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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Thomas BC
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Post by Thomas BC »

Tansy
When I read your letter my first reaction was who would want to pay for a deep clean on their departure - surely this is something in coming people might request. Then when I read your explanation I understood what you meant. I feel its a bit unclear as to what it means. Like Vrooje and many others I ask my quests to leave as they found, but I have added a final clean into my costs.

I think though Tansy is right to try and be more explicit - if one is going to deduct money from the deposit, then one should really be quite clear about the circumstances in which money will be deducted, as Clexanne says (or intends to say):
I intend to put in the contract a note that says that unreasonable state of cleanliness is defined as requiring more than four hours cleaning after handover and will result in a charge of €15 Euro per hour for over four hours cleaning.
I have had Brits and Americans, Australians and Swedes and can not see any pattern in who leaves the place spotless or not. Up until end of last week I thought young Brits dnt give a damn (older ones leave the place cleaner than new), but I was proved wrong.
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tansy
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Post by tansy »

Thanks Thomas...I should explain that I send out what I call house rules to them at time of booking - explaining about recycling, what we mean by end of stay clean etc.that I allow 2 ladies 2na half hours i.e. 5 hours of cleaning - extra we do need to charge...I do send a lot of other information as well - including brochures, web site addresses etc ...so it is not all negative & rules!

So the letters that I leave on the table welcoming them, one telling them what time restaurants/supermarkets are open...how the electric shutters work etc., another one on rubbish, how to recycle, the third as I published reminding them about cleaning...so I don't think what I am saying is a shock to them...it is re-iterating what I said some time ago and is part of the terms of business!

I don't know what the answer is...maybe as a forces child and sent to boarding school for 7 years it has been instilled in me how to leave somewhere - forces folk will understand march in & march out! :)

Perhaps I am being super sensitive...I do enjoy running our business - but I am not enjoying the clearing up after some of our guests!

But certainly I will be starting an advertising campaign to attract the type of visitors I have found to be the best guests!...That will be when the season finishes.[/i]
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enid
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Post by enid »

I di think it's hard to strike a balance - I am cross like you Tansy as I had a huge clean after our last guests. There is still a smell of very cloying perfume in the gite - any tips at getting rid of that??
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tansy
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Post by tansy »

Enid...you must be hopping! To do a huge clean and then still be able to smell them!!! You just can't getaway!!

Believe it or not vinegar (bog standard)...put some into a spray and spray round like you would with febreze...it works for my big old cat - who is nuetered but makes himeself known if we have strangers in the house! Vinegar does neuterlise....also an onion will take up a smell...peel one and just pop it in the room...all this if you have a couple of days though!....otherwise it's a case of all the doors and windows open for a while!

But you are right I am not so much cross as feeling - why bother at the moment!...and this only 1 month into the season...we're even back to talking about selling one of the houses as I don't think I can be bothered to do a 2 hour round trip just to go and clear up someone else's muck!

That is another thing that we have noticed - Utah Beach this year we are looking at 30+ weeks - St Germain, now all the enquiries have dried up at the moment it's 14 weeks...also we have noticed we are getting a totally different type person in each house...strange how it is panning out. We also don't seem to get mucky folk in Utah...I had one almost incident there but that wasn't mucky mucky - just a lively family of 11!

My French lady is taking bets now - sale or propre each week!

Anyway Enid hope you get rid of the lingering perfum...the other trick I sometimes use is spray Poison...that ALWAYS works...the perfume that is...it is very good at disguising other smells - the only thing it is good for in my opinion :wink:
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Ju
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Post by Ju »

I know what you mean about taking bets. We do it every week and we are usually right.

Current guests, although very nice, I'm betting on a nightmare on Saturday. They didn't want the mid stay clean, so we haven't had the usual look around but I went in today because the electric tripped and there was stuff everywhere. Furniture etc moved, nothing where it should be. Fortunately we are only changing one house this week so we should be alright.

The guests arriving are repeat bookers so we really want it to be on top form for them but at least they know us so we can sit them outside with a cold beer whilst we finish if necessary.

Better go because I've got an evenings ironing ahead of me and it's stinking hot here - I think I'll iron in my bikini!

Ju
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