Windsor Hills properties and LOCKED thermostats

[cammieanne]

I've been a lurker here for a couple of years and now that we're planning a trip to Disney in March (and staying off property), I decided to register and hopefully, get some questions answered.

I have been in email contact with several owners and agents of Windsor Hills properties and one of the things I have learned is that quite a few "lock" the thermostats so that guests cannot adjust the temperature in the home below 72. Some even lock them at 75.

I have health issues that require a cooler sleeping environment (64-67 degrees). Much warmer than that and I start to have heart palpitations, nausea, and a severe headache. One of my doctors say it's tied to the fact that I do not have a thyroid and another says it has something to do with high spinal fluid pressure.

Anyhow ... we have offered to pay more towards the electric bill and a couple of the owners came back and said that any setting below 72 causes the A/C to freeze up. They both said it's a "Florida thing". Uhhhh, I'm from Florida (Pensacola) and my husband is from Miami. We have family all over Florida--mainly south Florida--and we even own a home in NW Florida and have only found this to be true if you try to adjust the temp too quickly or if the unit is low on freon.

Have any of you stayed in homes off property and had this issue? If so, how uncomfortable was your stay? How hot did it get?

We went to DW last March and two days were comfortable, two days were hot and two days were freezing, so you just never know. I just know that here at home I am fine if the house is 75 during the day but when sleeping at night, we keep the thermostat at 64.

Is it unfair to request full use of the thermostat?

Thanks for any input.

 

[Upatnoon]

I've been a lurker here for a couple of years and now that we're planning a trip to Disney in March (and staying off property), I decided to register and hopefully, get some questions answered.

I have been in email contact with several owners and agents of Windsor Hills properties and one of the things I have learned is that quite a few "lock" the thermostats so that guests cannot adjust the temperature in the home below 72. Some even lock them at 75.

I have health issues that require a cooler sleeping environment (64-67 degrees). Much warmer than that and I start to have heart palpitations, nausea, and a severe headache. One of my doctors say it's tied to the fact that I do not have a thyroid and another says it has something to do with high spinal fluid pressure.

Anyhow ... we have offered to pay more towards the electric bill and a couple of the owners came back and said that any setting below 72 causes the A/C to freeze up. They both said it's a "Florida thing". Uhhhh, I'm from Florida (Pensacola) and my husband is from Miami. We have family all over Florida--mainly south Florida--and we even own a home in NW Florida and have only found this to be true if you try to adjust the temp too quickly or if the unit is low on freon.

Have any of you stayed in homes off property and had this issue? If so, how uncomfortable was your stay? How hot did it get?

We went to DW last March and two days were comfortable, two days were hot and two days were freezing, so you just never know. I just know that here at home I am fine if the house is 75 during the day but when sleeping at night, we keep the thermostat at 64.

Is it unfair to request full use of the thermostat?

Thanks for any input.

I'm not surprised they would lock the thermostat to avoid massive electric bills as some people would leave the air on full-blast all day when they are at the parks.

In a addition to the potential locked thermostat, a larger issue you may face is that the home you are renting just won't get that cold at night even with the air on full-blast. While your Florida home may not have any issue getting that cold, I know our Florida home would never get as cold as you require if it is warm out.

That said, there are a ton of homes you can rent out there. Persistence and the offer to pay more for electricity will help you find something.

 

[formill]

We had one house that was just way too hot upstairs with the thermostat in the hallway- it was pretty simple to look up the brand online and just unlock the settings...........changed it back before we left. We did not need it really cool but being above 80 in the bedrooms was just too warm. 72 is fine with us if that means the bedrooms are really 72 and not 80. We treat all the rentals as we would our own house and always turn the air way up when we go away etc...we have found a few owners that are similar with the pool heat- get you to pay extra for the heat- but pools are not warm enough. I would think if you are offering to pay extra it should not be an issue to have the house at the temperature you want.

 

[cammieanne]

I know our Florida home would never get as cold as you require if it is warm out.

That said, there are a ton of homes you can rent out there. Persistence and the offer to pay more for electricity will help you find something.

If it has a ceiling fan and I bring a small fan, I imagine (hope) I can survive in a room that is 69. But 75? That's just not acceptable for anyone, IMO.

We had one house that was just way too hot upstairs with the thermostat in the hallway- it was pretty simple to look up the brand online and just unlock the settings...........changed it back before we left.

We had to do that at WBC last year because their thermostats are the type that work off motion sensors. Some people just buy helium filled ballons and tie them in front of the sensors, but we found a "hack" online and just adjusted them. lol

 

[Lewisc]

I have health issues that require a cooler sleeping environment (64-67 degrees). Much warmer than that and I start to have heart palpitations, nausea, and a severe headache. One of my doctors say it's tied to the fact that I do not have a thyroid and another says it has something to do with high spinal fluid pressure.
......
Have any of you stayed in homes off property and had this issue? If so, how uncomfortable was your stay? How hot did it get?
.....
Is it unfair to request full use of the thermostat?

Thanks for any input.

Others may be able to get used to a warm room. You have a health issue. The experiences of posters who don't have your health issue is irrelevant.

It's unfair to request the ability to run the AC as cold as you like (full use of the thermostat) without paying $$$. You're paying for someone to take the cover off the thermostat before you arrive, the extra electricity during your stay and the cost for someone to replace the cover after you leave.

That said the AC unit might not be large enough to cool to 64 no matter you set the thermostat at.

You could put a small space heater, or even a 100 watt light bulb next to the thermostat. I don't think that will get your AC as cold as you want.

I agree with PP. Contact lots of owners. Explain your needs. Maybe ask how big an AC unit (tons) the unit has. Be prepared to pay $$$.

You might consider looking at other accommodations.

 

[Lewisc]

If it has a ceiling fan and I bring a small fan, I imagine (hope) I can survive in a room that is 69. But 75? That's just not acceptable for anyone, IMO.

I didn't notice this post when I responded.

You can google. The consensus seems to be 72 is the lowest temperature which is considered "normal" for AC. 75-78 is a common temperature used when ceiling fans are in use and when people are trying to conserve energy.

75 is acceptable for many people. 69 is not considered acceptable by people who are trying to conserve energy.

Your AC needs are far below the norm. Might you suggest the owner read the electric meter right before you arrive and right after you leave? Agree to pay for whatever electricity you use.

FWIW (JMO not very much) Barbra Streisand thinks you should set your thermostat at 78 when you're home and 85 when you're out.
Leave a large deposit.

Check with enough owners and you might find an owner you can work with.

Forget about price. I suspect the owners with the lowest prices are less likely to make exceptions.

I'll admit I like my AC on the cold side but I understand I can't expect a hotel/rental unit to keep the AC under 72.

Locked thermostats are designed to keep renters like you from setting the AC lowered then the owner wants.

 

[Brian Noble]

Is it unfair to request full use of the thermostat?

You can certainly request it, but homeowners are also free to say "Sorry, we aren't willing to do that," in which case you'll have to move on to another home.

 

[Ali]

I know that Disney Hotels can go down to 68, but they don't stay on all night any more without movement to make the sensor kick in so I don't have any suggestions for you other than to bring a room sized AC with you and plug it in the room you sleep in?

 

[cammieanne]

It's unfair to request the ability to run the AC as cold as you like (full use of the thermostat) without paying $$$.

As mentioned in my original post, we ARE offering to pay more $$ to have use of the thermostat.

FWIW (JMO not very much) Barbra Streisand thinks you should set your thermostat at 78 when you're home and 85 when you're out.
Leave a large deposit.

......I can't expect a hotel/rental unit to keep the AC under 72.

Locked thermostats are designed to keep renters like you from setting the AC lowered then the owner wants.

1) It's a good thing she's a singer and not a heating and air expert. My ex brother-in-law is a heating & air guy and said leaving your thermostat above 78 in Florida (in the warmer months) is bad ju-ju.

2) If I'm paying 2-3 thousand dollars to rent a home, condo, townhome, etc. for only 7 days, I think I can expect to be comfortable. Think about it. MOST of these owners are NOT giving you top-notch bedding, linens, cookware, or furniture. MOST give you enough toilet paper per bathroom for one day and maybe 2 dishwasher tablets. You are lucky if there are 8 paper towels left on the roll when you arrive.

They make a FORTUNE off of the rental of these properties. And yay for them, I don't begrudge them making any money. But I don't think---especially when I am offering extra money----asking to lower the thermostat to even 68 degrees for health reasons, is unreasonable.

3) No. Locked thermostats are designed for owners to make as much money off the renter as possible. It might make sense but it doesn't mean I have to agree with it.

.... in which case you'll have to move on to another home.

And we have.

I don't have any suggestions for you other than to bring a room sized AC with you and plug it in the room you sleep in?

We have looked into portable AC's but the reviews aren't very good.

 

[ready2vacation]

We have rented from All Star Vacation Homes twice and had full control.

 

[cammieanne]

We have rented from All Star Vacation Homes twice and had full control.

Thank you for that information.

 

[Lilliputian]

I've rented from All Star and didn't have full control. It's an owner by owner thing. You will just have to check.

Actually, the one I rented without control was broken and kept going down on us without our consent. We were FREEZING! I kept emailing the owner (it was an All Star home but I rented from VRBO), and he was disappointed because he had to pay the bills. He kept setting it back higher for me with his computer, but it kept falling again. I'd tell you what house it was, but it was over a year ago, and I'm sure they've replaced the thermostat to improve their electric bills.

 

[Woodview]

To the OP ..... $ 2 to 3 thousand for a week ... Are you for real.

There are thousands of excellent 4 to 5 bed . villas out there for $1000

a week . I am shocked that you are paying such a High Rental Price.

Walk away from that rental and find a better one.

 

[cammieanne]

To the OP ..... $ 2 to 3 thousand for a week ... Are you for real.

There are thousands of excellent 4 to 5 bed . villas out there for $1000

a week . I am shocked that you are paying such a High Rental Price.

Walk away from that rental and find a better one.

I would love to pay less but can't find anything that inexpensive that also meets our needs.

 

[Woodview]

Have you tried www.ipgflorida.com

Or looked up CFPM Association where you will find Other

Property Management Co. who look after properties for villa Owners

As I said widen your search as most other communities are still with in

easy reach of " Disney " and you can rent 3 .4. or 5 bed villas with

their own large pool ...

 

[cammieanne]

Have you tried www.ipgflorida.com

Or looked up CFPM Association where you will find Other

Property Management Co. who look after properties for villa Owners

As I said widen your search as most other communities are still with in

easy reach of " Disney " and you can rent 3 .4. or 5 bed villas with

their own large pool ...

I started out using Google, then VRBO, then Homeaway. Found out Homeaway and VRBO are the same thing now and they have HORRIBLE reviews; lots of people getting scammed. This week I have been using Tripadvisor Vacation Rentals. They do have payment protection but they also have fewer properties to see.

I'll try the link you suggested. Thanks!

 

[pcstang]

I've rented through homeaway several times. I only rent through owners and have never had a bad experience. Yes, I know, homeaway and vrbo are owned by the same company. I like homeaway's site better. I have never experienced locked ac's in all my rentals.