Can anyone offer suggestions on how to keep from losing the remote controls? I have a large house with 5 bedrooms and the guests continually misplace them (and remove the batteries). I then have tons of complaints from arriving guests who cannot find them (or who cannot operate them because of the missing batteries). Any gadgets for keeping them in place but still being able to be used!!
There’s this technology out there called “Tile”; I’ve never used it but from what I understand it’s a way to locate things. I believe it’s an app. Kind of like how “Find my iPhone” works if you are familiar with that. People typically use it for things like their wallet and keys but I’m sure it would work for remotes too!
I’m not sure how cost effective this is. Or how well it works. Maybe someone else in the group uses these or has another idea. Good Luck!
2 Likes
I don’t have a problem with guests losing remotes or stealing batteries, but I personally lose everything! Keys, remotes…I could go on and on. I’m going to check out this “Tile” for my personal use - thanks for this!
1 Like
One of the last things I do before the guests arrive is turn on the TVs and put the remotes in an obvious place. That way, there’s no problem.
3 Likes
Locating them all and checking the batteries should be on the cleaner’s checklist. When I change the batteries I write the month and year on them with a sharpie marker so I know when I last changed them and if someone switched them out. Unless the guest has a silver Sharpie with them or wants to go buy one…I’ll admit I don’t always remember to check inside every remote every time but I would if it was a consistent problem. Thieving guests are annoying but I’d just raise the price to cover the high turnover and add the battery check to my list.
The Tiles are probably the best tech solution. I think someone makes some kind of cable lock things like what you see on phones at the kiosks, you know the ones you can pick up but not walk away.
2 Likes
Exactly. One of those two things should be happening. Either you do it or your cleaners, but don’t make the guests do it.
My listing is 4 bedrooms. There are 3 TVs and 8 remotes (including the sound bars and Blu-Ray players). Sometimes don’t find the remotes right away, but I clean thoroughly and I always find them.
The remotes in the family room tend to be in the sofa cushions, under the coffee table, or under the sofa. The remote for the sound bar in the family room is the worst. I think because you can connect a phone to it via Bluetooth to play music so people walk all over the house with it. I have found it in the kitchen, various bedrooms, and once in the bathroom medicine cabinet.
The remotes in the master bedroom are sometimes under the bed or inside of, under, or behind a nightstand.
I also have a TV in one bedroom that had 2 twin beds. I assume the room gets used by children and I occasionally find those remotes in the closet or in the the master bedroom. I assume the parents are restricting the use of the TV.
Oh yeah, and the batteries have gone missing too, but only twice in 36 reservations. Pretty sure they ended up in kids’ game console controllers.
Even if the batteries are not missing, they can be dead long before they should be. If they get wedged between the sofa cushions or slept on in a bed, the buttons might be held down for hours or days and kill the battery.
I personally wouldn’t bother with Tile or other “finder” devices. I bought spare remotes for all 3 TVs in my listing on Amazon for less than $8 each. That’s less expensive than just 1 Tile and probably less expensive and less hassle than any “gadgets” you could come up with.
4 Likes
Thank you for taking the time to respond I will look into that.
1 Like
Thank you! Part of the issue is we have a really big outside area with TVs too and they walk all around and leave them all over the outside as well. When we have a checkout and check in on the same day it is a bear to find them!
Didn’t think about getting extra spares! Great idea.
1 Like
I check the tvs to make sure guests remembered to log out of their Netflix, etc. accounts after each stay so my remotes are always in the correct place with batteries checked for every new set of guests.
I have a spare remote and extra batteries ready to go for when one inevitably disappears. Hasn’t happened yet though!
1 Like
As part of my cleaning check list, I turn on the tv and make sure the over-the-air antenna and Roku are working. (Can’t tell you how many times guests mess up the programming even with my step-by-step instructions and pictures).
I keep back-up batteries for the remote hidden in the STR so if I guest contacts me about batteries, I can tell them where to find them.
Finally, I have velcro on the back of the remotes and affix Velcro to the dresser (My furniture is not expensive) and this implies that the remotes belong on the Velcro when not in use and 99 percent of the time my guests put them back.
5 Likes