Describe your home honestly in your listing and in all correspondence. You want your exchange partners to be pleasantly surprised when they arrive, not disappointed. Never hide the existence of pets.

Leave your home clean. Standards of cleanliness vary, so make sure that floors are cleaned, refrigerator emptied, stove and oven grease-free, bath and shower free of mould and grime, windows see-through, and surfaces dust-free. No need to repaint the house!

Clear away enough of your personal belongings to leave space on shelves and in closets and drawers so that your guests can empty their suitcases, arrange their things in bedrooms, bathrooms, and entry halls, and feel at home.

Leave at least two sets of clean sheets per bed and two sets of towels per person.

Compile a clear, useful 'Guide to Your Home and Surroundings' which should include local tourist information and household notices about the use of electrical appliances, pool maintenance, pet and plant care, trash pick up, etc. Phone numbers of a recommended doctor, dentist, babysitter, good restaurants, and helpful friends are always welcome too.

Use your HomeLink Exchange Agreement form to avoid misunderstandings. If necessary, clarify who pays what in terms of telephone, gas and/or electric bills, and staple foods such as flour, sugar, oil, etc.

If arrangements are such that you cannot meet, arrange for a family member, neighbour or friend to call in and welcome your exchange partners when they arrive. They will certainly have questions, and such a welcome will be much appreciated.

Leave the makings of a first meal. Nothing fancy, but your guests may be tired and hungry and grateful not to have to go out for a meal.

It has become a HomeLink tradition to leave a small gift of welcome: a bottle of wine or champagne, a local speciality. Always a pleasant surprise.

Close the door, turn the key, and go off on your holiday knowing that your home is in the good hands of another HomeLink member just like you.

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