Should I charge for cleaning ?

[Miki]

[quote]

0.19 % more than we got then...mind you, I don't post a link to our

(immaculately crafted) website on this august forum. Not that I have

any problem at all with those who do - more power to their arms, say I

- but personally I like very much to keep our business seperate from my

periodic ravings.

[/quote]

Weirder and weirder...............

I never wrote that post but I have always thought that......and it was

in my mind today and then my ears went hot and red...bruddy

beezarre....[:)]

[Cassis]

When was the last time you two checked out my website links?  [:D] [:D] [:D]

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="Cassis"]When was the last time you two checked out my website links?  [:D] [:D] [:D]

[/quote]

Not so long ago....cyber stalking is something of a hobby of mine....[6]

Anyway, I've already said on this thread that I both love and respect

our guests (aside from the bunch of complete gits who, in 2003, used

the kitchen knives as screw drivers - previously mentioned also, I

think). This is because:

1) The money they pay us allows us to live in a very nice corner of France, and;

2) The money they pay us allows us to live in a very nice corner of France.

I know that 1 & 2 are more or less the same, but I thought it such an important point that it deserved mentioning twice.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="Miki"]

[quote]

0.19 % more than we got then...mind you, I don't post a link to our

(immaculately crafted) website on this august forum. Not that I have

any problem at all with those who do - more power to their arms, say I

- but personally I like very much to keep our business seperate from my

periodic ravings.

[/quote]

Weirder and weirder...............

I never wrote that post but I have always thought that......and it was

in my mind today and then my ears went hot and red...bruddy

beezarre....[:)]

[/quote]

Hmm...you've not been craving cheese and pickle sandwiches at all today

have you? Not normally something I want to eat, but today I had the

strongest urge to make & consume the same....[8-)] Most curious.

[Cassis]

[quote user="Jon D"][quote user="Cassis"]When was the last time you two checked out my website links?  [:D] [:D] [:D]

[/quote]

Not so long ago....cyber stalking is something of a hobby of mine....[6]

[/quote]

Then you'll know that they do not always link to our website - if I've recently found an interesting one I sometimes like to put that in instead. [;-)]

[alnmike]

wonderful!! [:D]

[Cassis]

Try the www link now, Alison.  [:D]

NB look out if any crummy ads pop up and delete them.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Very good! I'm sure that you are in no way a pervert - nor I suspect is

the author of this fine example of What The Web Should Be For - but if

one had a fetish about that sort of thing, well...gosh.

BTW - loved the corsets.

[KathyC]

[quote user="Miki"]Sorry but I do have big grin on my face. [:D]

I am always amazed at the folks who offer opinions about something they have never run or understand. It reminds me of the "don't do it like that, do it like this" comedy sketch.

Does anyone really think that we all go around mumbling "what do you guests think you're doing spoiling our day staying here, be off with you but leave the dosh at the door on the way out" ?

We have, for the greater part, as most, if not all of us have said,  great guests, so that's a smile on our face and for the whingers, we have our fixed grin. If anyone is so blind as to think everyone is just so lovely and nice, then move over, make space for us C D'Hôte or Gîte owners who know different, very different but wouldn't mind moving to the planet that these people are on and everyone is just beautiful !!

Anyone who now doesn't want to stay in a Ch D'Hôte (or gîte) after reading this thread, gives me the impression they thay may well fall in to the very category of folks that we don't really want anyway [:P]

If anyone reading this is put off of staying Chez Miki (or Chez anyone else ?) ....well tant pis, we will just have to pack the game in then.............................[:)]




[/quote]

Oh well, that told me then!

My views are coloured by staying at what could have been a brilliant gite complex in Languedoc. Unfortunately the owners were given to having large noisy parties outside their property until the early hours. Also  their friends would block the entrance to the visitors' car park and sneer when asked politely to move their cars. Some of the comments here rather brought back that holiday.

Anyway, I'll tiptoe out quietly and leave my cheque on the table. Hope I haven't disturbed you guys too much, very sorry, won't happen again. I knows me place, guv.

[Miki]

[quote] Hmm...you've not been craving cheese and pickle sandwiches at all today

have you? Not normally something I want to eat, but today I had the

strongest urge to make & consume the same.... Most curious.[/quote]

Much more than that......I had them for breakfast, lunch a & tea!!

Spooky or what !!!!!!!!!!!

[Miki]

[quote] Anyway, I'll tiptoe out quietly and leave my cheque on the table. Hope

I haven't disturbed you guys too much, very sorry, won't happen again.

I knows me place, guv.[/quote]

Take no notice Kathy, tis just a few poor owners having a bit of fun in these dismal times.

We get money where we can, food from second hand shops, shoes from

Humanus and parcels from the Mairie at Xmas. We have little light in

our life, LF is our playground.  Cassis for instance is still

filling in thousands of holes in his walls, a job likened to the Forth

bridge, can you imagine the turmoil he sees every morning while burning

the croissants and reheating yesterdays coffee ? To smile, for him,

takes away the grim truth that it will be another 11 months until the

heyday of août returns again[:)]

Any smidgeon of fun is grasped by us all with both hands, knowing that

tomorrow may

see...........................................................the

dreaded guests from hell !!

[Unknown]

Oh Miki, you are such a drama queen.

 

[Dick Smith]

[quote]Any smidgeon of fun is grasped by us all with both hands, knowing that

tomorrow may

see...........................................................the

dreaded guests from hell !!

[/quote]

Eeeeek!!!

[Miki]

[quote user="Dotty Trois"]

Oh Miki, you are such a drama queen.

[/quote]

Oooh b itch yerself Dotty my dear [kiss]

Eeek indeed Dick, life is not all about filling satchels wiv eezy munnee [;-)]

[PaulT]

[quote user="Miki"]Sorry but I do have big grin on my face. [:D]

I am always amazed at the folks who offer opinions about something they have never run or understand. It reminds me of the "don't do it like that, do it like this" comedy sketch.

Anyone who now doesn't want to stay in a Ch D'Hôte (or gîte) after reading this thread, gives me the impression they thay may well fall in to the very category of folks that we don't really want anyway [:P]

[/quote]

Quite right Miki, I have never run a Gite business. However, I do understand that I do not wish to take a holiday whereby I have to carry out a thorough clean at the end of it. Nor do I want to do, as implied in some of the postings, have to cook on a 'self-catering' holiday.

If I can turn your "don't do it like that, do it like this" it would seem though that, according to some Gite owners I cannot do it like that I have to do it like this, i.e. clean and cook (the customer does not get what they want). That is not for me. I wonder how many others potential renters feel this way. Those who do may rent from businesses offering a cleaning service but not from those who do not, hence reducing their potential market. But what do I know, I am only the customer.

Seems like I am one of your undersiables Miki. Best of both Worlds - I do not have to cook and clean and you do not have to put up with me - presume you are full 52 weeks of the year.

Paul (in case signature does not appear, P from another computer)  

[Cassis]

[quote user="Miki"]Cassis for instance is still

filling in thousands of holes in his walls, a job likened to the Forth

bridge, can you imagine the turmoil he sees every morning while burning

the croissants and reheating yesterdays coffee ? To smile, for him,

takes away the grim truth that it will be another 11 months until the

heyday of août returns again[:)]

Any smidgeon of fun is grasped by us all with both hands, knowing that

tomorrow may

see...........................................................the

dreaded guests from hell !!

[/quote]

One wall filled, another beckons ...

Am I supposed to reheat the coffee?  I didn't think anyone would be that bothered.  That might explain why we're still on the same pot I set out for the first guests at the start of the season.

Ah well, it'll be time to brew a fresh pot in a few months time.

I suppose I'd better change the bedsheets as well.

[Jo Taylor]

Cassis, I do hope you've not hung the teabags out on the line today, it's far too wet  for them to dry out in time for tomorrow's breakfast. Best put them in the tumbledryer with the sheets, by this time in the season they shouldn't stain too much.

P said: "Nor do I want to do, as implied in some of the postings, have to cook on a 'self-catering' holiday."

Good grief, the clue's in the title - what on earth do the words 'self-catering' mean to you?

"according to some Gite owners I cannot do it like that I have to do it like this, i.e. clean and cook (the customer does not get what they want)."

Do you actually know what a gite is? (It's a cottage / small house / dwelling let out for short term tenancies, a week or two weeks being the most usual periods. It's not a B&B, it's not a hotel, it's not an auberge, not a  logis, nor a pension.) It's not "a holiday", it's "holiday accommodation". I think perhaps you don't understand the concept - if you don't want to cater for yourself, it's pointless even thinking of booking a gite.

I might add here that we let through a reputable agency (part of the largest accommodation group) whose T&C state: "You and all members of your party agree both to keep the property clean and tidy and to leave the property in a similar condition to which you found it upon your arrival". If that's good enough for them, and for Gites de France (the two biggest operators) then it suits us too. And yes, we're usually fully-booked give or take the odd week off-season.

This is all most of us ask - clean up your own muck. We don't ask for a full spring-clean, but a level of hygiene commensurate with human decency - would you really expect an owner to have to cope with the situation I described a few posts back (the submarine)? Or have to remove the trail of goo made by a two-year-old armed with a handful of sticky sweets? Or pay for a duvet to be cleaned because they've used it as a changing mat? Or clean all the crockery, cutlery and pans because thay haven't been considerate enough to wash up properly?

These are, of course, very rare occurences because most people read their terms and conditions. And have good manners.

Jo

[Miki]

Sorry been a while, I have been falling head first off the barn, really just to stop me poking hot needles under my nails.

Right off we go,  I'm OK now.

I have posted and posted and posted and posted...the clue about all this is fully apparent in our T&C's.

We kid nor con anyone, what you see is what you can truly expect. Even

with the devils own guests,  we simply bring out the fixed grin.

If you, or even every single person who reads every single Archant

publication, do not like me or my T&C's, don't book with us, how

simple is that !! Now tell me, what else can I do to stop people coming

here, who do not like me our regulations.

Presume nothing, we have no want or desire to fill our cottage for 52

weeks. Whether we or anyone can do that without the use of a long term

let during the low season is another matter and one, for various

reasons, we would never ever want (I do not mean that in any way

whatsoever as a pop at those that do).

As for running a B&B of our type all year, you must be barmy, the rest homes are full of those who tried!

There are people in our business whose figures need to come under

certain amounts, TVA etc, so those people will be adding up their

figures as they go, as to know when they have reached the limit for their regime. Then there

are others who are entirely cheesed off after a certain time. Others

who do not want to be full time, others who want to spend time away and

take holidays quite often. Others that are part time anyway, others

whose spouses work and so do it just for extra money...oh the list is

endless. Filling aplace for 52 weeks would need something ultra special

and in my experience, I have never found one yet (bar the ones that do

long lets, which as I said, we don't touch)

Edit : Just seen you posted before me. No offence to you Jo, in fact congrats.

I do hope I am getting through here, as in that lot above, you will

find my reasons for not wanting to be 52 weeks full, sod that, it ups

the likelihood of getting two families fom hell instead of the average

one per season.

So as for your presumption, it again proves that many people like

yourself haven't got a clue of the ways and wherefores, regulations and

laws of doing B&B and Gîtes within France.......

[nimportequoi]

[quote user="P2"]

[quote user="Miki"]Sorry but I do have big grin on my face. [:D]

I am always amazed at the folks who offer opinions about something they have never run or understand. It reminds me of the "don't do it like that, do it like this" comedy sketch.

Anyone who now doesn't want to stay in a Ch D'Hôte (or gîte) after reading this thread, gives me the impression they thay may well fall in to the very category of folks that we don't really want anyway [:P]

[/quote]

Quite right Miki, I have never run a Gite business. However, I do understand that I do not wish to take a holiday whereby I have to carry out a thorough clean at the end of it. Nor do I want to do, as implied in some of the postings, have to cook on a 'self-catering' holiday.

If I can turn your "don't do it like that, do it like this" it would seem though that, according to some Gite owners I cannot do it like that I have to do it like this, i.e. clean and cook (the customer does not get what they want). That is not for me. I wonder how many others potential renters feel this way. Those who do may rent from businesses offering a cleaning service but not from those who do not, hence reducing their potential market. But what do I know, I am only the customer.

Seems like I am one of your undersiables Miki. Best of both Worlds - I do not have to cook and clean and you do not have to put up with me - presume you are full 52 weeks of the year.

Paul (in case signature does not appear, P from another computer)  

[/quote]

P/P2,

Not wishing to sound thick or anything, but this is the definition of self catering

self-catering   
adjective, noun [U] UK
(of a holiday) having a kitchen so that you can cook meals for yourself rather than having them provided for you

(and clean up after yourself, presumably)

Why do you stay in gites and not hotels?

[Russethouse]

Perhaps they like their own company ? [:D][:D]

[P]

[quote user="SusanAH"]

self-catering   
adjective, noun [U] UK
(of a holiday) having a kitchen so that you can cook meals for yourself rather than having them provided for you

(and clean up after yourself, presumably)

Why do you stay in gites and not hotels?

[/quote]

Ah so I presume that is in the T&Cs as well:

"any person staying in these premises MUST without exception cook their own meals within the premises"

I will admit that it has been some time since I have stayed in self catering - normally tow our own self catering establishment now.

However, in the past have chosen places in nice locations. They are more personal and homely than hotels. However, meals are taken in nice bars and restaurants. On holiday why cook? At home we go out for a meal as a treat / change. Why not all the time if on holiday?

If we stay in a hotel we will often seek out a nice restaurant - hotel dining rooms often lack any character whatsoever.

As for cleaning, yes, basic tidying up but no I do not wish to do a thorough mopping of floors etc and rquired to obtain a cleaning award at the end of a holiday. Hence I for one would be willing to pay for a cleaning service.

Paul

[Jo Taylor]

Blimey, Miki, congrats not warranted - what I meant is we're (nearly) fully booked for those weeks that we are open (Mar - Oct inc., usually around 32 weeks). We do like to have some weeks in the year when we can sing loudly in the garden and run around nekkid if we so choose. (Unfortunately the weather's not really conducive in the off-season.)

Not many people want to holiday in the muddy wastes of Normandy in the winter, we'll take odd ones if we know them, but we've found over the years it's really not worth the hassle; the heating bills in some cases exceeding the rental (déja vu here, there was a thread about this recently). OK for those with oil central heating, but we have leccy radiators plus a Godin and if guests don't have the necessary boy-scouting skills to manage the latter, the former are very expensive to keep on all the time.

Paul, you're just being silly now - has ANYONE on this huge thread mentioned requiring guests to do thorough mopping?

Jo

[Fi]

Hi, this is a really interesting post, however I am not responding directly but need a related query answering so I hope thats OK.

We have a french grandmother who does our cleaning & her standard is wildly different to most people I believe, after our last guests she mentioned to me on the phone that our cottage had been left in a terrible state, my reply was well if that's the case then I will seek to take it out of their security deposit, however when I questioned further it became apparent that the crime was to leave a few crumbs on the worktops.....

Sorry, to get to the point, my actual question is does anyone know what the going rate for local cleaning is (not agency cleaning or english people charging extortionate rates)

many thanks

Fi