6 ms·

>On the other hand, there is increased wear on city and county roads (many of which are gravel), and increased load on water, sewer, and sanitation services. W

by cbsks 8y ago

>On the other hand, there is increased wear on city and county roads (many of which are gravel), and increased load on water, sewer, and sanitation services. Why would renters cause more wear on those resources than full time occupants?

nate_meurer 8y ago
Great question. In my case, the home is consistently occupied by more people than would otherwise be living there full time, and they're much more active than a family of permanent residents would be. They eat out a lot, drive around the town and up mountain roads, and if they're skiiers or outdoor sports-people, they're in and out of town every day. Guests are usually groups of blended family and friends, so there are more cars. This is true for us when we visit our own place; we often bring family or friends, and they bring more cars. The dirt road leading to our house definitely notices the traffic. And then there's the water and trash. Bloody fucking hell vacation rental guests generate a lot of trash. I'm working on some ways to encourage reduced consumption, and I stock only recycled paper products -- toilet tissue particularly is a sore point with me. I con't believe how much toilet paper people use. It pisses me off enough that I'm playing with the idea of charging for it. Otherwise, we've had mostly good luck with our guests. Mostly. I won't rent to anyone under 25, and I'm really strict about that. I also completely banned smoking of any kind anywhere on the property, inside or outside. These things have helped.
- acct1771 8y ago
  If your native language isn't English, what is it? I have to know =]
  - nate_meurer 8y ago
    American English. I hope. :) Does my writing seem otherwise?
    - nkingsy 8y ago
      I think "toilet tissue", and "bloody hell" aren't american standard.
      - nate_meurer 8y ago
        Bloody hell is firmly a part of my everyday lexicon. It's not really a cuss word here so it can replace my preferred F words in polite company. Toilet tissue is just me being confused. I buy toilet paper, facial tissue, and paper towels in enormous quantities from costco. All recycled, but it's still a mountain of paper and tissue. I have to figure something out.
    - acct1771 8y ago
      "I con't" made me wonder
- leesalminen 8y ago
  You could tell people that the septic system is not designed for large amounts of paper and is prone to clogging. Tell them that if that happens, there will be a pricey charge for a plumber to come out. You’re scaring them into being mindful without the negative taste of charging for use of toilet paper. How do you ban smoking outside? Are you on property keeping tabs on your guests every move?
  - nate_meurer 8y ago
    I have a nose like a bloodhound. If someone has been smoking in the house, there is no way to hide it from me. My cleaning lady is also somewhat of a detective and has been known to go through the trash if she thinks rules have been broken. Smoking outside is a different problem. Until recently I didn't forbid it, but earlier this year I found cigarette butts in the brush below the deck, along with a burn mark on the dining table and cigarettes in the trash. That was from a large group of college aged boys. In normal dry conditions, Colorado mountain country is like a big pile of kindling just waiting for some dumbass to toss a cigarette butt into the pine needles and set the town ablaze. This incident really freaked me out. I took their entire security deposit, and added rules and a stern warning to my listing. At some point I'll install a camera outside to watch the deck and back yard, because I know it will happen again.
    - leetcrew 8y ago
      > I took their entire security deposit is this legal? I thought you were only allowed to deduct actual damage / cost of repairs from a security deposit, not punitive charges.
      - sharkmerry 8y ago
        they did mention there was a burn mark on the dining room table. not sure how that happened when smoking outside but that is damages
        nate_meurer 8y ago
- RankingMember 8y ago
  Unsolicited recommendation from one person on the other end: don't charge for toilet paper. If your concern is environmental, I don't think it'll make an impact as people will just pay the $1 or $2 and use the same amount. If your concern is money, just raise your rate. Hosts who nickel and dime for that kind of stuff come off like major cheapskates and tend to have reviews that reflect that. I've stayed at places that charged per Keurig cup and it just seems so petty. Any hotel you stay at isn't going to bat an eye at giving you extra TP if you need it. I'd also note that someone traveling may be eating a more varied diet than their bodies may be used to being exposed to at home, the end result of which may factor into increased TP usage versus a native of the area.
  - nate_meurer 8y ago
    This is good advice. I hate nickle-and-dimey stuff too, so yeah, good point. You know what else I hate? Fucking Keurig. I hate the packaging, I hate the shitty brewing machines that don't brew hot enough or saturate the pods, and I hate the racketeering company. Nevertheless, one of the most consistent compliments I get in reviews is about this dinky little coffee and tea station we have set up on a bread rack. Nothing fancy, just a Keurig and another normal coffee machine and some boxes of tea and cocoa and stuff. To me it looks kind of chintzy, but a lot of guests are super charmed by complimentary coffee pods and variety packs of tea. So I grit my teeth and keep the little drawer stocked with pods. Toilet paper again: at some point I intend to install bidets in the bathrooms. Toto makes one that reviews well. Then I'll put up some signs with cute bears and bunnies and a maybe a folksy limerick about conserving and some encouragement to wash before wiping. If people used them it would cut way back on our paper consumption.
    - novok 8y ago
      There are many k-cups that are not from keurig, and they are %100 industrially compostable. You can also put a small compost bucket beside the pods so they would actually be composted. That plus sweetener in paper packets and you have a %100 compostable system. Maybe there are powder creamers out there that come in paper packets too. I use these guys myself, and they are 0.30 a cup from Costco: https://www.sanfranciscobaycoffee.com/index.php/onecup-for-keurig-coffee-machines/ https://www.sanfranciscobaycoffee.com/index.php/onecup-for-k... I like the rainforest blend the best, but you will probably want a variety pack to see what guests like the best. Also bidets don't really reduce tp usage for me, since you need it to dry up.
brandonmenc 8y ago
> Why would renters cause more wear on those resources than full time occupants? When you travel, how many people do you cram into a single room? How much are you driving around the town you're visiting? The answer to both is: probably a lot more than someone who lives there.

by cbsks 8y ago

nate_meurer 8y ago

Great question. In my case, the home is consistently occupied by more people than would otherwise be living there full time, and they're much more active than a family of permanent residents would be. They eat out a lot, drive around the town and up mountain roads, and if they're skiiers or outdoor sports-people, they're in and out of town every day. Guests are usually groups of blended family and friends, so there are more cars. This is true for us when we visit our own place; we often bring family or friends, and they bring more cars. The dirt road leading to our house definitely notices the traffic. And then there's the water and trash. Bloody fucking hell vacation rental guests generate a lot of trash. I'm working on some ways to encourage reduced consumption, and I stock only recycled paper products -- toilet tissue particularly is a sore point with me. I con't believe how much toilet paper people use. It pisses me off enough that I'm playing with the idea of charging for it. Otherwise, we've had mostly good luck with our guests. Mostly. I won't rent to anyone under 25, and I'm really strict about that. I also completely banned smoking of any kind anywhere on the property, inside or outside. These things have helped.

acct1771 8y ago
If your native language isn't English, what is it? I have to know =]
- nate_meurer 8y ago
  American English. I hope. :) Does my writing seem otherwise?
  - nkingsy 8y ago
    I think "toilet tissue", and "bloody hell" aren't american standard.
    - nate_meurer 8y ago
      Bloody hell is firmly a part of my everyday lexicon. It's not really a cuss word here so it can replace my preferred F words in polite company. Toilet tissue is just me being confused. I buy toilet paper, facial tissue, and paper towels in enormous quantities from costco. All recycled, but it's still a mountain of paper and tissue. I have to figure something out.
  - acct1771 8y ago
    "I con't" made me wonder
leesalminen 8y ago
You could tell people that the septic system is not designed for large amounts of paper and is prone to clogging. Tell them that if that happens, there will be a pricey charge for a plumber to come out. You’re scaring them into being mindful without the negative taste of charging for use of toilet paper. How do you ban smoking outside? Are you on property keeping tabs on your guests every move?
- nate_meurer 8y ago
  I have a nose like a bloodhound. If someone has been smoking in the house, there is no way to hide it from me. My cleaning lady is also somewhat of a detective and has been known to go through the trash if she thinks rules have been broken. Smoking outside is a different problem. Until recently I didn't forbid it, but earlier this year I found cigarette butts in the brush below the deck, along with a burn mark on the dining table and cigarettes in the trash. That was from a large group of college aged boys. In normal dry conditions, Colorado mountain country is like a big pile of kindling just waiting for some dumbass to toss a cigarette butt into the pine needles and set the town ablaze. This incident really freaked me out. I took their entire security deposit, and added rules and a stern warning to my listing. At some point I'll install a camera outside to watch the deck and back yard, because I know it will happen again.
  - leetcrew 8y ago
    > I took their entire security deposit is this legal? I thought you were only allowed to deduct actual damage / cost of repairs from a security deposit, not punitive charges.
    - sharkmerry 8y ago
      they did mention there was a burn mark on the dining room table. not sure how that happened when smoking outside but that is damages
      - nate_meurer 8y ago
RankingMember 8y ago
Unsolicited recommendation from one person on the other end: don't charge for toilet paper. If your concern is environmental, I don't think it'll make an impact as people will just pay the $1 or $2 and use the same amount. If your concern is money, just raise your rate. Hosts who nickel and dime for that kind of stuff come off like major cheapskates and tend to have reviews that reflect that. I've stayed at places that charged per Keurig cup and it just seems so petty. Any hotel you stay at isn't going to bat an eye at giving you extra TP if you need it. I'd also note that someone traveling may be eating a more varied diet than their bodies may be used to being exposed to at home, the end result of which may factor into increased TP usage versus a native of the area.
- nate_meurer 8y ago
  This is good advice. I hate nickle-and-dimey stuff too, so yeah, good point. You know what else I hate? Fucking Keurig. I hate the packaging, I hate the shitty brewing machines that don't brew hot enough or saturate the pods, and I hate the racketeering company. Nevertheless, one of the most consistent compliments I get in reviews is about this dinky little coffee and tea station we have set up on a bread rack. Nothing fancy, just a Keurig and another normal coffee machine and some boxes of tea and cocoa and stuff. To me it looks kind of chintzy, but a lot of guests are super charmed by complimentary coffee pods and variety packs of tea. So I grit my teeth and keep the little drawer stocked with pods. Toilet paper again: at some point I intend to install bidets in the bathrooms. Toto makes one that reviews well. Then I'll put up some signs with cute bears and bunnies and a maybe a folksy limerick about conserving and some encouragement to wash before wiping. If people used them it would cut way back on our paper consumption.
  - novok 8y ago
    There are many k-cups that are not from keurig, and they are %100 industrially compostable. You can also put a small compost bucket beside the pods so they would actually be composted. That plus sweetener in paper packets and you have a %100 compostable system. Maybe there are powder creamers out there that come in paper packets too. I use these guys myself, and they are 0.30 a cup from Costco: https://www.sanfranciscobaycoffee.com/index.php/onecup-for-keurig-coffee-machines/ https://www.sanfranciscobaycoffee.com/index.php/onecup-for-k... I like the rainforest blend the best, but you will probably want a variety pack to see what guests like the best. Also bidets don't really reduce tp usage for me, since you need it to dry up.

brandonmenc 8y ago

> Why would renters cause more wear on those resources than full time occupants? When you travel, how many people do you cram into a single room? How much are you driving around the town you're visiting? The answer to both is: probably a lot more than someone who lives there.