People think we're much better off financially then we are..

Funky_Bold_Ribena

Can you let them come, but rent the cottage out anyway and let them sleep on the floor or in the kids beds? And tell them you will text them a taxi number when they land.

embob74

busiscoming2 wrote: »

I agree this has to stop.
I'd be inclined to say that you have decided to let it out via a company and they can book that way if they wish.
Possibly some people that have stayed before and had the 'free food', days out and taxi service from you, thinks they are onto a winner and keep coming back.
Next time they come put bread, milk and some marg in the fridge and tell them you are busy quite a lot of the time and cut down on the days out.

This is a great idea.
We have stayed at friends accommodation which was one of four holiday homes. Although people assume the owners are raking it in the reality is very different as the profit is quite small once running costs are taken into account and if the costs of the initial build are taken into account it is a long term repayment.
They let their properties through an agent and website but told us they are allowed to reserve it for their own personal use for 4 weeks a year and could allow us one of those weeks at a cost of £50 which covered the running costs such as cleaning, bedding change and electric etc.
We were thrilled at the offer as we had been willing to pay the full price of £400+ for the week. When it came to future stays we just went through the agent and paid full as we knew there was limited use for friends/family and didn't want to expect any favours.

Might be an idea to work out the costings of the holiday let so you can at least ask people to cover the running costs (include the cost of milk and bread that you provide too!)

Rottensocks

Why the heck are you allowing people to stay in your holiday let for FREE and then feeding them and ferrying them for FREE also? Bonkers!

Its lovely to have visitors, but I'd be making clear that the holiday home is not available if a paying customer could be in there instead. Even if you have a fallow week for booking, guests should at least pay the basic cost of being there.

No wonder you get a lot of visitors: Its a totally free holiday for them. The cheek!

cannyscot_2

It is actually you that are letting them take. I have 2 friends-one a relative another a single parent . We are a 2 income household but Very MSE . No takeaways/superlow cheap car/clothes from charity shop or ebay/no fancy phone contracts/dont drink/spend £150 on whole food/hosuehold shop but we have super nice holidays. ... as in to nice places-not all inclusive. I love travelling. Every time I meet these 2 people they tell me how poor they are and I pay for lunch but..... then in the same conversation you hear nandos /cinema/macdonalds/takeaways and you find out that in a month they spend more on what Id term rubbish than our monthly holiday budget.

I have helped them out /provided money/stuff for kids etc and I have only just sussed that I am making my kids go without stuff while providing for them and yet they don't stop and think if their kids want cinema/outings etc. I am actually showing my children a bad example. ..and I end up feeling bad that maybe I am some meaney when their children have seen -every -and I mean every new cinema release-and mine haven't been to the picture in 6 months.(oops or maybe more!)

So do not let your children penny pinch for these other people-few picnics/odd meal -nice -but petrol/paying any outings / providing all incl etc no!

There was a similar post a few years ago -for a holiday let abroad -and the OP said just that - they think its a few bottles of wine here and odd meal there but cost wise it is huge!

Umistboy

I'm going to assume that these friends are good friends that you want to keep as friends. If that is true then I think you should

a) offer a decent "mates rate" off the cost of the usual rental
b) agree that you will pick them up/drop them at the airport but that all other petrol MUST be split 50% (they pay 100% if you aren't going out in the car with them)
c) cook them ONE nice meal for the week and entertain them as your guests (have booze in) - all other meals everyone pays for themselves.

The reason for this is that I believe a friendship only lasts when people work at them. You make no reference to ever visiting them which I assume means that "meeting up" always involves them travelling and not you.

Why not agree to work out the cost of the week and agree to cover cost 50% at the end. If they can't afford it and you can't then you don't see eachother, no one made you live so far apart.

If they cannot agree to foot 50% of the cost then they aren't doing this for friendship.

msb5262

Umistboy wrote: »

I'm going to assume that these friends are good friends that you want to keep as friends. If that is true then I think you should

a) offer a decent "mates rate" off the cost of the usual rental
b) agree that you will pick them up/drop them at the airport but that all other petrol MUST be split 50% (they pay 100% if you aren't going out in the car with them)
c) cook them ONE nice meal for the week and entertain them as your guests (have booze in) - all other meals everyone pays for themselves.

The reason for this is that I believe a friendship only lasts when people work at them. You make no reference to ever visiting them which I assume means that "meeting up" always involves them travelling and not you.

Why not agree to work out the cost of the week and agree to cover cost 50% at the end. If they can't afford it and you can't then you don't see eachother, no one made you live so far apart.

If they cannot agree to foot 50% of the cost then they aren't doing this for friendship.

I can't see why (or how) the OP should foot 50% of the bill for someone else's holiday! Bear in mind that it's not just one set of friends who are taking advantage of the OP...paying for 50% of a holiday for each set of friends would be extortionate, even just for one season!

kezzygirl

wow, I think they have a cheek expecting all of that-but then if you let them, they will continue to expect more!! I wouldn't dream of staying with someone for a week and letting them ferry me around, paying for my food,fuel,admission to places....you are not their parents!

paulineb_2

Umistboy wrote: »

I'm going to assume that these friends are good friends that you want to keep as friends. If that is true then I think you should

a) offer a decent "mates rate" off the cost of the usual rental
b) agree that you will pick them up/drop them at the airport but that all other petrol MUST be split 50% (they pay 100% if you aren't going out in the car with them)
c) cook them ONE nice meal for the week and entertain them as your guests (have booze in) - all other meals everyone pays for themselves.

The reason for this is that I believe a friendship only lasts when people work at them. You make no reference to ever visiting them which I assume means that "meeting up" always involves them travelling and not you.

Why not agree to work out the cost of the week and agree to cover cost 50% at the end. If they can't afford it and you can't then you don't see eachother, no one made you live so far apart.

If they cannot agree to foot 50% of the cost then they aren't doing this for friendship.

I would suggest that the reason a lot of people travel to the OP is that they know they are getting a bargain (or taking the !!!! quite frankly).

75 per cent would still be reasonable, why on earth should she give people at 50 per cent discount when shes struggling financially because so many people are freeloading?

Umistboy

paulineb wrote: »

I would suggest that the reason a lot of people travel to the OP is that they know they are getting a bargain (or taking the !!!! quite frankly).

75 per cent would still be reasonable, why on earth should she give people at 50 per cent discount when shes struggling financially because so many people are freeloading?

As I stated at the top of my post my advice is based upon the assumption that this is a relationship that she values and wants to keep.

If so, both parties should be expected to footing the bill for meeting up. OP mentions nothing of travelling to visit them.

The past is past and OP is trying to find an agreement for the future. Based on these assumptions my advice is that OP foots some of the cost that them always travelling to her would (in future) save her.

paulineb_2

Its more than one person taking advantage of her hospitality, I dont think its just one friend.

They are travelling to use a holiday cottage that she rents out at other times in the year, shes losing money because of how cheaply other people are getting it.