How do you communicate to your guests about standards for leaving a property?

[Kirsty-And-Jason0]

Hi

Unfortunately, we’ve had quite a run of guests leaving the house in poor condition. Not  necessarily broken or damages, but excessive cleaning required by our cleaners. How do you tell your guests what is expected of them on departure. I was thinking of making up a sign, but I’m keen to hear from other hosts what they actually ask guests to do. I.e. do you ask guests to leave it in original condition? 

Thanks so much! 

[Kelly144]

I have it in my compendium to please take the rubbish out, but I was finding that at least 50% didn't read it and the rubbish was left. I now write it in the welcome email that I send them when the apartment is clean and ready and I'm ready to hand over the 4 digit code to get in. I'm pleased to say I now have 100% success rate of people taking their own rubbish out to the bins outside. It's the only thing I ask in terms of cleaning so it's really not too hard. I don't ask that people strip the bed but they often do. 

[Letti0]

@Kirsty-And-Jason0  As strange as this may seem, I have found the less I ask a guest to do at check out the better the results. I orginally asked to start the dishwasher, toss the left over food and dump the trash. Now I just tell them to leave the beds unmade, set the alarm and have a safe trip home. Only 2 of all my groups of guests have left the place in bad shape, so figure only 2% this does not work fine with. Usually all the dishes are done, trash is tossed into the outside bin and the place is pretty straightened up. Also I do charge a cleaning fee, but as long as I'm not telling them what to they need to do they seem to clean up after themselves pretty well. I don't know about other hosts, but this has been my experience. 

[Victoria567]

Hi@Kirsty and Jason

****

Do NOT be vague about your standards and expectations make sure ALL the facts regarding HOW, WHERE and WHEN regarding your standards  are clearly stated in your house rules.

Spell out all the standards and expectations as facts clearly, and you will be less disappointed as a host.....for what my advice is worth😉

*[Content hidden in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Fred13]

   We go about it philosophically: the less one asks of the guest, the better.

   By the time we can succesfully get the guests to match our expections, we can do it ourselves 10x quicker at our standards, and consistently. So like @Letti0, we ask them to do nothing. In turn, we charge enough to cover the real cleaning.

[Victoria567]

Priceless🤑

[Victoria567]

Or be a permanent fixture at the air bnb resolution centre....

personally I got better things to do with my time like supervise use of the loading of my washing machine hahahaha😉

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

I prefer if they don't stripe beds because it is easier for me to see the stains and I have to shake the hair from sheets anyway before taking them to the loundry service.

I also prefer if they don't take out the last used trash bag because I need it during cleaning to dispose used paper towels, packaging etc... But many of my guests take trash out .

I don't ask my guests to do anything regarding cleaning but of course I appreciate when they wash all the dishes and leave everything clean and tidy.

I have a bag in the hallway and framed picture of PET and glass bottles above it so almost all my guests dispose empty bottles there. I don't even have to tell them 🙂

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Victoria567

@Letti0is valuable member of this community, experienced host, smart woman and she is always ready to help. I always read what she writes and I have to admit I was sometimes wrong and she was right. I have over 270 reviews on Airbnb , I host more then 2 years but I am still learning from Letti, Sarah, Ana, Fred, Kelly, Rob and others. I am happy they are here and willing to share their opinions and experiences with all of us and I feel them as my friends. I hope I will meet them in person one day ... for example on @Fred13's island :)))))

[Helen3]

If you have certain expectations of what you would like your guests to do, such as leaving used linen in the bathtub, taking rubbish out, then I would leave key points on a note on the fridge or other prominent position and explain why.

i.e. it helps you keep your cleaning fee to a minimum and ensures your cleaner has time to turn your listing around in good time for incoming guests.

[Sean367]

Every time there is an issue I have to react accordingly. When a guest took advantage of my free wifi by illegally downloading copyright protected movies I had to dress up a usage agreement for all to read and sign. And today I will add a sign in the kitchen asking guests to refrain from cooking stinky fish! What's the use of the place being left clean if there's a foul lingering odor of fish?!

[Victoria567]

Hi@Sean

Tip for fishy odours.

Get Bicarbonate of soda and put various bowls around the kitchen, such as in the microwave or the oven or where the fish was cooked.

Smear the pan and dishes with a freshly cut lemon, also put half a lemon in the fridge where fish should have been stored, along with a bowl of sodium bicarbonate in the fridge.

Ask guest to cook the fish in a fish roasta bag to cut down and contain the smell somewhat.

[Kelly149]

@Kristy-And-Shaunte0 jason I ask guests to leave my place tidy THE WHOLE TIME they are in residence. What does it matter if they ran the dishwasher before they left if they spread food & rubbish throughout the whole place for the 2-7 days they were there? This is written in my listing, House Rules, rental contract, House Manual, Welcome Book and Checkout Checklist.

As for at actual departure time, I've written their instructions with a couple things in mind: if they follow the list they'll leave less items behind, they'll leave a better review impression with me and the house will be well suited to be empty until cleaners (me) arrive.

I ask them to take out their trash (the outdoor bin is directly at the front door, no extra travel or trouble for them) bc I JUST DON'T WANT TO KNOW what they ate, drank, did, etc. Once you've seen the adult diapers you just can't unsee that.

I ask them to leave the bed alone, leave used towels out on hooks (who invented the system that STR hosts wanted all their used linens piled in a dirty, damp heap on the floor?!?)

Dishes should be in DW but don't need to be run

Turn off lights & AC

LOCK THE DOOR

Some folks do whatever they like whether that means doing more or less and some folks follow instructions. Kind of up to you what kind of setup you want to run

[Victoria567]

Hi@Kelly

Three categories of the house-proud, regarding housework from a British humour point of view, which sums up your final paragraph which you posted and so sensible.

——-Look, I’ve just cut my finger clipping your blasted hedge.

——Dont swear, Jerry. And don’t bleed in the sink. I’ve just cleaned it.

Jerry and Margot Leadbetter, The Good Life.

Everything must be put back in its proper disorder

Quote from Barbara Pym

At worst, a house unkept cannot be so distressing as a life unloved.

Quote from Rose Macaulay

One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries.

A.A. Milne.

[Kirsty-And-Jason0]

hahahahaa