...about laundry at this holiday let?

[SadieContrary]

When we travel, we opt to rent a house/apartment via booking.com or Air B&B due to having a DC. Main reasons being that we don't have to be quiet when they go to bed at night as they're in a separate room plus we always have laundry as we are away for weeks at a time.
Checked into latest place and went to use the washing machine and there's a note from the owner to message her if we want to use it she will then come and switch it on and it's £5 a load.
Now apparently this info was in the original listing. Not really. Original listing states about washing machine. Charge/switch on not detailed til the confirmation email was sent after payment made.
Anyway, has anyone else come across this? I think it's ridiculous but don't want to include it in my review of the place if majority think it's fine? This would be approx the 20th place we've rented and never come across this.
Thanks for letting me 'air my dirty laundry'

I paid £1 (actually 5MYR) for using the washing machine recently in a similar set up to AirBnb - but I knew about this in advance! And there was easy access to the machine.

That is stingy and batshit

Leave a negative review. Never heard the like.

Christ, that's mean! Id definitely be putting that in my review.

We recently stayed in an Air bnb in Norfolk and I took full advantage of the washing machine and good weather so brought home clean laundry instead of dirty.

I would use her facilities, ask for an invoice and then complain to Airbnb. She’s advertising facilities without mentioning the additional cost until booked. They’ll be very interested to know

This would really really annoy me. They need to put charges in the listing if they’re stating something so commonly used is available at the property - if they charged for WiFi or the oven ‘only if you used it’ would that be acceptable???

off subject - nice story -we stayed in farm cottage which didn't have a washing machine BUT farmer's wife stated if we want washing to give it to her & she would do it for us! came back that night to nicely washed folded & aired washing -

I came across this at a small campsite.
5£ and the the owner would switch the elec for machine on from the farmhouse.
she said she had people from other campsites come in to do laundry before.

DH just said how is she going to know how many loads you do? Is she going to sit there, with her hand out, until you've finished?

She's batshit.

to be fair - the washer arrangement was clearly described in the booking and in the welcome pack.

If it isn’t in the listing then it can’t be a valid charge, putting it in the confirmation once you have paid isn’t contractually binding. I would definitely complain, absolutely ridiculous.

That’s awful! I always choose apartments with a washing machine so I don’t have to pay to use a laundrette.

Putting it in the confirmation after payment in sneaky.

Don’t say anything to her (so it won’t influence her review of you) but DEFINITELY put it factually and without emotion in your review - other people need to know about it.

Maybe worth letting AirB&B know, it’s an additional fee she making without their knowledge and they may have something to say about that as well as the effect it has on their customers.

One star off AT LEAST for sneakiness for sure.

I just checked my smart plug and the last 7 days it cost .49p in electricity for 4 loads I don’t have the water cost but I think £5 a wash is ridiculous even taking into account wear and tear on machine and water (student accom local is is £3 a wash and that includes detergent)

Yy to buying an extension lead if it's possible to unplug it.

Total cheeky fuckery. Yes, I would mention it in the review.

£5 is taking the piss. She should factor it in to the cost of the let.

What a cheek! I'd find a launderette to use. How sneaky to hide it in the confirmation email rather than in the listing.

Technically she can't require this if the original contract included free use of the washing machine and she only introduced the charge after the contract was made. The trouble is that if you insist on this you will probably not persuade her to switch it on and, if you're on AirBnB, she'll give you a bad review.

So, all in all, it's probably simplest to suck it up for now but make a fuss later.

How did you book it? Could you ask AirBnB / whatever if you have grounds to ask for this fee to be waived? It’s completely and utterly unreasonable.

I'd be outraged, have stayed in many many holiday lets and used the washing machine in practically all of them. I've never heard of a charge and would be shouting about it in a review

Cheeky mare! It's £4 to use a machine at the launderette round the corner from me, and that takes TWO lots of washing at a time (plus I get to catch up on all the local gossip). Definitely mention it in your review.

Just to add, I always read the reviews in AirB&B specifically for things like this so I would really appreciate it as it means I’d look elsewhere.

Mention in review the tight cf!!!

That is ridiculous. We have a holiday rental and guests are entirely free to use the washing machine and tumble dryer. That’s what they’re there for and it’s not like they aren’t paying good money to rent the house.

I’ve never heard the like.

I've just checked my air bnb listing for this weekend and sure enough, it's listed as washing machine and dryer (free or for a fee)
I bloody better not be charged a fee to use the machine.

What a tight cow!! Not normal at all. I agree mention it in the review, what a bellend.

Contact Airbnb, this should have been made clear pre booking.