Request for additional towel changes

How to communicate with your potential renters - how to turn site visitors into enquiries, and enquiries into bookings.
Sandyppp
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Request for additional towel changes

Post by Sandyppp »

We use an agency for bookings and who organise all the payments,etc, but I usually email or text the guests a few days before arrival to introduce myself (offsite owner).

We have a family coming from overseas for three weeks, the first time this has happened, and I put in the email that they will get a towel and linen change every week.

They’ve just responded that they want it twice a week! How do I politely say no! There is a washer drier in the apartment, and it is self-catering, not a hotel, but I don’t want to offend them. Any suggestions for wording?
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newtimber
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Post by newtimber »

Why not say you are happy to provide a second change for an additional charge of xxx. ?
Sandyppp
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Post by Sandyppp »

I really don’t won’t to provide a second set, I think if I did they would end being used as beach towels and get trashed.

It’s the busiest time of year, I’ll check at a more reasonable time, but I’m not sure she’ll want the extra hassle of unexpected work.

Perhaps if she is willing I could get them to arrange it with her privately and pay her directly, then the agency don’t get involved.
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zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

If they are staying for three weeks (great booking - lucky you).

What is happening about the usual changeover fee that would be payable if you had 3x 1 week bookings? Have they been given a discount? Who gets to get that money?

If not, then really, they are entitled to a full clean each week, and the provision of just extra towel changes seems a good compromise in my view.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Do you have a washing machine? If not 3 week stay is not going to be great for them.
If you have then they could use that to wash the towels?
Once a week seems normal practice I bet they would not want to change several times a week at home!

Should add the towels could be "trashed" no matter how often they are changed.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Sandyppp
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Post by Sandyppp »

Yes, i stated in my email to them they are entitled to the usual weekly changeover of linens and towels and cleaning, so I’m not saving anything by having a three week booking. They’re asking for additional mid-week towels.
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RichardHenshall
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Post by RichardHenshall »

Maybe they do really want beach towels - could you lend them some in addition to standard weekly bath towel changes?

Assuming you include the cost of utilities etc, it may be that it's not significantly different in cost for you to provide more frequent towel changes when compared to the cost of using your washer/drier, which probably isn't the most efficient or effective way of washing lots of towels.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Sandyppp wrote:Yes, i stated in my email to them they are entitled to the usual weekly changeover of linens and towels and cleaning, so I’m not saving anything by having a three week booking. They’re asking for additional mid-week towels.
So they know there is a washer drier...good just tell them that is what is available.

As a side point if you are concerned that household towels may be damaged if they are used on the beach then supply some cheap ones that are obvious to be used on the beach. Because even the most basic stay could well be taking them to the beach, but there has not been any damage so far.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

In light of the number of members on the forum stating they are struggling to fill August, and the guests have booked three weeks, I think I would be inclined to provide the towels and hope they become regular guests!
Sandyppp
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Post by Sandyppp »

I’m in Hampshire, the apartment is in Devon, so I can’t just run over with some extras. I pay £33 to get the towels and linen laundered each week and rang the cleaners this morning to give them a heads-up that these guests might be quite demanding.

They laughed, and were grateful for the info, but no way do they want to be involved in extra non-essential work at this time of year.

We’ve only been open a year, and still learning. I don’t really want to go down the supplying beach towels route, as the purchase and laundry costs would add up, and also our apartment is all really top-spec, so I couldn’t really supply cheap ones.

I agree, a 3 week booking is fantastic, but he won’t be able to repeat it next summer, there’s only one week left in August 2019. The recent amazing British summer has given us a flurry of 2019 bookings in the last couple of weeks. It’s just an unusual situation, most people obviously drive to Devon, but they’re coming from Turkey for 3 weeks. Also had people from UAE this summer. Not complaining, all advice welcome, very grateful for responses.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Sandyppp wrote:I’m in Hampshire, the apartment is in Devon, so I can’t just run over with some extras. ......
It is not that far. I know i used to live in Hampshire and went to see family in N.Devon, before the North Devon Link Road was built.
Sandyppp wrote:We’ve only been open a year, and still learning.I don’t really want to go down the supplying beach towels route, as the purchase and laundry costs would add up, and also our apartment is all really top-spec, so I couldn’t really supply cheap ones.
Yep you are still learning. :wink:
Sandyppp wrote:I agree, a 3 week booking is fantastic, but he won’t be able to repeat it next summer, there’s only one week left in August 2019. The recent amazing British summer has given us a flurry of 2019 bookings in the last couple of weeks. It’s just an unusual situation, most people obviously drive to Devon, but they’re coming from Turkey for 3 weeks. Also had people from UAE this summer. Not complaining, all advice welcome, very grateful for responses.


Remember the slots are not taken until you receive the money in full. Experienced members on this forum have illustrated that things can change in a year.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Sunbeam
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Post by Sunbeam »

I would state that the contract includes a once a week, rather than a twice a week linen change (assuming this is stated somewhere). And then that, it *may* be possible to arrange a twice weekly towel change, subject to availability of someone to do it, and at a cost of £x. Then hopefully they won't want the additional cost!

When we have bookings of two or three weeks, we provide a full change of linen after 7 nights, but can't possibly provide a full clean of the house - we'd have to ask them to pack up all their belongings, leave the house in a clean and tidy condition (as if they were leaving) and vacate the house for 6 hours. We have big family groups so the house is generally fairly chaotic - we couldn't begin to clean around their belongings - and I don't think guests would want us to. The guests are getting the benefit of 'an extra day', considering that normal arrival time is after 4pm and checkout is before 10am. Perhaps for smaller groups a full weekly clean during multiple-booked weeks works.
Sandyppp
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Post by Sandyppp »

casasantoestevo wrote: It is not that far. I know i used to live in Hampshire and went to see family in N.Devon, before the North Devon Link Road was built.


Not that far is actually a 380 mile trip, costing £90 in petrol and taking minimum 7 hours. A bit unrealistic for dropping off beach towels :lol:

I originally posted looking for help with how to respond to the guest, who I’m trying to not upset, as I value his booking, while also thinking is request is unreasonable.

In the past three weeks I’ve had to get a dishwasher engineer, a locksmith and last week an emergency plumber on a Saturday morning to help a guest who had booked a stay between bouts of chemotherapy. All of this I’ve arranged willingly, I’ve just had a sense of humour failure about demands for extra towels.
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zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

Ah, the additional context helps.

I think with anything like this, you need to be as honest as possible.

Reply by explaining that you have contacted your cleaning team and regret that they are unable to accept any additional work during August as they are already fully committed.
Explain that you have a washer dryer machine in the property which will enable them to wash and dry the towels at their convenience, as and when needed.
(Would your cleaners leave a few washing capsules for them?? If so, you can also say you have arranged for this).

You could go on to state the setting on the machine that would be best for the towels.

Hopefully, this will be an appropriate response for them. If they don’t speak English as their first language, sometimes it is better to keep the message as simple as possible.

Let’s hope you are worrying unnecessarily and they are happy to accept your response.
You could also consider contacting your agent and seeing if they will support your response, or even respond on your behalf - most people who use agents aren’t as conscientious as you are and prefer not to get involved with guests.

I’m sorry if we haven’t helped you very much so far.
Sunbeam
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Post by Sunbeam »

I really don't think you should worry about denying requests that you don't think are fair and are not what you normally do - firmly and politely.

We had one guest/group, who in the weeks leading up to the stay asked for all sorts of things that we just don't do or provide - to the point we actually thought of cancelling the holiday as we didn't think they would enjoy themselves. We didn't, but were very nervous about the stay - but in the end we got one of our best ever TripAdvisor reviews and they had one of their best ever holidays!

It taught us that focussing on on doing what we say we do really, really well will reap rewards. And pusing back, politely, on requests we don't feel are appropriate is fine.

We are a good value, mid-range holiday house, priced accordingly - great for family holidays. We try to do 'mid-range' well, rather than 'luxury' badly, if that makes sense!

So if you provde one linen change and price accordingly, then you should not feel you have to provide extra cleaning.

Hope this is helpful and sorry if it seems a bit of a ramble.
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