to expect dishwasher tablets?

[foxychox]

We had a week in an AirBNB last week. It was a seaside chalet, but very well equipped and included a dishwasher. When the keys were handed over I was advised on how to use the washer and dryer if I needed them so my expectation was that all appliances were for use. Over the first couple of days we used dishes and stacked the dishwasher, when it was full I hunted around but no dishwasher tablets to be found. Salt and rinse aid, yes but not tablets. Washing up liquid, washing liquid and fabric conditioner all evident. From then on we washed dishes as we used them (even though there was a only a very well used scourer available) but left the dishwasher as was - all items had been rinsed prior to putting in so no smell etc.
When we left I messaged the owner to say we had a great stay and had stacked the DW but as there were no tablets had not put it on. Her response was that she expected that we should wash all the dishes by hand prior to leaving.
AIBU in that if there is a dishwasher we should be able to use it? And that the property should include detergent for this? I have another AirBNB stay coming up in a couple of months so need to be prepared to take my own if this is not the norm (it has been for the other 2 that we have done)....

@Wroxie

I don’t know. In my experience Air BnB has been a very cheap, bottom of barrel properties let by amateurs who can’t even ensure the basic health and safety regulations hoteliers have to follow are met.

@PlanDeRaccordement that's really odd, the places I find on AirBnB are really nice. If you read the reviews, look at the images, and ask questions it's exceedingly simple to avoid the kinds of places you're talking about. I just looked through my AirBnB history and I've stayed over 50 times and I've literally had one place that I would complain about... and I'm a serious snob about cleanliness, decor, location, linens, all of it. I've found AirBnB to be more reliable and easier to deal with than smaller "holiday let" companies (and to be honest most places worth staying at are advertised in many places, not just AirBnB).

Yes me too. Especially if you pick super hosts and those with loads of positive reviews.

So you cooked everyday for a week but never went to a shop?

I would have expected a couple of dishwasher tabs to be left there if there was a dishwasher. The washing up liquid, not so much.
A couple of washing machine tabs to be left if there was a washing machine. Fabric softener, not so much as most of the tabs have built in fabric softener that would work for a single clothes wash for example.
I'd expect tea towels and a wash up sponge to be left.
I'd also chuck on the dishwasher on the hottest wash if there were no dishwasher tabs left.
I'd also have contacted the AirBnB host on day 1 or 2 of the stay to ask about dishwasher tablets and ask for a couple to be left while the place would be vacant due to us being out sightseeing.

All of the above said, I have never stayed in AirBnB places but I have stayed in self catering accommodation and in every one that I've stayed in, there has been a tray set up in the kitchen with these cleaning products left on it with folded tea towels etc.

I stayed in an Airbnb a few weeks ago. On arrival, the kitchen floor was underwater and the dishwasher full of bubbles. It transpired the previous occupants had used a washing rather than dishwasher tablet. Oops. It does annoy me when I have to put away the previous occupant's dishwasher full of stuff. Appreciate that cleaners can't also wait for a cycle to finish or be responsible for the dishwasher being put on just before checkout but the Airbnb cleaning fee is pretty steep and it's not my job to put away the last rental's crockery either.

Most of my Airbnb bookings have included dishwasher tablets, albeit in varying quantities. I try to pack a few if I remember but I'd rather not have to buy a big bag for a couple of tablets when I'm away. The Airbnb before that was brilliantly stocked, a basket of toiletries in the bathroom, all cleaning stuff and the basics in the kitchen. Our Airbnb rentals have been £300-400 a night this summer so it's nice if the host is thoughtful enough to leave a few bits and pieces. I suspect the minimal cost of a few tablets more than pays dividends in terms of good reviews.

@Wroxie

I don't have a dishwasher in my own house and if anyone thinks I'm going shopping to buy some tablets or that I'm going to bring any other cleaning supplies for the accommodation for which I've paid nearly £200 per night not including the exorbitant "cleaning fee" (just checked my AirBnB history and that's about average for the places I stay) they can think again. I don't leave negative reviews unless a place was actually dangerous to my health, but if I stayed anywhere that didn't include the supplies needed for the provided appliances, I'd definitely privately let the owner know it was a problem.

My gob is well and truly smacked. I've lived in this country for nearly 20 years now and the British never cease to amaze and amuse me when it comes to competitive, pointless martyrdom.

The idea that you can manage to dishwash by hand at home but somehow because there is a dishwasher is in your rental renders you incapable of hand washing your dishes is mind boggling as is the mindset that prefers to pay cleaning fees rather than a pack of dishwasher tabs.

The fact people leave negative reviews for their own laziness is an entertaining sport in its own right. Reading reviews from people with batshit expectation levels is pure comedy. You can always tell the dickheads leaving 1star in the midst of a sea of consistent reasonable reviews. You can tell its someone with a chip on their shoulder or trying it on versus a bunch of fake reviews from whats said.

@sub453

I stayed in an Airbnb a few weeks ago. On arrival, the kitchen floor was underwater and the dishwasher full of bubbles. It transpired the previous occupants had used a washing rather than dishwasher tablet. Oops. It does annoy me when I have to put away the previous occupant's dishwasher full of stuff. Appreciate that cleaners can't also wait for a cycle to finish or be responsible for the dishwasher being put on just before checkout but the Airbnb cleaning fee is pretty steep and it's not my job to put away the last rental's crockery either.

Most of my Airbnb bookings have included dishwasher tablets, albeit in varying quantities. I try to pack a few if I remember but I'd rather not have to buy a big bag for a couple of tablets when I'm away. The Airbnb before that was brilliantly stocked, a basket of toiletries in the bathroom, all cleaning stuff and the basics in the kitchen. Our Airbnb rentals have been £300-400 a night this summer so it's nice if the host is thoughtful enough to leave a few bits and pieces. I suspect the minimal cost of a few tablets more than pays dividends in terms of good reviews.

The last place I stayed, specified to put the stuff in the dishwasher away before leaving stressing to put the dishwasher on, on your last night. I thought it perfectly reasonable.

It didn't have any tea towels. We survived. Somehow. Didn't feel the need to write a review damning the whole place.

You leave the property how you found it and that means all dishes clean.
I'm very happy to do that if there are a) a dishwasher and tablets or b) decent scourers/sponges for washing up manually.

Expecting dishwasher tablets in a rental cottage is like expecting a rental cottage that has sharp knives that are actually sharp...
Not if there's a dishwasher in the property. What the fuck else is it for? Decoration?

Providing a dishwasher but no tablets is poor property management, and expecting people to wash everything by hand because you didn't provide all the items needed is not reasonable.
The correct response is 'Oops, that's on me for not stocking the place properly. Thanks for letting me know.'
I would absolutely not go shopping for dishwasher tablets on holiday, nor would I take them with me.
All those saying the OP was 'rude' and 'grubby' etc are just being housework martyrs.

the mindset that prefers to pay cleaning fees rather than a pack of dishwasher tabs.
No, it's the fact that you pay a cleaning fee and are then supposed to buy dishwasher tabs on top.

* It* didn't have any tea towels. We survived. Somehow. Didn't feel the need to write a review damning the whole place.

I'd expect tea towels as a minimum. For the avoidance of doubt, I wouldn't ever write a negative review about a lack of tea towels or dishwasher tablets. Unfair reviews can be horrendous for business owners. But there is an option on Airbnb to provide private feedback to the host for anything you don't want to include in your public review.

Renting is a two way street. Provide decent cleaning supplies and you're likely to find the occupants have left the property in a cleaner condition. Or stripped the beds and taken the bins out or whatever. As my hosts have been very helpful, I'd like to think we've been equally helpful and careful guests. Goodwill is worth more than the cost of a couple of dishwasher tablets and a tea towel surely.

I don’t know. In my experience Air BnB has been a very cheap, bottom of barrel properties let by amateurs who can’t even ensure the basic health and safety regulations hoteliers have to follow are met.

It may be multi-billion pound business, but so is Poundland. Both are not ones I’d use for anything nice.

PlanDeRaccordement you're not picking well enough if that's your experience. We've just stayed in one and my daughter recommended using a superhost and we had the most beautiful, immaculately clean cottage ina great location. We've been staying in holiday cottages every year for over 30 years and it was one of the nicest. I have high expectations and it was a wonderful base.

I would definitely use airbnb again.

We've just come back. The blurb said there were tabs under the sink, but there weren't so I bought a box and brought the rest home. I was more annoyed at the complete lack of toilet roll which was expected, and no hand wash in the bathrooms!

Another vote for Airbnb not being the Poundland of renting. The review system is helpful to weed out the dross (granted that it's open to manipulation but better than nothing).

We've stayed in a huge, pretty much brand new apartment in Cape Town with sea views, a lovely cottage in the Cotswolds and an apartment overlooking the sea on the south coast on Airbnb. All immaculately furnished and cleaner than most higher end hotels we've stayed in.

You don't have to worry about the owner going out of business or not refunding you for cancellations. They can be quite expensive after the cleaning and service fees though. As with most holidays, the niceness of the property rather depends on your budget.

Renting is a two way street. Provide decent cleaning supplies and you're likely to find the occupants have left the property in a cleaner condition. Or stripped the beds and taken the bins out or whatever. As my hosts have been very helpful, I'd like to think we've been equally helpful and careful guests. Goodwill is worth more than the cost of a couple of dishwasher tablets and a tea towel surely.

I agree. This year was our first foray into Airbnb. We stayed in an upmarket mill conversion. The host lived next door and was brilliant, and really helpful. It certainly wasn't the Poundland of holiday rentals.

We left a star review and received one back. I took teatowels, dishwasher tablets etc, but didn't need to use them as there was plenty of cleaning stuff of all kinds.

The idea that you can manage to dishwash by hand at home but somehow because there is a dishwasher is in your rental renders you incapable of hand washing your dishes is mind boggling as is the mindset that prefers to pay cleaning fees rather than a pack of dishwasher tabs.

The fact people leave negative reviews for their own laziness is an entertaining sport in its own right. Reading reviews from people with batshit expectation levels is pure comedy. You can always tell the dickheads leaving 1star in the midst of a sea of consistent reasonable reviews. You can tell its someone with a chip on their shoulder or trying it on versus a bunch of fake reviews from whats said.

@RedToothBrush the point was that I'm not going to buy cleaning supplies for a rental for an appliance that I don't even use at home. Like, if the rental has a water softener, should I bring my own salt cartridges? If it has a hot tub, should I buy some chlorine tablets? Unless I was staying somewhere for weeks or planned to make a big meal, I probably wouldn't even use the dishwasher- I'll just wash what I use as I go, just like I do at home, to keep the place nice for myself- but, at the same time, if they don't provide washing up liquid and a cloth or sponge and a clean tea towel, while simultaneously expecting me to have all the dishes clean when I leave... I won't have brought any from home, I'm definitely not going out to buy some, so they can expect all they want. I'll rinse them off and leave them on the side. To be fair though I must stay at decent places because I've never found cleaning supplies in short supply.

Also not sure if you've ever stayed at a holiday rental but the cleaning charge isn't optional 😹 bless your heart. I'm not choosing to pay £60 instead of washing up. I'm choosing not to go shopping for cleaning supplies because I've already paid £60 for someone else to clean.

And finally I clearly said I don't leave bad reviews for anything unless my life or my family's life was literally in danger, I'm not trying to ruin anyone's business over a dishwasher tablet.

Airbnb owner is a dickhead if they mean you shouldn't have used the Dishwasher. If they mean you should have bought tablets and turned it on then they are in the right!! Why would you leave dirty dishes?

It would have been nice to leave a couple of tablets but there was nothing stopping you from buying your own!

If they mean you should have bought tablets and turned it on then they are in the right!!
No, THEY should have provided the tablets if they provide a dishwasher.

It would have been nice to leave a couple of tablets but there was nothing stopping you from buying your own!
'nice' in the sense that it's nice if property owners leave a couple of loo rolls?If they mean you should have bought tablets and turned it on then they are in the right!! Why would you leave dirty dishes?

What's stopping me from buying my own on holiday is a) I'm on holiday and b) you pay hefty cleaning fees at most holiday rentals, out of which I'm sure they could have found the money for a box of dishwasher tabs.

@swashbucklecheer

I always take a few tablets for the dishwasher and a few pods for the washing machine just in case. If there is stuff there - happy days, if not - I'm prepared anyway.

Surely its a huge waste buying a full box of tablets just for one week.

I would expect the owner to have provided them.

Not if there's a dishwasher in the property. What the fuck else is it for? Decoration?

Dish washing all the crap people who cant be bothered to do their own either by hand or because they can't work out how to purchase some tabs.

But what good are blunt knifes for?

They are ALWAYS blunt.

And for the record, yes ive stayed in rentals. Cleaning charges are most definitely not universal... Maybe a thought when booking.

I've stayed in many AirBnBs and have not come across one where there was not a small supply of dishwasher tablets, usually enough for one per day. I would expect thuis as they are always keen to have good feedback, just make sure you cover this when you leave yours.

This was a most awful problem to have on your holiday, and to write about it too. Good grief !

@1forAll74

This was a most awful problem to have on your holiday, and to write about it too. Good grief !

Its definitely up there with going to Cornwall and it raining.

Holiday completely ruined

Also not sure if you've ever stayed at a holiday rental but the cleaning charge isn't optional

Traditional holiday lets don’t make a separate cleaning charge, it’s included in the rental cost. And you’re expected to leave the dishes clean either in the dishwasher or put away where they belong. Frankly I’m aghast at £200-400 a night for a holiday let, those are nice hotel prices.

I never expect them, I think they are a nice extra and for a certain price range for a cottage I would say they should be included if the owner includes other basic materials.

I think you were unreasonable not to clean the dishes on the dishwasher by hand, the cleaner had to do it for you and I think it is not acceptable.

It is normal in holiday cottages it seems, to have to get your own soap and washing liquid and dishwasher tablets. It seems so mean. And I wonder what happens to all the half empty bottles left by the last guests!

I'd always take my own laundry powder , don't ever expect that to be provided. DW tabs I'd take in case none are provided.

Why on earth didn't you buy some DWtabs, and bring the rest home? OR hand wash everything .

Leaving dirty dishes is awful.