blankets and cleaning

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>
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tansy
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blankets and cleaning

Post by tansy »

How often do you change your under blankets? My French helper is insisting every week....baut already I am exhausted with all these blankets.

Cleaning...this year I've included it in the price and only put our price up by 100 Euros but my cleaning bill has increased to 175 Euros Plus laundry (I've given in and am sending quilt covers & pillow cases to a laundry service)... 2 changeovers in I'm fed up already and feel I am having the mickey taken by our 'guests'.

Perhaps I have been spoilt with the run of 11 US Forces personnel and it has come as a shock to me facing some of the british standards again...my pride just wouldn't let me leave anything like I'm finding....e.g. wouldn't you wipe up melted cheese in the oven?

Should we or shouldn't we charge extra for end of stay clean?...or just have our prices increased to cover all the costs?
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

Tansy, I couldn't live with myself if I didn't leave the place spotless when I checked out. But I know others aren't so careful.
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vrooje
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Post by vrooje »

I say, include the price of cleaning in the weekly price, and charge extra if necessary. That's because when I go on vacation, I hate hidden extra charges. (Or non-hidden extra charges, for that matter.)

Our housekeeper just increased her weekly price from E130 to E160, both including laundry. I've often wondered if that's a normal price for the area -- it seems high to me. Either way, it's included in the rental price.

Cheers!
Brooke
alexia s.
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Post by alexia s. »

Brooke,
The going rate for cleaners here is 8-10 euros per hour. It's probably less than 10 away from the coast.
Best,
Alexia.
la vache!
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Post by la vache! »

We have clause in the contract that says money will be deducted from the deposit for any unreasonable cleaning charges as we expect the house to be left in a similar state to how it was found. However, I've never invoked this as I know that I would get no repeat business or recommendations. Its just one of those things, very annoying, but guests who leave the place in a mess are in a minority thank goodness! I think I'm going to look at my pricing stucture and definitely increase it more for 2006, in the hope of avoiding some people. Saying that, the worst group I ever had were a group of doctors and their teenage children, obviously not hard up, but terrible guests!
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tansy
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Post by tansy »

175 Euros per week is for the 2 houses - mother & daughter - plus me....laundry is 3.03 quilt cover .52 per pillow case including TVA - lorry picks it up & brings it back....so I'm looking at 300 Euros per month for laundry

Total at the moment is approx 1000 Euros per month plus all my time doing the rest of the laundry.

That is for 12 single beds & 4 doubles - sleeping 20 - but even if it isn't a full house we end up changing all the covers as someone will have had a lie down, sat on the bed whatever.

Are you finding that standards are not as high now days - with busy mums working etc...I'm finding it is becoming a cursory tidy up...now I've had a night's sleep on it maybe that is what the root problem - could it be modern mums are just too busy with work/careers, school runs and children to have domestic skills?

So we all need to charge more for our service of end of stay clean...is that what you all think?

So this season I've just got to put up & shut up? next year reflect in the price...as Brooke says hidden charges are horrible.
la vache!
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Post by la vache! »

I find that a group of family/friends with children don't want to do anymore than the next person in the group so therefore nothing gets done in the way of housework. In my smaller cottages, if there is just one family it is usually fine. My best guests (regarding cleanliness and tidiness) are always those families who have brought the grandparents, who always leave the house spotless.
I pay my cleaner 7€ through the cheque emploi service (I know its technically wrong, but as I work as a salarié as well running the gîtes, I can get away with it) so after social charges its about 10€ per hour. I help with the cleaning and do the laundry myself, so it costs me about 240€ a month max. in high season.
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debk
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Post by debk »

tansy wrote:That is for 12 single beds & 4 doubles - sleeping 20 - but even if it isn't a full house we end up changing all the covers as someone will have had a lie down, sat on the bed whatever.
Yikes! That's a lot of laundry.

Just last month I began asking guests how many beds they will be using during their stay. I was afraid it might seem a bit too personal, but everyone (about 20 upcoming guests) has responded positively and cheerfully.

Now we only make up the beds that will actually be used, leaving an attractive cover/pillow on any others (eg, no sheets).

Although the time and cost of laundry drove me to this, it's also great for the environment. People seem to connect with that right away.

Seems you could save a 'bundle' not only on laundry but also bedding wear&tear by limiting the number of beds prepared at turnover? Just a thought.

Beijinhos,
debk
Fraise
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Post by Fraise »

I wondered about this too but how do you know WHICH beds people might like? In early May we had just 3 people in the house one week ( they left rave reviews!!) but surprisingly the lovely double middle bedroom was untouched and the parents slept in the small double ( one of them ) and the single ( same bedroom) in what I always think of as the "children's bedroom" ! Had I been allocating beds in an attempt to not make one or two up I would have got it wrong for their needs! :oops:
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debk
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Post by debk »

Fraise wrote:but how do you know WHICH beds people might like?

I ask them. And, yes, sometimes the answer is surprising. :shock:

We have a combo of queen, double and twin beds... and I ask them to tell me which ones they want made up. We have floor plans on our website and that may be making it easier for everyone.

Like I mentioned before, it seemed really intrusive and I hesitated a long time before finally asking. But, fortunately, everyone has responded positively.

(To get started, I drafted an email which clearly explained the bedding options and sent it out to all upcoming guests, so that I could update all existing reservations. Based on the number of occupants, I usually suggested something reasonable: "Would you like us to make up the queen bed and the double bed? And will you be needing any of the twin beds? If so, how many?" Then I added a "bed question" to the standard brief email that I send out confirming guest flight arrival and departure times so that all new bookings also have the necessary info.)

I think hotels have done such a good job of pushing the "excess laundry is bad for the environment" theme that my guests actually appreciate my asking. Maybe it also makes them feel pampered? It's certainly a time and cost saver for us.
debk
who is listening to the washer now...
Fraise
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Post by Fraise »

Ah, thanks for expanding on that!The floorplan probably makes a difference. I'll think about that one and maybe do it for next season. :o
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Ju
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Post by Ju »

I think I might have to start doing this too.

We've got 3 people arriving on Saturday, to a house that sleeps 11. It seems such a waste to make up all the beds, but I don't know which ones to leave unmade.

I thought I might put sheets on them all, and just make up the right number of duvets with covers, that way they can always move them if I get it wrong. What do you think?

Ju
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tansy
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Post by tansy »

my problem is that all my rooms are twins - with matching duvet covers - if I leave one bed unmade up it looks - well uninviting...so I end up always putting a quilt cover on - (no sheets) but then even if they don't use the 2nd bed I have to get out 2 fresh matching quilt covers anyway! :roll: But the way the rooms are it inevitably (no spell check again :oops: ) means someone will sit on the 2nd bed, put a suitcase on it or something...I did buy bedspreads to try & beat it...it does work to a degree - just doesn't look as good :roll: maybe it's just me :? :)
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Post by alexia s. »

Ju,
Why don't you just leave bed linen for 3 & let them make up their own beds? You could explain your reasoning. I often have visitors write just before they arrive to check if linen is provided: I have already stated that it is, in their contract, so it clearly isn't a major preoccupation for them.
Best,
Alexia.
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Ju
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Post by Ju »

Most of our guest have young children so, after a long journey, the last thing they want to do is start making beds. A least if I make them up then if they arrive late and tired they can get straight into bed.

I've just been doing the ironing, and I've decided to make up the beds I think they will use, plus a couple of others just in case and leave it at that.

Tansy - my twin rooms are all matching too. I'm now resolved to buying 4 identical duvet covers for each twin room so that I can just change one if needed. Unfortunately I didn't spot this one until my second place was kitted out, so at least my third property will be right, and the others I will change over time.

Ju
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