To find guests bringing dogs to our B&B without informing us beforehand unbelievably cheeky?

[Woolysheeps]

We run a B&B in a rural area in the Scottish Borders.
We do state we are 'pet friendly with additional charges' on booking platforms.
I would say 70% of our guests bring dogs but of this 70% only 10% actually inform us beforehand and enquire about charges and where the dogs are allowed etc. Most just turn up with their dog and walk right in. Some bring 2 or 3 dogs with them and don't bat an eyelid when I say 'you didn't inform us you were bringing a dog....'. Not a single guest who has brought a dog and not informed us has ever mentioned the additional charges specified online and aren't happy when we bring it up. It is making me want to remove the 'pets allowed' feature as I feel it is being abused.
So, my question is, if our booking platforms say 'pets allowed with additional charges', AIBU to expect to be informed beforehand? Would you inform a B&B beforehand if you were bringing your dog?

I have always informed the hotel in advance, and only once cancelled as the extra charge quoted was too high (well out of proportion to many I have paid). But then I always read the fine print and don't assume that a generic platfirm has given me all the information needed.

However this thread is clear evidence that I'm an outlier and lots of people don't read further than the very basics. So, I would assume that you will lose customers if you do not just accept what comes.

I would have a picture infographic on Booking.com or a welcome email follow-up that says something like, If you are bringing your pet, let us know so that we can prepare a Pet Pamper gift!

Then, for the cost of a cheap dog chew and a water bowl, many may tell you their plans!

But yeah, put up your prices.

I'm astounded by the number of people who think 'pet friendly' means anything goes! Clearly there's an issue with the Booking.com system but also lazy idiots not checking the small print and having the manners to check. I guess people booking online want to click and run.

There is nearly always a pet charge in my experience and if there isn't it's built into the price. I think £30 a night is greedy, they're not doing that much extra cleaning normally but your £5 is low. It's better if it's paid upfront not on arrival.

Be clear about your rules e.g number and size/type of dog you'll accept and things like 'not allowed on the furniture' and 'must not be left alone in the room'. Responsible dog owners know and respect this.

Ultimately it may be best to list different rooms at different prices for dogs accepted or not. Personally, we're always seeking out the rooms on the ground floor with direct access to the outside or somewhere like a converted stable! It's a nice touch to offer a dog treat or bowl & blanket for the rooms where a dog is allowed. Pet friendly shouldn't mean dogs barely tolerated and only for a fat wodge! (not you, OP)

I would never stay in a B&B that allows pets, nor would my family.

Hotels, as many by the coast allow dogs, but often, the better ones only allo them in certain rooms, but we do try to avoid them as well

OP - you need to make it clear rather than "additional charges"!!!!! It looks as though your site is no sending the correct message as you yourself stated how many people do what they do

Why not state you charge 50 pounds a night for large dog, Eg anthing bigger than a terrier and 40 for msaller dogs per night and excess applied if carpet soiled, bed/sofa/chairs soiled etc - then point them to your webite where it clear states that and a "Warning" PETS NOT ALLOWED unless personally agreed via phone call if you want that

But if there was nowhere to add in the booking "I am bringing a pet", why would uou presume they know you are?

We recently booked through air bnb I think. The owner called us to ask about the dogs before finalising the booking and agreeing charges. We have a Westie and a lab. Quite rightly the owner said that there are certain breeds they won't accept and some that they take an extra deposit for ( very large breeds I think).
Maybe switch platform?

Does your listing state something like: WHILE WE ARE PET-FRIENDLY, PLEASE INFORM US IN ADVANCE IF YOU ARE BRINGING A PET. WE WILL CHARGE XXX PER PET.

If not, you really need to add this to your listing.

If it just says pet-friendly with charge, I don’t think they are weird for turning up with a pet. But if it was me I would want to know what the charge is.

People are idiots and people are shit heads. Not all people, but enough.

So I would make it part of the booking process, a tick box exercise if you can. Make it so they cannot NOT answer if they have a dog or not.

Can you not make the booking include additional extras such as number of dogs per night?? Or include dogs in main booking. - adults, children, dogs?? And have them included in and also lost the price on the advert per dog. When you say booking dot com auto generate, where do they get the info from? Can you add options on for ‘pet friendly room’ like some on booking babe for family friendly rooms.

I'd expect the additional charges to be outlined on the booking form and then calculated in the charging.

So the price will be, for example, £100 per night for the room, plus £5 per dog up to a maximum of 3.

If I book a room for 2 nights, for myself, dh and 2 dogs, I'd expect the booking form to allow me to input all of that information and then a charge if £220 would be generated.

If your booking system doesn't allow that, then you need to accept that guests will not think to tell you ahead.

I’ve literally just booked a place like yours on booking .com

it was clear you can only bring a dog if you phone and Che k it’s a dog friendly room which I did ( and do couldn’t have the “ deluxe “ one. No prob ).

there will be a charge when we get there that was clear but agree if most people bring dogs out the price up to the “ dog price “ and assume everyone brings a dog - you’ll probably do very well as that then feels properly dogs are welcome rather than

Charges MAY be applicable

That's not the right wording. Why are charges not always applicable

If 70% of your customers bring a dog why on earth don't you either ask them at the time of booking if they are bringing a dog or state on your website that dogs must be pre booked, and add a box on the booking form for them to state how many dogs they are bringing and which breed they are or are you happy to have someone rock up with two XL bullies ?

like many have said, a lot of platforms won’t mention the extra charge so no wonder people are ignoring you if you try and add that on at arrival. We never pay the extra charge if possible. Our dog doesn’t shed and therefore no extra cleaning is required so don’t see why we should be changed.

why would people inform you about the dog?

If I get a booking via Booking.com I always message to ask if they're bringing any pets and tell them at this point about the additional charge.
If they book directly on my website there is a box to check for pets and the fee is added on at this point. It's usually the cheeky fuckers only one or two who assume dogs are free, when it states clearly in additional information that pets are welcome for small additional fee.
Dogs do cause a lot of additional cleaning so I have everything washable. I don't refund the damage deposit either if there is any pet hair left behind. This is stated at time of booking and has made a huge difference to how guests leave the place on departure.

Because it's a generic description created by BDC, not the property, in order to keep it simpler they encompass all pet friendly properties in one, some charge for a dog, some don't, so from the pov of BDC, charges may be applicable covers both of those.
You have limited ways to communicate with your guests and describe things on BDC, they don't want you speaking to the property and them offering a discount or sweetener for booking direct with the property thus losing the commission.
After being on the other side, I use them as a search engine for places and then contact the place directly. They're a nightmare to deal with as a property, and can be as a guest too.

Take refunds for example, you can agree with your guest to refund them within the cancellation , goodwill gesture, humanity etc. But because of how the platform works it all has to be done through them and takes longer and they often have to be chased, where as a booking done directly, you could have the money on it's way back to your account by the end of the phone call.

I would always mention a dog on booking. If it's a b&b (rather than a whole cottage let ) I'd assume they'd need to know so they don't have too many people with dogs turning up and causing mayhem.

on booking dot com many places state

“pets are allowed. Charges may be applicable” so it definitely is mentioned.

The ones that just say “Pets are allowed” and don’t mention anything about charges, probably means there is no additional charge.

if 70% have dogs, just have the higher rate as your regular pricing and don't bother with the additional charges thing.

Not necessarily, I know many people who will discard any BB which says pet friendly for all sorts of reasons.

On your booking form is there a box that guests can check to state if they a bringing a dog/ dogs? I think there needs to be a clear request for the info rather than relying on the guest to volunteer the info.

Why not put up the price and offer it as inclusive of up to 2 dogs. And ' discount available for customers without dogs, please enquire' (as presumably you need to pay your cleaners for a less intensive clean after)

I’d be so pissed off if I got to the checkout screen saw my final price, paid it and then got a follow up email straightaway informing me that I needed to pay an extra £20 that wasn’t communicated on the booking page

So would I, @Pheasantsmate no matter what the charge was for
I agree about the need to sort this out before arrival, but if there are going to be extra charges they really do need spelling out on the site before someone books - and if folk don't bother to read the info then that's their lookout

I know many people who will discard any BB which says pet friendly for all sorts of reasons

Yes and I'm one of them, which is why I appreciate "pet friendly" being mentioned - fair play to those who want this and fair to the rest of us who don't

I havent rtft so sorry if this has already been but this might be worth looking at as an option

https://help.hostfully.com/en/articles/5376863-set-up-a-pet-fee-on-booking-com

@Pololo if it says pets welcome on the website I'd assume whatever I paid included pets.

By stating pets are allowed I would presume I would be OK to bring my dog, but I would never leave without paying the additional charge.
Having said that, I have taken my dog to numerous hotels and I think I have almost always double checked that it's OK before hand.
These people are either rude or chancing their luck!