Two problems: Cleaning advice please

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
Sam V
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Post by Sam V »

Were the blue stains as a result of them turning blue in the pool?

Have you taken photographs of everything?
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GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

The laundry lady agreed with me that the 'pattern' of the stain was most likely to have been caused by someone in wet shorts or similar sitting on the towel or the towel was wet and they sat on it. The 'pattern' of the shorts has transferred to the towel. It may be they took the towel to the pool as it would have to be quite a firm surface to cause such a transfer of the dye. I pick everything up on Friday so will know the long term damage then.

I've had a go at cleaning the mattress this afternoon with the product the laundry gave me and although the stain has faded I'm not sure it is gone enough. I'll see when it is dry.

I feel sure that this guest is going to go ballistic if I charge her for a new mattress.

Yes, I do have photographs of everything. When Mrs. Guest denied any knowledge of the stains I replied that this was quite likely because the stain on the duvet cover and sheet was not very obvious at a casual glance in the room she wasn't sleeping in. I think one of the youngsters spilt something which soaked in and didn't look too bad but they didn't realise it had gone through the layers and was, effectively, puddling on the mattress. I pointed out that the stains were definitely not there when I prepared the bed for her stay and that if the towel had been so badly stained when she arrived she would have seen it and, quite rightly, complained and asked for a replacement. I sent her the photographs for information.

Mrs. Guest replied that she felt I was taking a lot of trouble and effort to keep her deposit. The trouble and effort I am taking is actually to avoid keeping her deposit and return as much as possible by removing the stains rather than dumping the whole lot and charging her …………….
SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

If your mattress is not too badly stained and the stain fades there is the possibility of using a mattress cover that completely envelopes it and zips up. If you then use a removable mattress protector plus your top sheet I'd be surprised if anyone notices. Not ideal perhaps, but might make replacing it a longer term option rather than something that has to be done now.
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

A zip cover is an option - thank you.

The latest twist to this saga - bear with me. When Mr. Guest arrived he was in a French car and had to go straight off to a local train station. It seems (and I haven't got the full story) that some of the group of six drove down, some flew and then the car broke down and they had to hire a car. The car they hired was not big enough for all of them so some got a train. During their first week I was asked to print some paperwork re their travel insurance. I did this and took the papers to the house. It was to repatriate his English car. He had to fill in the forms and scan them back. I said I could scan them and he said I should e-mail them back to the insurance company for him. I declined (I'm not his secretary and my e-mail address would possibly confuse things and I didn't want them replying to me if something wasn't right with the papers) doing that and said I would e-mail the forms back to him and he could forward them.

When I got to the house after they left I immediately found, on a bookcase, an electronic game 'thing' - light green coloured Nintendo DS. I e-mailed Mr. Guest and said a gadget had been left behind and I would post it. In the course of cleaning I found, under beds, several receipts for hotels in France, some Playmobil figures and I still had the completed forms I'd scanned. I posted the whole lot back as I thought the receipts and forms might be needed for an insurance claim.

Mr. Guest did not mention the gadget but has just e-mailed to say the package has arrived but the Nintendo is not theirs. Apparently, the youngsters found it down the back of a sofa. He is suggesting it might belong to a previous guest.

I don't know what to do/say now. I'm convinced the Nintendo was not down the back of the sofa. I would have moved all the cushions for cleaning/checking and the covers under the cushions are 'solid' in that there is no seam for anything to slip down - anything which slips under a cushion can only go that far and I would have seen it if it was there. I have no idea of the value/importance of these electronic things to a youngster to know whether it is the sort of thing a guest would just write off as 'lost' but no other guest has asked if it was left behind.

I'm either losing my marbles or they are trying to throw doubt on my cleaning/cleaner (not knowing, perhaps, it is me) and, therefore, throw doubt on everything I am claiming they have done/not done.

I am prepared to write off the cost of postage (15 Euros) and don't want a war of words. I feel inclined to say that no-one else has mentioned/asked about a Nintendo and that if it is not theirs they can donate it to a charity shop.

I'm really fed up with this whole group and situation and seems like the perfect excuse to give up renting to increasingly awkward, ungrateful, scheming guests ………..
SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

Seems to me your proposed reply to them is very sensible. You know that you clean thoroughly. You know that it wasn't there and no-one else has got in touch to say they've lost it.
Shame if this one awkward family colours your views of all your guests. Perhaps we should post occasionally about things that go right and the guests made in heaven. :)
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

I would not reply about the Nintendo.

If you want to feel better, fire off a couple of emails to the lead guests who stayed before, checking that they have not lost one then forget about it. I think you should check even if your guests were just adults as these games are popular with adults not just children.
If no one claims it then your assumption about your last guests are correct.

If it had belonged to anyone else, and it is valuable, they would surely have contacted you by now to see if you had it.

SPJ is correct, we do this for all the lovely guests that there are, and because we would hope to be treated in the same way.
Don’t let one barrel of bad apples spoil the wonderful job that you do for everyone.
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

I did wonder about an e-mail to previous guests - just the group before this troublesome bunch because the Visitors Book was not in place when they left and OH and I had everything apart looking for it until I found it under an armchair when I hoovered.

However, what are the consequences of someone saying "Oh, yes. It's ours."? I have to charge them the cost to Mr. Guest who has to post it back to me and then I post it on to the owner. This could possibly cost £20+. I've no idea of the value of these things and they might just not be bothered which leaves me where I am now.

I feel sure that if it was valuable enough someone would have missed it and asked about it?
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

GillianF wrote:I did wonder about an e-mail to previous guests - just the group before this troublesome bunch because the Visitors Book was not in place when they left and OH and I had everything apart looking for it until I found it under an armchair when I hoovered.

However, what are the consequences of someone saying "Oh, yes. It's ours."? I have to charge them the cost to Mr. Guest who has to post it back to me and then I post it on to the owner. This could possibly cost £20+. I've no idea of the value of these things and they might just not be bothered which leaves me where I am now.

I feel sure that if it was valuable enough someone would have missed it and asked about it?
Be vague and ask if they have possibly left something behind. Don’t say what, if they respond, ask them what it is. You would be within your rights to ask them to pay package and postage for a bulky item
Joanna
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Post by Joanna »

My son lost a nintendo DS when he was younger. It would cost around £80-£150 to replace, depending on the model. If it's got a game card in it that could be another £10-£40 to replace. However, the worst thing is the 'saved progress' - that's unreplaceable, so if the owner gets a new game they have to start again from scratch and lose any benefits they got from many hours of game play - unlocked levels and all sorts of in-game rewards. So someone may be quite happy to pay £20 to get it back.

Since it's going to be a bit of a faff to return if someone does claim it, I'd ask them to identify it first - colour, model, etc. to make sure that it's going back to the right person.
Jo

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GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

A bit of online research has shown me it can be quite a costly item to replace and I did wonder if game progress was 'saved' on it which would add to its value to the owner.

All that considered, surely someone who had arrived home without the precious thing would have at least sent a quick e-mail asking if it had been left behind in the house?

The 'value' of this item to its owner just convinces me that it belongs to Mr. Guest who now has it.
Joanna
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Post by Joanna »

It could be that the parents haven't realised it's missing yet. We only found out our son had lost his when we were packing to go on holiday and couldn't find it. It then turned out that he hadn't seen it for ages, although he was very vague about when he last had it. We think he lost it several weeks before we realised and then trying to retrace our tracks over all the palces it could have been was a nightmare. Needless to say we never found it.
Jo

Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

I take your point. But, I am still convinced the game was not down the back of the sofa and not theirs as they claim.

However, I have learnt a lesson and, in future, will check with guests before I post anything I think they have left behind.
Pengman
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Post by Pengman »

Anyone know if Bio Enzyme cleaners/stain removers work? One has been recommended to me by a friend who also runs a holiday let and swears by it. But she's been a vegetarian all her life so may be being swayed by its green credentials. I just wanna know if they work.
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