Check-out time. Who does not understand who?

[NonnaGiulietta]

I have many doubts about my English, maybe I write in a little understandable way. It could be. Can you help me figure out where I'm doing wrong?

Our return flight has been changed and is now at 21.45 on 12th June, so if the apartment was available until 18.00 approx, we would like to have a late check out. I expect that there would be an additional charge for a late check out. If the apartment isn't available, could our luggage be stored for a few hours?

Unless we succeed in letting the apartment on 13th (in such a case we need a lapse for the cleaning lady) you can keep it as long as you need on 12th, at no extra charge.

Next day I was lucky enough to sell the apartment for the following days, so I came again to the guest:

The worst news (from your point of view) has just happened. In the last minutes I received a new booking through an automated site (Airbnb) starting from 13th. So I must partially eat my own words about your late check-out. You know, we have to arrange ahead with the cleaning lady for an evening service, hope you'll understand. Our goal is to meet your needs as far as possible. For this reason I'm here to ask what time could be right for you - early enough to facilitate our work, but not enough to create a hardship to you. Please, speak frankly, I'll be happy to suit your needs as far as I can. Also consider that WE CAN TAKE CARE OF YOUR LUGGAGE in a safe place in the meantime. No trouble about that.

We fully understand your situation, and that you need to have the apartment cleaned for the next guests. If possible, we would like to leave for the airport around 18.00 on 12th June, so if we could use the apartment until late afternoon that would be great.

And so I find myself at the starting point
It was 6 PM at the beginning, and 6 PM remain in the end! Some nuances escape me. I'm feeling pissed off.

PS: Our default check-out time is 11 AM

[Nemo]

If you have a booking from the 13th, I would interpret that to be an arrival of say after 3pm. Then the cleaners would go in the morning to clean. If you have no guests staying on the night of the 12th, your normal checkout time of 11am on the 13th doesn't exist as the previous guests departed on the 12th, so therefore they can have a late checkout on the 12th. That's how I see it and clearly your guests do too.

I guess you're implying that you need a day between departures and arrival, but that's unusual; most people do same day changeovers.

[tavi]

Yes - I think I agree with Nemo.

If the new booking starts on the 13th at 15h or whatever your normal check-in time is, then the existing guests could leave at 18h on the 12th and you would clean the apartment early as you like on the 13th?

Or have I misunderstood?

[NonnaGiulietta]

Oh, it was so obvious... that I couldn't see it!
The point is, this is a Booking guest, and check-ins on Booking are actually after 4 PM. The other one is an Airbnb guest, whose check-in is flexible (mid-morning, in this case) but obviously the first guest cannot be aware of this. My fault. I must prepare to do the job myself overnight.

Thank you both, Nemo and tavi.

[teba18]

I interpreted your guest's message differently. Originally he asked for 6pm, then you said you'd taken a booking but could store their luggage. So his response said they'd like to 'use the apartment until late afternoon' - which I would imagine would be about 4pm - but they still wouldn't 'leave for the airport' until 18.00hrs.
I read this as saying they're quite happy to leave the apartment earlier and would then just have to pick up their luggage around 6pm.
Only my own interpretation!

[Mouse]

Yes I thought that too teba.....that 'leaving' meant leaving the area not the apartment.
Though I agree that I would clean in the morning and check the next guest in afterwards.

Mouse
x

[zebedee]

I don't think the guests will know how long it takes you to do a changeover.

I would just email them and say you can have full use of the property until xxx time at which point your luggage can be stored for you.


That way everyone is clear and there is no chance of a misunderstanding.

[Gettingthere]

I think the misunderstanding may have been because you gave them too much detail which wasn't relevant to them and your key message got lost. It's good to accommodate people's requests but be clear and don't give too many options.

So message 1 could have been
"Yes, at this time it looks as though you can stay until 1800, however I should warn you that if I get another booking that may no longer be possible."

And your second message without all the detail about cleaners etc could have been
"I have now taken a booking on X so I'm afraid I can no longer let you stay in the apartment for a late checkout. Please can you vacate at the normal time of 11am so we can prepare the apartment. We will however still be able to store your luggage until 1800 if that is helpful"

No need to explain about where you got bookings etc etc.

[NonnaGiulietta]

Yes Newtoit, I believe that your relief is right. I will treasure it.