Theft of toilet rolls and tissue box!

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
MaryE
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Theft of toilet rolls and tissue box!

Post by MaryE »

Hi, I'm from Australia and maybe it's an Aussie problem. But we've just had our first guests for the weekend in our property The Shed on Blackwood (Facebook page only at this stage, plus Trip Advisor). They were booked through Airbnb, no problems there, and we thought they were a lovely couple. However, when I went to clean The Shed (a separate studio on our property), I discovered they'd 'got through' 2 1/2 rolls of toilet paper and 3/4 box of tissues. One of the two days they were out all day.
So my question to other property owners is how many toilet rolls do you put out and what quality of loo roll do you use? I know I'm lucky that nothing more important was used/taken, but I just want to know what others do!
kg1
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Post by kg1 »

We don't provide boxes of tissues (you have to stop somewhere!) but there are usually about 8 loo rolls in the cupboard plus what actually out for use. I suspect that occaisionally we have had a couple pinched, but nothing more serious.
newtimber
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Post by newtimber »

I really shouldn't worry about it. It won't cost very much to replace and you provided something they obviously appreciated!
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bornintheuk
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Post by bornintheuk »

maybe a change of diet/water was to blame for large use of toilet rolls :P
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Jenster
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Post by Jenster »

We supply two for a week :shock: . Maybe we should be supplying more!
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

Jenster wrote:We supply two for a week :shock: . Maybe we should be supplying more!
Aren't there any shops selling toilet rolls in Cornwall? Maybe the same shops where guests get all the other things they need, like food?
rosebud
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Post by rosebud »

I normally supply 2 toilet rolls. I also usually leave a rather pretty box of tissues in both bedrooms ..
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PW in Polemi
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Post by PW in Polemi »

I supply 2 per toilet i.e. 4 rolls in total. The accommodation is self catering, not a hotel, so we supply enough that the guest is not obliged on arrival to immediately turn round and go shopping for various soaps/detergents, paper items, bin bags, tea, coffee, sugar, condiments, herbs, spices, oils etc etc.

None of our guests have ever suggested that 4 loo rolls is insufficient or inconvenient.

Maybe your guests' apparent heavy use of loo roll is down to personal hygiene - if they wash themselves after using the loo, maybe they use wodges of loo roll rather than drying with a towel...... And as for the tissues, well, if they don't use condoms, they have to use something to wipe up afterwards, don't they? :oops: :lol:
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FelicityA
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Post by FelicityA »

I supply exactly the same as PW. I think only once did a guest knock on the door and plaintively say "we need more - we have none". I gave them a roll and explained ( nicely) they were in a self catering establishment and pointed them towards the village shop. Recently, in an effort to reduce the make up on towels (why?????), I left out a large packet of really nice Clinique facial wipes in the bathroom. Now there are only 7 days in a week and I think this contained 40 wipes for one woman. She took the lot!
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Post by Essar »

We leave 2 toilet rolls per loo plus the one on the toilet roll dodah. We used to leave a notebook and pencil in each bedroom, but after discovering after a 3-night break that all the loo rolls had gone and nearly all the pages in the notebooks, we stopped supplying them (the notebooks that is)! The dirty 8a$7ard$. :lol:
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MaryE
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Great feedback

Post by MaryE »

Thanks everyone for your feedback. So two rolls it is. I also supplied shampoo, conditioner and shower gel, but having discussed it with my daughter, she felt I shouldn't be supplying that either! I do have a little stock of salt/pepper/oil/vinegar/herbs/tea/coffee/sugar and washing up liquid. Plus I supply a fresh loaf of home-baked bread. Maybe that's enough!
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PW in Polemi
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Post by PW in Polemi »

What you supply is very much dependent upon several factors:

1. What quality/price your accommodation is, i.e. more extensive/expensive supplies for luxury, more basic for comfortable.

2. How far it is to the nearest shop. There are no 24 hour convenience stores near our cottage, so we supply what we feel is a fairly comprehensive starter pack to ensure our guests who arrive late at night do not die of hunger/thirst before they can drive to the shops the following day! :lol:

3. What time of day most of your guests arrive, and whether they have their own transport.

Have a look at
viewtopic.php?t=26413&highlight=welcome+packs
for some more ideas.
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Zur Alten Weinkelter
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Post by Zur Alten Weinkelter »

MaryE ... PW in Polemi is right

are you self self catering or a 5 * hotel

you must decide what suits your budget and guests

since starting the current business in 2010 i have struggled with what i offer my guests and as i live on site some guests find it easier to knock on my door so you have to draw the line especially if they act as if they are your best friend during their stay and take advantage of your kindness & location

so i have re drawn the line many times over am i too strict / appear unhelpful etc… but i offer a service

i do not offer a welcome pack however i have the following in each apartment

as most of my rentals are short stay average 4 nights with the occasional 7-10 days in the high season in the large apartments


Toilet Rolls 1 per person + 1 extra for 4 days +

Shower gel pump refillable on a wall bracket in the shower ( from a hotel supplier )

+ 1 per person wrapped soap bars by the wash basin ( to match the shower gel )

Wrapped tea bags 2 per person + i have a display in the main guest area with the option to purchase more at a reasonable cost

Sugar cubes ( small kilner jar ) enough to cover a couple of cups per person

Freshly ground coffee ( small kilner jar ) enough for a couple of pots in the filter machine

+ a note if they require fresh milk for tea for the first night to ask ( i don't like the small plastic cartons

salt & pepper mill with a couple of inches of rock salt peppercorns

sparkling mineral water in glass bottle

and as we are in the wine area a small metal wine rack with a selection of wine to purchase at reasonable prices

in the main guest area a wine fridge ( glass door ) with a section of german sekt ( champagne ) and mineral water for guests to purchase

we have small kitchenette in each apartment with microwave /fridge/cooking hob /coffee machine /kettle etc

we have a good local bakery 5 mins walk from the house
and supermarkets about 10 minutes by car

this year i have put a polite notice in the guest information book in each apartment what is included
to help them until they can get to the shops ideally the next full day
then a lists of shops underneath

so far it has worked …. with some exceptions for english guests who will alway ask … as country men think i am their best friend but i have tactfully got my answer off to a fine art now and are able to look them straight in the eye without being held to ransom over a possible bad review for such trivial things
however if they are flying in or arriving on Sundays ( grocery shops are closed in Germany ) i offer them in advance in booking to get a few provisions from a standard list and place them in the apartment for their arrival …i do this with my normal shop and charge at cost

the only changes i made this year was reducing the toiletries shower gel etc …. when last year one of my so called good friends who brought another couple with them and i gave them mates rates

i heard them talking saying “take all the small complimentary toiletries even if you don't use them as they are free “ so later when we were out having a drink in the village all together i asked them what they thought of the accommodation to get some feedback which is always helpful from friends

both women were complimentary & they told me they always take all the little” free “ toiletries home and sometimes other freebies !!! ….FREE !!! so i tactfully said where do they think they came from & who buys them …. they went quite…. but after a few minutes said well it is included in the price i paid SO…the end of mates rates and a tighter budget but without altering the quality or standards
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MaryE
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Thank you

Post by MaryE »

Zur Alten, thank you for your very thoughtful response. My accommodation is a renovated shed (https://www.facebook.com/theshedonblackwood/ ) on our 2.5 acre property in the South West of Western Australia. Wine and tree country! So it is a unique property but definitely not aimed at the luxury market. I am focusing on those who like the rustic charm, hence it's filled with vintage memorabilia which the young like. I guess my aim was to be helpful, but previous repliers have also said to be firm, helpful and not overly generous, which I think is very sound advice. Certainly a loo roll isn't a lot of money, however, it's the fact that it seems ok to take stuff that worries me. I am now writing an inventory of each item in The Shed so that I can instantly see what's missing. I'm also going to note down their car number plates as a form of guarantee against theft of major things, which I hope never happens. It's taken months to get The Shed into a presentable format and I hate to think of people being disrespectful of our endeavours!
This forum has already given me much food for thought and I will be welcoming the 2nd lot of guests this coming weekend, so we'll see what happens with them. We are about 500m from a small shop that stays open til 7pm, so there is no need for me to supply everything for the entire weekend - big mistake of a newbie!
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PW in Polemi
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Re: Thank you

Post by PW in Polemi »

MaryE wrote:... however, it's the fact that it seems ok to take stuff that worries me. I am now writing an inventory of each item in The Shed so that I can instantly see what's missing. I'm also going to note down their car number plates as a form of guarantee against theft of major things, which I hope never happens.
How about charging a damages deposit? It tends to focus the guests' minds because they want their money back at the end of their stay! :lol:
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