Post by High Priestess on Jan 25, 2016 13:20:06 GMT
Danielle shared Jan 25 2016
Heating
Hi all, I'm a fairly new host after some advice. I have my heating on a timer, for the morning and evening and always check with my guests what their plans are to make sure if they're going to be at home they are warm (so will extend the heating times if necessary). My current guest told me they will be out in the library every day but when I've been arriving back early from work they have clearly been at home and have put the heating on. Would hosts ask them to stop or would they let them continue? I don't want my guests to be cold, especially in the winter but I can't afford to have my heating on all day either! What would you do?
Thanks in advance!
Deborah
I believe it's a good idea for all hosts in places where excess use of heat can be an issue, or who just don't like their guests messing around with the thermostat, to put a locking box on the thermostat, so that guests cannot change the settings. Either that or use a NEST thermostat (these require 120 volts and can't be used on all heating systems) which can be reset remotely by wifi if guest changes the settings.
See here: tinyurl.com/ju9v48g
And here: tinyurl.com/hytveyo
I would not allow guests to change the heat settings. If guests want something different as regards heat, they can ask me about it. Some requests I will grant, others I will not grant. Since none of our guests are paying for heat directly (they pay us a nightly rate, which does not vary according to amount of utlities used) it is not reasonable for them to think that they can use a much larger amount of utilities than we had intended, all for the same nightly rate. In other words, people can't expect to use what they aren't paying for.
Some requests for additional heat are reasonable, and hosts will be willing to accomodate them. For instance if the guest arrives home at 5pm and would like the heat to come on starting at 5pm instead of 6pm. But hosts will find other requests unreasonable -- such as guests who ask for the heat to be run all night long, when everyone is asleep, or really, have it run 24/7, or have heat set at 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In some countries, heat is much more expensive than in other nations. For instance I understand that heat is much more expensive in Ireland than in Russia. People from nations where heat is inexpensive may be ignorant of the reasons why people in nations where heat is very expensive, have their heat on only a few hours a day and why the houses are colder overall.
Also, I have had several people from nations which are in more tropical parts of the world (India, Central and South America) make unreasonable requests for heat -- such as wanting me to put the heat on in the summer, when it is 68 degrees outside. Or expecting me to run the heat all night long and for the house temperature never to fall below 72. After getting several such people and having to educate them that the United States is not India, I now write in my listing description or house rules that I have no intention of making my house resemble the tropical climates that some guests have in their part of the world, and that everyone should wear clothing appropriate for the season.
I think it is a good idea for hosts to state in their listing description or house rules, what their limits are as regards heating. This helps set appropriate guest expectations so that guests will be less likely to get upset if you do not allow them to turn the heat up as much as they would like.
Heating
Hi all, I'm a fairly new host after some advice. I have my heating on a timer, for the morning and evening and always check with my guests what their plans are to make sure if they're going to be at home they are warm (so will extend the heating times if necessary). My current guest told me they will be out in the library every day but when I've been arriving back early from work they have clearly been at home and have put the heating on. Would hosts ask them to stop or would they let them continue? I don't want my guests to be cold, especially in the winter but I can't afford to have my heating on all day either! What would you do?
Thanks in advance!
Deborah
I believe it's a good idea for all hosts in places where excess use of heat can be an issue, or who just don't like their guests messing around with the thermostat, to put a locking box on the thermostat, so that guests cannot change the settings. Either that or use a NEST thermostat (these require 120 volts and can't be used on all heating systems) which can be reset remotely by wifi if guest changes the settings.
See here: tinyurl.com/ju9v48g
And here: tinyurl.com/hytveyo
I would not allow guests to change the heat settings. If guests want something different as regards heat, they can ask me about it. Some requests I will grant, others I will not grant. Since none of our guests are paying for heat directly (they pay us a nightly rate, which does not vary according to amount of utlities used) it is not reasonable for them to think that they can use a much larger amount of utilities than we had intended, all for the same nightly rate. In other words, people can't expect to use what they aren't paying for.
Some requests for additional heat are reasonable, and hosts will be willing to accomodate them. For instance if the guest arrives home at 5pm and would like the heat to come on starting at 5pm instead of 6pm. But hosts will find other requests unreasonable -- such as guests who ask for the heat to be run all night long, when everyone is asleep, or really, have it run 24/7, or have heat set at 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In some countries, heat is much more expensive than in other nations. For instance I understand that heat is much more expensive in Ireland than in Russia. People from nations where heat is inexpensive may be ignorant of the reasons why people in nations where heat is very expensive, have their heat on only a few hours a day and why the houses are colder overall.
Also, I have had several people from nations which are in more tropical parts of the world (India, Central and South America) make unreasonable requests for heat -- such as wanting me to put the heat on in the summer, when it is 68 degrees outside. Or expecting me to run the heat all night long and for the house temperature never to fall below 72. After getting several such people and having to educate them that the United States is not India, I now write in my listing description or house rules that I have no intention of making my house resemble the tropical climates that some guests have in their part of the world, and that everyone should wear clothing appropriate for the season.
I think it is a good idea for hosts to state in their listing description or house rules, what their limits are as regards heating. This helps set appropriate guest expectations so that guests will be less likely to get upset if you do not allow them to turn the heat up as much as they would like.