What would you do??

[Jhc]

I am interested how others handle this problem. What do you do when people are clearly sleeping more in a gite than the stated capacity and names on booking form?
One of our 3 gites used to sleep 6 - this year we deliberately reduced the number of beds and capacity to 5 as we felt the bathroom and fosse etc were strained with 6 and it's a very old cottage etc - we reduced the price too (!)
We have a booking for 5 and the family arrived - then later grandma appeared and we were told she was 'sleeping in the village but would we mind if she is at the cottage during the day to assist them with the children round the pool etc' - of course we said thet was fine. However, since we live directly next door to that gite - we KNOW she is sleeping there with them.
It's a long booking - 7 weeks in all and 5 more to go......OK 2 of the small children must be doubling up in a single bed to make room for her but that's not really the point.
I think hubby and I are almost agreed what we will do - but obviously responses could vary from 'Relax and ignore it, everyone wants a good time on holiday and it's only one extra person' to 'confront the B....... as they're jerking us off'. Just wondered where other would fall on this continuum.
Thanks - Julie

[passiflora]

Hi

I guess it is the lie that gets me. If they had owned up to granny it might have been different but they blatantly told you she was staying elsewhere.

I have had this with the odd extra 3 year old who invariable slips through the net in the family countup and I didn't mind that.

However we are talking about a free 7 week holiday for granny here on you. I would very sweetly ask for a contribution from granny for her stay based on the weekly cost per person you are charging. Afterall you do say the property sleeps 5 don't you.

Perhaps you should be offering free granny weeks next year. Is she likely to clean up well because there is a thead on how good grannies are at this in which case she might earn her keep.

The worst case like this I have had is someone who wanted to rent my gites which already sleep 18 who admitted they had a group of an extra 10 friends passing through for a day or two and would there be room for them to bunk down on sofas etc. No way was I prepared to accept that.

Bon courage

CaroleS (16)

[Deby]

Hello

My advice would be (and we havent been in this business very long) is to ask for a small contribution to cover water and energy costs as at the end of the day, there is an extra cost to you. I would point out what you have said in your post regarding the stress on bathrooms etc. State that it would be better if everyone new where they stood and felt comfortable as it is a 7 week let.

This is the way I would approach it but it is entirely up to you and you know these people already.

Good luck, keep us updated.
Deby

[Vikkitoria]

Hi, i have often thought about this one with our booking form and also pointed out to us by our french insurer...as a fire risk it is essential that all those staying within the property must be listed and contact details provided...if say the worst happened and the place be gutted...all those listed on your booking form can be accounted for...those that are not listed however cannot.
As our french insurers also explained: french nationals must have their own insurance for such eventualities individually...as we know its very different in the UK, if you rent a property and damage/fatality etc can be claimed against the owners of the property if fault is proven with the owners.

Therefore i would agree with the previous posting, that you must come to some sort of approach like they suggested, or use under fire regs and insurance regs ...granny must be allocated amongst the rest of the family for her stay...you have 5 members staying and booked...but a 6th member is not insured so therefore a 6th member must contribute so you cover your rrrsss!!

You can either learn from this one, or add this to your terms and conditions for your next clients...either way its a cheek.

All the best
Vik and pete

[Jhc]

Many thanks to those of you who replied with such helpful ideas. In the end we raised the subject again with grandma herself and she insisted that she is staying with friends in the village - though she did not look us in the eye. We did find out that she is only staying for 1 week and we specifically asked the couple whether they had any more people arriving 'to assist with childminding' and they say not.
I realised that if people are determined to lie (even in front of their children) then it's v difficult to do anything about it. Even if there was a fire in the cottage and grandma came rushing out in her nightie they could still say (for example)that it was just an odd night's stay as they had accidentally drunk too much to be able to take her back to the village etc etc. So we've left it and decided never to take a long booking again - no need to take a 7 week booking in peak and we regret having done so. Most people that come to our cottages are great, thankgoodness. Thanks again - Julie