To think that holiday let owners with 'unusual' house rules should have to make them clear on the advert?

[bsidecside]

We're regular holiday let-stayers as a we have loads of kids (5), and so have seen a variety of 'house rules' over the years. We're currently staying in an otherwise lovely holiday let that has a house rule that 'all refuse and recycling must be removed from the property'. We're not staying very remotely (small town on the coast close to other small towns) so I can't see any 'need' for this rule other than to cut down the cleaning at the end. Having to remove all our litter (which I'm trying to keep on top of as we go) is making me increasingly cross. I'm not saying I definitely wouldn't have booked if we'd seen this rule, but I certainly would have considered other options more carefully first!

Cheer me up with your tales of the weirdest - unexpected - house rules you've come across in a holiday let!

We stayed in Cornwall in March, and had a daily text from the letting company telling us that all rubbish had to be placed in the commercial bins at the entrance to the small estate we were on. FFS, we only had 1 bin liner for the entire week and wouldn't have left it inside as we were staying on a cliffside development and appreciated that the cleaner wouldn't want to deal with it!

We stayed in a place in Bavarias that stipulated that too - we had to take our rubbish to the recycling centre. We also had to wear slippers indoors and could only make noise between certain hours of the day (as in, TV on, that kind of noise - not screaming or shouting obviously) and had to be completely quiet on Sunday. There was a rule book written in German that we didn't see (and couldn't have read without spending ages on Google Translate) and we only found out about our many breaches when the landlady who lived underneath us sent me a long email telling us where we were going wrong - apparently she could hear us moving about at 10pm and this was unacceptable because she had to be up at 4am for her job at the local hospital.

Another property in the north of Scotland - this time a ring binder full of rules (as in, a whole ring binder) with such very detailed instructions about which wood pile to use for which wood burner, how to speak to the ducks in the pond and hours at which the gates would be closed. We used the wrong wood on one wood burner and the owner who lived at an adjacent property came knocking at the door in a fury - he knew from the smoke we'd used the wrong wood.

*Bavaria

Wasn't there a case in the news a while back where someone got fined for putting his junk mail in a street bin because they aren't for household waste? I seem to remember they charged him with fly tipping or littering or something. You might check before putting stuff in the street bins, although I suppose in your case they wouldn't be able to prove it was household.

The owners are being ridiculous - but you are too.

Just use the wheelie bin. Bonkers to be farting bags of refuse around every time you go out.

i think you have possibly misunderstood the instructions. Can you post a photo?

My friend recently booked an air bnb and the week before she stayed was landed with a load of weird rules which basically were designed to keep the fact she was staying there a complete secret (things like don't engage with the neighbours). She cancelled in the end and lost quite a bit of money, but sneaking around wouldn't have been a holiday.

I agree this rule is totally bonkers and I'd be livid. Taking stuff to an outside bin is fine, doing a tip trip is not. I'd be inclined to contact the owner and say something like "I'm just confirming that it's okay to use the outside wheelie bin to dispose of rubbish. But I'm going to ring the council tomorrow to check collection times for this property to make sure the rubbish won't go uncollected for too long". That should worry them if they're doing something illegal.

*Carting not farting ffs!

Thats a crazy rule! Where I live you have to register your car in advance and book a slot to use the rubbish/recycling centre. You can only visit for free if you live in the county, otherwise you have to pay to register your car and use it! Im assuming where you are doesn't have this rule but if I was you Id check as I think quite a few areas do this now.

Isn't this completely normal?

I am always baffled by mumsnetters scrubbing on the morning they leave but I've always taken our rubbish out. I've also never been fined for not scrubbing.

This is why I don't use air bnb, too many people happy to take your money but then act like they're doing you a favour letting you stay and imposing loads of rules.

It being removed from the property just means it needs to go in the outside bin surely 😂

That's how 99.9% of the population would interpret it anyway

I am an ex Furnished holiday lets owner so see it from a different point of view. A lot of these "rules" are being driven by the big OTA's - online travel agents - like airbnb and bookingdotcom. They have a list of rules that you can incorporate into your terms and conditions and owners just tick them. Would they have thought of them themselves if they hadnt seen them in the list? Also, this year, the standards from guests have plummetted. The number of owners posting on owners chat forums with pictures of the damage and mess left by guests far exceeds what there has been in previous years. No idea why this is but if you saw some of them you would be in disbelief. With regards to the rubbish issue in particular this is an owner who doesnt want to abide by the law. The law is that if you own and run a furnished holiday let, whether or not you call it an airbnb thats what it is, you have to pay to have your waste/rubbish removed. Because the "premises that the waste arises from " is deemed to be commercial the rubbish is deemed to be commercial waste and the owner cant just put it out in the council bins they must pay for it to be collected. So, the owner of this property is probably breaking lots of other laws too if they cant be arsed to pay to have their rubbish taken away. Does the property have linked smoke alarms and turn locks on the door? did you see a fire risk assessment? did they leave you a hamper containing alcohol (which they shouldnt unless they have a licence) the list goes on and on. Personally, I would be writing to the owner now and saying no I am not taking the rubbish off the premises and can I see a copy of the waste transfer notices from your provider because if not I am telling the local council waste department. Yes, I really would do this.

Bloody hell that's insane!

My heart sinks when I arrive somewhere, tired after a long journey, and see a massive folder full of instructions I have to read atbsome point. I much prefer that places that have short, factual laminated messaged up near whatever thing they want me to attend to. Did a vbro apartment in the US recently and it was excellent at this. Laminated message above bin saying please put rubbish in external bins before you leave. Folder on coffee table clearly labelled 'local recommendations' so no obligation to read. WiFi instructions laminated and stuck to cupboard where router was and a small laminated card in bathroom saying we'd appreciate you leaving all used towels in tha bathtub before you leave.

People here are starting to take the piss with holiday lets I think and will ultimately just do themselves out of business. I'm happy to leave a place clean and tidy - so if the kids dropped a packet of cereal I'd seek out a dustpan and brush in a cupboard and clean it up - I'm happy to put all rubbish in any or a series of external bins at the end and I'll gladly put all towels in the bath and put the last breakfast things in the dishwasher and switch on as I leave. I always tuck chairs in, plump up the cushions and Dona brief tidy up as I'm apcking up. Anything more than that I'm doing the same level of housework as at home and no, does not work for me.

One place couple of years ago wanted us to put the last breakfast things in the dishwasher the morning we were leaving and then wait for it to finish and put everything back in the cupboard before we left, as well as being out by 10.00 for our 6 hour drive home! We put them in and out the dishwasher on and left. So someone had to come in later, open it, and put 3 bowls and 3 glasses back in a cupboard above the dishwasher and 3 spoons in a drawer to the side of it. I don't think that is unreasonable at all and nothing was said. In fact we've never had an issue with a deposit.

I wonder if their rental is classed as a business and maybe they have to pay for waste and recycling, and so they've decided not to pay and ask their guests to take their rubbish with them.

It would annoy me too.

They’re being tight. If you register your holiday let for business rates you pay additionally for waste to be removed. Changing from council tax to business rates usually means a saving (I don’t pay anything outright for the airbnb flat on my property, whereas council tax would be £200-odd a month) but quite rightly I have to pay for waste removal if it exceeds the single wheelie bin I pay for as part of the council tax on my home. They should be running the waste to the tip if they’re not prepared to pay for the service, not their guests. Owners like this really irritate me.

Any behaviour that can result in part of the deposit being kept should have to be stated in the booking conditions, by law. This is all about saving money and isn't on. In a lot of cases it will be connected to not declaring the extra income etc. If someone was disabled and not able to do this, it could come under indirect discrimination. Then as said not everyone takes a car. We've used sites on Train routes. Any rule is fine, as long as it is stated in the T&C's.

It's not really unusual to ask someone to get rid of rubbish. I'm in an Airbnb right now that asks the same. The difference is that they've told me where to get rid of it (a shirt five minute walk). It's not their fault thar the flat has no kerbside collection.

Thats stupid and I wouldnt do it... if they complain point out that it was never made a stipulation of your booking.

I also think its rude to expect guests to clean in general, I get expect there not to be trash all over the floor etc... but the empty bins, do washing, strip beds or any of that stuff takes the piss, we pay cleaning fees in our bookings specifically for someone else to do those jobs (if the owner doesnt want to pay the cleaners to do all the jobs or send them on the same day thats THEIR problem not mine).

I'm on holiday not a maid.

Last place we stayed I had to empty all bins, put all plates in dishwasher, bag up all towels and strip all beds all this before 9am checkout. Lovely place but I won't be going back next year

@fudfootedfannybangle I think you’re right

We stay in airbnbs quite a lot, and have always been told to remove rubbish, and I thought it was because businesses are charged for rubbish removal.

I own a holiday cottage which is next to my house. We have 2 full length washing lines in the garden and those are what I use for everything - my washing, my dad's cottage and the holiday let. There is a small airer in the cottage if you need to dry something in a hurry. However, given that I am paying for the electricity, if you think I am installing heated towel rails or tumble driers when I have neither in my own house, you are sadly mistaken. We used to rent the place out in the winter but after guests left electric heaters on all day when they were out costing us a small fortune, we decided not to bother any more.

Our local council tried to tell me that I had to pay for rubbish collection for the cottage but because ours is mixed with it, they couldn't. Plus, we don't let it out every week and I'm not paying for something we don't use. We do ask guests to recycle and to put the rubbish out at the end of their stay but most of them ignore it or balls up the recycling, despite clear instructions. I could write an essay on the stupidity of people who come to my cottage but won't derail this thread.

We had to do a tip run on the last day of our holiday in Tenby a few years back. The property had no outdoor space or bins and went directly out onto the street. I had realised quite early on that this was the case and when neighbouring houses put out their bin bags I did what we had at that point, but the changeover day was Friday so there was still some rubbish. Very few public bins to get rid of small amounts too. The tip was miles away, DH was pissed off about that. We’re not a big family, your situation with more kids would annoy me too op.

Now off to check if the info on our let in a few weeks time says anything about waste…

It's true that you can't put household waste or business waste in street bins. I used to work in a small shop and the owner would make us sneak the rubbish into the bin on the street outside the shop, presumably because he was too tight to pay the business rates 🙄

Please mention this in the review, it’s completely madness! Instead of relaxing and enjoying the holiday you need to deal with this headache.
Actually you are not allowed to put your private waste into a public bin , there is a fine for this. I mean you can put a wrapper from sandwiches etc but not a bag with the rubbish you’ve collected at home. There were stickers on the public bins where I lived before (near the touristy city centre).

I think I understand it. We run a holiday let.

Our council offer us a nil rate council tax as it is classed as a business. It’s nil rate as the turnover is relatively low.

But refuse collection is not included. We pay a company who come in every two weeks to empty the bin. It the same size as a regular bin and from memory is about £12 each time. If the bin is overloaded they charge extra fees.

We cannot find a recycling service, so we provide a recycling bin in the property. Then empty it and recycle appropriately when we do the clean up.

It sounds like your hosts haven’t worked out how to find a refuse service, or are just being tight.