I just spent a week in someone else’s home and obviously did my best to leave the place as tidy as when I’d arrived. I didn’t clean it because there was a €50 cleaning fee. Then I saw that the host left me two stars for cleanliness, because (she explained in a separate private message) the toilet had to be cleaned. Now, it would be reasonable in my opinion to subtract one or possibly two stars for that criteria on that basis, but giving two stars means that I left the place in a state, which I absolutely did not. I’m happy (but obviously embarrassed) t accept that I should really have bleached the toilet when leaving, but when we have guests we don’t expect them (and I wasn’t asked, plus: the cleaning fee!) to go that far. Obviously I’m relieved and grateful that she host didn’t make a comment in the review, but I’m left feeling a little aggrieved. So, where do I stand? Is it worth complaining to HE? Thanks, Rich
The host was being extremely unreasonable here. In my opinion, if they ask for a cleaning fee, you are NOT responsible for cleaning the toilet. A cleaning fee means that the Cleaner, not you, is responsible for returning the home to the condition in which the guest found it. Otherwise, why are you being asked to pay a 50 Euro fee?
If there is no cleaning fee, then the assumption is that the guest will return the home to the state of cleanliness in which they found it, unless the Host specifically agrees that a lesser state is acceptable (e.g.clean bathrooms and kitchen, but leave used bedsheets and towels in laundry room).
In my opinion, and I agree with canuck here, you don’t have to clean the toilet when there’s a cleaning fee (though I did do that when I was asked a fee once, but not as well as I normally do - and the host didn’t take my money after all, for she was satisfied with how we left things, which was beneath our normal standard. But that as a side note). To deduct 3 stars for it is not fair, especially not since she didnt tell you that she expected you to do that.
You can ask HE to post a response to the review that you write.