Owners experiences with renters

[Cosetta]

As a property owner, what is your experience with renters - good, bad, indifferent?  What is the nicest and the worst thing that is renter-related?

On the whole our experience is positive.  I think most renters are quite respectful of the properties they rent out regardless of the price they paid.  The worst we've experienced was the loss of an antique vase (renters paid for it), the loss of some beach towels and the breaking of one plastic chair.  Oh yes, and some renters broke our sliding window locks and some unusual light switches but we were able to repair them so we did not charge the renters.  The only other problem was noise made by renters' children, even that neighbors complained.

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=8431.0

[onelove]

Hi Cosetta,

Experience with renters overall....... Very good +

Nicest thing renter-related............. Lovely emails, letters, phone call from renters saying how much they enjoyed their holiday.   Most of all -I think?- returning guests, makes it all worth well somehow.   We  have even been left little gifts, which is very sweet.

Worse thing owner-related............. Nothing that screams at me.... Other people there when I want to be  .   Someone sitting in 'my' seat  .  We have not had any real trouble.

Towels seem to grow legs....very odd  .  We buy at least 2 new sets of beach towels a season. We rotate 2 sets of bathroom towels, but also replace these every season, just once though.   We accept cups, glasses, plates, lamp shades etc get broken, we never charge . The best thing for me would be if you break something please tell us so we can replace it, at least in time for the next guests. I don't like to think people would damage things for the he'll of it, when something gets broken 99% of the time it's only an accident, no need to get all worked, best to just solve the problem........ Then all happy bunnys, innit 

[felicity]

Yep - Im with you guys - very happy -  in the main considerate renters - only 1 family from last year who wont be coming back.. 

As you say - most are repeat guests and you get to know them and they respect your home and posessions.  Nice to be told of breakages and things like towel rails falling off walls so that things can be replaced and fixed for the next guests - NEVER charged them though.. 

In 5 years of renting only kept £40 from a £250 security deposit - you give good service before their holiday - they get WONDERFUL service from my managing agent and they are all happy bunnies = return guests or pass on details to friends/family - win win situation.  Lovely letters, e-mails and comments in the Visitors book says it all! 

[jayne]

We also have had a very positive experience with our renters over the years and have several guests that return year after year. I'm always touched by the lovely comments we receive.

The only bad guests we have had allowed a load of people to come and stay at the apartment one night and badly  damaged a dressing table by sitting on it (it was attached to a wall).

We did also have the infamous guests who thought it appropriate to boil their underwear in one of our saucepans! Who does that

[onelove]

I would rather not know 

[pw]

We did also have the infamous guests who thought it appropriate to boil their underwear in one of our saucepans! Who does that
[/quote]


How do you know this? Surely not from a comment in your guest book................................or do you have cctv?

[jayne]

Ha ha, not quite. The people that manage our apartment told us. Apparently they found a saucepan bubbling away on the stove when they came into clean one day. Nice

[Legionaire]

Maybe it was stock for a pea soup.......sorry

[misty]

Must be northeners 

[Potter]

Must be northeners 

Now then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can honestly say that I have never or am aware of anyone who has boiled their pants!
 

[kalkan4eva]

....well not to make pea soup, anyway

[misty]

The worry must be why did they have to boil them   

[itstime]

The dreaded "bug"

[misty]

A touch of the two bob bits 

[MartynE]

Our experience is most definitely positive... loads of repeat guests etc and apart from the odd broken glass, no breakages to speak of either.

Oh, apart from the guy with the teenage son who somehow managed to break the arm off one of the sofa beds last year... he was mortified (the father that is) but we sympathised... we've had teenagers of our own.... and anyway the sofa beds were due for replacement... lol.

Generally they are absolutely lovely though, but we always try and speak to them before taking the booking... you get an idea of the sort of people they are then.

Absolute worst guest was definitely this year. It was one of those where you think "we probably shouldn't be taking this booking" but we had an annoying little gap in the diary for one of the apartments so we thought we'd risk it. Wrong!!!

He spent ages on the phone and emails before booking... asking lots of detailed questions... which is fine, but he would often ask teh same question three or four times.

Convesration went something like..
"do you have a TV and DVD in the apartment?"
"No, we find our guests don't want to watch TV because there is too much to do in Kalkan so why would you want to watch TV"
"Oh.. so you are not prepared to put a TV in there for us?"
"No, sorry, if you really want that you will need to look elsewhere"
"will you reduce the price because you haven't got a TV/DVD?"
"No, the lack of TV is already reflected in the price"
"Oh, OK" ... "where can I watch TV then?"
"Well there are several bars in the town and the hotel right next door has a TV lounge you are welcome to use. But most people don't really bother much with TV when they are here"
"Ah good"

So that was that. Against our better judgement, we did take the booking. He made our managing agent's life hell while he was there, complaining about everything under the sun (including stuff that most people praise us for such as the daily cleaning .... he saw it as an imposition!)... it turned out the family were real slobs and didn't want a cleaner disturbing their mess... you can imagine....

and, to top it all, when he came back he said he thought we should refund some of his money... why?... because we didn't have a TV in the apartment!!

Some people... ;-)

[JenJen]

Martyn, what a nightmare guest!  I know several people who go on city breaks to the likes of Paris or New York and then sit in their hotel room every evening watching DVDs....I just don't get it! 

[turkeyfan]

Aren't some people strange!  I would love a cleaner everyday! 

[kalkan4eva]

My BH would like a daily cleaner to stop me from acting like Mrs Mop I appreciate we are borrowing someone's home and often get to know the owners so I feel responsible for taking care of their place. If we've ever broken anything we always replace it, and often leave things behind that we buy - glasses, measuring jug, ice packs for cool bags. BUT, I'm afraid I'd be looking for a TV - I know, drum me out of Kalkan . I like to keep up to date with the news (wifi is a good alternative) and we will always have one night in (at least) and like to watch a DVD because we very rarely get time to do this at home.

[babyboomer]

Hi everyone.I have read this thread with interest. AS a person who comes on holiday to kalkan maybe twice a year it is nice to book somewhere new, a liitle different view, although most views are amazing. Our standards are high, and we respect the "home" we are renting and are delighted with the high standards of the owners and maintanence team in all of the holiday homes we have stayed in.

I was going to ask the question though Why do so many owners call us holiday guests RENTERS? I do think it is a terrible description of your holiday people.Kalkan is such a wonderful place and everyone is so welcoming to its visitors, there is just something about being a "renter" and not your quests that makes me feel uncomfortable, a bit like (the hoards are here). which i am sure isnt what you are saying.

then I read Martyns comments and he referred to the folks who come on holiday into his properties as "guests" and it was delightful to read this.I may rent your home for my holiday but much prefer to be thought of as your quest as best or even client. Calling me a renter does make me feel dimished somehow and i have never heard this phrase used anywhere else. In the UK, we are quests of the hotel or cottage or wherever else we stay. So am just curious why owners in Kalkan use this word to describe their quests.

regards babyboomer.

[kevincat99]

Babyboomer.......

I would call someone a guest if you are actually with them during their stay [which would of course also be free to them] and enjoying each others company, which is obviously not the case....

otherwise they are renting your property for money and it is a purely a business transaction

you may of course also never set eyes on them...so how can they be a guest

sounds more gentile though I suppose