Cleaning arrangements for longer, multi-week stays

[Philip3027]

We have a guest reservation for 5 weeks and the guest cost includes one cleaning fee for after they leave.

We wonder how other hosts handle cleaning arrangements for such longer-term guests?   Our ABB apartment is a complete living unit with full laundry facility, cleaning supplies and vaccum, so guests have everything they need to "keep house" during their multi-week stay.  Should we require that they keep house:  cleaning, launder linen/sheets/towels, vacuum, clean bathroom, clean floors?  Or maybe all this but we drop off / pick up laundry?

Should we state cleaning requirements for longer term stays in our ground rules or nogotiate per guest?

Thanks anyone for your advice.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Philip3027 we generally just negotiate for each guest as we have few long term stays. We find that the most important thing is the bed linen laundry and towels as guests washing their own has caused damage in the past.

[Philip3027]

Thanks Guys, I thought that might be a consideration.  Appreciate your taking the time to help us with this.  Best Wishes

[Margaret253]

I change the sheets once a week and remake the bed with clean ones.  I provide clean towels and hoover room if they require it as usually there are suitcases and clothes everywhere even though drawers and hanging space are provided.   I do not allow use of my washing machine so I wash/dry sheets /towels myself.  

[Tejay0]

I'm relatively new in the community and I may be wrong. But I have a three bedroom house with two private rooms, with myself living in the same house in another third bedroom.

Generally if guests stay three plus weeks, I'll ask them to vacuum their floor, change their sheets, and wash their sheets, EXCEPT in the last week as I turn-over the room for the next guest, and the cleaning must be to a higher standard. This allows for their privacy during their stay.

Eg if they're staying only two weeks or less, they get a cleaned room, then the following week they're exiting so again I clean the room after they're gone. But they may change the sheets after the first week of staying. Which is fine by me.

Each room has 3 sets of sheets.

[Lorna170 · Accepted solution]

When we hosted long term guests, we made sure that they understood that mid-rental cleanings and linen changes would be added to ensure that our property was being respected. Because most OTAs do not have the ability to add extra cleanings in the initial quote, we would confirm with the renter that they understood that this would be an additional charge and was not optional. Most guests like to have someone clean the bathrooms and provide clean towels and linens at two-week intervals. 

I would place a sentence in your description -- something along the lines of "Long-Term guests will receive an adjusted quote to include mid-rental cleaning and linen exchange fees."  You can then choose how to negotiate with the guest and if you/they will accept the rental.

We used to assume that people like to live in a clean environment, but after experiencing carelessness and unbelievable filth left behind by certain long-term guests, we insist on "invading" at least once mid-rental.  On an aside, it also meant that our housekeeping staff had continued employment and would not quit due to lack of work.