough, because you cannot charge the tenant for “general” wear and tear, even though repairing or renovating it costs considerable sums.

Short-term rental: the apartment as a base camp

For the short-stay guest, the apartment mainly works as a base camp, or a comfortable place to relax on a larger scale.

The stay is focused on experiencing the surroundings. The apartment is mainly used for sleeping, getting ready and perhaps a quick breakfast or a light dinner. Intensive daily cooking is rare.

Guests also typically only have hand luggage or a suitcase. They do not “live” in the apartment in the same in-depth way, which means markedly less wear on cupboards, walls and floors in the bedroom and living room than with long-term rental.

The decisive factor, however, is cleaning. After every stay, the apartment gets a structured, professional clean. This is not just a quick pass with the vacuum cleaner. It is a systematic inspection and upkeep: floors are washed, surfaces are descaled, appliances are checked and any damage is documented. This frequent “health check” stops small problems from growing into major damage. As a landlord, you get constant feedback on the state of the apartment.

What the figures show: a question of scale and frequency

When you weigh the two models against each other, it is not only the pattern of use but also how often upkeep happens that matters. Observations from experienced rental managers point to a clear pattern:

In a long-term tenancy, wear builds up gradually and continuously over 6 to 24 months without professional intervention. The total amount of use, and so of wear, is enormous.

With short-term rental, the periods of use are frequently broken up by professional cleaning and upkeep. Each stay causes minimal wear, and this is “reset” between guests. Wear therefore does not build up in the same way; it is more superficial and far easier to control.

Control versus autonomy

The choice between long-term and short-term rental is very much about how much control you want over the condition of your property.

Long-term rental offers stability and less administration, but you accept a higher level of accumulated wear and have fewer chances to step in preventively.

Short-term rental requires more active management, but gives you as the landlord ongoing professional inspection and upkeep, which in many cases can considerably limit overall wear and preserve the condition and value of the apartment over time.

In the end, it is not only about who lives in the apartment, but about how it is looked after while they live there. The frequent professional care in the short-term model often proves to be the gentlest solution for the home itself.