This is a combo question/rant. Here is the situation.

We rented a small, 2 bedroom cottage in Nantucket in July for $2000 a week plus a $200 security deposit from which they would deduct the cleaning fee. We were told that the fee would be based on the hourly rate and how much cleaning needed to be done at the departure, so that if we put clean sheets on the bed, vacuumed and cleaned up, we would minimize the fee. With this in mind, we swept the floors, vacuumed, changed the sheets, washed the dishes and wiped down the counters. The only thing we didn't do was dust and clean the one small bathroom. I figured it would take no more than 1 hour, 2 at the very most to finish cleaning.

I just received a check for the security deposit for $72 from the owner, enclosed was the cleaning invoice for 4 hours of cleaning at $32.00 per hour for $128!!!

There is no way that it took the service 4 hours to clean. Not even with both arms broken and using a toothbrush held in their teeth. I am furious that they cheat people like this, and I assume that they are banking on the fact that no one will bother to question them. I think it's robbery plain and simple. We've been renting for 17 years in Ack and never had a situation like this. What would you do?

Fill out a complaint with the Chamber of Commerce in Nantucket.

x, I left the cleaning service a message and told them I would do exactly that, plus contact the rental agencies to warn them if they didn't get back to me.

I'm glad you agree with me, a few people told me it goes with the territory and to just let it slide, but I think that service should not get away with it.

How clean was this cottage when you walked in the door? If it was squeaky clean, eat off the floor, not a dust mite in sight and you had to don sunglasses when you opened the fridge, then, yes, it took four hours to clean. If it was just O.K., you got ripped off, and I would take my complaint to the lessor.

Coco, Good point, I forgot to mention that in wasn't squeeky clean. There were dustbunnies and a few cobwebs, but I'm not that much of a pain the a** and it is a beach cottage, so I didn't bother to call anyone and complain. The kitchen and bathroom was clean so I didn't mind.

Sorry, were clean, I haven't had my coffee yet and I sound like an illiterate.

nina: I would MOST DEFINITELY voice my objections - to both the owner and the cleaning service. That cleaning service certainly is raking in the money, aren't they?

You're not going to believe this! I just hung up with the service, she called me back. She claims it was just an "oversight" and that she would only bill me the minimum 2 hours. She said she is mailing me a refund check out today. I wonder how many of these "oversights" are ignored.

I guess it pays to not let these things slide after all!

Good for you!

nina, this summer we rented a cabin in Tahoe for a week. The cabin is obviously on the newer side. The cleaning deposit was $200 and not refundable. As I checked the place out I noticed that the kitchen was clean as was the fridge but they did leave food that was fresh in the fridge rather than throwing it out. This was fine as pretty much everyone needs 5 bottles of mustard. Anyway as the week wore on I did come to the conclusion that the amount of time spent on cleaning the bathrooms was minimal and if each week it was cleaned for $200 someone is getting ripped off. In addition we had to strip the beds and remove the towels from the bathrooms and leave the place in reasonably clean condition or we'd be subject to having our security deposit charged for the additional work. For me it was "Here are the terms and conditions, take it or leave it". I doubt we'll go back to this particular cabin or use the agency either. We met a guy up there who owns a few places and he says that if he knows who you are he'll charge a cleaning fee of $10 per day and if you leave it clean he'll return it. Then the following year he won't even charge it. That seemed reasonable to me.

I'm glad you're getting some of your fee back.

Wow! $200 to barely clean a cabin? I'm in the wrong business!!! What do you say we all pick our favorite vacation spot, set up a cleaning service and live the high life (except for weekends and turnover days of course)!

Well, you lucked out, Nina - congrats. I was going to suggest you simply let it go - you were actually debating about $64 tops, for the 1-2 hours. You know, the first year we rented houses at the beach the cheaper among us insisted we clean and thus avoid a cleaning fee. Do you agree that cleaning a house at the END of the vacation is among the top ten most onerous things one may do in an otherwise great life? The next year we paid for cleaning!! And not a word of complaint from the cheapies - who by the way tried to instill what they called leftover night the night before we depart. Rather than go out for dinner, they insisted we eat anything left in the frig, no matter how old. Perhaps this was backdoor cleaning. Two possible food poisoning cases settled that, and the next year we went out the last night. Maybe we need a new heading for this type of stuff - maybe Life Is Too Short! Have a good day, and don't blow that refund all in one place.

Yep, you know me RnR, I'm a cheapie from way back. Hey, that $64 buys me and a friend a nice lunch at my favorite waterfront restaurant. Besides, it was more knowing that this service was not going to scam nina. They can scam some other vacationers, but not me, nosiree.

nina-
we rented a house somewhere this summer.the deposit was $1000.00.
when we walked in the door,we took the realtor with us to be sure he saw how the house looked and smelled(mildew) when we got there.
when we left, we payed the realtor for the cleaning lady-no need to deduct the price.the realtor will go with the cleaning lady and will see the condition of the house.we expect to get all of our deposit back.

I'm with Nina all the way on this! She didn't let that less than honorable company get away with their scam. To charge the renter for 4 hours of cleaning (when it most likely was 1 hour)is theft, period. Doesn't matter what the hourly charge is.

Most of the places I rent have a cleaning fee upfront & aside from the deposit. Currently I believe it is $35-50 for a 2 -5 bdrm beach house. You get ALL of your deposit back. Someone is running a scam. Call BBB. SA.

We have rented vacation homes on Cape Cod and in New Hampshire and Maine for years, and there is no "cleaning fee." I've never heard of such a thing. We always cleaned up after ourselves, did the laundry, and left.

Good for you Nina. Don't sit back and accept this.

One time I rented a condo and the last people/maids left the laundry in the dryer. Couldn't belive they wouldn't even put the linens away (nothing like wrinkled sheets!)

At a charge rate of $32/hour for 4 hours and paying one illegal alien $5/hour (no benefits) for one hour, this is profitable.

Who here spends FOUR hours a week on this type of cleaning?

Perhaps some areas began charging a cleaning fee that is nonrefundable because everyone's opinion of clean differs. My experience in Tahoe is that if you rent from a private party you can choose to clean and then get the cleaning fee back or you can pack up and leave and they bring in a cleaning crew to do it for you and your cleaning fee is retained. By going through an agency they just charge by the square footage of the place you're renting and that's it. You can clean it but you won't get your cleaning fee back anyway. This way the agency can be certain that it's clean to a particular standard, however weak.

Nina:

You are absolutely right. But, we do need to remember something. This is Nantucket and everything there is totally overpriced. It is the land of millionares and billionares.