Early check in requests

[mondaytosunday]

I run a holiday let. Check out is 10am, check in is 3pm, which I think is earlier than many. This time of year we have back to back guests and the cleaners need 2-3 hours depending. The last four out of five guests have all requested that they check in early - one just showed up while the cleaner was still there and she felt rushed. What do others do - if a guest asks to check in early (and it happens to be possible) do you charge? Like £10/hour?
When guests request this I have to contact the cleaners, they have to respond, I have to relay the message back to the guests etc - it is an extra faff. They are also all given a contact number of the person who manages the let and the cleaners as I don’t live near it but they always contact me!
Id rather no one asked - it’s clear when check in is. How do I reinforce that so they stop asking?

You can’t stop them asking but it sounds like you need to be clearer in your comms (wherever you advertise it, in booking confirmation emails etc) that early check in is NOT an option.

I can't believe guests had the cheek to show up, I think a blanket no sorry due to turn around this isn't possible. I know they are paying guests but they can go grab a coffee or go to" an attraction" first if they arrive to early.

Agree it's not worth the hassle. So make it clear in the booking that people shouldn't ask.

A few places I have been, charged for early check in not that i have used it maybe you can do that but it has to be paid at time, so cleaners can be organised.

I’d change check in to 4 pm. The odd guest will come early but 4 pm is normal in many areas now. Suggest a coffee shop to early arrivals and be clear early access isn’t an option. People just try and avoid heavy traffic though. Travel is not an exact science.

I've found the only way to stop this is to charge a chunky amount in relation to the cost of the accommodation. I charge £100 a night, early check in is £50.

It’s common in hotels but they often have rooms that were empty the night before and plenty of early checkouts.

Move standard check in to 4pm and a hefty charge for earlier check in and limit it to 2pm?

@lightningstrikes my agent doesn’t offer early check in at all. They know the cleaners cannot accommodate it. It’s folly to go form that road and pressurise cleaners who can be difficult to recruit. There’s no need. Guests really can sort themselves out for an hour or two. Give them details of where they can go locally for a cup of tea or a walk !

I mean this is might be enough to put people off, do you get many wanting to pay ?

Totally get this frustration – it seems like no matter how clearly you set the times, some guests will always push for early check-in 🙄. A few things that might help: add a firm line in your listing like “early check-in not available due to cleaning schedule” or “only by prior arrangement with an additional fee.” Some hosts do charge £10–£20/hour if it’s genuinely possible, but I’d only offer it if it doesn’t stress your cleaners. You could also set up an auto-response to early check-in requests, so you’re not the go-between every time. Have you thought about adding a FAQ in your guest info pack spelling this out?

Yes, it puts people off. No one has ever paid it. I initially said no early check in or check out due to work schedules, please don't ask. Loads of people still asked. A hefty charge and they don't.

Thanks. It’s not that they want to go in an hour early - this morning they contacted me at 10.30 saying they had shopping they’d like to put in the fridge! It’s a ferry ride to the area and I get the ‘we caught an early ferry…’ a lot. So it’s not traffic it’s their poor planning. I do suggest a nearby café by the beach.
But I will reiterate in all my communications that it is 3pm no earlier, no exceptions.
As an aside I had one guest complaining in their review about ‘cobwebs’, which surprised me - turns out the cobwebs were outside at the end of the deck up by a gutter - tree spiders obviously didn’t get the memo!

Oh no not cobwebs outside sack the cleaners 😀

I would put something very specific on the listing regarding suggestions if they catch the early ferry.

You are pointing out the obvious but clearly some people need it!

Do your cleaners come via an agency? I would offer check in from 1pm arranged in advance, for an extra fee eg £50 if the agency could accommodate sending an extra cleaner. Putting this in the listing usually puts people off asking

We often go to the West coast of Scotland so quite a drive from Edinburgh. We always aim for the check in time but occasionally arrive early so we sit in the car though if it's really remote the owners have been fine for us to go in. I always let the owner know that we will leave early. We like to pack up and get on the road and get home by mid afternoon so often leave by 8am having breakfast on the way. We are expert Packers and pretty tidy so the place is left looking neat and tidy.

@AndSoFinallyno they are sourced by me. No way could they do it by 1pm. I’ll put it on every communication so it’s crystal clear! I found I have to do that when people bring dogs- I say in the listing ‘dogs welcome but must be kept on leads within the communal grounds’, then when they tell me they are bringing dogs I again say ‘must be kept on leads’, on my last communication with directions and key code I remind them about leads … and then I get a complaint from the park about loose dogs and once from a guest that ‘they didn’t know’!!

Say no.
I sometimes ask but make sure that I am on if the answer is no. I just say that IF its available any earlier let me know
Wouldn't dream of just turning up early though

I was having a discussion with DH about this as I genuinely think guests have no concept how long it takes to change all the beds and thoroughly clean a 2 bed property between guests - particularly if the previous guests have left it very dirty, bits of dried banana practically welded to the floor so chipping off before then hoovering and washing. In one case red wine all over the floor, kitchen cupboards, walls and ceiling.
I am very clear about check in time on both my listing and bookings, but still when I send the check in details the day before I get people who say oh can’t we check in till 3pm - no it is in the listing.

It is just a reflection of how many more people these days lack any understanding of what goes into providing services and a level of entitlement.

I would never ask to check in early, and if them are the rules them are the rules kind of person.

But I know from friends who run self catering that there are growing issues - horror stories from re-arranging furniture, to every 'freebie' like loo rolls and spare washing up liquid stored in the cleaning cupboard being taken 'because we paid for them', 'one wee dog' is 5 off the lead Alsatians, through to damage and filth you would not believe...early check in is the tip of the iceberg in my experience.