Rules when renting a holiday place - bonkers or completely normal?

[DragonMamma]

We are renting a large property for over New Year (for a total of 3 nights). There are 10 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. We rent houses regularly and have done for many years. This 3 night break is costing just under £3.5k so it’s not exactly cheap.

We’ve just received the list of do’s and don’ts from the owner and it reads like nothing we’ve ever come across before. It’s like they are reluctantly giving us use of the place and barking instructions at us.

Some examples below copied and pasted from their 7 page (!) instruction manual.

*YOU ARE EXPECTED TO LEAVE THE PROPERTY IN A SIMILAR STATE OF CLEANLINESS AS YOU FOUND IT, IF THE PROPERTY IS NOT SO, YOU WILL BE CHARGED AN EXCESS CLEANING CHARGE.
Including all floors to be hovered or swept, bathrooms and toilets cleaned, kitchen to be cleaned, all washing up done and put away.

Hot water will be on in the morning from 7am until 10am, briefly at lunchtime and again from 5pm until 10pm. Options for extra heating and hot water are available please see our website. These must be booked in advance.

NEVER LEAVE THE WOODBURNER UNATTENDED. IN INTERESTS OF SAFETY UNLESS YOU ARE EXPERIENCED USING WOODBURNERS WE SUGGEST THAT YOU DO NOT USE IT.

Swimming pool - Shallow end depth of approx. 1metre, deep end depth approx. 1.9 metre. STRICTLY NO JUMPING, DIVING OR OTHER BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOUR*

AIBU to think that if you’re charging over a thousand pound a night and absolutely insisting on a 10am check out (OR face yet another additional charge) then you simply cannot expect the occupants to clean 9 bathrooms and do all of the general cleaning. There’s also a strict list of what cleaning products are to be used where.

We always leave properties in a decent state - we will set the dishwater off after breakfast, give the bathroom a quick wipe so it’s not excessively dirty. We’ll bag all the rubbish up etc and make sure it’s tidy and do whatever else we have time for before leaving (strip the beds etc.). But this reads like they want us to clean it to a professional standard all before 10am!

AIBU to think this is a bonkers and that it’s not the responsibility of the occupants to do the cleaning for you? And to also have to book extra hot water in advance?

How on earth are we supposed to know when we are going to want hot water? What happens if we go swimming after lunch, do we have to sit and wait for it to come back on at 5pm? They have take a £500 security deposit and based on the list of things we may get charged for is endless and it’s really put us off going 😞

How's the Malbec, OP? 🍷🍷🍷

OP won't respond. She's off her tits on the nitrous by now.

Ssssh.

Although the owners WILL call the police if any legal highs are found on the property. No idea what the police will do - clues in the name there.

Book another place!

Yes, ridiculous. I rent out a holiday cottage and would never enforce these rules, plus it should have a cleaner to undertake ALL cleaning duties. I'm wondering if previous occupants have trashed the place and these words are more of a threat. You are also not contractually obliged to leave it in an immaculate condition unless you have signed your name against these rules. Of course it's good manners to leave the place clean and tidy, but you're not domestic slaves you're on holiday. Please bear in mind that it's new years eve, and I've had problems with various people that have stayed for a couple of nights. Empty bottles everywhere, ashtrays full of butts, stains from god knows what and a general lack of respect for the property. It has looked like they have just fled on new years day. Not suggesting you would do that, but maybe their just making the rules a bit stricter.

I got a terrible guest review once saying I had 'broken the house rules'. I checked and the only stated rules were no parties and no smoking in the house. Of course I had done neither.

I thought hard about what i had done wrong and realised i had left a new (in packet) lilo and and thermal picnic bag. I had also not put the towels in the bath because it didn't say to and i wasn't sure. That's all.

It’s bonkers. And as others have said, I’d put money on you getting charged for excess cleaning however you leave it. Professional cleaning is factored into the overall cost of the place, hence the early check out, there is literally no way you can be expected to thoroughly clean a 10 bed house before 10am!! Hot water thing is nuts!!!

I need to know how this pans out.
I really do hope you enjoy it OP and it's not too bad!!????
Good luck!

No loo roll provided??? so you have to bring at least 10 loo rolls, one for each bathroom, for a short break?? that is so not on
Hope you have a lovely time OP

The rules are like the ones in every Scottish Highland holiday cottage I’ve ever rented tbh. And I’ve stayed in a lot....

I think it is over the top and the water issue is ridiculous. We always tidy before we leave places, but also expect the cleaner to be there upon our leaving. I would make this your last visit.

Goodness - how stingy on the hot water and toilet rolls and what an unwelcome 'welcome'.

I suspect the T&Cs will be unenforceable coming (well) after the contract was concluded. I suggest you email to gently indicate that these were not received prior to booking and that they will not therefore be enforceable but of course you will leave the property in a reasonable state etc etc

Have a great time (and leave a review for future guests)

OP won't respond. She's off her tits on the nitrous by now

Haha Loving the legal high ban. I can just picture the owners. We are very prodigious renters all over the UK and Europe. It always annoys me when owners leave snippy little notes everywhere. I'm paying to stay here- treat me like a valued customer not a imposition.

I always leave the kitchen tidy- surface mopped, hob wiped, recycling done etc but invariably the dishwasher is left running with the breakfast pots. I don't handwash and dry at home so I'm not doing it on my hols. I'll strip the beds if requested and I''d always leave the loo clean. Nothing more

I'm sure that you and your party will have a fabulous time and I hope you will find time to write an update upon your return! Happy New Year 😁

Finally come down from my Malbec and Nitrous fuelled night kids!

So far, so good. It’s not a comfortable as the pictures would lend themselves to have us believe but it’s fine. Owner seems reasonable enough so hopefully it’ll be plain sailing from here.

I think any excitement may start when we actually leave...

To avoid "any excitement may start when we actually leave..." I recommend you take a short iphone video tour of the house when you're ready to leave, starting in a room with a telly on showing the BBC news so you can clearly see the date and time on the tv screen. That way they can't say you took your exit photos on arrival..

When I rented out my holiday flat, the T&Cs said no extra cleaning charge if left clean & tidy, and all but a few got 'thanks for being considerate tidy guests' on their reviews. The ones that didn't: grrrr after a while I actually had to specify there would be an extra charge if make up and hair dye were left on my white towels and bed linen - some people!!

But as I said, most people were lovely, left the place clean and tidy, no dishes in sink, bins emptied, DVDs back in correct sleeves and used towels left in bath tub, which was all I required.

Hope you have a lovely holiday despite having to provide your own loo rolls, now that is a cheek, I always provide loo rolls, hand soap, hand lotion, shower gel, washing up liquid, tea, coffee, milk and biscuits as an absolute minimum.

The points about the wood burner and swimming pool seem like standard health and safety context and reasonable. I agree the cleaning demands probably stem from previous bad guests and it's reasonable to state expectations and consequences in advance of your guests staying - dread to think of the cost of professionally cleaning a place that size if left in bad condition! However I think the expectations here are extreme and I'd be worried about how zealously they'd enforce it given you say there's 7 pages of rules! I think the extent of cleaning you say you normally do is perfectly reasonable and sufficient. Frankly though the rules regarding heating/hot water would be the deal breaker for me - I don't expect to pay for accommodation anywhere for any cost and have utilities regulated or booked in advance. For over £3k I'd expect to be able to shower when I want!

Good idea about the video..if the cleaning isn’t up to standard on arrival..point it out on the video
Sounds like it should be fine though

They also don’t provide towels or any loo roll to get you started envy

Seriously??? For £1000 a night? That’s basic stuff!

All sounds pretty normal apart from the hot water.

So, his was your stay @DragonMamma?

*how

@DragonMamma happy new year. Hope your stay was good. What time did you get up to clean?!

These type of things are why I don't dgay3in cottages, houses, villas or any other rental. I don't go on holiday to clean.