Guest stealing towels, anyone has that problem, too?

Towels gone! Is it just me or does it happen to other hosts? I get so many guests that take my towels when they leave. why do they do that? especially the face or hand towels (smaller, easier to pack i guess?). Anyone else? And is there a way to make it stop, or just keep buying more towels?

My guess is they damage them with hair product and get rid of them. Either that or just steal.

Cost of doing business.

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I have not had this issue, thank goodness! But yes, I suspect that they have ruined them with makeup and want to ā€œcoverā€ their deeds.

Iā€™ve never had a single towel go missing, Iā€™ve no idea why you have ā€œso many.ā€

There are some things you could try. Ask guests not to take towels. Donā€™t buy expensive towels. Charge guests who take towels. Meet with guests at check out time and take inventory of the towels. Raise your price $2 a night. If you rent 100 nights a year that would be enough money to buy quite a few replacement towels. Also, mention missing towels in your reviews.

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Not towels but we are on our fourth pack of playing cards :joy:

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If this is a regular occurrence I suggest you make a new house rule ā€˜I provide such high quality linens that guests sometimes take them. Use is complimentary but if you do take them with you, please note they will be charged at the following rates via the resolution centre:
Towel $100
Face cloth $40
Sheets $100 each
Quilt cover $200ā€™

Etc and do ensure you have a security deposit of at least $300 and charge away, immediately after checkout. Hotels do

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Never had a single towel go missing in seven years of hosting. Is this a whole house rental property bought specifically to STR?

I think you have to be careful of accusing guests. Iā€™ve sworn people took towels only to find them left in an unusual place later on. We did have had a few hand towels go missing. They were all one type, a mint green with white stripes. It pissed me off because I canā€™t find them anywhere now and it messed up the whole set. I guess people liked them and ā€œaccidentallyā€ packed them. It happens so rarely that we count it as a cost of doing business and donā€™t buy expensive towels anymore.

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Iā€™m all depressedā€¦ we only had one thing go missing (the Traveling Night Light), no one stains sheets or towels, or steals toilet paper or sunscreen.

What am I doing wrong???:tired_face::sleepy::tired_face:

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oh guests taking or using the whole 12 pack of toilet paper is so frequent it does not shock me anymore. and i am not talking about long stays, the average stay at my place is 3 nights for 3 guests. :confused:

What if I ask guests ā€œwhere did you leave the face towels, I canā€™t find them?ā€ After getting no reply or a denial your review says ā€œafter checkout I couldnā€™t find the face towels, the guest denied taking them.ā€ Now youā€™re just reporting facts, not making accusations. Then the guest can come back and say what ever they want but the ā€œmissing, not stolenā€ towels are in the record. If nothing else maybe it will discourage them from taking towels from the next host?

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Yes, I think thatā€™s a great way to handle it.

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I have 3 rooms so not always obvious who took them but it happens.

I have two types of coffee mugs left over cheap ones and nice logo ones, the cheap ones seems to be going?

I have had a few face towels go missing, then turn up in the oddest places. One was behind a radiator, one was tucked in the frame of the bedā€¦I think Iā€™ve only had one truly go missing, never to be found by me.

I have had guests that make off with a roll of TP now and then. The last ones were kind enough to replace my two-ply rolls with scratchy one ply. So odd.

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I had a recent guest use the liquid shower gel and take the packaged small guest soap in the shower and the one in the drawer. I leave bar soap and liquid soap so guests can have what they prefer but itā€™s not really my intent to supply soap for future use. She also took 4 tea bags and 4 bandaids. But it could have been worse. She didnā€™t take my TP, toothbrush, instant coffee packets or all the sweetners. :slight_smile:

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Iā€™ve never had towels go missing!

You mentioned a 12-pack of TP that disappeared, too. How much do you leave out/available for guests? Iā€™m wondering if they see a bounty of TP/towels and figure ā€œshe wonā€™t miss just this oneā€¦ā€ I leave just enough for the booked group, plus a little extra.

Thatā€™s what I do but when extra gets taken, not used itā€™s annoying. In the future there wonā€™t be several tea bags for one if they are getting a reduced price. Funny Iā€™ve never thought of it before but if someone is getting the 10% discount maybe some of the extras will be locked away.

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Iā€™m fortunate in that they canā€™t (or choose not to) pack my supplies in their suitcase because they fly in/out.

When I rented out my lakefront place, guests were traveling by car and all kinds of supplies went with themā€¦huge rolls of paper towels, TP, scads of trashcan liners, picnic supplies, etc. ā€“ so I feel for yā€™all.

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well thatā€™s true i dont keep in them in their package. But i keep them stored. Maybe time to get some locks on storage places?

my guests fly in and out as well. it doesnā€™t stop them to make some room for TP and towels.