Troublesome guests - how often does one get them?

[Fritz]

Anyone have any rough percentage figures for those guests who (try to) pay with duff cheques, seriously break things, smuggle in pets, bring extra 'guests', etc?

[CatherineS2]

In my case it is 0% since we started letting our house in June 2003.

We've had a couple of minor breakages but so far I have never had to deduct anything from the £200 damages deposit cheque (which nevertheless I ALWAYS bank before they arrive and then refund them during the week following their departure - I suppose we have been very lucky, so far, but then there is always a first time...)

[zeb]

Catherine, don't you run the risk of being taxed/paying cotisations on the deposit which you bank? Wouldn't it be easier to keep it until at home and if there are no problems just tear up the cheque?

Sorry Fritz, haven't got a gite so can't answer your question really, but I do changeovers very occasionally for friends and the only problem they ever have had was when a duvet went missing (presumably after some little accident) and the guests didn't say anything, but all in all, the house has been really well treated. Owners are quite careful about their advertising though and seem to appeal to couples only (although it's a three bedroom place)!

[nimportequoi]

Same as Catherine S - 0% of real problem guests over 3 years, and we have lots of children (and the occasional pet staying). But I live on site and would be able to see any extra people / unauthorised pets etc. I have never had anyone not pay.

Zeb, what is the point in not cashing a deposit cheque - the guests could easily cancel it before you have time to cash it and take the money for any damage caused. It's not worth anything if it is not cashed!

[zeb]

Susan, - just thought that all these deposits may look like income to tax inspectors but, maybe not? I don't know - I'm not in that business, but I know that in our business, I bear this in mind with all money banked. (Never been investigated, but you never know!!)

[CatherineS2]

Hi Zeb!

I provide a proper invoice for all customers, e.g. as follows:

INVOICE
Rental of Le Gaillon 23.07.05 to 30.07.05    £600.00
Security Deposit (refundable)                    £200.00
Total                                                       £800.00

Then once they have departed and my housekeeper has given me the "all clear" I raise a credit note and send them a cheque (from my business bank account) as follows:

CREDIT NOTE
Refund of security deposit                       £200.00-

So at the end of the day I will have a deposit for £800 followed by a payment for £200 which balances out to the actual income of £600.00

Everything is accounted for and above board. As Susan says, if I don't bank the cheque then the client could easily stop it if there were a dispute so it is not worth anything!

[CatherineS2]

Another thing - I've just noticed that the original question mentioned people trying to pay with duff cheques.

It seems to be normal practice for gites that the customer has to pay for the rental IN FULL 6-8 weeks prior to the start of the booking. In my case I don't even send them the details of where it is until I have the money safely in my bank account.

So the question of duff cheques just isn't an issue - if they tried that one on, I would just cancel the booking and hopefully relet it within the 6 weeks that I still have left...

[Musicmonkey<ADDRESS><STRONG>Musicmonkey<STRONG><ADDRESS>]

You will find some interesting comments on www.laymyhat.com - a site for rental property owners.  If you have had 0 problems in 2 years you are indeed lucky, although it is all relative according to your own perception of what constitutes a problem!

 

[CatherineS2]

Thanks for the tip MusicMonkey - but in fact I am already a regular reader/contributor of laymyhat! (CatherineS on that one!).

And yes I know what you mean about different perceptions about what constitutes a problem - I am very laid back and I don't allow myself to get worked up about minor inconveniences, so I suppose some people would say that it would be a little inaccurate to say that I have had 0% problems over two years... But I really don't count the odd broken glass or the odd scratch of the dining table (which we were able to polish up), or the missing teaspoons or the fact that each time we visit it seems like there has been a poltergeist in the house because things are never where we  left them!!!

My parents have both been in the hotel business all their lives and I grew up in a medium-sized seaside hotel in Bournemouth, so I put all the above things down to normal wear and tear - I don't expect people to keep it 100% perfect.  And as I don't have these unreasonably high expectations, I don't get disappointed either.

My glass is always half-full, and if someone does something bad to me I don't waste time getting worked up and bitter - I just move on because I know that "what goes round, comes around": they will be paid back one day!

I will probably never be there to see it but I know it will happen, and it will SERVE THEM RIGHT!

[Boiling a frog]

Our French neighbours have a gite Last year 2004 was their first year.Apart from one set of guests who washed the white towels with something pink/red no problems That was 12 seperate clients

This year so far 6 clients/

1st set Brand new washing machine broken beyond repair and pouffe split in two Stuffed the pouffe into a bin bag and didnt say a thing

2nd set No problems

3rd set Kept leaving books bits of paper etc round the swimming pool paper ended up in pool clogging up skimmers,variety of peas bits of bread biscuits found floating in pool Left gite filthy took 4 of us 5 hours to clean it.

4th set Dogs dug holes in garden which they did not bother to fill in and a couple of glasses broken which they did not mention,children aged 5 and 7 found in swimming pool with no supervision despite parents being told that this was not allowed ,happened on at least 2 occassions.  

5th set no problems

6th are still here

 

[Musicmonkey<ADDRESS><STRONG>Musicmonkey<STRONG><ADDRESS>]

It's funny that you should do a breakdown of this year against last Boiling a Frog, because our last year's guests were much better behaved.  On that basis though, I dread to think what next year's guests will do!

Catherine S - my suggestion for Lay My Hat was for general information and not specifically targeted at you.