More are my guests being unreasonable?

[stayathomegardener]

I run a holiday cottage in the UK, sleeps 4 and is next to our house.

Currently have two guests staying so provided the usual 4 bath sheets when they arrived yesterday.
I received this message this morning:

Hi T*,do you have some hand towels and face cloths that you could leave for us. We will leave bath towels outside for you after use for washing and return if that's ok as we use clean towels each night,thanks."

The hand towels and face cloths are not an issue I can give them some of ours and perhaps should consider providing them anyway but daily washing/drying two bath sheets is that reasonable?

For full disclosure the listing states that there is use of a washing machine next door (in our house) and I always say to guests just let me know if you would like me to put any washing on for you.
Tempted to say help yourself to it but really don't want to have to let them in here (tidy up!)
I have yet to respond...

As I said, deflect and attack.

It’s not comparable though really is it?

Calls of hypocrisy needs to be backed up more specifically than that. You sound daft comparing needless washing to car usage. It’s very similar to the argument that car pollution is worse than smoking. Car pollution is unarguably an issue but that doesn’t take away from the dangers of smoke.

@ChardonnaysPrettySister you've said that both times I've asked you, so clearly you're not the perfect eco citizen and should stop trying to enforce things on other people when you're not perfect yourself.

If there are MH issues involved then I’m very sorry for that fact, it must be very hard.

However, it doesn’t change the facts and isn’t worth your stress levels trying to defend it by pointing out what everyone else is doing wrong.

Thousands of people likely do the same, whether they don’t know or don’t care doesn’t take away that the environment would benefit from them not doing it.

None of us are perfect, it's just part of living in the modern world. I realise I was quite defensive but I felt I was being attacked for doing something that a lot of people do also. Obviously that doesn't make it right, but there are far worse things to be doing. I don't think being called greedy and over indulgent was particularly fair.

I would expect a washing machine in the holiday cottage. Also provide two sets of towels - large and small.

we often rent properties and it is usual to get one bath towel and one hand towel provided per person. Plus beach towels and a bathmat if you are lucky. Linen and towels are usually changed once a week. Last year's place - in Spain - didn't change the linen but we had a washing machine so it was up to us to wash everything. Wouldn't ever expect face cloths - don;'t use them.

It’s tough but I’ve finally (most of the time) learned to remember that on here most people are talking to you based on a couple of posts usually on one subject whereas when you feel something is directed at you it feels like a comment on your whole character. It really isn’t so don’t take it to heart Pinkyyy.

(Although may I cheekily suggest looking into reusable laundry balls 🙂)

If the guest has an ocd really she should have either:

Informed you at the time of booking so that you could together agree how it would be managed during the stay. Confirmed and agreed by email or in writing preferably.

Guest should bring their own towels to manage their own needs.

I would imagine you simply have a picky/cf guest being unreasonably demanding. Smile, accommodate as much as possible (likely to be the same type of guest that will complain about everything and anything in a review) and ensure you cover yourself by asking if everything else is to her satisfaction.

I’d be really surprised at no hand towels, how bizarre.
I think you just need to suck it up that this particular booking prefer clean towels each day, many other bookings won’t.

Why shouldn’t you provide clean towels? They are paying you for a service.

“There is use of a washing machine, let me know if you need anything washed.” They have. Specify you will provide 4 towels only on the booking site next time.

Unreasonable request on their part - you aren’t running a hotel. It’s a cottage they have rented.

And the listing says it has ‘use’ of a washing machine next door - I infer this as they can use it.

Supply the other towels and tell them they are free to use the washer. FFS.... do they use clean towels everyday in their own home? I doubt it.

as you said you provide washing machine facilities these people may have chosen you over someone else who doesn't and I think you have to do this for them although I'd be fascinated to know why they are insisting on it.

As we know from Mumsnet, some always DTD on a towel to protect the sheets, maybe this is why they need daily cleaning? !

As we know from Mumsnet, some always DTD on a towel to protect the sheets, maybe this is why they need daily cleaning?

Leave a note saying 'If you are having nightly sex, suggest putting down newspaper instead.'

@marvik

Yes let's blame the planet being fucked on someone washing their towels shall we. Hope you're all driving electric cars.
I don't own a car; I use public transport, so I guess I can criticise your towel-washing habits. I wouldn't call you names, though, as that tends to put people's back up rather than encouraging them to think about their habits.

Articles saying towels should be washed every three or four uses:
metro.co.uk/2019/02/20/often-wash-towels-8679863/
www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/declutter-your-home/a552619/how-often-should-you-wash-your-towels/

Articles saying towels should be washed after 3 uses at most:
www.independent.co.uk/life-style/heres-how-often-you-should-wash-your-bath-towel-a7513996.html
www.marieclaire.co.uk/life/health-fitness/how-often-to-wash-towels-520161

You could certainly cut your towel-washing and accompanying waste water and electricity by half. Doesn't halving one major environmental impact sound quite appealing?

Regular renters here. The listings will say if there is a washing machine or not. If there is not or if its shared I look elsewhere. We have a child with additional needs so have to do washing.

As for towels a bath towel/sheet and hand towel per person per week are ideal. Where we usually rent we usually get two bath towels and a face cloth each and that's fine. If we need to we'll wash them. I wouldn't expect the owner or their cleaner to be coming in to change towels or bedding during our stay.

I think you need to change your listing going forward OP.

Having use of a washing machine implies you can use it whenever you need to - whereas what you're offering is slightly different. I certainly wouldn't expect towels to be changed daily, but when we're on holiday I often wash clothes as we go along, particularly beach towels and swimsuits and I'd much prefer to be able to do that on my timescale rather than being dependent on you, although you do sound lovely .

It may also be worth stating that towels are not changed during week long stays but mid week fresh towels and bedding ( I'm surprised they're prepared to stick with sheets for a week if they are that sort of people) can be arranged at extra cost.

I've just come back from a hotel holiday - group booking.

The staff kept changing our towels even though there were instructions what to do if you didn't want them changed, and we followed them. They also gave us fresh soap each day, throwing away the small new plastic-wrapped tablets after we'd just used them a few times.

As a result, although it was a good hotel, my partner and I wouldn't book there again. I just don't want to buy into that kind of ecological wastefulness, if there was an option of booking into somewhere that was a bit more responsible.

I think some consumers positively want greener policies - though unless you spell your policies out then people can make that choice!

I don't really understand clean towels every day. Ours are thoroughly aired and changed weekly. Everyone washes thoroughly in the shower, so there's not really anything grim going on to them.

For anyone wanting to go all eco on me - I do walk everywhere I possibly can (but if longer journeys go for car-sharing or public transport) and I never fly.

They’re unreasonable to ask for clean towels daily when self catering. I’d decline the request.

The information you provide could explicitly state what towels are provided, that towels won’t be washed during their stay, and how often guests can have use of the washing machine, eg one load every other day. I wouldn’t offer a laundry service at all.

Not sure I've ever used a washing machine in a rental property. I'm there to relax

Never had a towel chance when self catering rental (unless two weeks then they are changed in the middle).
Agree you need to provide hand towel. I’d pop out and pick up a few then return with a note saying “towels are laundered and end of stay for environmental reasons. Trust you understand”.

We stay in S/C five or six times a year, towels are always provided. I would expect at least one hand towel and one bath towel per person. I buy cheap hair turbans in Savers or the pound-shop, so much easier to dry hair than wrapping in a huge towel, and take my own face-cloths too.

Ok big stack of hand towels/face cloths purchased.

And the one bath sheet left out being washed.

Plan is to put it on an airer outside their door with a key and note saying I'm out a lot so just help yourselves to the washing facilities.

A bit of a pain but fascinating to see if they actually need the towels washing or are just making use of the "service".

The whole farm is run on eco principles with a wood chip boiler running all the heating/hot water so I could mention that but imagine it would just get complicated, I'm dyslexic and not great at communication written or spoken

Excellent idea to put a washing machine in, the plumbing is already there!