The brief is different from a long let
In a twelve-month tenancy, a floor takes gradual wear from one household. In a short let, it takes suitcase wheels, unfamiliar guests, frequent deep cleaning and turnover teams working at speed. The failure modes are chips at door thresholds, water damage in bathrooms and kitchens, and joints that lift from repeated wet mopping.
What we specify
Bonded LVT is the default recommendation, from £42/m². It is fully water-tolerant, survives aggressive cleaning, photographs beautifully in wood and stone effects, and any damaged plank can be swapped between guests without closing the property. Where the property is at a higher price point and the wood finish is part of the appeal, a brushed matt engineered oak works, on the understanding that it will need a re-finish sooner than in a family home.
- Bonded LVT: cleanable, waterproof, plank-level repairs between bookings
- Keep 5% spare material on site for immediate swaps
- Avoid oiled finishes — they need care that cleaning teams will not give them
Photography and listing performance
Light, warm-toned wide planks make small rooms look larger and photograph far better than dark or grey-toned floors, which read cold and cramped in wide-angle listing shots. Running one continuous floor through the living space without threshold strips has a disproportionate effect on how a photograph reads.
Noise between units
Complaints from neighbours below are the most common way a short let gets into trouble. If the property is a flat, check the lease for an impact sound requirement and specify a dense acoustic underlay or a bonded installation with an acoustic membrane. Get the certificate from the manufacturer and keep it on file — managing agents ask.
Speed of repair matters more than durability
A floor that lasts eight years but takes three days to repair costs you more in blocked bookings than one that lasts six and repairs in an hour. That single calculation is why we recommend modular, bonded LVT over sheet or laminate in almost every short let we quote.
Fitting around bookings
We work to fixed dates and can fit a two-bedroom flat in one to two days once the subfloor is prepared, so a mid-week gap in the calendar is usually enough. Tell us the check-in time and we will work to it.