Is it ok to only offer a hot water urn and washing up bowl in kitchenette of Airbnb let if detailed?

[Dermot-and-Debra0]

We let the top floor of our house via Airbnb. We are offering one double bedroom, large living room, large bathroom plus a kitchenette room (without plumbing) which has 8litre hot water urn and washing up bowl as well as fridge, induction hob, microwave etc etc. Do you think that’s ok? Previously I cleared away their dishes, washed them up and returned them clean but I’d like to change that if the urn is acceptable to most? What do you think? They’d have to refill from bathroom plus throw dish water down bathroom sink.

[Rowena29]

Hi @Dermot-and-Debra0 

I'm hardly vastly experienced as a host, but I would think so long as you made it REALLY crystal clear in your listing that that was the set up, I cna't see a problem.

Of course come guests dont' read, so i'd be inclined to say it 3 times

once in your listing

once in your house rules

confirm again at booking and say if it's a problem there's still time to cancel.

If people don't like it, they won't book it ( you would hope)

The only query I would have is, is there a potential for a public liability claim here - spilling water when transferring from kitchenette to bathroom and slipping and falling.... hurting back when taking water from bathroom back to kitchenette to fill up the urn...    AND I can see people creating a bigger mess that way than just leaving stuff in the sink.   Personally I would prefer to be able to clean up after myself rather than having to rely on a host to come and retireive things and return them, but some guests woudl probably love to have you do their dishes.   You know your listing best and the types of guests you're getting - your reviews are great, so go with your gut I'd say.

Just my thoughts.

Others may have further insights

Good luck!

Cheers

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Dermot-and-Debra0 

From a guest's point of view...... if I was expected to carry around a tub or urn of water for washing up, I would just NOT do any dishes 🙂 

Based on the description of your listing I doubt people would try to cook or have meals..... how many dirty dishes do you normally get? If it's just a few coffee mugs or small plates from a snack, why not leave the small tub, dishwashing soap &sponge somewhere in the bathroom, or right next to the bathroom door? I'd rather do any small amounts of washing up necessary in the bathroom sink than lug water around - it's what I do when I stay in hotels. 

Without kitchen plumbing, I think it's better to leave just the microwave and get rid of the induction hob and all pots/pans.... unless the kitchenette is right outside the bathroom entrance. Do you get a lot of guests who cook meals or are you far from resturants? 

[Susan151]

@Dermot-and-Debra0 How hot does that water get in this urn? [To be honest,  I don't think I know what a 8litre hot water urn is. Does it heat water continuously?]

From what I remember from my food safety courses, one needs to wash dishes at 120ºF or 50ºC to kill most germs. If you don't meet this standard, there is a problem from a health and safety angle.

In any event, please tell us folks on the other side of the Atlantic what a  hot water urn is! Thanks.

[Dermot-and-Debra0]

Hi

yes the electric water urn boils water for catering volumes of tea or coffee etc plus can keep water warm for washing up etc. It would probably need topping up once or twice a week. The comments on carrying water and safety are very valid so I’ll have a think about that. Thanks everyone.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Dermot-and-Debra0 

In addition to the safety concern, I also think you should to consider your floors. What happens if guests slosh or drip water all over the kitchenette floor or between the kitchenette area and bathroom but don't wipe/mop up immediately? Are they water-tight or water-resistant?

[Sarah977]

@Dermot-and-Debra0  Here's a thought. You know how campers and motorhomes have a tank that you fill with water and that has some sort of pump, so that when you turn the faucet, water comes out in the sink? Maybe you could rig up something like that- an actual small kitchen sink in a small counter with the tank, etc, down below in a cabinet. You'd have to refill the tank between guests.

I also don't know what a hot water urn is- maybe like a big coffee urn, like would be used for events, but without the coffee?

[Rachel0]

@Dermot-and-Debra0 It isn't quite clear to me whether you have been using this 8l water urn already or whether you have been washing the guests' dishes in your own kitchen.  Personally, I  would be worried sick about a guest lugging a heavy urn about on the top floor of my house in case they dropped it, causing injury to themselves and damage to your property.  I have a similar listing  - whole top floor, private bathroom, bedroom, sitting room etc - but I let guests make a cup of tea or coffee in our kitchen and then I put their cups and spoons in our dishwasher.  

[Dermot-and-Debra0]

Hi yes I push the washing up in my dishwasher and swap for clean. 

They would top up via a jug rather than carry the urn. Thanks 

[Lyn3]

@Dermot-and-Debra0 

Hello, just to let you know what has worked here for us for a few years...

My guest suite is the ground floor of our home, and hubby and I live upstairs. The guests have an electric jug, toaster, fridge, crockery and cutlery.  I provide tea, coffee, condiments, and breakfast foods for a light breakfast, into the guest fridge so that they may serve themselves at a time that suits them. 

After breakfast my guests place their used crockery and cutlery from breakfast (and any other meals they've brought back to enjoy here), into a teatowel-lined basket and leave it outside their (private entrance) door for me to collect. The items go through my dishwasher and I return the clean items to the seat outside the guest door for them to retrieve when they return from their day out.

[Dermot-and-Debra0]

Thank you yes that’s very Similar to how I have been doing it previously. I thought the immediate hot water on tap via the water urn would be a beneficial addition though. I guess I’ll just leave them the washing up bowl in case they fancy doing it themselves for the odd thing. Thanks very much.