What to include in rented villa

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Marg
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What to include in rented villa

Post by Marg »

Bought a villa last year and have just finished the renovations. We plan to rent it out starting in 2006 but I need a bit of advice - do you supply things like dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid and washing machine powder?
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

Hi Marg and welcome to the forum :)

There have been previous discussions on this topic, here is one thread.

viewtopic.php?t=76&highlight=toilet+rolls

I supply: washing up liquid, all cleaning products, soap powder, toilet rolls, tissues, foam bath and as I always have a surplus I keep a supply of essential toiletries in the bathroom cupboard. (We don't have a dishwasher or I would supply salt, tablets etc)

As you'll see from the thread we do tend to vary in habits for this, there isn't a right or wrong you'll find out what works for you. It will be useful to have input from newer "hatters" since the thread started over a year ago.

Good luck with your venture :) - Sue
Buckie
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Post by Buckie »

Hi Marg, As a rule of thumb, the more you leave(give) the more you are appreciated and believe me it is good PR. We are in Loch Lomond National Park, Scotland and only an hour ago have been congratulated again on the "extras" that we provide by our current guests. We leave a good supply of tea, coffee(instant) and sugar. A good selection of janatorial products, toilet cleaner, kitchen cleaner, bleach, washing powder(non biological) as we have an old fashioned septic tank, kitchen roll, furniture polish, dusters, three or four dish towels ( we have no dishwashers), dishcloth, scourer, dish/pot brush. We normally leave 3/4 toilet rolls but are always amazed at how many are used by even two people, we don't know what folk do with them!!!! We also put flowers in all rooms as we have a good garden and it only takes a few minutes to do the flowers. Our starter breakfast pack has a selection of cerials, a selection of jams & marmalade, milk, juice, butter & bread plus half a dozen fresh eggs. We also leave plenty of guest soaps, dispensible razors, shower gel and, a most appreciated item, nail narnish remover in the toilet cabinet. Many of our guests use the products and replace them, others don't. We find that 90% of our guests leave the apartments very clean, so much so that we have to be very careful when servicing them that we do not miss little things like down the sides of chairs or under beds. The old addage, do to others as you would like done to yourself. I wish you well in your new venture. Buckie.
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

I totally agree with Buckie about being appreciated. Most of our guests comment in the book about "the thoughtful extra's" provided and how it is "home from home" and the best equipped rental they have ever had.

I too leave tea, coffee, sugar, vinegar, cooking oil, top ups for salt/pepper. I find other guests leave half packets of rice/pasta, gravy powder. I tend to remove left over food if it is part jars of jam or fresh stuff but I leave the dried stuff in the cupboard and guests seem to use it.

I don't leave a welcome pack as there are 2 shops in the village within a minute or so's walk which are open until 10.pm and I figured we supply enough already. :)
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paolo
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Post by paolo »

Welcome to the forum, Marg and Buckie. Image
Paolo
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LaLuz
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Post by LaLuz »

As we use our house quite often ourselves, we just leave all the cleaning/dishwasher products that we use in the cupboards. I have liquid soap in the bathrooms as well as a large foam bath in the main bathroom.

We also have a stock of store cupboard essentials, such as oils, salt pepper, herbs, tea/coffee etc.

In my house info I invite guests to use anything they find in the cupboards (stressing that we do throw things out regularly so it should all be ok to use) but asking that they replace anything that runs out completely, particularly in the case of dishwasher/washing products.

To date this system seems to be working well, sometimes I find that there are 2 or 3 washing powders on the go as some people have their own favourites but thats ok I use up whats there and replace it with a single product. I've never arrived at the house to find we've totally run out of anything so thats a good sign!

As our guests tend to be families who often eat in, the store cupboard goes down particularly well and guests often add to it. I always advise guests to check the cupboards before they do their big shop.
Marg
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Post by Marg »

Thanks for all your input. At the moment I have left all loo cleaning stuff etc. - hoping if its there they might use it!
I know when I have rented villas in the past I always had to buy washing up liquid and washing tabs and then left them when I left. There are bits in the store cupboard left from our own visit as you always end up not finishing or using everything bought!
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enid
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Post by enid »

We mleave all the kitchen, cleaning and bathroom essentials as above and this is appreciated - especially by our French clients who are used to having to take everything -they also are surprised that sheets, towels and pool towels are included a sthey usually have to take all those - we know how they feel as we are off this afternoon to the Pyrenées for a long weekend and I've got to remember to take sheets and towels!
P.S. The sun tan oil is a towel stainer for us as I use white towels.
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

La Luz, I tend to not have to buy too much washing stuff as you say people bring their own or buy their favourite. I think if they see you aren't mean and have supplied so much then they are more likely to leave anything they have part used.

I've said before on previous threads that we too use the cottage therefore don't find it hard to imagine what is needed to make a stay easier and more enjoyable.

I've only once done a rental holiday myself, an apartment in Guissan (spelling?) and was put off by the experience of having to buy loo rolls, cleaning and all day to day stuff including salt and pepper that you knew you'd never get thru and would waste or felt resentful leaving for such mean landlords, this as well as being confronted by a big list of rules and regulations. (is that the longest sentence ever??) It was a positive experience eventually as that is NOT how we do it and it works very well for us.
LaLuz
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Post by LaLuz »

Soodyer, I do agree that when you use the place yourself, it doesn't require much thought really.

We did private villa holidays for years before we bought our own place and our set up is based on all the bits I found most useful.

One of the things for instance I have is different coloured towels for each bedroom as I was fed up of not knowing which towels were ours when holidaying with other people. All white always looked lovely but drove me mad! :lol:
Marg
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Post by Marg »

I have provided all white sheets but towels are different colours to match the colour scheme of each bedroom and bathroom! Husband thinks I am mad. I have had great fun furnishing the villa (like setting up home for the 1st time) and I think it is now better than our house at home in England which is 23years old and we still think of as new!
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enid
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Post by enid »

Re the white towels - I have overcome the 'iis that my towel problem' by having 2 very different designs of white towels so each bedroom is a little different but I do take your point and next year I am going to do one romm white and the other coloured - this way I feel I have the advantages of white for cleaning etc but as you say clients can know their towels.
I think it is now better than our house at home in England


On one of our feed back forms this year someone made the point that any criticisms were nit picking and just because we had asked for truthful responses - and that if they were doing a feed back on their own home the score would have been much lower and the comments much longer!

We are using our own renting experience too as our bench mark and then taking into account the feed back from clients - re an earlier thread we find the feed back sheets much more useful to us than the guest book comments.
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enid
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Post by enid »

Perhaps I should have posted in the 'How many towels thread' - am I getting addicted to the subject of towels? Aaaaaagh!
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

I have had great fun furnishing the villa
Nothing to do with towels but i feel the same. I often say my cottage is just like having a big dolls house to play with. (but a one that is providing an income and my pension!) :)
LaLuz
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Post by LaLuz »

soodyer wrote:
I have had great fun furnishing the villa
Nothing to do with towels but i feel the same. I often say my cottage is just like having a big dolls house to play with. (but a one that is providing an income and my pension!) :)
Yes there's nothing like sitting with a large glass of red wine on the terrace of your pension fund!!!
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