Going inside a guest room.

[Joe2278]

I host a spare bedroom with an en suite in my home. Up till now, I have always taken it for granted that I can enter their bedroom when they are not there so as to check that everything is OK and for light cleaning.

Recently I had a solo female guest (I am male) who complained to me that she found it intrusive and an invasion of her privacy when I told her that I had gone into her room and unclogged the shower drain.

Some time ago I smelled an odour of burning electronics from the room and after knocking I went in (there was nobody there) to find that the vent of the fridge was blocked. I later told the guest (this was another guest) about this and she also complained that I had gone into her room.

I had always considered the room I rent out as a hotel room where maids and maintenance go into rooms when needed and after making sure that the guest is warned. What do other hosts think about this, and is there an official position ?

[Joe2278]

I thank all the people who took the time to reply. All your feedback was helpful!

Last week I had 'unusual' guests. They were from ** and had never travelled far from their home. I found it very odd that the husband went out for 'work' leaving his wife shut up in the room all day. She never spoke to me and I saw her only once. I did tell him that I could help with planning activities for her to do during the day but he skirted the issue. I sincerely pitied the woman, locked up in the room during a heatwave with nothing to do all day.

Strange cooking smells kept coming from their room and I really wanted to go in and see that they were not damaging the property. (there is no kitchen in the bedroom). I only got in to see after they left. I found curry stains on the linen, crumbs all over the place and filthy carpets. They used the fridge tray to prepare meals, so the fridge dripped water all over the carpet.

One of the people who commented said that I can stipulate that I will go in the room twice a week (to change towels or some such 'excuse') and I think that I will make this a condition for any stays at my place because it is better to tackle issues when they are happening rather than having to file complains after a guest has left.

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