Question for owners who rent out villas/apartments

[MartynE]

Hi all

Just a quick poll really.

Over the last couple of seasons we have noticed a dramatic increase in staining on bed-linen and towels. Like everyone else in the know, we use white linen so that it can be boiled/bleached to keep stains down, and this has always been ok - but recently we seem to be getting lots of brownish-yellow stains on the sheets and towels that simply won't come out, even with bleaching and boil washing.

We can only put it down to self-tanning lotion. It seems that more and more people are using this at the start of their holiday to get a "head start" on their tan before braving the full sun... trouble is, they seem to be using our towels and/or bedlinen to mop up the excess!  Of course we budget to replace linen etc every three or four years...  but at this rate it's going to cost us a fortune in replacement linen, probably each each year 

Is it just us being unlucky with particularly inconsiderate guests, or is everyone else experiencing this too? Any ideas, other than just charging more to recoup the loss?

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=8009.0

[Anne]

We have been getting yellow stains on towels mainly, though that has been happening for quite a few seasons.  At the beginning of last season I decide to increase the number of cleans/laundry changes, we were carrying these out weekly.  We now do them 2 times per week so the towels in particular are not in such a dirty state when they get to the laundry.  At the end of last season I thought the staining was less though the wear and tear on the towels by being laundered more frequently did show and of course the laundry and cleaning bills rocketed.

[kalkanbelle]

I think you're right to assume it's caused by self tanning as I used some on my face during my holiday and it really stained my new white fluffy towels.  They looked awful after a few days so  I washed them in the machine but the stains were still noticeable so I washed them again and the marks were fainter but still there.  I was so gutted as I have just spent a fortune replacing all the towels at the villa with new luxury white ones and it now looks as though I will have to buy more sets next year in brown or black!  There's not a lot you can do about the sheets apart from telling the guests that you will make a charge from their deposit for really badly stained ones that need replacing.  Yes it's an expensive business as any apartment or villa owner will know.

[Denners]

And there is no way to remove henna staining from bedding !

[Pete]

I was told that it was caused by the use of 'once a day' sun creams/oils.

[jobly]

I think you will find the problem is with once a day suntan lotion. I've noticed that everyone using it leaves tell tale signs on towels, bedding and even light coloured furniture. Not sure what the answer is to this one

[elcee]

Many sunscreens will leave stains, and some acne/skin treatments do too. Most people, I assume, will shower off any daytime lotions before bedtime but maybe a polite notice might help? I encourage my husband to lay on one of our own towels if he takes an afternoon nap before showering as the spray he uses does stain his white t-shirts a lot! Maybe the lack of water is a problem, or has the supply not been too bad at the Nur? We stay in your apartments (have booked the penthouse for beginning of October) and I will endeavour to make sure we wash our lotions off!

[pw]

Of the "once a day" sun creams I've found that P20 stains (also strips gloss paint off wood!) and Ultrasun doesn't (I have no experience of Ultrasun's paint stripping qualities)

[Legionaire]

Thanks god I thought it was down to incontinence!

[maryjane]

Whilst I symphasise will those who have posted here, try owning a holiday property in the UK!!!    Whilst I appreciate one can withold the deposit, it does not cover
1.   New bath - bottle of champagne bounced in it (do not ask!!) Buggered!!!!!!  £650.00 (Designer bathroom)
2.   New dishwasher - nappies washed in it - buggered!!!!!   £450.00
3.  Flat screen TV - large hole in centre, buggered!!!!!
4.  Halogen hob - scrubbed clean!!!  with Brillo pad - buggered!!!!!!

The only problem I do not have is self-tanning products coming off on my Egyptian thread count sheets!!!!  Rain in the UK?

I would add this is a £1000 p.w. property - am not having a go at anyone who has commented earlier, we are just in the firing line for some people who abuse rentals.   Anyone got a solution???   Or do we just give up?

[kalkanbelle]

Last year at our villa we had to replace:
Washing machine
Dishwasher
Water Chiller
Cd player
Air con units x2
2 sun loungers
Shower unit
Sheets
Towels
Numerous glassware and crockery

All broken or damaged by guests Would be interested to know if other owners have many breakages?

[mantha38]

I was thinking about renting out my apartment but the comments here are really putting me off.

I have just spent a small fortune on kitting everything out and while I am prepared to accept some breakages, I don't fancy the expense of replacing washing machines, Tvs and dishwashers.

Is this a common occurence? I know my family and I have rented villas and apartments and are always so careful not to break anything, I sound like a bit of a broken record. I - maybe niavely - thought that others treat properties as they would treat their own?

Any other experiences - good or bad?

[maryjane]

Kalkanbelle

I am so sorry, I should not have moaned so much!!!   At the end of the day, it is our invested money, but other people think they have the rights to abuse it, just because it is a rental.  I would add that I and my colleague always rent a villa on our numerous visits to Kalkan,  after our last visit, the owner actually emailed me with his thanks at the pristine state of his property.  Why cannot others do the same -  perhaps I am not being politically correct, but cleanliness/tidiness/respect for other peoples property goes a long way.  OK, will get off my high  horse now   

[Skunk]

OMG I can't believe that anyone would do anything like that to someone else's place.  (Mind you maybe I can after someone in the UK left a six year old dying in the street after knocking him over and just drove on)

[maryjane]

Skunk, you have summed it up perfectly

[MartynE]

Well, in general our rental guests are very good (Lee, of course that includes you, lol)  and we have never yet claimed against the security deposit we charge at outset. A large proportion are now regulars and we know we can trust them to look after our accommodation.... apart from the occasional broken glass, we have hardly had any real damage to worry about in five years.

The linen staining is different... I'm sure none of the staining is intentional, but if you think about it,  it only takes one thoughtless airhead teenager to ruin half the linen in one of the apartments! We are now making a point of sending an additional standard email pleading with guests to be careful with the tanning stuff... hopefully if they are aware of the problem they will take a bit more care!

[misty]

Black bed linen could well be the solution......

I had a place in the States and you would not believe the state some people left it in......the cleaners often refused to clean up some of the disgusting mess left behind by what we thought were respectable people..... I had a $1200 damge deposit and kept it on many occasions 

[maryjane]

Ooh - black bed linen     Sorry, getting off the subject, will get this post removed if I carry on
However, before everyone gets bored to death about tanning products/sheets - why do people need to do it?   Kalkan is almost tropical in its climate, a couple of sensible days rotting by ones pool/beach - who needs self tanning products???
AND, be it North or South of the Thames, wherever we come from, the majority of us look damned good with a gentle glow (and a few Efes).  After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder

[pw]

My theory, for what it's worth.................
The wealthier the client, the less respect they have for property - their own or others'. After all if they break or lose some thing  they can generally afford to simply replace/upgrade and if the broken/lost item happens to belong to someone else, they will automatically assume the owner will do the same. So it doesn't surprise me to read that a £1000 a week rental property is not treated with the respect the owner would expect.
I think joe public in general though (particularly the type of person/family that prefers to self cater in a more upmarket resort) will take more care of other peoples' stuff and would be horrified if something was accidentally was broken......I would go further and suggest that the majority of owners will never know about minor breakages because many guests will  replace glasses/crockery etc.

PW

[maryjane]

Peterwilka - how did you know we spent hours/miles searching for a matching glass,eventually successfully, as glass/marble floors do not mix!!!