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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Being asked to strip beds in holiday cottage

380 replies

librarian55 · 09/03/2023 16:29

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.

OP posts:
Delatron · 09/03/2023 19:35

Does anyone’s DH ever strip the beds? Or is it just another task for the woman? Pay £1k plus to not even go abroad. Check out time is now 9am (because of Covid still). So someone is getting up early on the last day of their holiday to clean, empty bins and strip beds. And stripping every single bed in a family of 4 does not take ‘a few minutes’. It’s sad this has become normalised.

It’s a holiday - I don’t mind bins, a wipe down, quick sweep. But we all know within the cost a cleaner is going to
come in and has all day (because the check in is now so late) to give it a proper clean.

It’s annoying and it’s why I would prefer to stay in hotels. Then it feels more like a holiday… rather than scrubbing floors and stripping beds at 7.30am on your last day. How relaxing. For £££££s

MrsDooDaa · 09/03/2023 19:39

I can't get my head around people stripping beds but leaving a loaded dishwasher in a holiday let.

It's would take a cleaner more time to unload a dishwasher and find the correct place for everything in multiple rentals than strip beds.

Rollersea · 09/03/2023 19:42

I think its really cheeky, I paid £700 for a weekend away and was asked to strip the beds- check in 4pm check out 10am, it's nearly as much as my mortgage for a month. Absolutely not

JustLikeAStatue · 09/03/2023 19:45

I'd just never do it, I don't strip my own beds at home so I'm not going to start doing chores on holiday.

Yes, I'll empty bins, load the dishwasher and put it on but I would never start cleaning/stripping beds. I've been staying in cottages for more than 30 years and have never stripped a bed. I've never left a mess behind either.

bellac11 · 09/03/2023 19:47

MrsDooDaa · 09/03/2023 19:39

I can't get my head around people stripping beds but leaving a loaded dishwasher in a holiday let.

It's would take a cleaner more time to unload a dishwasher and find the correct place for everything in multiple rentals than strip beds.

I dont strip beds but we do leave a loaded dishwasher because if we've had breakfast and then cleaned the property and packed, then loaded the dishwasher, it wont be finished by the time we leave.

Twiglets1 · 09/03/2023 19:49

bellac11 · 09/03/2023 19:47

I dont strip beds but we do leave a loaded dishwasher because if we've had breakfast and then cleaned the property and packed, then loaded the dishwasher, it wont be finished by the time we leave.

Show quote history

Exactly… you’d have to get up at 5am just to get all the chores done before check out at 9 when the er… cleaners arrive

HoneyBadger525 · 09/03/2023 19:51

I always do it as I think it’s polite. I do it in hotel rooms too. It literally takes two minutes. It would have taken longer to write your post than to strip the beds in the first place 😬

Mirabai · 09/03/2023 19:51

@WombatChocolate

Regular holiday let customers know it’s fairly standard to be asked to strip the beds or empty the bins before leaving. <>

Some people seem to think holiday cottages and houses are hotels with a daily maid - someone who will do the washing up and throughly clear up after you leave a big mess. That really isn’t the deal.

You’re talking about the very bottom of the market.

Most mid market and above holiday lets employ cleaners (if they are not cleaned by the owner) who clean before and after each booking. Cleaning fees are often displayed these days for clarity.

FlyingCapybara40 · 09/03/2023 19:51

This is standard for holiday let's isn't it ?

MrsTerryPratchett · 09/03/2023 19:53

Like most rural places, there are massive labour shortages

Ironically because the second home owners and holiday lets have priced locals out of the market.

MrsRosieBrew · 09/03/2023 19:55

HoneyBadger525 · 09/03/2023 19:51

I always do it as I think it’s polite. I do it in hotel rooms too. It literally takes two minutes. It would have taken longer to write your post than to strip the beds in the first place 😬

This.

LlynTegid · 09/03/2023 19:56

Reasonable to ask at the time of booking, not the day before.

Agree re holiday lets and the impact on staffing @MrsTerryPratchett

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 09/03/2023 19:58

MrsTerryPratchett · 09/03/2023 19:53

Like most rural places, there are massive labour shortages

Ironically because the second home owners and holiday lets have priced locals out of the market.

This. Totally agree. The irony of it is totally lost on second home owners and air bnb owners though.

DragonflyLady · 09/03/2023 19:59

We’ve always stripped the beds at holiday cottages!

Twiglets1 · 09/03/2023 20:01

DragonflyLady · 09/03/2023 19:59

We’ve always stripped the beds at holiday cottages!

Not sure it really merits an exclamation mark but ok

TurnipShepherd · 09/03/2023 20:02

I take my parents away once a year for a week in a holiday let. My 82 year old father keeps himself busy while we're there - he empties all the kitchen cupboards & wipes them down inside, and washes all the utensils/crockery etc. He also cleans all the windows inside & out (except outside upstairs because I won't let him try & find a ladder😂). He's got a feather duster he brings with him to dust all the ceilings. The evening before we leave he vacuums all through, and scrubs the bathrooms. The beds get stripped if requested, as some places prefer you not too. (And, no, he doesn't do all this cleaning when he's at home!)

bigbluebus · 09/03/2023 20:16

I've stayed in many holiday lets, including Airbnb, and have never been asked to strip beds, nor have I ever done so. The only exception was on a canal holiday in 2020 (between lockdowns) when we were asked to strip the beds and place all bedding and towels in the yellow plastic bag provided. Someone from the canal boat hire company then went on the boat in a full face mask complete with filters to collect the bedding and then went back on with a misting machine. We were on the car park at this point so saw what they did. I had no problem with it then but don't see why I should do it at any other time.

KohlaParasaurus · 09/03/2023 20:17

We always strip the beds at the end of a self-catering holiday, so I was a bit conflicted when I read somewhere a while ago that some owners prefer the bedding left in place so that they know there aren't any nasty stains on it. But we still do. If we'd got body fluids or mud on the sheet we'd make sure it was visible rather than hidden. In fact, we'd probably have dealt with stained bedding ourselves already because we always choose accommodation with a washing machine.

Wallywobbles · 09/03/2023 20:24

We always ask people to strip bed and put used towels in the baths. It's never ever been an issue. We also ask them to empty bins and not leave stuff in the fridge. Turn around times are tight if the team have multiple properties to do.

DragonflyLady · 09/03/2023 20:24

Twiglets1 · 09/03/2023 20:01

Not sure it really merits an exclamation mark but ok

Show quote history

Because I’m surprised that people don’t do that. Not sure my exclamation mark actually warranted a snooty remark, but there you go.

shipshapeshipper · 09/03/2023 20:27

I wouldn't want to do this. I don't even do my beds at home so would be particularly peeved 😂

ItsHannahBackwards · 09/03/2023 20:31

We have a holiday home we let out. We ask for beds to be stripped. People can choose to book elsewhere if they don’t want to do it.

bellac11 · 09/03/2023 20:35

KohlaParasaurus · 09/03/2023 20:17

We always strip the beds at the end of a self-catering holiday, so I was a bit conflicted when I read somewhere a while ago that some owners prefer the bedding left in place so that they know there aren't any nasty stains on it. But we still do. If we'd got body fluids or mud on the sheet we'd make sure it was visible rather than hidden. In fact, we'd probably have dealt with stained bedding ourselves already because we always choose accommodation with a washing machine.

I dont strip beds but if Ive left a blood stain on the sheets I will then take the sheet and rinse and soap it in cold water as I know that if that went in the wash it would set the stain, so people do need to do that first in cold water

Delatron · 09/03/2023 20:35

I think people will book elsewhere and I hope owners make it clear they expect beds to be stripped before people book. I would think ‘sod that - that’s not a holiday’. People pay enough and a cleaning fee. They shouldn’t have to do that on holiday.

bellac11 · 09/03/2023 20:36

ItsHannahBackwards · 09/03/2023 20:31

We have a holiday home we let out. We ask for beds to be stripped. People can choose to book elsewhere if they don’t want to do it.

Hopefully its clearly stated on your airbnb/holiday cottage website page?