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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think holiday cottage company is taking the p**s

306 replies

HettyMeg · 03/09/2023 22:17

We don't stay in holiday cottages very often so I don't know if we are a bit out of touch. But the one we're staying in has got a list as long as your arm of things we need to do before check out, including strip the beds and place all bedding and towels in a bag for laundry. It also says categorically do not put glass bottles in the bin, but there is no recycling for glass or information about where to recycle so we just need to take them home with us. If you get makeup on a towel you will be made to pay for a new one, which seems OTT to me as they can surely wash out a bit of foundation?!

OP posts:
Whataretheodds · 03/09/2023 22:24

strip the beds and place all bedding and towels in a bag for laundry
Pretty standard

It also says categorically do not put glass bottles in the bin, but there is no recycling for glass or information about where to recycle
Contact them and ask?

If you get makeup on a towel you will be made to pay for a new one
I have seen this before and a black flannel/towel was provided. I'm on the fence. Accidents happen but it's not unreasonable to take basic care of the stuff.

rhino12345 · 03/09/2023 22:27

Seems fairly standard ime. Some places are fussier than others

Fairydustxox · 03/09/2023 22:28

I stayed in a holiday cottage just like the one you're describing. Upon checking the reviews a previous guest had left a review stating that they hadn't had their deposit returned because they hadn't emptied the dishwasher!
The cottage owners replied that it took the cleaners time to clean round and empty the dishwasher for the next guest coming and basically time is money

starfishmummy · 03/09/2023 22:35

I've never come across the make up one before. Beds being stripped is something we had an odd time before covid, but seems pretty standard now.

The glass is annoying - we had that in one cottage, they weren't allowed in recycling in that area (we've been there a lot), but the cottage owners left a note about where we could take it.

Its only on mumsnet thst I've come across people leaving the dishwasher running. But we do everything the night before and just have mugs the next morning as we usually plan breakfast at a local cafe after we've checked out of the cottage

FannyFifer · 03/09/2023 22:58

This shit is why I stay in hotels, if I want to strip beds I can do that at home.

theGooHasGone · 03/09/2023 23:01

Not entirely sure what the point is in paying to stay there if they want you to clean up absolutely everything after yourself.

MuggleMe · 03/09/2023 23:03

I think it's rude to say dishwasher needs emptying especially when they usually want you out by 10 these days.

mrsmalcolmreynolds · 03/09/2023 23:03

Fairly standard I think? The foundation thing is oddly specific, but it doesn't always wash out so don't think it's an unreasonable stipulation really.

And PP re the dishwasher - if you leave it running on the morning then there's every chance it won't be finished by the time the cleaners are done which is clearly a massive hassle all round?

Changingplace · 04/09/2023 06:01

MuggleMe · 03/09/2023 23:03

I think it's rude to say dishwasher needs emptying especially when they usually want you out by 10 these days.

Agreed, I’ll happily leave it full and running but if we’re having breakfast and need to be out by 10am expecting the dishwasher to be emptied is ridiculous- especially if I’m paying a cleaning fee.

AIstolemylunch · 04/09/2023 06:20

The dishwasher thing is ridiculous. You're clearly paying to be able to have breakfast on the morning of your departure so it's totally unreasonable to not think people will put a last wash on before they leave at 10.00 or whatever. Even if the cleaners come 5 minutes after you've left you'd hope theyd spend at least 2 hours there cleaning properly and that's enough time to then empty the dishwasher on their way out.

yogasaurus · 04/09/2023 06:23

This is normal for a holiday cottage/Airbnb IMO

Prefer Hotels for this reason

AgentProvocateur · 04/09/2023 06:25

FannyFifer · 03/09/2023 22:58

This shit is why I stay in hotels, if I want to strip beds I can do that at home.

Exactly. Airbnb “hosts” are the absolute worst for rules. It’s hotels all the way for me now.

Squirrelsnut · 04/09/2023 06:27

I now ignore such instructions and just leave ensure there's no dirty crockery left around and the place is tidy. I'm not paying £40+ cleaning fee and doing a chunk of the work myself.
I always get a positive review on airbnb.

Notveryanything · 04/09/2023 06:28

MuggleMe · 03/09/2023 23:03

I think it's rude to say dishwasher needs emptying especially when they usually want you out by 10 these days.

Yes agree with this. Check outs are earlier and check ins are later (4pm not unusual). If you're only going for a couple of days that eats into the time you have.

IglesiasPiggl · 04/09/2023 06:28

I hear you OP, I hate really prescriptive check out procedures. I think it's fine to ask you to strip beds and take out rubbish, but anything beyond that is a no from me.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 04/09/2023 06:31

Standard requests and it doesn’t really bother me. It takes two minutes to strip the beds 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’m a tidy person anyway but it’s just good manners to leave the place neat.

Wherly · 04/09/2023 06:46

Shitty but standard.

The holiday let we had this year asked us to make sure all dishes were in the kitchen (didn't even specify to clean them) and leave a note about any breakages (with a nice line saying that we wouldn't be charged for reasonable breaks they just needed to know). We literally kept going through the book they left because we couldn't believe it.

We get one every year and some ask that we hoover the entire property (we let for a group of 15 so the properties are large), replace all toilet rolls etc.

LadyAstor · 04/09/2023 06:57

Ive always wondered what the cleaners do all day between me checking out before 10am and the next guest arriving after 4pm.After all, Ive stripped the beds, washed and dried the dishes, tidied up, put the towels in the laundry basket. Surely it doesnt take six hours to make the beds, clean the bathroom and run the hoover round?

I do prefer a cottage v a hotel but like the late checkout option in a hotel. I also miss being able to check into a place from 2pm like i did before covid.

Butterflytown · 04/09/2023 07:03

Unfortunately I think demands on guests have increased post covid. Every single cottage I’ve stayed in post covid has required beds to be stripped before leaving. Pre covid I think it was unusual to be asked. Most also asked for mattress and pillow protectors to be left on which means they aren’t changing them every time, which I was surprised by, I expected they would be washed after each guest. One also asked that we vacuumed the whole property, which I did but wasn’t happy about. Personally I think that guests should put out the rubbish, put away crockery and have a quick wipe round the kitchen and bathroom before leaving, but anything beyond that should be for the cleaners. Especially when 9 or 10am checkout is now the norm- it’s hard to do all that they are asking and pack the car up in time.

On the emptying the dishwasher point I think that should also be for the cleaners- I would expect guests to set the dishwasher running before they leave and then it takes 5 minutes for the cleaners to empty it when they come in. We had one place moan about it so now we usually put it on the night before we leave then empty it in the morning and wash up our breakfast stuff from the last morning ourselves.

Ibetthatyoulookgoodon · 04/09/2023 07:04

We have an airbnb and we don’t ask people to do anything other than put the rubbish in the correct bin (which are labelled and close by). All seems a bit unnecessarily arduous to me. If it was cheap I wouldn’t worry but if I was paying premium rates I’d be a bit miffed.

rookiemere · 04/09/2023 07:04

The bedding one is fairly standard although most places just tell you to stack in in the bathroom or beside the bed.

I'd be contacting them regarding the recycling. Fair enough to ask you not to put glass in the bin, but you do need to know where you can put it, it's not acceptable to have to bring it away with you.

Not heard the towels one before, but I have heard horror stories f people putting fake tan on and killing the sheets and towels so fair enough I suppose.

There's a way of phrasing these things to sound pleasant and courteous rather than demanding and abrupt, I'm guessing they haven't got that tone right.

Justleaveitblankthen · 04/09/2023 07:04

Having never owned or even used a dishwasher (space/preference/, cultural norms) I'm bemused at PP wishing to run a full cycle for a few cereal bowls on the morning of departure.

MidnightOnceMore · 04/09/2023 07:04

This is something I hate about holiday cottages, and Airbnb is even worse as many of the owners want to do absolutely nothing.

I've started to prefer either hotels or posh camping - either do nothing or have a cheap break where I do it all.

user1477391263 · 04/09/2023 07:07

The cottage owners replied that it took the cleaners time to clean round and empty the dishwasher for the next guest coming and basically time is money

I'm afraid that that's the cottage owner's problem to deal with, surely? It does seem like a lot of people set up and run these cottages based on the belief that it's supposed to be a completely passive revenue stream.

Daddylonglegs123 · 04/09/2023 07:07

IglesiasPiggl · 04/09/2023 06:28

I hear you OP, I hate really prescriptive check out procedures. I think it's fine to ask you to strip beds and take out rubbish, but anything beyond that is a no from me.

Completely agree with this.

We strip beds, pack up have breakfast before we go and start the dishwasher and its hard enough being out for 10. I wouldn’t want to get up any earlier and as you can’t get in until later these days thats completely ridiculous.

What on earth are these cleaners doing and surely a full clean, to air property properly and to remake beds would take more than any two hours by which time the dishwasher would have finished anyway.