During peak season, arrivals follow one another and there is no room left in the calendar for an unplanned closure. It is also when luggage and shopping move around the most. The off-season is the right time to look at the property with fresh eyes.
Rather than a room-by-room list, this guide starts from the pests themselves: how each one arrives, where it settles, what blocks its way. It works for a city studio as well as a house let for the summer, and follows the logic of the Sentinel Protocol: inspect, sanitise, then follow up.
The bed bug: it arrives in luggage
It comes neither from the walls nor from dirt: it travels in suitcases, bags and sometimes second-hand furniture. You can't stop it arriving, but you can stop it settling in unnoticed.
- Check that the mattress and base covers are intact, with no tears or damaged zips.
- Choose a headboard fixed to the frame rather than the wall, with no buttoned upholstery.
- Place a metal luggage rack well away from the bed.
- Wash curtains, throws and cushions at 60 °C before the season, and keep them to a minimum.
- Never bring in second-hand upholstered furniture without inspecting it first.
The cockroach: it follows the pipes
The German cockroach seeks warmth and moisture. In a block of flats, it moves from one home to the next along water risers and ducts, and settles behind appliances that give off heat.
Seal the gaps around pipes under the sink and behind the toilet, fix the smallest leak and clean behind the fridge, oven and dishwasher. If you see cockroaches in the common areas, tell the managing agent (the French syndic): without collective action, the problem will come back.
Mice and rats: they use every gap
A mouse gets through a slit of around 6 mm; a young rat needs an opening of about 2 cm. They come in through pipe passages, under doors, and through cellar or courtyard vents.
Fill holes with steel wool and then sealant, fit a brush strip if light shows under the front door, and put mesh over vents opening to the outside. While you're at it, look for signs of past activity: small droppings, gnawed packaging or insulation, greasy marks along the walls.
Ants and pantry moths: they follow the food
Food left behind by guests is the main source of trouble in the kitchen. Empty the cupboards before the season, throw away opened packets and store what you provide (coffee, tea, sugar, spices) in airtight boxes.
A bin with a lid and a clear instruction to empty it on departure prevent many visits. Ants, for their part, often give away an entry point near a window or skirting board: follow their trail and seal it.
The welcome book and the property log
Two documents carry the audit through the whole season. In the welcome book, add two discreet lines: put suitcases on the rack provided, and report any insect seen straight away. Guests who feel invited to tell you do so sooner, and through the messaging rather than in a review.
In the property log, add a "pests" line to fill in at every clean, and note where a few glue monitoring traps, without insecticide, sit under the sink, behind the fridge and near the bed. Checked at every changeover, they provide active vigilance and give the technician a valuable history if a problem arises.
The pre-season audit in 5 stages
About half a day for a one-bedroom flat, empty and well lit.
- 1
Move 1
Walk round with a torch
Room by room, mark on a plan any signs of activity and possible ways in.
- 2
Move 2
Cut off the routes
Steel wool and sealant around pipes, door brush strips, vent grilles.
- 3
Move 3
Prepare the bedroom
Covers checked, luggage rack away from the bed, textiles washed at 60 °C.
- 4
Move 4
Sanitise the kitchen
Cupboards emptied, food in airtight boxes, leaks fixed, behind appliances cleaned.
- 5
Move 5
Set up monitoring
Monitoring traps placed, welcome book updated, "pests" line added to the log.
The tick list
Pre-season auditTick on screen or print the page: the list fits on a single sheet.
Your questions
Should I have a preventive insecticide sprayed before the season?
No. With no pest to target, a chemical treatment achieves nothing and encourages resistance. Prevention comes from proofing, fewer hiding places and early detection.
The audit reveals old mouse droppings: what now?
Have someone check whether there is current activity before you open the calendar. It is the best time to carry out rodent control and seal the entry points: no booking is at stake yet.
Are ultrasonic repellers worth it?
Their long-term effectiveness has not been demonstrated, against rodents or insects. That budget is better spent on sealing gaps and on monitoring traps.
Should the audit be repeated every year?
Yes, once before the busiest period, and after every incident. The checks carried out at each clean take over the rest of the time.
Spotted a sign at the last clean?
Close the next few nights and book an inspection in a 2-hour slot: the photo report helps you decide on the day whether to treat or reopen.
