What have you learnt from renting other people's properties

[Christine Kenyon]

We've just had a few days away in a self catering cottage and it was interesting to be on the other end of the holiday cottage experience. I always hope to glean one or two tips from other cottages and here's what I learnt this time:

1. When answering emails, make sure you put your website address at the bottom. I made the common mistake of emailing quite a few places and then not quite knowing who was who when they replied .... but I did book the cottage I thought I was booking .

2. Margaret started a thread about minimum criteria for what equipment you would expect to find in a rental property and it would appear that all LMH rental kitchens are better equipped than mine at home!

The cottage we booked was new and looked beautifully equipped from the pictures. When we arrived I was a bit surprised to find (what I consider!) kitchen basics missing - sharp vegetable knife, kitchen roll, measuring jug, salad bowls, serving spoons (amongst other things).

It's prompted me to produce a "what do I pack?" list for sending out with confirmation letters. Just confirms that there is kitchen roll, etc in the kitchen; two toilet rolls in the bathroom; hand towels, etc. It's what to include in the "etc" that's the test .

Anyway, the above is long-winded way of saying - what have you learnt from staying in other cottages/rental properties? Although we've probably learnt it already from other LMH bods!

[Hells Bells]

We stayed in a house in the Loire a while ago. Loved the place, full of character, and the kitchen was reasonably well-equipped, but in a quiet location. No linen or towels provided. I rented the linen, but had to take the rest myself. There was no loo roll and the shops were ages away. Food Cupboards had open packets of out of date flour etc. Tour Op ski apartments are the worst, even the salt and pepper is removed,we were told off for leaving two loo rolls behind.Cleaning stiff was non-existent, but they expect you to clean thoroughly.

So I've learned-
Provide linen, towels and loo roll
Make sure cupboards are well-stocked with basics, but no half-empty packets and jars,
Provide cleaning materials.

[paolo]

I often find sharp knives are missing, and when I checked the ones I provide I found they were missing from my rentals too.

Stinginess on bin liners and cleaning products is common too. People don't want to buy these things for a week if they have come from abroad.

[Margaret]

We based our way of doing things entirely on what was wrong with places we had rented. Our booking confirmation confirms what is included in the rent:

"Your rent includes: beds made up with bedlinen (duvets and pillows have synthetic/anti-allergy fillings, all covers are cotton), 1 hand towel and 1 bath towel per person, bath mat, tea towel, oven gloves, final cleaning of the apartment at the end of your stay. Welcome pack: Kitchen - 1 litre milk, pack of 8 part-baked rolls, olive oil spread, jam, muesli, coffee beans, small jar of instant coffee, English tea bags, sugar, salt & pepper, sunflower oil, washing up liquid, tablets for dishwasher, washing up cloth and scourer, roll of kitchen towel. Bathrooms – toilet rolls, Nivea liquid soap and shower gel, paper tissues, bathroom cleaner and cloth, hair dryer.
The kitchen is equipped with 4 ring electric hob, electric fan oven/grill, microwave, toaster, kettle, filter coffee machine, coffee grinder, refrigerator with ice compartment, dishwasher, sharp knives, saucepans, frying pans, colander, tin opener, bottle opener, corkscrew, garlic press, chopping boards, measuring jug, sieve, lemon squeezer etc. + glasses, cutlery and crockery for 6 persons (2 bedroom apartment) or 8 persons (3 bedroom apartment). The sitting room has a full size TV and DVD player and folder of tourist information/advice on places to go, local restaurants. (There is a library of DVDs and CDs at the house to borrow, as well as guide books, novels). Wifi is available in Haus Sterr 1, 2 and 3 and a laptop is available to hire.
There are stocks of wine, beer and soft drinks, food in the freezer (including more breakfast rolls) and toiletries to buy and washing machine/tumble dryer, iron and ironing board. "

And there is always a large stock of cleaning materials, vacuum cleaner, mop and bucket, dustpan and brush in the cellar.
But we still have the unanswered question:how do you get people to read it? We still have guests turning up on Saturdays (after the shops have shut) asking where they can buy stuff for breakfast.

[Ju]

We rented a place in norfolk once that didn't even have a bin let alone bin bags!

We ended up tying a bin bag to the banister (which was in the kitchen as I remember)

The other problem with that property was that the sound insulation was terrible. As soon as one person woke up in the morning (which in our case was our friends 1 year old at 6am) everybody else was awake. That really affected my enjoyment of the holiday.

[LaVilleauTady]

While house hunting in Brittany, my wife and I stayed at a self catering gite which was very good value but hopeless for quality. As a 'learning experience' I suppose it was a valuable lesson in how not to do it!

It was obvious that the owner had never slept a night in the place (he did not need to as he had his own house as part of the complex).

The furniture was all very cheap, but this mattered particularly when it came to the sofa (numb bottom after half an hour) and a dreadfully uncomfortable bed mattress.

The thing that rankled most about the place was the meanness of it all - 2 sheets of toilet roll on arrival, no washing up liquid, no kitchen scourer etc.

We mentioned that it was a bit dark as several light bulbs were out. When he did nothing about this we set off for the supermarket to buy all the things required, including light bulbs. We left all this stuff when we departed, but I have a sneaky felling it would not be there for the next guests that arrive.
We would never stay there again or recommend the place to anyone else.

So what did we learn?
Now we are letting our holiday home I suppose we have gone to the other extreme. Quality furniture, sofas, beds, crockery, cutlery, knives, kitchen equipment.
We supply an unlimited amount of consumerables - toilet roll, kitchen roll, liquid hand soap, cleaning materials, kitchen foil, cling film, plastic bags, bin bags, light bulbs, etc.

I'm pretty sure we have just about everything in the kitchen equipment stakes, but always ask renters if there was anything they would have liked to have found in the cottage that was not there. Unless the suggestion is completely unreasonable, we just buy it.

[Christine Kenyon]

I just loooooove the thought of 2 sheets of toilet roll. I hope that was per person, LaVilleauTady .

And even Margaret's comprehensive (and very impressive!) list doesn't include lasagne dish and cheese board - and I bet they're there.

And obviously Paolo's knives were of top quality and "accidentally" got packed when everyone was leaving! My problem is that I don't check absolutely everything absolutely every week so by the time I notice I can't be sure that it's the lot that have just left who have nicked it!

And I have now added bin bags and liners to my list. Thank you, Paolo and Ju.

[firstgreen]

Christine,

We rented a place in the Lakes at New Year and as you said, it was interesting to be a renter for the first time in 3/4 years.

The place was very well kitted out and the little things really did matter.

Some great little touches for the children. Games - including 'guess who' (playing 18+ times a day with my niece!) and battleships. Some cartoon dvds for toddlers - Peppa Pig (who my daughter loves) balamory etc.

The owners also had a lot of guide/walking books, which were appreciated. There was a great book 'simple walks with pushchairs and young children'
which was brilliant, as we found a popular one which included the local pub.

I suppose it depends on who you want to attract.

Where we stayed the power kept tripping. Let your guests know what to do if the power fails, where is the fuse box, torches etc.

The though process for choosing a property was also enlightening, but that’s another thread...

Phil

[Mountain Goat]

But we still have the unanswered question:how do you get people to read it?

Margaret, are you sure your booking confirmation is the right place to have this very comprehensive and exemplary list? Why not put it on your website? As you say, your guests check this regularly, and will long ago have forgotten the booking confirmation.

Just a thought.


MG

[Margaret]

Quite a lot of it is on the website.

Obviously there are also basics, like bin liners which we don't list anywhere except on our own supplies list when preparing an apartment for an arrival.

My reasoning was that guests would print off the booking confirmation to keep for their records (I suppose because I always print such things off). But then guests coming back for the 3rd time next month have just emailed to add a 6th person to the booking, which was confirmed for 6 people in the first place!

I also reason that they will print off the maps and directions, but many people arrive at the entrance to the village and start asking around or phoning because they have not printed it off or not brought it with them!

But I will check the website to see if I can put it somewhere where it will not add to the clutter - every page is so long and full! On the whole, it works as a good surprise when people arrive and find how well equipped the places are.

And we do have dishes which will do for lasagne although not a cheese board as such, I have to admit. But 2 chopping boards, which are replaced frequently.

[Rocket Rab]

On the whole, it works as a good surprise when people arrive and find how well equipped the places are.

Yes, I like to go with the "promise less, deliver more" approach, too.

Christine, this year I think I will send out a pre-arrival 'What you can expect to find' list, too - but only for the larger items (EDIT: nah, you don't want to know ...)

I'll leave the aluminium foil as an arrival surprise

[olive]

Margaret,
What is "olive oil spread"?

[Hells Bells]

Olive, Margarine made with olive oil.

[Paul Carmel]

On the whole I think its the small things that have made me go over the years, like not enough coat hangers, no ice tray's ( no ice for a G&T makes Paul boy), clothes pegs, that sort of thing all cheap and easy to provide.

[Ju]

I send the "what to pack/what we provide" list with the directions two weeks before the start of people's holiday. It also includes the menus for our meals and details of the other services we offer.

Most people read it as most people order meals for their first night; and we often find printed copies of it left in the property. I have yet to find a copy of our booking form or the terms and conditions though.