Charged after hols for apartment??

Hi Johntin,
We recently returned from a self-catering holiday with Pierre et Vacances.

What they do, is give you an inventory of everything in the apartment when you get there and you have 4 hours to check it (in theory, they actually let me take a day doing it) and report on anything broken, damaged, missing etc. or else you will be liable for it. You then have to return the inventory to reception. It is a very detailed inventory with an exact list of all cutlery and bedding etc. and space to make remarks about stains on the walls etc.

They also tell you exactly how thoroughly you have to clean if you don't want to pay for someone else to do it. And it is a really thorough clean - hoover everywhere, wash windows, floors, clean fridge, toilet, put everything back exactly as you found it (they even tell you which shelf everything should be put back on) etc. etc.

And, you also have to make an appointment to have your room checked for cleanliness etc. just before you leave. They come in and check everything very carefully and then sign a piece of paper to say it's okay (assuming it is) which you take down to reception when you check out so that they know you don't have to pay an extra cleaning charge.

They are very efficient and thorough in this respect.

It may be that your cleaning really wasn't up to the standard expected in French self-catering apartments. I don't mean to insult you, but I am also on the other side of the fence on this issue because I run and clean two holiday cottages for ourselves here in the U.K. And departing holidaymakers always assure me that they've cleaned thoroughly before they leave, but it usually takes me hours to get it back up to the standard required for the next holidaymakers. They very rarely wash the wall tiles in the bathroom, or clean the oven, or mop the floor or wash the windows etc. And quite honestly I don't really expect them to. As long as they hoover and leave the place tidy I am quite content. That level of cleaning is generally considered to be sufficient here in the U.K.

So, what I am saying is that I think the French standard for end of holiday cleaning on the part of the holidaymakers is much higher than it is here in Britain. I reckon that the French expect to do very little to their apartments after the holidaymakers leave, whereas I spend all day cleaning after my holidaymakers leave. I imagine it is a matter of economy. The French holiday is cheap because it doesn't normally include a cost for end of stay cleaning, whereas the price for a holiday in one of my cottages includes this.

Having said all that, you and your friends may be fantastic at cleaning, and have done a great job, and you may have been ripped off. I would be very interested to hear what they say if they respond to your request for an itemized list of what you failed to clean.

I think all self-catering apartments in France should follow P & V in this regard. It would be much fairer on everyone. And you wouldn't be left in this very unpleasant situation where they've taken 60 euros off you without your say so.

I hope you get your money back, or at least a decent explanation. 60 euros sounds more like a fine than a cleaning charge. The cleaning charge for our P & V apartment was 35 euros if you booked it ahead of time, which is fair enough, because it's about what it costs me when I have to pay someone to help me clean our holiday cottages.

Did they give you precise instructions on how much cleaning you were supposed to do?

I do think it was a bit much to charge you 8 euros to store your cases when you arrived. Did you arrive before the specified hour when the apartment was to be ready? If my holidaymakers turn up early I always let them put their cases etc. in the part of the cottage I've already cleaned and I certainly don't charge them for this service. And we stayed in Courchevel ski-ing for the whole day on Saturday after we'd vacated our room and the P & V residence let us leave our cases by the Director's office free of charge all day.

Where were you staying (or don't you want to say?).

Sorry for the length of my epistle, but as a professional cleaner I am very interested in this subject.

Best Wishes,

Ally

Hi Ally g
We were never given an inventory or any indication what was required at end of stay, no precise instructions at all.
This was a package holiday with a well known tour operator.
My friends who booked this holiday have three holiday cottages, and are well aware how properties can be left, bearing that in mind, we put quite an effort into leaving the apartment as good if not better than we found it.
Regards charge for cases, as mentioned previously we were with a tour operator, they never said a thing about charges, arrival times were down to them. I know this is a minor quibble but its the principle of it, we challenged rep about this, guess what, shrugged his shoulders.
At present do not wish to say where we stayed, hope you understand.
My friends are going to make contact with tour company as well, but are wiating for reply from apartments first.
Night Night.

Hi Johntin,
Well, the fact that you cleaned the apartment back up to, or above, its original standard makes a big difference. Plus, it is blatantly unfair if you were never given exact instructions by the tour operator or the apartment managers. And, I'm really surprised they didn't give you an inventory. We've been in several apartments and we've always had one.

I would say you've got a pretty good case against the tour operators, if not the apartment owners, and I hope your friends pursue it, for the sake of all future holidaymakers booking similar holidays. Please let us know what happens.

I am not surprised you are annoyed. I would be absolutely hopping mad if it was me :evil:

Ally

put a dispute in with your credit card company ...they have much more clout than you

geo wrote:John,sadly it sounds like youve been had. Ive heard of this before nothing to do with ski hols just unscrupulous (not sure of spelling ) operators. And the reason why I will never holiday in France !!! > I know it can happen anywhere but my personal view of the French has just been justified by you.Sorry if its controversial but its my opinion.put simply I just dont like them !!!!!

I have never met any unscrupulous or ignorant French people but I have met a few ignorant english :wink:

johntin wrote:Hi Ally g
We were never given an inventory or any indication what was required at end of stay, no precise instructions at all.
This was a package holiday with a well known tour operator.
My friends who booked this holiday have three holiday cottages, and are well aware how properties can be left, bearing that in mind, we put quite an effort into leaving the apartment as good if not better than we found it.
Regards charge for cases, as mentioned previously we were with a tour operator, they never said a thing about charges, arrival times were down to them. I know this is a minor quibble but its the principle of it, we challenged rep about this, guess what, shrugged his shoulders.
At present do not wish to say where we stayed, hope you understand.
My friends are going to make contact with tour company as well, but are wiating for reply from apartments first.
Night Night.

Why are you worried about name and shaming the apartments, If you have had a bad experience
share it with the forum and I for one will boycott the TO and the apartments. 8)

Ian,
I never mentioned been worried??? just asked for advice.

johntin wrote:Ian,
I never mentioned been worried??? just asked for advice.

So name the apartments and the TO, if what you say is correct these people should be stopped :evil: