Being asked to strip beds in holiday cottage

[librarian55]

We have just returned from a long weekend in the Lake District which was organised by my DD. We stayed in a very nice cottage. The day before we left, the letting agent texted my DD asking us to leave the place clean and tidy (fair enough, we would do that anyway) but they also asked us to strip the beds. AIBU in thinking this was very cheeky? The cost of cleaning would be included in the rental price and since we were expected to vacate by 10am, we didn't have that much time in the morning. I know it doesn't take much time, but I go on holiday to get away from such chores.

Me too. I just see it as polite. Strip the beds, empty bins, wash up etc. Makes the cleaner's job a little easier.

We regularly use AirBnBs. If they charge a cleaning fee then I don't do any cleaning/bed stripping before we leave. Even if they request it (and I won't stay in that AirBnB again).

If they don't charge a cleaning fee but request you clean/bed strip then I don't do it, and won't stay there again. I go away for a break to get away from doing household chores.

Our last AirBNB left a note saying - clean, dust, taking trash outside, vacuum and strip beds please! We ignored that given the hefty cleaning fee we’d paid.

Dusting, my worst nightmare. I don't go on holiday to dust!

That note really is a cheek as you also paid a separate cleaning charge.

And I say that as someone who usually strips beds and leaves somewhere clean.
Specifying that you dust etc, that is a massive cheek. What is the cleaning fee for then if you did it all yourself ?

Agreed. Bed stripping is fair enough, it takes so little time. Dusting though! I rarely do that at home!

I think the cleaning fee should be factored in the weekly charge for the property, not an add on. Ditto service fees. We are all being taken for mugs.

Exactly - basically what is in the book for the one we are at! For those saying it’s no big deal and is only a few mins - I agree as above that stripping the beds is no big deal and actually ok with that, but a full clean, hoover, clean bathroom etc is more than a few minutes - we would be getting up at 06:00 to get everything done and packed to leave at 10:00! We always keep things clean and tidy as we go along and hate mess including wiping down the bathroom sink when it’s been used for example - but a full clean?! No, that CF territory IMO!

It is in the cottage we rent

In Cornwall I was left an A4 folder full of polite requests that included not letting the dog off the lead in the garden at any time, water about twenty potted plants in the garden and take two different bins out on different days. This was on top of stripping beds etc.

It was such a bossy folder, I have gone back to hotels now. I don’t want to fiend my holiday doing chores that I have to go at home. 2k a week for that.

Just got back from a week in Cornwall and had this. 2 bags left with instructions to strip the beds. Did it obvs but I don't think it's on given cleaning is supposed to be included.

Yes it only takes a few mins but then so does hoovering, dusting, cleaning the bathroom. I also noticed that the cleaning wasn't very thorough - skirting and towel rails all dusty. Very soon they will start charging extra for utilities by taking smart meter readings!

I’ve never stayed in an AirBNB. I don’t think I’d mind too much about stripping the beds (although it does mean I’ll see the state of the pillows and duvet).

The hard one is having to leave the dishwasher empty and empty all the bins. If you are rushing to leave on time, don’t you just bung the stuff in the dishwasher, put it on and walk out the door?

There was a thread on here a while back by someone who’d been told that all rubbish had to be taken with them - presumably because the council won’t empty bins for holiday lets. That’s a massive pain in the arse.

How much are these places where you have to strip beds, mop floors, hoover, dust, empty the dishwasher and empty all the bins?

Yes, same here. This is normal, and has been for a long time. I'll also run the hoover around and make sure dishwasher is on, generally leave things tidy. But, no, the bathroom etc., I'd expect the cleaner to do this. Most cleaners (and I know a couple) would see all of this as reasonable and respectful.

So I think there is a difference between traditional rentals (private or managed via an agency) and AirBNB. I'm generalising of course, but unfortunately AirBNB has created a lot of opportunistic and inexperienced lenders (and guests) whose expectations are unrealistic and who don't understand common courtesy.

This one is £520 for four nights - so £130 a night for a small no frills two bed cottage.

The worry is that they aren’t doing at other cleaning at all and relying completely on the renters to clean it. I wouldn’t dream of not cleaning if someone was staying with us and look at a holiday rental in the same way - but it appears they just want the money without much effort.

*any other

I never strip the beds either. We leave the place tidy and any spillages etc are cleaned up as we would at home, but I'm not cleaning it before we leave either. When we leave it will look like home does when it's in need of its weekly clean, I.e presentable but could do with a once over.

I don't strip beds becuase I don't want to know what the mattress looks like!

And how exactly does that help with preventing COVID?

(Spoiler: it doesn't. It's just the excuse du jour)

It doesn’t bother me tuppence if asked to strip the beds, it only takes a few minutes. I also make sure the place is tidy, dishwasher on etc, I thought that was just good manners rather than leaving a tip for the cleaners to deal with 🤷🏼‍♀️

No one has suggested leaving the place a tip is OK

I see it as good manners too. As clearly do the people we rent a cottage from twice a year because they give us a worthwhile discount.

We've had strict instructions in red capital letters not to leave the dishwasher running when we leave because it holds up the cleaners. All washing up must be dried, put away and the sink and draining board cleaned and dried before 9am departure. Didn't return to that one!

Rentals I always strip the beds and empty the bins.

I don't understand the logic of stripping the beds to save the cleaners time but then leaving a full dishwasher to empty. It takes longer to empty the dishwasher than it does to strip beds!