Maintenance and breakdowns in a holiday flat: what breaks, what it costs and how it is organised
Air conditioning, water heater, blinds, locks, washing machine and Wi-Fi: what fails in a flat with 60 check-ins a year, the annual maintenance budget and why a breakdown on a Saturday in August is different from one in your own home.
Reviewed on 22 September 2026 · By the team at Torremolinos Gestión Vacacional, more than ten years managing holiday rentals · Markdown version · Versión en español
Short answer: a holiday flat has the wear of a house with many tenants: what breaks is what gets used sixty times a year in a hurry: air conditioning, water heater, blinds, locks, washing machine, shower curtains and remote controls. Allow €400-900 a year for repairs and replacements in a 4-place flat, plus an air-conditioning service every spring. And the important thing is not the cost: it is that the breakdown gets fixed within hours, because the guest does not wait until Monday.
What fails most?
- Air conditioning: dirty filters, low gas, lost remote. A third of summer incidents.
- Hot water: heater not heating, burnt-out element.
- Blinds: straps broken by yanking them up.
- Locks and keys: keys that do not turn, smart-lock batteries, codes that do not arrive.
- Wi-Fi: router that needs rebooting.
- Appliances: washing machine not draining, hob with one ring gone, fridge not cooling in August.
- Small stuff: shower curtains, toilet seats, remotes, bulbs, terrace chairs.
How much does it cost a year?
| Item | 4-place flat |
|---|---|
| Annual air-conditioning service (cleaning and recharge if needed) | €60 – 120 |
| Repairs (plumber, electrician, locksmith) | €200 – 400 |
| Replacements (kitchenware, textiles, remotes, curtains) | €100 – 250 |
| One appliance every 2-3 years (prorated) | €100 – 150 |
| Total | €400 – 900 |
Plus, every 5-7 years, painting and the odd mattress. All deductible on your tax return as repairs and upkeep (not improvements, which are depreciated).
Why is it different from maintaining your own home?
Because in your home a broken washing machine gets fixed on Tuesday. In a holiday flat, if the air conditioning breaks on a Saturday in August with six people inside, you need a technician who comes that day or a portable replacement unit, and compensation for the guest if it is not fixed. That requires having the professionals lined up in advance (plumber, electrician, locksmith, air-conditioning technician) and a relationship with them: the one who answers on Saturday is the one who knows you will call twenty times a year.
How is it avoided?
- Preventive maintenance in low season: air conditioning, water heater, blinds, silicone seals, lock batteries, washing machine check.
- Inspection at every cleaning: the person cleaning checks that everything works and reports what is starting to fail before it fails completely.
- Spares in the flat or a store: remotes, bulbs, shower curtain, blind straps.
- House guide with clear instructions: half of the air-conditioning and washing-machine "breakdowns" are guests who do not know how to use the appliance.
Who manages it?
If you live nearby and have time, you. If not, a manager with a maintenance team and regular suppliers. It is one of the three things you pay a manager for (the other two are cleaning and pricing), and the one most noticed when it is missing. Ask how it is invoiced: normally the labour for small repairs is included in the commission or charged at cost, with the supplier's invoice.