AIBU to expect this to be covered in a holiday rental clean?

[zazas]

We recently rented a house in Switzerland for 16 nights, 2 adults, 4 children and the owner is keeping half our deposit for the following reason, even though we paid £100 cleaning fee. First of all she said it was because we used her linen, which we didn't as we brought our own so when I questioned what she meant, this was her reply: "The mentioned bed covers were mattress covers, I didn't know the word and wasn't looking it up in a dictionnary. I had to wash all of the six covers which were really dirty. Of course they belong to the house but don't belong to the usual cleaning. I do not know what you were doing with the beds and I don't want to discuss this point because I was not there at your departure- but the fact was that they were dirty and didn't look like you used linen."

I don't know what to say regarding this? My husband made the beds before I arrived (we had to travel separately) so I didn't check the mattress protectors and I washed our bed linen when we returned and didn't feel it was disgustingly dirty! We swam near every day and the kids showered before bed every night! Is this just weird???

I suspect the owner was a bit miffed that you didn't pay the extra £30 per bed for linen and brought your own, as it is probably a nice extra bit of money for them. This is her way (perhaps even subconsciously) at getting back at you a bit.

This drives me up the wall too, as far as I can see it's a just an extra revenue generating scam. After all, when you rent a holiday cottage or apartment you expect it to be clean when you arrive, that's what you've paid for in the rental price, just the same as if you've paid for a hotel room, and similarly, the next hotel guest or renter has also paid for a clean room/cottage. But the tenants are doing the cleaning! (effectively paying twice.) Owners are charging everybody extra just because they can. Hotels accept that it's their job to clean between guests.
We once stayed at a gite in France and the owners were very nice, we were going to leave them a good bottle of single malt in appreciation, except, on our last day, as we finished mopping out the kitchen, having cleaned the rest of the house, the owner arrived and was very miffed that we hadn't polished the leather furniture. With special leather cleaner. Who does that on holiday? So they charged us an extra 20 quid or so and we departed clutching said bottle of scotch. Which cost more than £20.

Catsize

We've rented many, many properties over the years (far upwards of 50) and on the few occasions owners have got sniffy about how we left the place (two, IIRC) they've been slightly shabby to start with - places with older mismatched furniture etc and the owners have been a little ... unusual. In one case we honestly think the owner had mental health issues, from the way he carried on throughout our stay. In the other, the whole village was a bit weird and oppressive (northern Bavaria). The owner gave us a right telling off because in a rush to get off the next morning, DH had washed all the breakfast crockery but left it out on the rack to dry not something I'd have done. Hardly the crime of the century, it was all clean. In fact, a good deal cleaner than their skanky flooring when we arrived.

Especially if I'm paying extra for final cleaning - which should be enough to pay a cleaner for three to four hours at least - I will leave a place absolutely tidy and basically clean, but obviously not do a deep clean. Because that's what we're paying extra for, and there's no way you can do a deep clean when you're busy getting packed up to go and the kids are getting in the way.

Fatmomma99 yes that is what I think too - although hard to keep to their rules if they don't actually explain them! I did wash all the tea towels/cloths prior to our departure as requested!

The property was advertised with a washing machine (a must for us) and we also had to pay extra to use that. :)

SilverBirchWithout - maybe but at £180 extra on an already significant rental cost and since my husband drove out with plenty of room in the van...it made sense for us not to! Glad we did as the quality of what was provided was not great.

Archfarchnad ironically this was the most happy shabby place we had rented too - there was no other choice in the village!

Last year we used AirBnB - 4 places over 2 weeks in Italy and there was not one complaint - maybe they are less likely to do so because of how important the reviews are. Although I hasten to add we were very clean and tidy guests. :)

happy shabby place best I get to work!

Arguing over £30 not worth aggro compared to whole price you must have paid.

Wouldn't go there again, though.