Hosting at Your Rental Amid COVID-19 this Holiday Season

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We by no means encourage hosting anyone for the holidays this year. This blog is meant to offer suggest ways to stay safe and healthy this holiday season amid what appears to be a third wave of COVID-19.

Maybe you have family coming into town or maybe you’re the family going to visit for the Holidays.

Keep your family safe and healthy with this guide. We’re thinking outside the box for you so you can think about what really matters, the food and the beverages.

If the host lives in a rental property, here are some items to think about before setting up the pull-out couch.

Check the lease for what it says about guests.

Do you have to get permission from the landlord for the stay? Check the lease rules for minimums and maximums for how long someone can stay at the property.

This is important to make sure you are not in breach of your contract. It’s likely your landlord just wants to know who is in the house at what time. They’ll typically be understanding that it’s the holidays that guests are a normal part of that.

Keep the guest list small.

Health officials in Washington are suggesting you keep the gatherings to less than 5 people. If family are coming in from out of state, they will likely have to quarantine for 14 days, but before you meet up with anyone you haven’t seen in a while, be sure everyone is taking those 2 weeks to make sure they’re not sick. Of course, the best option is to stick to your COVID “Pod” this year.

Connect with vulnerable family and friends virtually by adding a tripod with a video call for those who can’t make it. Swap food or recipes so you can eat the same meal together, or order takeout from the same place.

Get the property in shape for guests.

Don’t forget to handle anything that’s the tenant’s responsibility for keeping the property in good condition & most importantly, safe.

Things like cleaning up the moss and de-icing the walkways will keep you and your guests safe, especially if they’re walking up with luggage or worse – their famous casserole.

If there is something you notice that is the landlord’s responsibility, give them time to fix it before your guests arrive. Recently, finding handymen has been harder than normal, and the ones that are still working are booked far out, so allowing that extra time is more important than ever.

Check that the oven is working properly, that your dryer is drying, and that your heat is on. Don’t forget the fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

Clean and disinfect.

Replace your furnace filter and your air purifier filter, make sure to vacuum corners and get all the cobwebs. It’s still allergy season, and no one needs an extra running nose with a pandemic looming over us.

Bleach your towels and bed sheets, stock up on laundry detergent for all the laundry loads and clean the carpets with a pet enzyme to clear it out of any pests and dander.

Then tackle the fridge to make room for leftovers and wipe out that oven to avoid smoke and fire.

Finally, disinfect high traffic touch points, like door handles and door trim. Place hand sanitizer in strategic spots, like by the front door. Consider putting up a poem or something to read for 40 seconds in your bathroom to encourage good handwashing.

The Seattle Times has a great article about How to Have a Safer Thanksgiving in the Time of COVID-19 if you’re looking for more tips on holiday gatherings and food this year.