Running a vacation rental in Malta is a business — and like any business, the operational details determine whether it’s profitable or just a headache. Cleaning sits at the centre of that operation: it affects your guest ratings, your MTA compliance, your tax position, and ultimately how much of your rental income you actually keep.

This guide covers the business side of vacation rental cleaning in Malta. Not the room-by-room checklist (we cover that in our short-let cleaning guide) or how to manage your cleaner day-to-day (that’s in the changeover cleaning guide). This is about setting up cleaning as a proper business function: understanding your legal obligations, choosing the right service model, planning your costs, and making cleaning work for your bottom line.

Table of Contents

• What the MTA Expects From Your Property’s Cleanliness
• 4 Types of Vacation Rental Cleaning (And When You Need Each)
• How to Budget for Cleaning as a Business Expense
• Choosing the Right Cleaning Model for Your Hosting Setup
• 5 Costly Mistakes Malta Vacation Rental Owners Make With Cleaning
• Frequently Asked Questions

What the MTA Expects From Your Property’s Cleanliness

If you’re renting a property in Malta for less than 90 days at a time, you need a Holiday Furnished Premises (HFP) licence from the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA). This isn’t optional — operating without one can result in fines ranging from €1,500 to €50,000 depending on the offence, and repeat violations can lead to a ban on letting your property entirely.

The licensing process includes a physical inspection of your property by an MTA representative. They check health and safety compliance, fire precautions, capacity limits, and — critically — the overall standard and condition of the premises. A property that looks neglected, poorly maintained, or unclean will not pass inspection.

What This Means for Your Cleaning Operation

The MTA’s Enforcement Unit conducts ongoing inspections of licensed properties — not just at the application stage. They check a sample of licensed premises regularly to verify that standards are being maintained. If your property fails an inspection, the MTA agrees an improvement plan with timeframes for correction, followed by further inspections to confirm compliance.

In practical terms, this means your cleaning isn’t just about guest satisfaction — it’s a regulatory requirement. Specifically, your property must meet standards for:

• General hygiene and sanitation — all areas clean, no mould, no pest issues
• Working safety equipment — smoke detectors, fire extinguisher, emergency contact information displayed. Your cleaner should verify these exist and function during every turnover
• Property condition — no damage, peeling paint, or maintenance issues that suggest neglect
• Proper furnishing and amenities — clean, functional furniture and appliances meeting the standards for your licence category

Smart owners use their regular turnover cleaning as a built-in compliance check. If your cleaner is trained to flag maintenance issues — a leaking tap, a cracked tile, a non-functioning smoke detector — you catch problems before an MTA inspector does.

Documentation That Protects You

The MTA expects property owners to maintain standards, and the best way to prove you do is documentation. Keep records of:

• Cleaning appointments — dates, times, who cleaned, and what was done. Booking through a platform like Rozie creates this automatically
• Condition photos — timestamped images of your property before each guest check-in
• Maintenance actions — when issues were flagged and when they were resolved
• Guest agreements — written contracts specifying responsibilities and property condition

This documentation also protects you against guest disputes. If a guest claims the property was dirty on arrival, timestamped photos from your cleaner tell the real story.

4 Types of Vacation Rental Cleaning (And When You Need Each)

Not all cleaning is the same, and using the wrong type wastes money or leaves your property below standard. Here’s what each service type actually involves and when it makes sense:

1. Turnover Cleaning (Your Bread and Butter)

This is the standard changeover clean between guests — the one you’ll book most often. It covers sanitising bathrooms, changing linens, cleaning the kitchen, wiping all surfaces, vacuuming and mopping, and resetting the property to your visual standard.

When: Every guest changeover, no exceptions.

Duration: 1.5–2.5 hours for a 1–2 bedroom apartment, 2.5–4 hours for larger properties.

Cost in Malta: €35–€65 for a 1–2 bedroom, €60–€85 for a 3-bedroom. On Rozie, you see the exact price before confirming — add extras like oven, fridge, or window cleaning if needed.

2. Deep Cleaning (Periodic Reset)

Deep cleaning goes beyond the turnover scope: behind and underneath furniture, inside appliances, AC filter cleaning, limescale removal from all fixtures, carpet or upholstery cleaning, and attention to areas that accumulate grime over time.

When: Every 15–20 guest stays, or at minimum once every 2–3 months during active hosting. Also essential before MTA inspections, at the start and end of peak season, and after any renovation work.

Duration: 4–8 hours depending on property size and condition.

Cost in Malta: €80–€150 for a 1–2 bedroom, €150–€250+ for larger properties. Deep cleaning is more expensive because it takes longer and covers areas turnover cleaning doesn’t reach.

3. Mid-Stay Maintenance Cleaning

For longer bookings (7+ days), a light mid-stay clean keeps the property presentable and prevents heavy-duty cleaning at checkout. This typically covers bathroom refresh, kitchen surfaces, floor cleaning, and fresh towels.

When: Once per week during extended stays. Some hosts include this as a complimentary service; others offer it as an optional extra.

Duration: 1–1.5 hours.

Cost in Malta: €25–€45. This is lighter than a full turnover and is priced accordingly.

4. Specialised Cleaning

These address specific needs that fall outside regular turnover or deep cleaning:

• Window cleaning — essential for coastal Malta properties where salt spray builds up fast
• Carpet and upholstery shampooing — typically seasonal, or after a guest incident
• Post-renovation cleaning — removing construction dust and debris before relisting
• End-of-season shutdown — comprehensive clean before closing the property for winter

When: As needed. Window cleaning in coastal areas (Sliema, St Julian’s, Buġibba) may be needed every 3–4 weeks during active hosting.

How to Budget for Cleaning as a Business Expense

Cleaning is one of the largest recurring expenses in vacation rental operations, but it’s also one of the most directly linked to revenue. Cutting corners on cleaning to save €20 per turnover can cost you hundreds in lost bookings from poor reviews. Here’s how to think about cleaning costs as a business decision.

What Cleaning Actually Costs Per Year

Let’s model a realistic scenario for a 1-bedroom apartment in Sliema, hosted year-round:

For context, a well-managed 1-bedroom in a popular Malta location can generate €15,000–€25,000+ in annual rental income. Cleaning costs typically represent 20–30% of gross revenue — a significant line item, but one that directly protects the other 70–80%.

How Cleaning Fees Offset Your Costs

Most Malta hosts charge a cleaning fee on their Airbnb or Booking.com listing, typically €30–€60 for a 1–2 bedroom apartment. At 80 turnovers per year with a €45 cleaning fee, that’s €3,600 in cleaning fee revenue — which nearly covers your turnover cleaning costs entirely.

The key is setting your cleaning fee to reflect your actual costs. Too low and you’re subsidising cleaning from your nightly rate. Too high and guests complain in reviews or book a competitor instead. Look at comparable listings in your area to find the right range.

Cleaning Expenses and Tax

Short-let income in Malta is taxable. The good news: your cleaning costs are a legitimate business expense that reduces your taxable income. This includes cleaner payments, cleaning supplies, linen purchases and replacements, and any platform booking fees.

Keep receipts and records for everything. When you book through a platform like Rozie, your payment history and booking records are stored automatically — which simplifies bookkeeping at tax time. For cash payments to independent cleaners, keep written invoices or receipts.

Malta’s tax treatment for short-let income includes progressive income tax (0–35%) or a 15% flat rate option. Consult a local accountant to determine which option works best for your situation — and make sure your cleaning expenses are properly documented as deductions.

Choosing the Right Cleaning Model for Your Hosting Setup

How you handle cleaning should match your hosting model, property count, and how involved you want to be.

Solo Host, 1–2 Properties, Hands-On

You’re managing the property yourself, handling guest communication, and actively involved in turnovers. Your best approach is an on-demand booking platform for flexibility.

Use Rozie to book verified cleaners as needed — you keep control of scheduling, can add or remove extras per booking, and aren’t locked into a contract. Build a relationship with 1–2 cleaners you trust and book them consistently, using the app as a backup when they’re unavailable.

Monthly cleaning cost estimate: €250–€450 (assuming 6–8 turnovers per month).

Growing Host, 3–5 Properties, Semi-Hands-Off

You’re spending too much time coordinating cleaning across multiple properties. At this stage, you need consistency and time savings more than maximum flexibility.

Consider combining a regular cleaner (booked in advance for predictable turnovers) with an on-demand app for overflow, emergency bookings, and new properties. Create standardised documentation and visual guides so any cleaner can handle any of your properties.

Monthly cleaning cost estimate: €800–€1,500 (assuming 20–35 turnovers per month across all properties).

Property Manager, 5+ Properties, Fully Delegated

At this scale, you likely need a dedicated cleaning company that offers managed services — automated scheduling synced with your property management system, linen logistics, photo inspections, and a single invoice. The cost per clean is higher, but the operational time savings are substantial.

Even at this level, keep Rozie as your backup channel. When your managed provider can’t cover a last-minute turnover (it happens, especially in peak season), having an on-demand option prevents a guest arriving to an uncleaned property.

Monthly cleaning cost estimate: €2,000+ (depending on portfolio size and service level).

5 Costly Mistakes Malta Vacation Rental Owners Make With Cleaning

1. Operating Without an MTA Licence

It’s surprisingly common — especially among foreign owners who assume listing on Airbnb is sufficient. Without a Holiday Furnished Premises licence, you’re operating illegally. Fines range from €1,500 to €50,000. The MTA’s Enforcement Unit actively identifies unlicensed operations, and platforms like Airbnb have started requiring licence numbers on listings.

Fix: Apply for your HFP licence through the MTA’s online portal. Budget 12–16 weeks for the full process and €300–€1,000 in licensing costs. The licence must be renewed annually.

2. No Backup Plan for Peak Season

Your trusted cleaner is also every other host’s trusted cleaner. When June hits and Malta’s short-let market runs at full capacity, your regular cleaner gets overbooked, goes on holiday, or falls ill. If you don’t have a backup, you’re scrambling on turnover day.

Fix: Register on Rozie before peak season. Have your property documentation ready to share with a new cleaner at a moment’s notice. Test your backup system with at least one booking before you need it urgently.

3. Ignoring Malta’s Climate in Your Cleaning Standards

Generic cleaning checklists don’t account for Malta’s hard water, limestone dust, salt spray, and humidity. If your cleaning standard doesn’t specifically address limescale removal, dust on windowsills, and ventilation between guests, your property will accumulate visible degradation that guests — and MTA inspectors — will notice.

Fix: Build Malta-specific items into your turnover checklist. Our short-let cleaning guide covers these in detail.

4. Not Documenting Cleaning and Property Condition

Without records, you have no proof of compliance if the MTA inspects, no evidence if a guest disputes cleanliness, and no defence if a guest causes damage. Many owners only start documenting after their first bad experience.

Fix: Take condition photos after every turnover clean. Use a booking platform that records your cleaning history automatically. Keep records for at least three years — Malta’s tax authorities may request documentation of business expenses.

5. Treating Cleaning as a Cost to Minimise Rather Than an Investment

The hosts who squeeze every euro out of cleaning costs — hiring the cheapest option, skipping deep cleans, cutting corners on supplies — are the same hosts who struggle with below-average ratings and declining bookings. In Malta’s competitive market, the difference between a 4.5 and a 4.8 rating translates directly into occupancy and revenue.

Fix: Budget for cleaning as a core business expense, not an afterthought. Use cleaning fees to offset costs. Invest in the quality level that protects your ratings — it pays for itself many times over through higher occupancy and nightly rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an MTA licence to rent out my property in Malta?

Yes. Any property rented for less than 90 consecutive days in Malta requires a Holiday Furnished Premises (HFP) licence from the Malta Tourism Authority. This applies regardless of your nationality or how frequently you rent. The application involves documentation, fees (€100–€500 depending on category), and a physical property inspection. Operating without a licence risks fines of €1,500–€50,000.

Can I deduct cleaning costs from my rental income for tax purposes?

Yes. Cleaning expenses are a legitimate business deduction against your short-let rental income in Malta. This includes payments to cleaners, cleaning supplies, linen purchases, and platform booking fees. Keep receipts and booking records — platforms like Rozie store your payment history automatically, which simplifies year-end accounting.

How much should I charge guests for cleaning fees?

Most Malta hosts charge €30–€60 per turnover as a cleaning fee on their listing, depending on property size. Aim to cover your actual turnover cleaning cost. Check comparable listings in your area for the going rate — overcharging hurts your booking conversion, while undercharging eats into your margins. For a 1-bedroom apartment where turnover cleaning costs €40–€50, a €45–€50 cleaning fee is reasonable.

What happens if my property fails an MTA inspection?

The MTA agrees an improvement plan with specific timeframes for correcting the issues identified. Follow-up inspections verify compliance. Continued failure to meet standards can result in licence suspension or revocation. The best prevention is treating every turnover clean as an inspection check — if your cleaner flags maintenance issues, address them promptly.

How often does the MTA inspect licensed properties?

The MTA’s Enforcement Unit inspects a sample of licensed premises on a regular basis. There’s no fixed schedule — inspections can be routine checks or triggered by guest complaints. Maintaining consistent cleaning standards and property documentation means you’re always inspection-ready, regardless of when a visit happens.

Should I include mid-stay cleaning for longer bookings?

For stays of 7+ days, offering a complimentary mid-stay clean (fresh towels, bathroom refresh, kitchen wipe-down) is a strong differentiator. It prevents heavy-duty cleaning at checkout, catches maintenance issues early, and often earns you a mention in the guest’s review. Cost is modest (€25–€45) and the goodwill it generates is worth far more.

Set Up Cleaning as a Business Function

Vacation rental cleaning in Malta isn’t just maintenance — it’s a regulatory requirement, a guest satisfaction driver, and a significant business expense that needs proper planning. Get the structure right, and it protects your MTA licence, your ratings, and your revenue.

Rozie handles the operational side — book verified cleaners in minutes, see transparent pricing, add extras as needed, and keep automatic records of every booking. Download on the App Store or Google Play.

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