Shorts Stays Complaining about Cleaning fee

[Chamaine0]

Hello

I own a small elite cleaning Service and I co host for a few Super Host and Clean for others.  Here is the problem. Lately we have had reviews complaining about the cleaning fee. These are whole houses or condos some located on the beach. We have nothing but 5 stars for our cleanliness and the in the same review that one raves about how clean the home is they also complain about paying a fee. 

We are in a tourist area (Destin FL) and my fees are below that of local management companies. 

The complaints have mainly come from people on short stays who think they should pay less. Rather they are there 1 night or 10 the house doesn’t get any smaller the work still has to be done. Bedding has to be washed and changed in every room , towels and so forth. The furniture still has to be vacuumed as our beautiful sand gets everywhere. Every surface has to be cleaned , floors mopped. 

I’ m just be fuddled how someone can leave a hand written note for the cleaning staff about our attention to detail and how they have never stayed in a rental so clean then complain about the fee which was clearly listed at the time of booking.

Now with the new Supper Host requirements my owners are nervous over the 4 stars for Value Because of fees bringing down their standings. They have asked me to come up with something to include in their listings but I’m unsure if this is what to do. Any Ideas ?

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

@Chamaine0 Lower the cleaning fee some by increasing the nightly rate. 

[Chamaine0]

I asked the owners about this option before I even posted and only 1 is willing to do this as the others like that the cleaning fee goes straight to me without them having to do anymore. 

[Brittany321]

agreed

[Gordon0]

@Chamaine0 

The problem with a cleaning fee (on entire properties) is that they can leave a sour tast. Yours, for instance, is £115 for a one-night stay, 70+% of your base price. What with this and all the other 'extras', well, it doesn't make for a nice surprise. 

You need a work around, maybe as per @Cynthia-and-Chris1' sugestion, although people may then just think you are too expensive?

[Chamaine0]

The fees are listed upfront and for instance our unit with an $85 fee compared with to $95-$138 for same size unit located in same complex. 

Do you think including a detailed description of things covered by cleaning fee and the fact that it’s professionally done in the property listing would be advisable as this is what my owners are asking?

[David2403]

I put a high cleaning fee on my listing to discourage short term rentals.  However, it is not high enough, it seems.  I will probably be raising it.

If people do not want to pay it, they can book another listing.  That is very straightforward., I think.

[Russell49]

115 is an excessive amount for 1 night stay. I understand that the home needs to get cleaned every guest stay, but nobody wants to get charged this for 1 night.

[Lisa723]

@Chamaine0 guests don't read listing details very carefully so a detailed description of cleaning tasks probably doesn't belong there. Maybe you could provide a professional-looking card to post in the properties with the name of your company, a list of cleaning tasks performed between guests, and a phone number to call if a guest notices any cleanliness issue at all? This might raise the perceived value of the service. Another thing that might help guests understand the value is having the hosts get the 'commitment to living wage' pledge on their listings (if it's true). I charge a relatively high cleaning fee (sometimes higher than nightly rate) because I am committed to paying my cleaners a wage they can live on, and I have only once gotten a complaint/4-star value review, from someone who had an extraordinarily low off-season nightly rate and didn't like that the cleaning fee was higher. Of course the place has to meet very high standards of cleanliness to make this work. (I also do not accept one-night stays.) 

[Chamaine0]

I am already working on the card. I love this. All units do have a white board welcoming them and my phone number on it if the have any housekeeping or maintenance issues. The card idea is perfect. Thank you. 

Our cleaning standards are very stringent so no worries there. Your advice has been so helpful. It is hard when you’re not the owner to resolve some of these issues but luckily my owners are awesome. 2 of them only bought their properties if I agreed to clean an maintain them. The Community Center has been so helpful in my journey. 

[Lisa723]

@Chamaine0 I just took a look at your 2 listings... the first thing that jumped out at me was the "budget friendly" designation in the titles. I think this is just inviting your trouble, by attracting guests who care more about rate than other things. It indicates a property that is probably compromising on things like amenities and cleaning to offer a low rate, and will attract guests who want that. Why put yourself in that situation? Guests can judge for themselves what they want to pay. I would replace "budget-friendly" with "immaculate" or similar and see if that attracts guests who actually want what you are offering and are happy to pay for it!

[Chamaine0]

I would agree except this is the only unit that never complained about the fees sine mMy company took over. I currently co host 2 and clean for 8 with some none public cohosting duties. I love what I do and I enjoy it   These odd complaints about value where not an issue before the new Super Host metrics. Now owners are worried. 

[Sarah977]

@Chamaine0   You say the cleaning is the same whether a guest stays for one night or a week or more, which I know is more or less true, though not totally (if you've just done a thorough dusting, for example, or washed the curtains or blinds, I doubt that would need to be done again after a one-night stay, a floor mopping job goes much quicker if you don't have to scrub at stuck-on food or sticky spills, and if the guests leave piles of dirty dishes, a greasy stove-top and food spilled in the fridge, kitchen cleaning is obviously going to take longer than if the guest left it clean and tidy).

And it doesn't really make sense to charge a lesser cleaning fee for a shorter stay, as some people are capable of making a huge mess in a one night stay, where others may stay for 2 weeks and leave the place immaculate.

But you could do this- up the price of the room to cover the actual cost of a normal clean you'd do if the guests left no personal messes and left it basically clean and tidy- so for you, vacuuming, mopping floors, changing bedding and towels, cleaning the bathroom, replenishing basic supplies. 

Then charge a refundable cleaning fee- you'd have to make this really clear in your listing description and messaging with the guests. And it would have to be clear that it is not open to negotiation- that the hosts reserve the right to assess the percentage of cleaning fee to refund. And sate that if you give a refund, it will be given 15 days after check-out, to avoid someone leaving a bad review as retaliation because they didn't get the refund. Then have a very precise list of what guests need to do to be eligible for the refund- in a house manual and posted somewhere prominently in the house.

Example:

If you are interested in being eligible to have your cleaning fee refunded:

All dishes, pots and pans and kitchen utensils well-washed

Stovetop and oven left clean

Kitchen counters and table wiped down

Used towels hung up, not left on floor

All garbage in bins

Fridge clean with no food left behind

Bathroom tidy, counters wiped down

Any spills on floors or furniture wiped up

Your list may vary, but this could be a way to appease guest complaints about a high cleaning fee, reward really clean guests, as well as possibly making your cleaning job quicker.

[Lisa975]

Our cleaning fee is $68.00  Added to a 1 or 2 day rental looks like a lot.  But spread out over 7-10 days isn't much.  I just explain to people that the company charges the same if they come everyday or once a week.   

[Sarah977]

@Lisa975  Being the kind of person who always leaves a place as clean or cleaner than I found it, if I were looking for accomodation for 1 or 2 nights, a $68 cleaning fee doesn't look like a lot, it is a lot. I realize all guests are not like me as far as cleaning up after themselves, but considering all a cleaning crew would need to do after I had a one night stay would be changing the bedding and towels, removing a small bag of garbage, and maybe a quick vacuum and floor mop, I would never book a place with a cleaning fee even close to that amount.