Guests from hell

[MUMofTWOboys9]

Last week I was expecting to welcome family of 4 from Scotland. Emma messaged me saying they can't wait to spend a week in my lovely place.
On the arrival she sent me text saying 'Hey thanks, amazing here absolutely love here will be back again that's for sure , neighbours are fantastic X'.
The house is new, on beautiful new estate, scored 9.8 on booking and we make every effort possible for our guests, leaving snacks, tea, coffee, breakfast cereals and toiletries.
After this family had left we got a massive shock. Dented walls, stains on the new carpets, sofa, walls, all bedding and towels also stained and basically ruined. Broken bedside lamp, missing cups and toys, that's only part of the mess left by Emma from Narin, her husband and her 10 and 8 year old kids. It took us a week to bring it back to the state before Emma.
This business is our lifeline and I just can't believe somebody feels like they can just abuse it. How can parents teach their young children that this is ok to behave like this on holiday?
I want to write to this woman but not sure if I should. I already reported her on booking but it doesn't seem to lead anywhere.
What do you think?

Did you ask for a security deposit?

Presumably you'll be claiming on your business insurance?

(No, I don't know why people treat holiday homes like this.)

Have you contacted her to ask what happened? Or spoken to the neighbours?

Do you get to keep a deposit?

Awful. I would only message her if you’re retaining security deposit and explain why with images if you have them. And for goodness sake never let them book again! Your house sounds lovely.

Definitely keep the deposit. What absolute low life's.

If you don’t know renters have a security deposit.
Personally, I’d email and tell them the extent of the damage and how unacceptable this is.
Insurance?
Practical steps
re stain removal- there are good things on the market. i
If white towels and bedding use bleach.
Have you got Scotchguard or similar on furniture?
Good mattress protectors?
Spare tin of same colour paint as walls?
Do you meet guests? Much harder to abuse property if you meet the owner and it feels like a person rather than a booking form.

MauveMagnolia

What do you mean?

@MauveMagnolia

Nasty and no need. It’s a holiday let, a business

We’ve been on cottage holidays for the past 30 years and started when we had our first child. When children were young we would go round and put away anything breakable, like ornaments. We have only been asked for a deposit a couple of times, but that was in the days of sending a cheque and when there was no damage, the cheque was never presented. It is a shame some people purposely destroy things. When we speak to owners, they say they never really know what mess they are going to find when the occupants leave, but mostly it’s ok.

I take Mauve Magnolia is complaining about the fact OPs holiday let is in a residential area.
The problem is not the holiday let it’s some of the people who stay in them.

Seems quite extreme damage from a weeks stay. I would message if there was actual damage to walls. Stains to towels etc I think you maybe have to suck up.

Terrible behaviour, hope you took photos?
Definitely keep their deposit and message them asking for an explanation. I assume they'll ignore you but at least messaging will get it off your chest a bit.

I worked in holiday lets and guest houses for years and unfortunately some people will wreck them due to carelessness or a shitty attitude of "I've paid for it so I can do what I want".

You always have to take deposits; likewise proper insurance. Everything has to be durable eg washable paint in colours that don't show dirt, leather sofas and chairs as they don't stain or tear as easily as fabric. Don't leave anything that you're emotionally attached to.

Expect your towels and other soft furnishings to be wrecked annually with fake tan, red wine, sick (or worse). If you're taking families, expect your walls to be drawn on and dirty nappies to be left on carpets and mattresses. Some people will leave a week's dishes unwashed for you and others will let a dog that's not meant to be there cock its leg against your sofa. You'd be amazed how disgusting some people are.

If you're renting out your own home, never expect people to respect it in the way that you do even if it's beautiful to start with.

We stayed in an AirBnB back in July, beautiful place it was - I made sure that we cleaned it before we left. It was a pet friendly place and we had bought our dog. He sheds quite a bit of fur, so I vacuumed and washed the floors an dusted everywhere before we left. I could not imagine treating someone's property like that or leaving a mess.

The host was happy with how we left it and left us a good review (as we did her) we have booked to go back in Feb as we liked it so much.

I am always amazed at disrespectful some people can be with other peoples property.