small dilemma, opinions wanted

[pyrxtc]

I am currently at a beach house I am renting. This is our second year here. we moved to this rental last year after deciding not to go back to the last place since it was so small and my kids were getting bigger and we needed more space. Last year was the owners first year renting as a "summer renter" vs a year round rental. He wasn't even sure if he would stay that way so he picked up a lot of things at yard sales to get it ready.

This his 2nd year renting it out and it is still all pieced together. The place sleeps 9 but had only 2 bowls, no real cups and mismatched junky silverware. A lot of the things in the cabinet were dirty, even the silverware had food pieces stuck to some of it. Nasty, I know !! The mugs and pans are stained and burnt and overall the place isn't really clean but decent enough aside from the kitchen area.

It is right on the beach, well 1 house between but no streets to cross and they let me bring my dogs and have family over and provide linens for the beds and some towels but I bring my own towels. and sheets for my bed since DH likes them better. The fridge does not keep things very cold and the hot water takes forever.

If I rent next year, I will be bringing my own silverware, dishes, sheets and a dvd player for the downstairs TV for rainy days. Kind of a PIA.

Here's the dilemma, do I talk to owner and tell him my issues and hope he'll fix it so we can be here again next year, don't say anything and just spend the $200-$300 on stuff I'll keep in a bin to bring with me every year, or try to find a new place to rent in a similar location which may cost about $300-$500 more.

The beach area behind me is gorgeous but parking is tight for having more people over. I love the area. and it will work as my kids get older for the size of the place. I just wish it was more clean for the price. I think he should be able to afford to buy nice stuff for the place with the money he is bringing in. He went from $725 a month to $1500 a week from beginning of June to mid -September. So double what he was making before with only half the hassle and no heat to pay for. Other things are in disrepair too like the screen doors to the front deck pop out constantly and the windows don't all have screen and some that do are ripped with large holes.

 

[Acklander]

whenever I rent a vacation house I'll usually send an e-mail to the owner about any repairs that need doing. I don't really care if he does it or not, I just want to make sure that I'm not charged for damages.

Don't concern yourself with what he should be able to afford with what he's charging because you don't see the entire picture. (i.e. what he pays in taxes, insurance, mortgage etc...). It sounds like he's charging less than the "going rate" so the real question is, are you getting your money's worth.

personally, if it were me and we were driving to the location (not having to deal with flying) I'd just bring what I wanted to have but the house didn't supply,and hire someone to clean it on our first day, so I wouldn't have to worry about that. But I'm pretty easy going. If it's going to bother you, just let him know that you'd be finding some place else for the next year and the reason why. Who knows, maybe he'll step up to the plate and provide some of what you're looking for (though at the same time, he might start charging more on the weekly rental)

 

[CowboyCO]

You can ask....

 

[Christine]

I voted "something else" because I think that you should first let the owner know your issues and then plan on renting somewhere else.

Since he seems to be cheaper than the fully equipped places, you almost don't really have a gripe, but the owner may want your feedback.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I am currently at a beach house I am renting. This is our second year here. we moved to this rental last year after deciding not to go back to the last place since it was so small and my kids were getting bigger and we needed more space. Last year was the owners first year renting as a "summer renter" vs a year round rental. He wasn't even sure if he would stay that way so he picked up a lot of things at yard sales to get it ready.

This his 2nd year renting it out and it is still all pieced together. The place sleeps 9 but had only 2 bowls, no real cups and mismatched junky silverware. A lot of the things in the cabinet were dirty, even the silverware had food pieces stuck to some of it. Nasty, I know !! The mugs and pans are stained and burnt and overall the place isn't really clean but decent enough aside from the kitchen area.

It is right on the beach, well 1 house between but no streets to cross and they let me bring my dogs and have family over and provide linens for the beds and some towels but I bring my own towels. and sheets for my bed since DH likes them better. The fridge does not keep things very cold and the hot water takes forever.

If I rent next year, I will be bringing my own silverware, dishes, sheets and a dvd player for the downstairs TV for rainy days. Kind of a PIA.

Here's the dilemma, do I talk to owner and tell him my issues and hope he'll fix it so we can be here again next year, don't say anything and just spend the $200-$300 on stuff I'll keep in a bin to bring with me every year, or try to find a new place to rent in a similar location which may cost about $300-$500 more.

The beach area behind me is gorgeous but parking is tight for having more people over. I love the area. and it will work as my kids get older for the size of the place. I just wish it was more clean for the price. I think he should be able to afford to buy nice stuff for the place with the money he is bringing in. He went from $725 a month to $1500 a week from beginning of June to mid -September. So double what he was making before with only half the hassle and no heat to pay for. Other things are in disrepair too like the screen doors to the front deck pop out constantly and the windows don't all have screen and some that do are ripped with large holes.

I'd see if I could find a place that was a better fit. If I couldn't, I'd just bring along things for next year.

 

[sbell111]

I'd just buy cheap sets of dishes/silverware/cookware and keep it in a plastic bin in my attic until it's time to go to the beach. I can't imagine that this would cost me more than $100-$125.

When I arrived at the beach house, I'd give it a cleaning and place the provided dishes/silverware/cookware in the bin.

 

[Hillbeans]

Even if I have the beach right outside of my door, I would not want to stay in a place that needed a lot of extra's....really, isn't that part of the reason why you're renting a house over staying at a motel?

We rent in Ocean City NJ and I pay extra to stay in a more modern unit that is decorated nicely. I don't have money coming out of my ears but if i'm taking a week to go to the beach, I like to stay somewhere nice - this guy really shouldn't be furnishing his house with mis-matched dishes and plates and furniture if he's hoping to get top rental dollar or repeat business. Depending on where you stay there must be a lot of competition for rental business.

 

[disykat]

I voted "something else" because I think that you should first let the owner know your issues and then plan on renting somewhere else.

Since he seems to be cheaper than the fully equipped places, you almost don't really have a gripe, but the owner may want your feedback.

I voted like Christine. I'm the queen of cheap and we like to stay at budget places. However, this place does not sound like it fits your needs and it's time to upgrade. I would let him know, and mention to let you know if he makes improvements because you might be interested again.

 

[ShesAPirate]

For 1500/week, I would expect to have decent cookware, plates, silverware, etc. I rent a place in Cape Cod for less than half that and it's always overflowing with kitchen essentials (and right on the beach, too -- though I'm sure it's much smaller than what you're renting).

Anyway, I would tell him even though you love the location, etc., that due to the lack of whatever's missing, and the things in disrepair, you're thinking of renting somewhere else next year -- simply because you don't want to worry about those kind of things when you're on vacation. Hopefully he'll do the right thing and get the place in shape.

In the event that you decide not to say anything and to start your own bin that you lug back and forth, I suggest going to Ikea --- very, very reasonable prices for kitchenware.

Good luck!

 

[twinglesmome]

How much is your time and energy cleaning upon arrival worth? Sure, you can take your own dishes, etc. but if the place is still dirty and in disrepair, will you feel comfortable w/o taking time from your vacation to spruce the place up a bit? Plus, if you take your own stuff, you'll need to find a place to put it in the cabinets, etc. unless you want to live out of bins for your week.

I vote find another place unless you have the time/energy to clean your current place once you arrive...

 

[Christine]

For 1500/week, I would expect to have decent cookware, plates, silverware, etc. I rent a place in Cape Cod for less than half that and it's always overflowing with kitchen essentials (and right on the beach, too -- though I'm sure it's much smaller than what you're renting).

I think it depends where you rent. For us to get a beach *house*, that close to the beach, almost oceanfront, it would probably set us back about $4,000 a week during peak season. Some are more than that though. Small, condo places are cheaper. And those beach homes that still have the 1970s paneling, shag carpeting, and mismatched dishes are pretty much a bargain.

 

[karibritt01]

I think you can let him know of the issues without burning your bridges. If you find somewhere else to stay next year, then do it. If not, you can always go back there. Honestly, most rental owners do not expect renter loyalty. In truth, many of them wouldn't realize if you stopped renting from them. I usually use www.homeaway.com when finding vacation rentals. Only 1 mountain house has ever disappointed me from that website, but I went cheap that weekend and got what I paid for.

 

[princessmom29]

I think it depends where you rent. For us to get a beach *house*, that close to the beach, almost oceanfront, it would probably set us back about $4,000 a week during peak season. Some are more than that though. Small, condo places are cheaper. And those beach homes that still have the 1970s paneling, shag carpeting, and mismatched dishes are pretty much a bargain.

pre oil spill a one bedroom condo on the beach here was AT LEAST $1500 a week. A 3-4 bedroom house started at $3,000. So yea, at $1500 a week I could deal with bringing my own stuff. I really think it depends on the area. IF you azre getting in at close to the "gonig rate" where you are renting, then i would mention the upgrades. If it is significantly below market then i woukldn't expect them to upgrade.

 

[Christine]

pre oil spill a one bedroom condo on the beach here was AT LEAST $1500 a week. A 3-4 bedroom house started at $3,000. So yea, at $1500 a week I could deal with bringing my own stuff. I really think it depends on the area. IF you azre getting in at close to the "gonig rate" where you are renting, then i would mention the upgrades. If it is significantly below market then i woukldn't expect them to upgrade.

Exactly!

A few years ago, I was renting an oceanfront townhouse in Ocean City, MD. It slept up to 16 people and the location was fabulous. Normal rental prices at that time were about $3000 per week, but I paid $2000 because he had not remodeled the place since the 70s, and it seriously needed some outside maintenance. In fact, when we had a storm, the roof leaked into the den.

Fortunately, for us, the guy did keep up on the mattress (which were some of the best I had) and he had a fully stocked kitchen, so I wasn't required to bring my entire household with me. I could deal with the bad decor and small leaks. I don't know if I'd want to haul dishes/pans and stuff with me.

 

[scrapquitler]

I picked the 'other' because I don't think you really need to buy a bunch of specific stuff for the rental and store it all year to use it for the summer: just bring your regular stuff from home.

Just because the owner is charging more doesn't mean that he is rolling in extra money from the rent you are paying for the summer. There are HUGE expenses to owning a second home, and probably he doesn't have any money to do imporvements at this point, or he would.

 

[HM]

We rented a beach house earlier this summer. It was a really great place and had a ton of kitchen stuff (more knives than you can imagine). But, it only had 12 forks for a house that slept 12 people. We had to wash dishes a lot. We left a remark in their "Guest Book" about how much we enjoyed thier house and all the good things about it, and left the suggestion of buying more forks before we left.

 

[chrisney]

I've been on both sides of this. Prior to our buying our "beach house" we rented for many years. Often returned to the same units, and found without fail, that they went downhill each year. We always took care of the place as if it were someone's home, but it was clear that isn't usually the case. These units were always cleaned professionally, but there's no escaping the fact that it's hard on them as rentals.
When we bought, we honored the rental agreements already in place for our unit (even though it meant we had to rent for our first holiday as owners!) I was grossed out by the way our home was treated. I once arrived to find that the cleaners had "forgotten" and found all of the trash from the week stacked in the laundry room. (The trash cans were less than two feet away on the other side of the door) Dishes were crusted and stacked in the sink. Someone had spilled barbeque sauce on our beige carpet. We had purchased "owners stuff" both for the kitchen and bedroom/bathrooms and found that they had managed to pick the locks on the owners closets and helped themselves to our stuff. This wasn't because we had the renters from h***, this was on more than one rental. Not everyone is like this, but it's more common than you think. NOT saying that you are this way, but in talking to other owners, it's a common comment. Needless to say, we're no longer in the mass rental market...we rent only to people we know.
and yes, it's expensive to own a second home. It's not just the mortgage, home owners fees tend to be high in resort areas, and insurance is also high. Remember, there are pesky things called hurricaines, and with renting, there's also a high liability premium. In addition, we pay for each "problem" that occurs while renters are in place, and some of the "problems" are laughable. Like the renters that insisted the outdoor lights were burned out on a Saturday night. Double time for the electricians to show them the correct switch to use. Or the locksmith, because they locked both sets of keys inside the villa.
The base rate for our house is a little less than the one you rent (higher after tax), but it's only 2 bedrooms/2 baths and is about a 5 minute walk to the beach (but right on a lagoon). Our villa is completely stocked...with more than the minimum amenities because I am here most of the summer. Here on Hilton Head, beachfront runs from about 2600 (for a 1 bedroom or efficiency) to more than 15K per week during the summer season.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

How many weeks do you stay there in the summer?

 

[AndreaDM]

I voted to find another place to rent, but I also thought of another idea. Someone mentioned Ikea and they do have a great selection of kitchen ware at reasonable prices. What if you suggested to the owner that you purchase some of these items to leave there (for you and anyone else to use) and he deducts that amount from your rental fee? Maybe he doesn't realize what all is needed there or just hasn't taken the time to stock the place. It's not like anyone needs top of the line cookware for one week, the basics would be fine. I know some people use only paper plates, etc., but I know I like to eat my dinner on a real plate and have wine out of a real wine glass.

 

[JulielovesDisney]

I say talk to the owner and explain that you love the location, the house, etc. but you don't think it is clean enough/well stocked/etc. But make sure to say that you plan on renting the place again.

If you don't see improvements the next time you rent there, then I'd move to another place. You already are spending so much money on renting the place, why do you need to spend money on basic items to bring down there too?