Recent VRBO stay...I guess I need some feedback..

[IluvKingLouis]

So my DD9 and I had a vacation in Waikiki (I grew up in Hawaii) and spent three weeks in a condo. I did get a good price, so the fact that the condo could have used some new carpet and a little TLC didn't bother me.

It was clean, and very comfortable. Bed was great. Nice flat screen TV's, and the owner was very sweet. She gave us some nice packages of tea and cookies to get us started. The building itself was a little sketchy, but it was undergoing renovations so I overlooked all the wires hanging out of the walls, etc...

She also showed me where the vacuum was and acted a bit like I was expected to clean the place while staying there. Well, we kept the place tidy, never wore our shoes in the apartment. Upon leaving I made sure all the trash bins were emptied (we did this daily) and wiped down the kitchen and bathroom. Made the bed. I did forget to take a few things out of the bathroom (ear swabs and cotton balls).

She had been very quick with emails. I sent a thank you email a few days after we returned and haven't heard anything back. I am wondering if I was expected to clean more. I did pay a $125.00 exit cleaning fee.

So, I don't want to be a bad guest and I'm wondering what the expectations are? Should I have scrubbed the bathroom? Stripped the bed sheets?

 

[mnrose]

Since you were being charged a cleaning fee, I would have done exactly as you did. Nothing more.

Usually, when I've done VRBO rentals, there is something in the house that tells you exactly what the expectation is upon leaving...I take it that was not the case here? Anyway, I think you did fine.

 

[Bungle]

Usually, when I've done VRBO rentals, there is something in the house that tells you exactly what the expectation is upon leaving...I take it that was not the case here? Anyway, I think you did fine.

This. Usually there is a list of things expected to be done on check out. I think what you did was good. Usually we just make our beds and clean up after ourselves like garbage and dishes. I would be happy to have a vacuum available just because we have two crumb creators that travel with us.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

No, definitely not - if you needed to strip the sheets or something like that, she would've told you.

We've stayed in VRBO rentals all of the time, and we've never been asked to do any sort of cleaning, besides load the dishwasher and take out the garbage. If you paid a cleaning fee, I'd say you did all you needed to do.

Also - I don't recommend making the bed before leaving. If you make the bed, the housekeeper might think that nobody slept there and not wash the sheets (eww!). We usually straighten the bed up, but pull the comforter and sheets down halfway so that it's obvious that it's been slept in.

 

[MIGrandma]

You said you paid $125 cleaning fee, but the cleaning was probably done after you checked out, right? Maybe the owner showed you where the vacuum cleaner was just in case you wanted to clean the floors at some point during your stay. If we rented a condo for 3 weeks I would want to clean the floors after the first and second weeks, I wouldn't want to leave them for 3 full weeks.

Like a PP said, usually there are detailed instructions (in a guest services book on the coffee table, or posted in the kitchen maybe) on what people are supposed to do upon checkout. We have always had to take care of the trash (or at least bag it up), leave all dirty towels on the bathroom floor or in the shower, strip the bed, wash the dishes and put them away, etc.

Maybe she feels it isn't necessary to answer your thank-you e-mail, or she's just been busy or maybe on vacation herself and will answer you soon.

 

[disykat]

Since there were no problems, if I were her I would have assumed your thank you was the last communication between you.

Just assume you were a great client. No need to think anything otherwise. In general the client is the one evaluating the owner, not the other way around!