Can I ask advice from holiday cottage owners/managers/cleaners?

[ProfessorofPerspective]

I have recently taken on the local management of holiday cottage in the South West. The owner lives a few hundred miles away.

It is 4 bedrooms, with 3 bathrooms, lounge, kitchen and dining room. There are 2 double beds and 3 single beds. I launder all the bedlinen at home, along with towels, tea towels and bathmats etc. Usually 4-5 loads of washing.

I do everything involved in a turnaround - full cleaning obviously plus errands, including buying loo rolls, bin bags etc, going round there fortnightly to put out the kerbside collection.

I am paid £100 all in per booking inclusive for cleaning and laundry.

I am starting to feel that it may be on the low side for the amount of time and effort that it all takes. Although its a Saturday changeover, there is an expectation that I should be available to pick up at new bookings any point, even though I have a full time job in the low season.

Should I be grateful or should I be having a little chat with the owner?

I don't do the meets and greets, he arranges access via key safe. The lockout happened when the guest shut the front door with the keys inside!

It's very clear I need to know myself exactly how long all this is taking me.

I may be able to do turnarounds low season mid week but he needs to check with me before he accepts a booking. This possibility was never mentioned when I took the role on!

We pay £60 per changeover for a 2 bed 1 bath appartment. Guests are EXCLUSIVELY good friends or family so are expected to clear up and strip beds, take out own rubbish and provide basics for next visitors. Cleaner cleans, makes beds, washes dirty sheets and towels. All other 'management' is paid separately.

£100 for double the workload plus more is taking the mick OP, deffo time anything that you do and charge accordingly!

We did the turnover together today after a 2 week stay. Stripping 4 beds, remaking them all, cleaning 3 bathrooms, 4 bedrooms, lounge, kitchen and dining room, removing rubbish, hoovering carpets, mopping all hard floors.

Took us 6.5 man hours in total. Got about 6 loads of washing to do.

Got another turnover to do next Sat so will compare.

Then I think we will be having a little chat!

There are 2 pets coming next week (bringing their family too!) I see on the website, he charges £30 per pet per week extra 'for additional cleaning costs'.

Should I be expecting to see this extra amount?

Er, yes! If he’s charging more for pets, then you should get extra. I imagine that’s for de-fleaing or dealing with the carpet if it’s infested.

As a non dog owner, when I see a extra charge for dogs, I expect something to be extra cleaned before I stay there.

Similar - I've looked after B+B's while owners are away. If you're in a situation where you might be expected to drop everything and go to the let with no warning you should be paid a daily retainer.

I suspect he thinks he's being quite generous but I think he's living in the past in more ways than one! A recent guest asked me if he'd been left the whole place in situ by an elderly relative...

The money has been useful but DH has a job interview tomorrow which would mean a massive pay rise if successful. This may give me more confidence in negotiating.

Ive named changed but DH did get the job! For the time being, any extra money is still useful.

I let things rumble on as the season was coming to an end and now the owner has gone with a new agency who have insisted on new furniture, redecorating etc, the work is all about to start. They've put £400 a week onto the high season rate.

Apparently the woman from the agency says there is a difference in cleaning a property to leaving it ready for self catering. Before the first booking, she is going to instruct me in the art and where I have apparently been lacking.

This sounds like a significant step up in terms of effort and time. She is very business like so I need to meet her head on in terms of the appropriate payment. Better gird my loins! I am a gentle person and I find this all quite difficult.