Looking for some thoughts on charging guests for damages.

[Marissa204]

I have had a few guests that have left the house a disaster, just dirty and things like towels and sheets are soiled and need to be replaced. I haven't charged them extra before but wondering if I should start. Then also I recently had a guest stay and they broke the back of our couch, maybe from sitting on the back of it. Would you charge for this? And would you charge the cost to fix it or just a portion of it?

[K--Mustafa0]

Hello Marissa,

First of all, dirty towels, sheets, and the like are things a good landlord should already clean up and take responsibility for. If there is no irreversible damage to these products, I think it would be rude and unprofessional to get such a charge, far from being a good host.

I don't understand how the couch broke, can you explain in a little more detail?

[Marissa204]

Thanks for getting back to me. I do not live in the area and so I rely on my cleaning team to let me know what is going on. And often she tells me I should charge extra but I felt the same way about the towels and bedding. I also just feel awkward being like you broke this you need to pay me when I don't have proof other than my cleaning lady telling me it wasn't like that the last cleaning. 

For the couch it seems the frame of the back of the couch was snapped.