To ask guests to pay for air con?

[rubbergloots]

We live on a tropical island. Electricity is very very expensive here. The house has floor and ceiling fans which we run. In addition to this, there is also air con in the bedrooms. We never use it as it’s fine with the fans.

It would cost about £15 a night to keep the aircon on in one bedroom. We have guests coming to stay from the UK. AIBU to ask them to pay for air con if they want to use it?

We aren’t charging them to stay in our villa of course. They are not close friends. They have probably saved about £1,000 over the week they are staying here with free accommodation. We are also happy to pay for the maid to clean their room etc.

Don't say its broken. Just tell them that you don't usually run it due the high cost, the fans are sufficient for you but if they want to pay for A/C they can. In their shoes, I wouldn't be offended and I would rather have the choice to pay, then suffer for the duration of the trip only to find that you had lied about it being broken.

I don't think you should disable it, we have been to various tropical places and not being used to the weather, you can be so uncomfortable and not be able to sleep. I would send them an email now today saying.
'We are looking forward to seeing you, we wondered if tou would need the aircon, we never use the aircon as it is 15 dollars a day to run, so we have disabled it, but wanted to check if you think you will want us to reconnect it. If so we are happy to get it sorted before you come and would kindly ask if you can cover the costs for running it which would be xxx, sorry we only just thought about it now as it's not something we ever use but we didn't want to leave you without it if you do need it'

If they're staying in your house, are you feeding them etc?
If they're getting free accommodation I don't think a charge for air con is a bad deal.

The problem is they will not have acclimatised to the climate. You are clearly used to sleeping in tropical heat with only fans. They are unlikely to be able to sleep like that because their bodies are just not used to it. I would say the AC isn’t used because of extortionate electricity costs (£15 a night) as we find the ceiling fans sufficient. That lets them know how much their comfort would cost. You’re not asking they pay, as there are ceiling fans, but on arrival if it’s really too much for them, they can pay as it’s not broken.

I remember when we were backpacking and we flew from South American winter to hot season Thailand. We only had a fan and felt awful! We soon acclimatised, but it was initially quite a shock to the system. We were there 3 months, so had time. If it was just a week, I’d want the AC!

Just say we don't normally use the a/c as it's quite expensive. But it's about (this amount) to use every night.
When I'm staying at someone's place I don't expect them to pay extra if it's something that I want to use and they don't normally use it.

Definitely phrase it per the above: you don't use it yourselves due to the very high cost and that you are acclimatised to the ceiling fans but it occurred to you they may be uncomfortable at night with the change in temperature and may want to use it. If so they would need to cover the cost @ 15 per night. They might initially think how cheeky BUT you've been upfront, given very valid reasons and they are saving a lot of money by staying with you. However, it does rather depend whether they are on a shoestring budget themselves in which case they may well balk at the charge.

is this not a conversation that would have been helpful to have before they actually booked to visit? They might not be close friends but they seem to be close enough friends for you to allow them to stay in your home. You must be aware that the climate on a tropical island is vastly different to that in the UK and that they are likely to be uncomfortable without AC. Yes they might be saving money on accommodation but this might be factored into the cost of their trip and making it affordable to visit. You can tell them that you don’t use it because it’s expensive but it’s poor form to lie. Unless you are hard up financially you should be paying for this and see it as a lesson that next time you’ll discuss it during the planning process in advance of your prospective guests booking and paying for their trip.

If I knew the cost myself and I was visiting then I’d have no issue paying personally and would likely offer to contribute from the beginning. But I’d be a bit miffed if my host knew about their intentions of charging me in advance and hadn’t thought to tell me so that I could factor that additional cost into my trip.

Tight? They’re allowing them to stay for FREE!!! They’re not close friends and shouldn’t be out extra money for bills on top of not charging them for renting the villa. Why are you accusing her of being tight when she clearly isn’t!! They’re even paying the maid to clean while the guests are staying in the villa. If it were me I’d be more than happy to pay the cost of aircon when the whole of my stay is free otherwise

They’re not family and not even close friends, they’re doing them a favour allowing them to stay in their villa with no charge, i think it’s only fair they are asked to pay for air on if they want to use it and anyone who’s actually equally as decent as OP in allowing these people to stay, would gladly pay the air on charge!!! I think it’s cheeky for anyone who’s being offered a free place to stay to expect EVERYTHING for free and going on the hungry people in these comments with an issue of OP asking for the air con price to be covered, it’s not hard to see who the scabby scroungers are who expect everything for free and take all they can get, usually it’s the ones who can more than afford it who behave like that going on knowing people like that personally 😏

Who are these guests? You say they aren't close yet you aren't charging them rent so I'm struggling to understand the relationship and why they are staying with you.

Are they CF who just asked if they could stay so they could save money or business colleagues who are staying because they are working with you or very distant relatives?

It all makes a difference to how I would respond

@BettyBardMacDonald

When did hospitality become "getting free accommodation "???

My toes curl at the thought of charging guests for anything

But you have no idea who these people are. All we know is that they aren't close. They might be tight uncle Stanley who foists his entire family on to people to save a few bob or CF ex neighbour from 15 years ago who has suddenly decided they would love to see you again and coincidentally are coming to the island and wouldn't it be lovely to stay.

Some people have a knack for manipulation and the Op shouldn't be left out of pocket for being a bit soft of that's the scenario. We don't know the scenario as they haven't expanded. .

Where did you read that the OP invited them? All know is that they aren't close friends and that the OP isn't charging them.

It could well be that they are just CF who asked to use their place

It's kind enough to let people who aren't even close stay for free let alone end up out of pocket for them don't you think?

Exactly this.

It takes a quick chat before flights are booked to mention this. I think an additional $15 a night is quite an expense. Not everyone has lots of money, it doesn't make you a scrounger.

They can always manage with the fans if £15 a night is too expensive.

It entirely depends on the person.

Some would be a bit surprised you hadn't mentioned it sooner but would happily pay £15 a night (me and my DH).

Some wouldn't want to pay it but would be fine with fans.

Some won't want to pay it but want it anyway.

I don't think it's offensive given it's an extra cost to you that you otherwise wouldn't have at all, and you'll be doing lots of other things for them at no cost.

This is the most sensible suggestion. I’d be horrified both to think I was costing the host so much or to be expected to be really uncomfortable and hot at night.

Just tell them what it costs and that you do t normally have it on. If they have it on then ask for the money. They are saving on accommodation anyway.