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.

• so really .. not "so ready "

We've just come back from somewhere which asked us to do this and I did it but actually it is really cheeky isn't it?!

I do it as I know that changeover days are a long hard slog in Cornwall. They are a thankless task too, people seem happy to pick holes in everything nowadays in comparison to years ago. The cleaning fee my friend charges is a third of what the actual cleaner is paid. Finding cleaners is hard at the moment and if you find a good one you generally have to share them with another let, which is why the changeover hours have stayed longer since the covid recommendations were to ensure the accommodation was aired thoroughly between guests.
It's noticeable over the years that people leave lets in a much worse state than they used to. This has added to the reasoning of not putting the check-out and check-in times back to pre-covid.
When a place is a small family run business what’s the harm, the bed gets aired, the cleaner then comes and changes all mattress protectors and pillow protectors as well before re making it all up.
I quite like the policy of stripping the beds, if that's requested you know the beds have actually been changed, I've stayed in places where the sheets have been so creased I've not been 100% sure the beds were actually changed! I also like to strip the beds to check that pillow protectors and mattress protectors are being used, then I photograph stained pillows and mattresses and complain!
I'd also add that I know if my friends cleaner is done by say 2pm and check in is stated at 5pm they will message the incoming guests to say all is ready for them and they may now check in early. I've also arrived in an area and let the owners of the accommodation I am staying in that I intend on arriving early to spend the day looking around. Quite often they will message once the cleaner is done too and let you check in a couple of hours early.

Does anyone tip cleaners anymore?

Cheeky fuckers.

I also have noticed this post covid. We leave places clean and tidy but I’m absolutely not doing the cleaning and would leave a bad review if was asked to

Same here - handy to find things that have got hidden.

Last year was the first time we have self catered since covid and was the first time in years that we were asked to strip the beds. However I only stripped the ones we used - even in a twin room I just stripped the one bed that was used not both.

Some places are very demanding about the chores you need to do before leaving and threaten withholding deposits etc if you don’t do things like hoover, take bins out, unload dishwasher.

Sometimes it’s cheeky and it’s about then needing to hire the cleaners for less time. Other times it’s about that area having a shortage of cleaners or the location making getting to all the properties before changeover really difficult….so anything that can be done to reduce the time, is needed. However, especially in places where you’re paying a premium to start with or being charged extra for cleaning, once the list grows to lots of jobs, you do feel a bit cheated.

I don’t think it’s quite the same as a hotel. It is self-catering accommodation. Once issue owners have is that some people vacate leaving a terrible mess - loads of washing up not done, everything really really filthy. In honesty, it’s this stuff they are concerned to prevent really, not so much some of the other stuff.

It is too much to ask people to unload the dishwasher. You’re trying to get out by an early exit time, eat your breakfast and load up the dishwasher and put it on. There really isn’t time to wait for it to be finished and unload it….you’d have to be up for breakfast by 6am to manage all that.

I’d always expect to wipe down the kitchen surfaces and would hoover the downsatairs, especially if it had got sandy. We would also empty bins and put dishwasher on. If asked, I’d strip the beds and wouldn’t be too bothered by doing that - each person on holiday with us could do their own. I’d expect that with a couple of adults doing this stuff along with packing up and loading, it wouldn’t be more than 15-20 mins of making the house presentable. I didn’t mind that but am not going to be spending longer.

As cottages and holiday home become more expensive, people are priced out of the market. Those going to them expect higher standards for their money and to not be having to do lots of work at the end. What people often do t realise is the massive shortage of cleaners in holiday areas.

I don't mind stripping beds, I don't like having to put fresh stuff on but stripping beds I don't find a chore. I've done it quite a few times in airbnb's.

I wouldn't mind stripping the beds that much (but hotels don't ask you to do it, and neither do B&Bs, so it is cheeky for self-catering places that are charging you for their cleaner to ask). But it isn't time-consuming especially if there's only one bed to do.

However, I would have flatly refused to book the place a MNer posted about a while ago, where they said she had to take her rubbish to the local tip!

What people often do t realise is the massive shortage of cleaners in holiday areas

Oh dear, then the second home owners might have to do some work themselves.

If they want you to strip the beds that needs to be communicated upfront on the terms and conditions and arrival information so that you’re pre-warned.

It’s totally unprofessional of the agent to text you that the day before.

Since Covid hotels and holiday lets have all had to operate using Covid enhanced cleaning protocols - which include procedures for stripping beds.

For those with holiday lets, how much time do you give or pay a cleaner to turn around a 2/3/4 bed property? I’d be interested to know.

A friend has a holiday let and pays £120 for cleaning between each let and over £60 for laundry. I don’t know how much time that buys. It explains why 2 nights lets are so relatively expensive compared to a full week.

I also know that cleaners often have to do multiple houses or have other jobs on, so will only offer each property pretty limited time. And it’s not as easy as saying the owner needs to get someone else….like all the labour shortages related to Brexit, you just can’t always get someone.

I didn't leave a bad review, I just ignored the request to strip the beds since I had paid a hefty cleaning fee.
I was curious as to whether they would give me a bad review as an Airbnb guest but they gave our family a glowing review so couldn't have been that surprised we ignored that particlar request. Still left the place tidy.

I'll just add this to the list of why I would rather stay in a hotel. Hotels are cheaper and far better value in my experience. I'd rather stay in a premier Inn than most airbnbs. And they have Aircon in the summer.

I prefer staying in hotels now. I had an experience of paying a large cleaning fee and then being moaned at because the bins had a few things in them. I just want to relax on holiday. Premier inn is preferable!

Nope. No way.

I am really OCD about cleaning so would always leave a clean and tidy room/rental.

But my view would be that I am on holiday and not here to do the owner's job, so stripping the bed goes well beyond the responsibility of guests to leave things tidy as far as I am concerned.

The scamdemic was the perfect opportunity for small, holiday cottage businesses to really take the pee. Hiked prices to extortionate, make you strip beds, late check in at 4pm once you’ve lost an entire day of the break and leaving at 10am - fair enough in order to hoover, tidy, wipe down, plus strip beds - you might as well be getting paid!

I've got a tiny holiday let. Don't charge for cleaning which I do myself. Checkout time is 11am. My mattress, mattress cover, pillows and soft furnishing are immaculate. I'm always incredibly grateful when people are respectful enough to leave the place in a good state, and are considerate enough to strip the bed although I don't ask them too. And it's not like a hotel because it's part of my property and therefore a bit more personal. I go to a huge amount of trouble to give guests the best possible experience as a host and the vast majority of people get that and reciprocate. I do judge the ones who don't though.

To be fair to owners my auntie pays a professional cleaning company and they are awful. She is constantly having to redo things, they require a 7 hour window but often only do 45 mins cleaning. Like most rural places, there are massive labour shortages z

Of course you strip the beds!!! It’s not a big deal! Most the holiday cottages around here require this and the linen putting into linen bags.

I'm not interested in stripping beds at the end of a holiday stay.

And I agree, any requirements need making clear in the terms and conditions and not sprung upon people.

However, many people don t read the terms and conditions. Agents or owners text a reminder, but often people are shocked at that point, because they haven’t read the terms. I guess, that if it’s in the terms and you sign-up, that was your choice. That’s how the owners will look at it.

And re the 2nd home owners doing the work themselves, of course many don’t live anywhere nearby.

This is another service sector industry which is massively short of workers at the moment.

I remember the days when self catering places would either ask you to provide your own bedding, or at best out a pile on the bed and you’d have to make them up yourselves. That’s what was invovled in self catering. But people want more now and pay higher prices than they used to.

I always strip the beds - that seems pretty normal to me. I'm not scrubbing the bath out though as that should be covered in the cleaning fee.

And that sounds lovely!
Much more reasonable asking people to leave at 11.

You could still include cleaning within your costs though - so you’re not out of pocket.

Would irk me a bit but not terribly.

What nonsense. There are no enhanced protocols, just an excuse for tight arse owners who don’t want to pay cleaners properly. This is 2023 you know not 2020.