Cleaning Fee for Slow Season and Short Stays

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Cleaning Fee for Slow Season and Short Stays

Dan C.
Investor · Member since 2023 · 7 posts · 2 votes

I have a great housekeeper that consistently gets mentioned in reviews for cleanliness and has a backup team in place. Only problem is she charges more than others are charging for their cleaning fees.

I've shopped other cleaners just out of curiosity and most are around $175 and she is at $200.

It's the off season now in my market (ski town) and to compete, my rates need to be around $100/night. Charging a $200 cleaning fee on a 2 night stay (or 1 night!) takes me out of contention with a lot of properties.

Are most owners absorbing part of the cleaner's cost to remain competitive during down-rate periods? Or are you negotiating lower cleaning fees during short stays? Or is the cleaning fee just what it is and you don't worry about it?

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John UnderwoodPro Member
Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
2y

I charge more than Cleaning fee all year round to help pay for consumables and small breakage. We also provide really nice treats from a German bakery.

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  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    2y

    $25 extra per cleaning shouldn't move the needle much.

    3Reply
  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    2y

    I charge more than Cleaning fee all year round to help pay for consumables and small breakage. We also provide really nice treats from a German bakery.

    3Reply
  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    2y

    Hey @Dan C., well I guess you need to ask yourself is it less work to clean up after guests in the off season than high season?

    If it isn't, then the amount they are charging is accurate.

    It is great you have a superior cleaner for $25 more than the average. Worth it IMHO.

    I agree with @John Underwood that it shouldn't make too much of a difference.

    You can always charge the guests less and then expense the difference. Maybe charge $150?

    1Reply
  • Andrew SteffensBusiness Member
    Tampa, FL · Member since 2022 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    2y

    Have you tried to ask her to reduce her charge.  Granted I run a larger operation but I negotiate pricing annually with all vendors.  As mentioned above $25 should not make much of a difference.  We do not adjust cleaning fee unless a property is really struggling and then we do it as a temporary move.

    [email protected]813-563-0877
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    1Reply
  • Nathan M kiefer
    Rental Property Investor · south carolina and michigan · Member since 2023 · 348 posts · 226 votes
    2y
    Quote from @Dan C.:

    I have a great housekeeper that consistently gets mentioned in reviews for cleanliness and has a backup team in place. Only problem is she charges more than others are charging for their cleaning fees.

    I've shopped other cleaners just out of curiosity and most are around $175 and she is at $200.

    It's the off season now in my market (ski town) and to compete, my rates need to be around $100/night. Charging a $200 cleaning fee on a 2 night stay (or 1 night!) takes me out of contention with a lot of properties.

    Are most owners absorbing part of the cleaner's cost to remain competitive during down-rate periods? Or are you negotiating lower cleaning fees during short stays? Or is the cleaning fee just what it is and you don't worry about it?


     We put the cost of the fee that we charge no matter what it is. Get what you pay for our houses sleep 13 each and our linen and clean fee is $415. We get it for a weekend or 2 weeks. It's high but we have had bad cleaners and not going back there 

    0Reply
  • Ben Hays
    Member since 2024 · 6 posts · 9 votes
    2y

    I would just ask her if she has any room to reduce her charge, to help keep the place rented.  It is probably a slow time for her, too.  I'd rather have $150 to have something to do, instead of nothing.

    0Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    2y

    They presumably have the same amount of work to do regardless of the length of stay. If she does a great job, the guests are paying for the cleaning, I wouldn't worry about it.  I agree with John-if people are paying $175 or $200 for a cleaning fee, $25 won't make much of a difference.  Most look at the home they are renting and where it is located.

    0Reply
  • Dan C.
    OP
    Investor · Member since 2023 · 7 posts · 2 votes
    2y

    Thanks for the replies. To clarify, I'm not arguing the price that my cleaner charges, or the seasonality of her charges. As @Michael Baum suggested, the amount of work doesn't change with the seasons, nor does the length of stay, as @Theresa Harris mentioned.

    My question is... in order to compete with lower total trip costs from other listings (often resulting from lower cleaning fees), should I eat a part of the cleaning fee in order to have a lower total trip cost? Obviously, lowering the fee and raising the rate is an option but that feels a little bit like spinning my wheels.

    At some point, if I'm dropping my rates far enough to compensate for a high cleaning fee, we get into the conversation of "is it even worth it to rent it at this rate and risk property damage, 4 star review, etc".

    0Reply
  • Nathan M kiefer
    Rental Property Investor · south carolina and michigan · Member since 2023 · 348 posts · 226 votes
    2y
    Quote from @Dan C.:

    Thanks for the replies. To clarify, I'm not arguing the price that my cleaner charges, or the seasonality of her charges. As @Michael Baum suggested, the amount of work doesn't change with the seasons, nor does the length of stay, as @Theresa Harris mentioned.

    My question is... in order to compete with lower total trip costs from other listings (often resulting from lower cleaning fees), should I eat a part of the cleaning fee in order to have a lower total trip cost? Obviously, lowering the fee and raising the rate is an option but that feels a little bit like spinning my wheels.

    At some point, if I'm dropping my rates far enough to compensate for a high cleaning fee, we get into the conversation of "is it even worth it to rent it at this rate and risk property damage, 4 star review, etc".

    Our logic is make the property stand out and the cleaning fee is not an issue. We pass on 100% of whatever we get charged. 

    Most of this issue is with owners that have a $100 cleaning fee and charge $250. 

    if any of our guests have an issue I send them a copy of what I pay and usually they drop it, that's if they even ask. Most people do not.

    playing games with rates to cover fees in my opinion is never a good idea and is a lesson is in futility.
    0Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    2y
    Quote from @Dan C.:

    Thanks for the replies. To clarify, I'm not arguing the price that my cleaner charges, or the seasonality of her charges. As @Michael Baum suggested, the amount of work doesn't change with the seasons, nor does the length of stay, as @Theresa Harris mentioned.

    My question is... in order to compete with lower total trip costs from other listings (often resulting from lower cleaning fees), should I eat a part of the cleaning fee in order to have a lower total trip cost? Obviously, lowering the fee and raising the rate is an option but that feels a little bit like spinning my wheels.

    At some point, if I'm dropping my rates far enough to compensate for a high cleaning fee, we get into the conversation of "is it even worth it to rent it at this rate and risk property damage, 4 star review, etc".


     How many bookings do you think you are losing to those only wanting to stay for 1-2 nights or worded differently, are you getting enough of the longer bookings to cover your costs?  I'd offer a discount for those who stay longer (eg weekly rate that is slightly less than 7 days).  The shorter stays also costs you and you have to deal with more people.

    0Reply
  • Sarah KensingerPro Member
    Real Estate Consultant · OH · Member since 2023 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y

    If your property would still be comparable to the market, just wrap part of the cleaning fee into the nightly rate. You shouldn't shallow any of the clean fee and then it also helps for those one- or two-night stays.

    [email protected]330-557-3021
    0Reply
  • Kate Stoermer
    Real Estate Consultant · Ann Arbor, MI · Member since 2023 · 85 posts · 93 votes
    2y

    If you have a good cleaner, your business is going to have the ability to be successful. Make sure that cleaner feels valued and valuable.  Unless there is a demonstrable reduction in the amount of work being done per turn, why would they take less?  For one of my properties, the cleaning fee drops in off season a little bit, reflecting a reduced scope of work - namely the outdoor patios and pool. That's in the contract.  But good cleaners save the day many times over and I'd resist sending any message to my cleaner that they are less than a valued member of the team.  To the problem you are trying to solve - when we compete on price alone, its a race to the bottom.  Make sure your listing stands out and highlight the value to maximize low season opportunities and justify your total pricing. 

    1Reply
  • Stella Payton
    Member since 2022 · 1 post · 2 votes
    2y

    Consider the following:
    1) Cleaning up behind people in a way that makes a house feel new EVERY time is hard work.
    2) Do you have good ratings on the cleanliness of your space? Do you want her also to reduce the quality of her cleaning? Reduce her pay and you could lose that.
    3) Does she provide her own cleaning supplies? Those cost have increased by 30 to 50% in some cases. A$4 gallon of Clorox is now $11 at Home Depot. Are you willing to chip in and pay for some of the supplies?
    4) She has a cleaning crew. You are asking them to take a pay cut. She has to pay them an hourly rate as well. Most likely these are women raising children on what translates to $10 to $15 per hour. A loaf of bread is $7.
    The last thing you want to do is lose a great cleaning person over $25. Absorb the fee yourself. Let guests know you aim for a 5 star cleaning experience and that costs a little more. Pay your cleaning crew a fair wage. $25 barely feeds a family of four a cheap meal.
    The reason you have these guests is because you have HER! Dont risk that relationship penny pinching.

    2Reply
  • Matthew Paul
    Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    2y

    Sounds like you need to raise your rates . 

    Or if things are that slow in the off season , shut it down , if the rent is canceled out by the cleaning , you are still losing money , electric and wear and tear . 

    1Reply
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