I guess I don’t differentiate between food stains, blood stains, shoe stains, pen stains, luggage stains, etc. To me, these fall into the cost of doing business. People will cause stains, none of them intentionally. So, we have products to deal with them and I’d say we deal with stains about every other set of guests. Oxyclean for sheets is just amazing, as is Folex for carpeting (but don’t just let Folex “sit” for too long. If left overnight, it can bleach carpet fibers). I’d like to suggest you TRY switching gears and roll with this seeming fact of life rather than looking for creative ways to prevent it.
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We all host in ways that work for us @lizmillercht
I prefer to minimise the stains guests leave and they have a perfectly good 8 person dining table to sit and eat at, so don’t need to be eating food in their bedrooms. Food crumbs and drink stains can also encourage insects including fruit flies which you then can’t get rid of for the whole summer.
Stain remover did not remove the coffee stain that had seeped in over four days on my brand new £600 mattress (which the guest didn’t bother to tell me about).
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It’s nice to think “guests” are your children. But, they’re not. They are customers/clients paying for provite property.
This is legal question, not a arbitrary one.
Once money has been accepted [regardless of amount], those dates listed legally makes the property [area] listed temporarily owned by the guest. They legally do whatever they wish in that area. Period! House rules are not legally binding, they are more recommendations in the courts eyes.
Every state is different and I can not speak for all jurisdiction on renters rights, and hotel/hospitality laws. But in a broad overview for everyone to understand. Hotels can not search a guest baggage [violation of 4th Amendment rights] Many hotels also have fridges, microwaves, coffee makers in rooms so they have no argument about food in rooms. However, those hotels that have room service and restaurants on property. Courts may favor the argument about losing revenues. In short, unless you are cooking a variety of hot meals throughout the day for guests you have no legal defense in preventing any form of food guest want to bring into the home and eat in both common areas and bedrooms.
Additionally, every listing has some forms of cleaning services incorporated into the listing which legally speaking supports the guests argument. (If in small claims court for food in room) courts will tell you have no defense as they paid a fee to have the linens washed. Which FYI, if that’s your position for court opens you wide up for counter suit for defamation, frivolous filing, and other claims which the guest would win.
Operating a business requires due diligence and one form is having an lawyer. Preferably hospitality attorney. Stay frosty, and know the law not your opinions.
I see you’re new here, but are you new to forums?
digging up an old thread and then making a prescriptive post?
4 years later
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But is there a rule in the listing against eating in your room??
If not, you’re out of luck or should be.
Really? Any quotations to back this up?
This is not true, and fyi this forum is international in scope - laws and legalisms vary everywhere. What ‘courts’ are you currently involved in that handle disputes about bedlinen?
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Why dig up a four year old post @KryptoGuy
This is an international community so there is no point talking about legislation in the US. In any case I believe you are incorrect. Do quote the legislation you refer to which says…
“Once money has been accepted [regardless of amount], those dates listed legally makes the property [area] listed temporarily owned by the guest. They legally do whatever they wish in that area”.
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Non sequitur.
No one is discussing searching guest baggage, or even the guest’s room while they occupy it. Hosts usually discover guests have violated rules after the stay ends when they enter the property to clean it. No host should be entering the guest room or entire place to check for rules violation while the term of the rental is in effect unless they have the guest’s consent. If a host said they were doing that most of us would advise them not to do that.
In the short term rental market we have separate rentals and we have rooms in the host’s home. I absolutely can tell a guest, who is not a tenant, they cannot take hot food into the bedroom and I can end their stay without a refund. The house rules are a contract the guest agrees to when they book. I’m not violating their rights.
This post just comes off as a tawdry lawyer advertisement.
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Why did you come here to post such nonsense? No, guests cannot do “whatever they wish”, nor can they do so in a hotel. If it says no smoking, they can’t smoke, they can’t invite other people over, they can’t bring pets if it says no pets, they can’t play loud music that disturbs other guests or neighbors.
The notion that a guest is going to sue a host because they were told that no food is allowed in the bedroom is ludicrous. And of course guests can expect that the linens will be washed. Washing linens is not the same as having to spend hours trying to get food stains out, or tossing them in the garbage when it proves impossible.
Not to mention many of us live in tropical climates where food, and empty food containers and dirty dishes attract insects. And food scattered about attracts rodents in any country.
And while there are many US hosts on this forum, there are also hosts from all over the world, so your faulty legal advice has no bearing on them.
Are you going to give us a spiel on cryptocurrency next, Kryptoguy?
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