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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think you shouldn't have to spring clean a holiday cottage?

396 replies

Takemetomiami · 06/05/2021 08:56

Staying in a cottage booked through one of the large companies. I use a lot of air bnb and it's standard to leave the place as you found it which I always do.

In a holiday place booked through a company I clean the sink/loo, rinse bath, make sure fridge and bins emptied, wipe down kitchen surfaces. I assume they have professional cleaners coming in who will do a thorough job.

This morning got email from the holiday company with a long list of jobs including stripping beds, mopping through, cleaning shower, basically "leave it spotless". Is that now expected?

OP posts:
CharlotteRose90 · 07/05/2021 19:33

Nope I wouldn’t. We stayed in last weekend and the only thing we were asked is to Hoover the floors and not leave any washed dishes draining. We paid £10 for cleaning as it said it in the paperwork.

Bleachmycloths · 07/05/2021 19:39

Cheeky and insulting. Your description of what you normally do ( emptying bins, rinsing the bath, wiping surfaces) is perfectly reasonable. Unless, there’s a returnable deposit I’d do what you normally do and leave the accommodation in an acceptable clean and tidy state. Why do some businesses think they’re doing their customers a favour?

FreekStar · 07/05/2021 19:41

NO! It's not usual!

I do that when I've stayed at my in-laws holiday house, but not if it's a professional rented property. If they are charging then includes cleaning costs. Of course, leave it tidy, but not actually cleaning it!

Buffs · 07/05/2021 19:46

Absolutely not. You are paying to stay there, you shouldn’t be spending a day cleaning!

motherofadog · 07/05/2021 20:01

I clean a holiday cottage. I wouldn't expect the floors to be mopped or even hoovered, but some people leave it in a terrible state. Cups on the draining board with a week's worth of coffee stains inside, roasting tins covered in burnt on grease, pans in the cupboard with dried on food still stuck to them, sticky rings all over the table, dog wee on the rug, shit in the loo, pubes in the shower. Last week's people did all of the above, and spilt wine on the bedside cabinet, the wall, the floor and the duvet. It already takes at least five hours to clean and get everything ready for the next guests with all the extra covid precautions; there simply isn't time to deal with the mess left by utter mingers as well.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 07/05/2021 20:24

We had this with an Airbnb house in rural france.

We stripped beds, cleaned surfaces, swept the floor and generally left it as found. It was very obvious from the message they sent afterwards that they had no intention of cleaning between guests and just expected guests to do it all on departure.

DirtyDancing · 07/05/2021 20:26

Stripping beds new thing, relating to covid. Wouldn’t expect to do that normally but we will have to when going away in UK in a couple of weeks. Put all bedding I to laundry bags and towels in another. I will wash up and wipe kitchen tops. But that is the lot

SnackSizeRaisin · 07/05/2021 20:30

I've done it is France, in a flat that cost 95 euros for a whole week. In the UK you are usually paying that for one night do I would expect them to pay a cleaner. It's part of the cost of running a holiday let - £30 or do from a weekly fee of £800 is hardly excessive. I would always remove all food and rubbish and wash and put away dishes and wipe round and strip beds if asked but no more than that.

TillyTopper · 07/05/2021 20:31

What did the contract say with regards to how you are meant to leave it. No way would I want to be doing a full clean on a holiday property! Kind of negates the whole going on holiday!

Jellykat · 07/05/2021 20:34

Stripping beds is presently the norm, due to Covid regs.

I cant believe owners aren't cleaning between guests! not only is that manky for the next guest if its not done properly, but places like Air bnb have stipulated properties are cleaned and disinfected between guests in line with the current guidelines.

I'm a cleaner of 2 holiday lets and manager of another btw.. i wouldn't stay anywhere that expected you to mop floors/ clean showers etc, thats just tight!!

BoffinMum · 07/05/2021 20:37

I rent out a cottage. We expect people to do their washing up, empty the dishwasher, empty the bins, and put away anything they have used ready for the next guests. Currently they also have to strip the beds and put linen and towels into a special laundry bag. Other than that we do the lot. Sometimes people leave it a mess and they get hammered with an additional hourly cleaning charge. But most people leave it really nicely.

BoffinMum · 07/05/2021 20:39

BTW if I found out I was expected to clean up a holiday cottage at the end to professional standards, I wouldn't book. I don't mind leaving it so it only takes a professional cleaner an hour to whizz around, I do mind being policed on cleaning.

CorianderBee · 07/05/2021 20:41

Stripping beds and towels and putting in the bath is normal as is emptying any food and bins out.

Beyond that leaving it tidy and a quick wipe down is courteous.

Anything else I've never been asked to do

CorianderBee · 07/05/2021 20:42

Also surely they're meant to have cleaners due to Covid?

VickyEadieofThigh · 07/05/2021 20:51

Arrived at large holiday house in UK today (there's only 2 of us plus dog, but they can't rent it to more then one household so we got it cheap).

Have yet to find a hoover, mop, etc - even though we usually try to leave the house as clean as possible, I've never in all my yeas of renting holiday cottages (we've done several a year for 10 years) been expected to do more than strip beds and leave dirty linin and towels in bathroom and leave kitchen clean and dishes washed.

Gwenhwyfar · 07/05/2021 21:30

" I expect guests to put the bins out"

I don't get this, all the people talking about put the bins out. I can only put bins out on bin day, any other time and you get fined.
Do you leave a note to put the bin out? Because it wouldn't be obvious to me at all. Totally different to doing the dishes.

Gwenhwyfar · 07/05/2021 21:31

@Sparklingbrook

There was a thread about not leaving the dishwasher running in an empty house in case it bursts into flames. Confused But quite a few holiday lets we’ve been in request you put any washing up in it and switch it in before you leave.
Surely they mean before you leave, but when you're still there. So, maybe an hour or two before you leave?
Sparklingbrook · 07/05/2021 21:33

@Gwenhwyfar

" I expect guests to put the bins out"

I don't get this, all the people talking about put the bins out. I can only put bins out on bin day, any other time and you get fined.
Do you leave a note to put the bin out? Because it wouldn't be obvious to me at all. Totally different to doing the dishes.

In the places I've stayed in if they want to bins putting out there's instructions about what needs to be done, where the bin is. Usually it relates to putting the rubbish into the bin not actually putting it out for the bin men. ie not leaving it in the property.
Gwenhwyfar · 07/05/2021 21:35

@theAdventuresofMissBarbaraPym

make sure work surfaces and hob are spotless, give bath, loo and sink a good going over

Why? The cleaner/s will do that regardless of whether you've done it or not. They have a set procedure they need to follow.

Exactly. And you'd need sponge and spray. Are they available or do you have to take them with you?
MsAdoraBelleDearheartVonLipwig · 07/05/2021 21:36

If you’re going to put the dishwasher on please do it the night before and empty the bloody thing. Then hand wash the few breakfast things. Nothing more annoying for a holiday let cleaner than arriving at a house that you’ve got an hour to turn around to find the dishwasher full of a weeks washing up and only just started.

Sparklingbrook · 07/05/2021 21:38

Exactly. And you'd need sponge and spray. Are they available or do you have to take them with you?

Everywhere I have stayed has had a full compliment of cleaning equipment for use during the stay. You might need to use the sponge and spray at any point not just on leaving.

Doilooklikeatourist · 07/05/2021 21:39

We ask people to put the black sacks into the skip ( nearby )
Leave the dishwasher running ( because we’ll be in to clean shortly ) and we’ll know that the crocks are clean and we’re the only ones to have touched them

Have had dishwashers ( and tumble dryers and washing machines ) over the last 20 years and more and have yet to have one burst into flames when I don’t have my eye on it

Sparklingbrook · 07/05/2021 21:39

@MsAdoraBelleDearheartVonLipwig

If you’re going to put the dishwasher on please do it the night before and empty the bloody thing. Then hand wash the few breakfast things. Nothing more annoying for a holiday let cleaner than arriving at a house that you’ve got an hour to turn around to find the dishwasher full of a weeks washing up and only just started.
I've stayed at quite a few that request the dishwasher be turned on and left running before leaving so it varies.
Theimpossiblegirl · 07/05/2021 21:41

@MsAdoraBelleDearheartVonLipwig

If you’re going to put the dishwasher on please do it the night before and empty the bloody thing. Then hand wash the few breakfast things. Nothing more annoying for a holiday let cleaner than arriving at a house that you’ve got an hour to turn around to find the dishwasher full of a weeks washing up and only just started.
I thought you had to leave longer between guests at the moment. Surely an hour isn't enough for a deep clean?
Doilooklikeatourist · 07/05/2021 21:43

We provide dishwasher tabs , sponge scourer , fairy liquid , new J cloths and antibacterial kitchen spray ( and .. shock horror .. a loo brush )