Yes, and that’s what I’m asking for from @cabinhost
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Honestly, do you think @cabinhost needs schooling from you about how to post on a board? She is always respectful and helpful. I happen to agree that might be put off by a charge sheet too. I would move on to the next place that didn’t have one.
Different strokes for different folks. I don’t think Cabin would call me unreasonable.
What’s rude about stating her opinion? She’s not getting sly personal digs at you, you are overreacting.
You stated “As a moderator she should know better.” Ridiculous. Give me a break.
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I concur, the charge sheet would be a turn off for me. As a guest, I would have no problem keeping the place clean and walking out backwards but I see the charge sheet as off putting.
After scanning through the thread I couldn’t see if cabinhost charges a “cleaning fee”.
Hi Cabinhost! Do you charge a cleaning fee?
I agree. @Ash953 challenged me as the OP so I tried to gracefully back off. Not because I didn’t have an opinion anymore but because it just wasn’t worth fighting someone over it. But then I wondered why I should not be able to share my opinion anymore on the subject just because I am the OP? I let it go, though.
But it continues on, and now the same thing is basically being done to @cabinhost… challenging her because she is a moderator. EVERYONE should have a voice, including the OP and the moderator. @konacoconutz is right - this is getting ridiculous.
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Yes, I do. And I also let guests know they will be charged to replace any linens/towels that are unsalvageable - so it’s their choice if they want to let little Johnny eat pizza and drink Koolaid in bed. If they choose not to use the baskets of makeup towels provided, then again their choice.
I also let them know there are fees if they are not off the property on time. I have additional person fees, and I have charges if the guest would like additional firewood.
The towel/linen abuse and late fees are more or less a deterrent. They’re not perfect but they do work for me.
Thanks Cabinhost. At least you make it clear to your guests of what is expected in your pricing and fees.
I am still working on the towel/linen thing. I have a big clean stack of old towels in a cupboard with signage strictly for wiping snow gear down etc. Have to get the makeup face cloths or wipes that others say they use. I have noticed that foundation and mascara sure beat up the face cloths!!
Not always up front though. I list on many sites where you don’t necessarily use a “house rules/notes” section for guests to browse through. (like with Air). This info will often only be seen after the guest has already decided on your place, but the reservation isn’t confirmed yet.
For example in the OP’s situation. Because she sleeps so many guests (around 20 or so??), it’s likely multiple family groups have invested a considerable amount of time into finally deciding her place is their number one pick. Now they just want to book the property before another group does. At this stage is where she would likely send the rental agreement and disclose rental policies for the guest to sign. This is what I do with VRBO guests and people booking directly.
Once a group has decided your place is their number one pick, (esp. a large group) - it’s highly unlikely that fair rules/charges are going to turn off a “responsible” group from booking. Esp. if choice number 2 costs more, has lesser amenties, futher location, etc.
My flipkey guests and Booking.com guests ONLY see the house notes after I have accepted their booking. With FK guests I am always sure to have them confirm they are okay with surveillance cameras though.
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This is certainly my feeling about my Costa Rica rental. The deposit is $1000 but there isn’t an additional charges list. I also haven’t given them any money yet although I signed a contract. If they send me an email asking for money and attaching a list of additional conditions or possible charges, I don’t care. This is the house I want. I spent hours deciding on it. If they were to cancel on me I’d start my search over and maybe find something I liked even more but I’m not doing it if I don’t have to. Maybe that’s because I know how my group of 35 to 65 year old friends party. We’ll all be in bed asleep by midnight and we won’t be dancing on tables or sloshing around the kitchen breaking things.
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Yes, you’re correct, and I go one step further to note our policies clearly on both our direct website and all listing sites. I do ask them to review, initial and sign the Rental Policy when booking, as you say.
When I send my Rental Package along I will now include the new sheet along with the Check-out list (I don’t know what it will be called yet). “The sheet” will state that if, for some reason, they are not able to do those items they have this option, and to please advise in advance. I’m also going to put in a line-item for us pre-stocking the kitchen for them (something that nobody has taken us up on yet) to draw attention to that added benefit.
I just think that it is more “friendly” to have them decide which charges they want to incur rather than me giving them a bill that might be unexpected and thus deter repeat business.
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I dont’ know if hosts with these huge problems have long term rental of apartments in their house (rentals of one year or more with a signed lease of conditions) but you need to understand that the problems you get with whole apartment rental are exactly the same as those faced by live-in landlords like us, who rent out the top two floors of our home in Brooklyn Heights to four professionals who split the rent. People who do not OWN their home or apartment simply lack the sense of responsibility for property that is not theirs and are mostly deaf to repeated instructions about simple things like garbage separation and recycling, how utilities and appliances work, heat, hot water, etc. They are simply oblivious to the fact that there is a landlord downstairs (in my case in my early eighties and somewhat limited physicially in terms of strength and mobility. They have been given instructions on closing storm windows in the winter, keeping hall doors closed to keep heat in the rooms instead of the hall ways, separating regular garbage from recyclables and papers, keeping empty garbage pails covered to prevent rain and snow entering them, and just moving heavy full pails to the curb for pickup three times a week, something difficult for my husband and me. These instructions are also included in the lease. But I still have to remind them regularly to do these things! After a recent Saturday party, the next day was garbage pickup and as I put the pail at the curb I noticed a bulging bag of regularl food garbage; it was full of metal and glass bottles. As in the past, I put the bag on the upstairs stoop and sent them an email to separate it themselves. This is not an infrequent occurrence, as is the closing of hall doors. So welcome to the landlord business! Your guests who rent whole apartments with kitchen facilities are just doing what they would do in any hotel or strange place that does not belong to them. I escape this problem because we rent our single guest room and provide breakfast personally; no one has kitchen privileges ever. I suggest you all consider renting a single room or two without kitchen usage and just providing breakfast for them: set up the coffee maker the night before,
put out bread near your toaster, leave out butter and jam, leave a note indicating juice in the refrigerator, and no more.
And as I indicated elsewhere, raise your price so you get good guests, and don’t use Instant Book. Less money of course but a lot less stress and worries.
I thought VRBO had a deposit section. You can charge your regular cleaning fee but you can also charge a deposit to cover all this extra stuff. If you have to do all this extra cleaning trash sorting and soul searching you get to keep the deposit. If the guests are super tidy, they get the deposit back or a partial deposit back.
If there were super tidy, why would they only get a partial deposit back?
There may be other infractions not relating to tidiness but that still have to be dealt with.