+100 Ask them to pay the cleaning fee, but don’t charge them rent. |
We were all planning on going two weeks ago and none of us could go because there was a raging blizzard going on. Now, they wanna go this weekend and we are out of town/state. |
Right. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for them to ask although I would try not to put you on the spot if I did this. Tell them it’s fine but they need to pay the cleaning fee. We have a rental in Rehoboth. In the summer we charge full price. Off season we let friends use it for basically nothing except cleaning fee. |
Never. They can visit, but we don't generally entertain overnight guests. |
It”s your house so don’t let your friends stay if it makes you uncomfortable. It doesn’t really matter if the request is odd or not. Other posters have pointed out that you let strangers stay there, but that is a commercial transaction. Again, your house, your rules. If your friends had offered to pay, that would be a different story, but they didn’t and it’s awkward for you to bring it up. I would just say that you prefer to be there with them and leave it at that. You don’t owe them an explanation. You’ve already been more than generous inviting them in the past. |
This is actually a great answer. If they are being overly pushy, that is on them, OP. I also agree that during high season, no one stays for free, but off season, just charge cleaning fee. It would not make sense to pay for people's cleaning because you rent it to make money, not as a charity. If they aren't the type who are just takers, you will know in their answer. We have had people in the past who expected to stay, and we nipped that in the bud, because we knew the relationship was more one way than not. |
It is totally unreasonable for them to ask. If I regularly give a person a ride in my car then I have plans to go out of town for a couple of weeks , it isn’t reasonable the person asks to borrow my car. They can go get a rental car.
Your house is an asset and you can rent it for probably $1000 for a spring weekend. Friends wouldn’t ask for a $1000 so why do they think it is ok to use something worth $1000. It is a slippery slope. Once you say yes these friends will continue to pester you. Just say it is being rented off the books 📚 n case they can see the online schedule of when it is rented through a booking agency. |
this is really good advice, thank you. I think some ppl just assume being someone has a second home, they can afford that 1000 hit. These ppl know us well enough to know we cannot. Although we enjoy it, often with them, it is a business, and someone must pay the utilities, cable, internet, etc. I suppose that's why it feels funny to us. It could also be booked at the last minute, and has before. |
The problem with agreeing to let them have it for the weekend is that it sets a precedent for the future and they may think that it’s OK to ask whenever they want to go. Assuming you don’t want this, you could say to them “we feel terrible our weekend together got canceled so you’re welcome to have it for this weekend but but lending the house to friends is not something we normally do.” |
They should offer to pay. |
Sounds more pretentious this way |
DP here. I think that is presumptuous of them. I wouldn't let anyone use it who expects to use it. I would let my lifelong friends from home use it, but they are basically family, and have not asked (I have offered). |
No! They’re uncomfortable NOW and they should say no this time. No need to push boundaries. The weekend trip didn’t work out because of weather, you can say this weekend doesn’t work for you and move on. |
We've had thus request from a family member with martial issues. Later they asked and offered to pay to rent then backed out last minute. Never again.
If we are there, people stay for free. If we aren't, no, you're paying to stay. I would phrase it, hey we're not there this weekend. If you'd like to rent it to stay that's fine, happy to give you a friend's & family rate of $X |
We let our friends and family use our beach home. We don't let friends of friends or acquaintances and we don't rent it out. We never asked for payment or for them to pay cleaning fees, but early on people offered to pay for the cleaners and now everyone does. |