Dog Question - what to charge

[fibi]

I know a lot of you fellow LMhers are animal lovers like me so you can answer this question from the heart!

I charge £20 per week for dogs, if there are 2 or 3 dogs I still charge £20 and for very small dogs I do not charge. I do not accept certain types of dogs including the type that bit my little girl (previous thread)- discrimination I know but tough!

Two questions
1. Is this charge fair?
2. For long term bookings what should I charge ?

For example, I have a 10 week booking from 1st September. I have offered a 25% discount on my usual rates. After agreeing everything the guests mentioned that they may bring their dog, a large newfoundland. Now I don't know what to charge, £20 a week, so £200 expensive but a lot cheaper than kennels. Or £20 a day with the same 25% discount or a one-off £20???

We charge for dogs because it is a lot more work cleaning up after dog guests, carpets have to be cleaned, walls usually need painted. I ensure that for the next guest no trace of the previous dog guest remains and this takes time and effort.

I await what I know will be sensible and reasoned responses(one of the reasons I can't keep away from this forum for long! )

[la vache!]

Hi Fibi,
Nice to see you back!
Some questions - do you have carpets in your home? Would the dog be restricted to downstairs only?
I remember cleaning up after a 2 month let once with a couple who had a German Shepherd (very hairy) and there was about 4 hours extra cleaning, but I do have tiled floors and not carpets, but the weather wasn't too messy while they were there so there was no re painting to do.
I'd charge for the extra cleaning time and cost (however much that would be, £30?) and perhaps ask for extra in the security deposit too, just to cover all eventualities, such as carpet shampooing.

[J&J]

We don't usually take dogs (although we have two hairy golden retrievers of our own) but, unusually, on two occasions this year we have allowed dogs to stay.

I prefer to look at it from a different point of view and don't charge anything for the dog but make it perfectly clear that we expect the guests to completely clean the house to remove all traces of dog before they leave. The trouble with charging extra is that people will then think that they've paid for someone else to clean up after them and will leave the place all doggy without worrying.

We ask for a higher deposit (£250 instead of £150), have a special set of supplementary T&Cs associated with the dog which the guests must agree to, and on one occasion even extended the guests departure time to midday (instead of 10am) to give them extra time to clean up.

On both occasions this year the dog weeks passed without a problem and the house concerned didn't need any extra work when the guests departed.

[Hells Bells]

I take our dog with us, although so far we have not had any doggy guests. I sweep the place out every evening to get rid of the hair, and it still takes me ages. (Embarrassing moment now)
In March we were there for two weeks with our mutt. The evening before departure, I cleaned the place out from top to bottom, leaving floors etc to be swept and washed the following morning. Hubby always gets anxious about leaving late.
I moved all the furniture, vacuumed, washed the floors, dried them, and then vacuumed again. All sofa throws and bedding was washed. About 1 minute before I locked the door, I put a brand new throw on the sofa and left. I still got a complaint from the next guest about the dog hair on the sofa throw (although she did say she thought it was a cat) Mel had been in before they arrived, and hadn't noticed it, so they were obviously very few hairs, but they were there nonetheless. She is brushed (outside
) every afternoon when we're on holiday, but still the air gets everywhere. I am still going to take our dog with us, but am reconsdiering letting the place to other dog owners. If I can't get rid of my own dogs hairs completely, guests certainly won't .

[Ju]

I think for the long let then the same per week cahrge should apply. If you were feeling generous you could knock it down to £15.

We don't stay in our property with our dog, and we don't allow other dogs either. I can't get my own house hair free, so I don't think I could with the gites either.

Ju

[Hells Bells]

Unfortunately, it is either take her with us or not go on holiday at all. If our son's stay home, so does the dog, but otherwise we have no option, as she gets too distressed in kennels, as she was a rescue dog.

[Rosbif]

Helen do you drive every time you go to France then? What do you do with the dog when you are skiing?

My place is too small to allow dogs, but Fibi I think you should def charge your usual weekly fee or as suggested knock it down a bit, especially if you have had to repaint rooms before, sounds like a hassle to me!

RB

[Hells Bells]

Hi, yes, we usually come down for two weeks, and bring the dog with us. She stays in the apartment while we are skiing, but we don't go out at first lift, or stay out until the last one, instead coming back about 2.30ish, having a late lunch, then taking the dog out for a long walk. Obviously in the summer, we spend all day with her.

[Partridge]

Tough one Fib and a couple of thoughts come to mind.
First, if someone has a 10 week stay, do you arrange a 'clean' each week. If you do, then I guess the £20 means you can keep on top of things. If you dont, then on the basis that none of us know our guests, how can you possibly know whether a massive clean up operation would be needed at the end of 10 weeks, rendering a one off £20 a bit useless.

I do feel this is another 'how long is a piece of string' situation in that I feel your charge should reflect how much you want to be bothered with the situation. For example, your bookings are high, as we know, so you could decide that you simply don't need the aggro and say 'no'. If, you are happy to carry on with dogs, then your charge has to reflect what level you feel comfortable with accepting the risks.

[fibi]

I've tried not charging and just asking guests to ensure no evidence of the dog remains but as those with dogs know this really doesn't work. I estimate that it takes a full 3hours more to clean after a dog has been in the cottage, I do have laminated floors in the main rooms but the hairs get everywhere in the bedrooms too even when guests insist the dogs haven't been in the bedroom, its true I believe the guests the hairs just get everywhere especially in the Summer. So I charge £20 just to cover the extra cleaning and I think that I am quite happy with that.

As for the 10 week booking I offer a 25% discount on the understanding that I don't do anything - no cleaning, no linen changes etc so I won't be in every week. I have a booking directly after these guests move out but as they have the dog I have to leave one complete day for cleaning which is lost revenue so I guess really I do feel comfortable charging a per week charge for the dog. Think I will offer the same 25% discount for the dog so its £15 a week.

[Topcat]

What about chewing? I know not all dogs do this, but one of mine was a complete menace. And it wasn't boredom, or lack of exercise, just a dreadful habit that we never fully broke him of.

I think you need to add something to the security deposit to cover this eventuality.

TC

[fibi]

Yes TC you're right even though I don't like security deposits per se in this case I think I'll use one- thanks

[Taff2]

Hi Fibi,

This bit of your post jumped out at me.........

After agreeing everything the guests mentioned that they may bring their dog, a large newfoundland.

It sounds as if it was always their intention to bring the
dog and have sneaked him into the contract after all
negotiations ( discounts etc.)are completed.

Not cricket really

The question is would you have agreed such a hefty discount
knowing all the facts ?

Just my ramblings for what they're worth (not a lot usually )

Cheers

Ian

[gh]

....a large newfoundland....

Is a minature horse.



If you have a pool it will be in it in a flash.

Welcome back Fibi
Helen