I have a couple guest who booked my room for a month during their transition from old home to new home. The amenities included laundry as they are long term guests. It’s been one and half week now and I have noticed that they are using my washer and drier everyday. Mostly when I am not around or late night. Sometimes they use it more than one time in a day. They run it to wash a single towel or trouser. They are also using an extra heater in room despite my centrally controlled heating. My weekly electricity bill has gone more than double last week. The guests are otherwise well behaved and quiet. I do not know what and how to tell them. Any suggestion?
Did they bring the space heater or did you provide it?
I have thermostats in the rooms, I had a one nighter who was commenting how cold it is here, actually warmest at this time of year I know of. Went in to clean the room after they left and could feel the heat, how they could sleep in that I do not know.
Most annoying they had opened the window which I do not make easy in the winter.
WTF? Fortunately just one night.
With a single temperature zone you will always have issues. I do not allow guest use of washing machine so do not have that problem.
They brought it and told me my heating was not enough!
I would ask them to please not use the washer for single items. I’ve handled this same issue by putting my dirty stuff in the machine and not running it until it’s full, and mentioning that I’d be happy to put their things in with mine and then run it when it was full.
That heater is a problem. I’m afraid you’re going to have to let them use it, but I’d still mention that since it’s a huge energy user to please turn it off when they leave.
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How annoying for you. I had a mother and daughter here for a week who I had agreed could launder but then, like you, proceeded to launder small items daily until I put a stop to it.
Do you have evidence about your electricity costs to hand? I know it’s hard to deal with and you probably don’t want to seem confrontational, but I would take a deep breath and ask to speak to them. Ask them, quite reasonably, to wash only full loads at one time, which setting to use etc. Tell them your utility costs have risen dramatically, with the evidence if you have it and you are concerned about the environmental costs too. This worked well with my people mentioned above; no further laundry. If they respond unreasonably, leave them gracefully, then send them a message via the Air platform, factually summarising your request in writing, with your reasons. You then have an audit trail available to Airbnb. Actually, I’d do this anyway, reasonable or not. If they then continue to abuse you facilities, you can ring Airbnb and say these people are making you feel uncomfortable with their behaviour, having asked them to respect your facilities/costs etc etc. and their failure to do so. They’ll probably then ask you what you would like them to do, taken from the corporate script to put the onus on you. Be frank, say they are costing you money and ask for Air to relocate them, given the length of their stay and the extra costs they are incurring for you.
I have no suggestions with regard to their use of a heater I’m afraid but good luck!
PS: and then go and put something in your House rules about use of laundry facilities, maybe with a charge.
@samh said: “I do not know what and how to tell them. Any suggestion?”
Use exactly the words you used in your first bit above. Then unplug the washer and lock that room. Open it only when you are there.
Since it seems you can get weekly electricity bills, tell them that they will be charged the amount of overage each week for using their heater. Tell they if they need to be warmer, get out of the house during the day, and provide them with extra blankets for the night.
Charge the equivalent of $5 USD per laundry load. I also like the idea of putting your personal dirty laundry out there and offering to wash their things with yours.
Is there a laundry hamper in their rental? I wonder if they feel compelled to do daily laundry because there isn’t a place for dirties. Ok if there wasn’t a washing machine available they would need to store their dirt laundry but having a washing machine available may change their dynamic
The problem is that you didn’t stipulate laundry use and now your guests are taking the pxxs 
My rules are that guests staying over a week can do one laundry load a week.
Just explain to your guests that since that arrived your electricity has more than doubled and you can only put this down to them using the washer once or more daily and having an extra heater.
That you didn’t realise this would happen so need to ask them to save their washing up rather than using the washing machine for one or two items (much better for the environment too) and do one wash a week.
Not sure what you keeping your thermostat at but if it is fairly standard 21c and you have a well insulated house then I would be offering extra blankets not an extra heater.
It never ended, I found them doing laundry at 2:00AM !!! secretly… even after I had a discussion with them. They are leaving day after tomorrow . phewwwwww!!!
Yesterday, they did two loads laundry. I found my dryer was running with one load and washer was washing the second load. After seeing me, guest went into the room quietly. What the hell is going on!. I think they are washing everything before they move to their new home.
- I also came to know that this couple is using my kitchen oven at 5:30 AM heating their breakfast everyday. They never use microwave or gas burner. LOL
- both take shower for 30-40 min on average
- The couple came with 3 cars
Finally I told them my neighbors were complaining about their random parking (true indeed)… and I refused to extend anymore. They requested for 12 days extension as their new house is not ready.
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I feel sorry for their next unsuspecting Air host
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You must leave a bad review for these clods. What takers. People are unbelievable.
That’s not OK. Not everything can be free at any time. Time to draw out rules and stiffen!
I do feel sorry for your experience, but sometimes as hosts we have to accept that people will walk all over us when we let them.
Why did you let them continue to do the laundry so often? Why did you let them have a heater in their room? Why did you let them extend their stay when they were such bad guests? Why did you let two people bring three cars on your property.
The way to deal with it was to clearly outline what was acceptable and what wasn’t and when they broke your rules again ask them to leave.
I do hope you leave them an honest review and tighten up your house rules around such issues. I think two loads a week is more than reasonable.
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