Compensation for broken glasses or destroyed towels and so on

[Bodil-Charlotta0]

When my latest guests left the house, I noticed that there are three wine-glasses missing. How do you handle this? Just ignore it, or ask the guests to pay for them?

Several guests have also used the towels in a way that it is not possible to get them clean.
And some guests have used the oilcloth outdoor, so it is not possible to get it clean.

How do you handle things like this?

[Shelley159]

Hi @Bodil-Charlotta0 

You can go to the relevant booking and use the "request money" option. The guest will then receive a request to pay the amount that you request, as well as your explanation.

Personally I don't charge for broken glasses or stained towels. This can cut into the profit that I make on a specific booking, but because it doesn't happen every time, the total cost is low compared to total income from bookings. Other hosts may have a different view!

[Bodil-Charlotta0]

Thank you so much for your answer 🙂.

I think of it in a similar way that you do regarding the profit. And, if the guests had been respectul and told me that the glases were broken, then I had not even got the idea to consider to charge them. 

I am also so confused why some guests uses the towels not as towels. There are equipment for cleaning in the house if they need to clean during the stay, and they also pay for cleaning after they have left.

But, we are all different, and maby I shall try to just accept the way some people act.

[Bronwyn100]

Unfortunately, they will deny it. Replace the glasses from an op shop. Bleach your towels and put in your rules that certain items are not you be taken outside then move on. 🙂

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Bodil-Charlotta0 All of these are examples of the cost of doing business. Just add a couple of £ to your nightly rate and pay for things like this out of this. Certainly not worth claiming from a guest as it will come across cheap

[Bodil-Charlotta0]

Thank you so much!
Yes, I will leave it without action.
So valuable to get different aspects.

[Clara116]

@Bodil-Charlotta0 I know its a disappointment when guests break, lose, damage things but it is part of hosting. Esp. with glass, if it can break, it can and might and will break-  so make sure anything is not too valuable...there is a cost of doing business and towels are part of that. I would take those towels that got messed up/ clean them as best you can - cut them into rags/and make a basket for dirty projects - muddy shoes, and anything that will ruin your nice towels. If people don't see a solution for a situation at the moment.....spilled food/drink or whatever they will grab the biggest, closest thing and it will be your towels. Give them an Option and make it OBVIOUS! This way they don't throw away your stuff to hide it and you can offer it for reuse.  

I would not charge for broken/missing glasses - You might consider raising your nightly rate by 1-2 $$ and put that into your "fix stuff fund" and you will be able to replace those broken, missing, damaged things very quickly without it having a huge impact on your bottom line. (were those glasses so very cool the guests just HAD to TAKE them??? ) If you find absolutely NO evidence of broken glass - since 3 are missing - You as hosts need to know if they just WALKED or all got broken and someone is going to step on a shard of glass somewhere??? I think I would ask them since you see that all 3 glasses are not to be found - do you need to do extra care/cleaning to make sure NO one gets cut. I think that's how I would approach it. My gut tells me - they were really special glasses and the guest took them - Make sure guest understands you as Hosts need to know if there's a hazard you need to know about for the next folks arriving. I'm sure they didn't think of this. Without blaming its a fair question - and you might be surprised about the answer. Hope you ask and share with us all.

Happy Hosting, Clara@116

[Alice1515]

good suggestions! Love the “rag bag” idea. I had a guest who died her brown hair and ruined a couple of nice towels :(. Now I know how to fix this problem in the future!

[Bodil-Charlotta0]

Thank you so much @Clara116  :).
I really like your comment about danger for the next guests.
I mean, if glases are broken - weather it is inside the house or in the garden or in the bbq-area - it is really good for me to know, so I can make sure that every trace of the shards of glass is gone.
So, this is a good argument to ask the guests.

[Greystone0]

Hi Bodil - we get damage/missing items fairly often. If a guest reports something damaged/stained then I usually don't ask for reimbursement. Having a heads up is a courtesy and I appreciate the info.

I have a mental dollar amount that I keep in mind and if it is beyond that amount then I may charge.  

Simple damage happens and is part of the business - keeping it hidden or not reporting it robs us of the time to fix, clean, order replacment, etc. If I am given the courtesy of knowing when it happens we can better react.

But not knowing is a genuine hardship as we can't magically replace, fix, allow a stained item to soak properly if we find it late, and have the next guest on tap. We need the time.

Much success,

Greystone Lodge

[Dana184]

I put make-up remover pads in my bathroom so that people don’t use the towels to remove make up, because yes, nice towels are expensive.  

[Elaine701]

@Bodil-Charlotta0 

I can't remember the last time we had a guest who didn't break at least one wine glass. We keep a supply of replacements. It's a cost of doing business.

Towels, well, there's precious little you can do about that. We also stock replacements.

You can confront the guest, but expect a retaliatory review complete with imaginary atrocities you committed against the guest.

It might be worthwhile to consider ways to attract a better quality of guest. Competing on the basis of price generally isn't a good way to achieve that, and makes it more difficult to eat the cost of broken wine glasses or the occasional ruined towel. 

[Bodil-Charlotta0]

Thank you so much @Elaine701 for you wise advices :)!

[Frances3408]

@Bodil-Charlotta0. We reuse stained towels and facecloths by placing them nicely rolled up in the pet bed. Comes across as pets are guests too but in practical terms is also a hint. Most guests arent deliberately careless so help them with options and dont sweat the small stuff 🙂

[Bodil-Charlotta0]

Thank you so much @Frances3408 , we have not had problem with pets, but the words from you opens up for good and useful thoughts :).