...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 would mention this in a review without hesitation. Others have a right to know before they book.

I'd be trying to get out of the charge while I was there; a bad review isn't going to give you all those £5s back.

Did you have the opportunity to cancel free of charge after the confirmation email came through?

I would go to the laundrette if there was one and definitely give a poor review

"under facilities the washer/dryer is listed"
Does that mean it is £5 to wash and dry each load? Someone suggested going to a launderette but surely it would cost that much to wash and dry at the launderette?

It does sound a lot per load in your situation though.

Unless the charge is listed in the advert, they have to provide as advertised. Complain to Airbnb. This happened to me with Internet. They tried to charge me on arrival. Airbnb instructed them to provide or refund me for entire booking.

Might be a cultural thing in Scotland, I don’t know. I was surprised to see the same thing last year in France and Spain. There, I had to buy tokens to use on the washing machines and tumble dryers. Each token was €2 to €3 so it was about €4 to €6 per load.
Personally, if she forewarned you in advance of the stay, you have no cause to complain. You can just note it in the review like noting whether a place has other quirks.

It's not all fine just because it was in the confirmation email. Email was sent after they had an agreement. If that was the case, you could put all kinds of batshit stuff there and claim it's agreed.

If its in the confirmation notes, you'd be unreasonable to comment negatively in any review just because you didn't read it. It is a bit tight and a pain for her to have to switch it on, but she did tell you before you arrived.

If its in the confirmation notes, you'd be unreasonable to comment negatively in any review just because you didn't read it.

The people reading the reviews to decide whether to book won't be able to see the confirmation email. Perfectly reasonble for the OP to warn them.

I own a holiday let, and the use of the washing machine is included, though washing powder isn't, though maybe some leftover from the last guest. That's bizarre.

I've Renee a lot of cottages/properties in the uk and France and I've NEVER come across this - tight and very cheeky!

Is the original listing did t mention it - call her on it.

I'd rather someone charged a couple of quid more for the rental than extra to use the washing machine. Over time, not all the renters will use the machine anyway. We always rent somewhere with a washing machine or stay in motels/hotels with a laundry or end up going to a launderette on holiday. I've never been charged that much to wash and dry a load anywhere. The Airbnb places always had washers freely available. Where does this kind of charging stop? You can use the hob for free but it's a £1 to out the oven on for a pizza?

FrugalFox

No. It should be made clear before the booking is made, not after.

*rented

That's very sneaky! I'd not have booked it if said that in the advert and the CF probably knows that too!

I wouldn't book either. She's being really devious here.

I've stayed in probably 15 self catering, including airbnb and I've never been charged for using a washing machine.

Another one saying contact Airbnb. Place is not as described. I got a sizeable refund in my latest rental because the listing offered air conditioning and it clearly hadn’t worked for years.

Holiday cottage owner here - that's a new one on me. I'd certainly mention it in the review.

My guests are welcome to use the (brand new) washing machine and (brand new) tumble dryer at no extra charge.

That’s ridiculous from top to bottom.

1. Should just be part of cost of staying there
2. If she does have to charge, should be mentioned before point of payment, not after.

Only conceivable reason I can think of is that someone broke a previous machine and then claimed they found it like that. So this a way of checking whether machine is working.

How odd. The issue fit me would not be the money so much as the inconvenience of having to wait for her to come round. I like to shove a wash on after dinner, or early in the morning, and I wouldn’t want to have her round all the time.

That’s so cheeky, I normally have to use a WM when I’m away. Especially if it’s near a beach or something. I’ve never had to pay. A place we stay at it’s £1 for dryers, but free for washers. I think it’s fair. They have massive outdoor lines. Wow, I’d definitely mention it in the reviews.

@RaggeddeeAnn
cultural thing in Scotland
Seriously?
I’m in Scotland and Im mystified how the feck charging for a wash is cultural! Are you on crack?
OP that is shocking and I’ve never heard of that and to deliberately lock the power source; I’d be wondering where that fell into safety regs especially if they rigged it up themselves.

Laughing at someone saying ‘maybe it’s cultural in Scotland’ no it’s not and I say that as a Scottish person who often books self catering accommodation in different parts of Scotland.

Definitely mention it in the review. I’d also not use it out of principle but I’m a stubborn cow like that

I rent S/C about six times a year and have never been charged extra for using a washing machine or tumble dryer.