Thermostats & Booking.com

Thermostats & Booking.com

Member since 2022 · 529 posts · 413 votes

Combining several prior threads, not necessarily saying that they are related but...

Thermostats-recently someone asked if we lock thermostats.  I hadn't but do include a minimum of 69 in my Welcome Guide.  Reason being - I'm in SWFL and replaced one of my AC units last summer because it froze from a contractor running it with all the windows open in the summer.  My HVAC company recommendation was above 70.  Today, I checked my thermostat in all 3 units.  I normally don't do this but 2 are vacant and was making sure the AC was set at my standard 76.  The guest in the occupied unit had the AC set to 50 DEGREES!  The only reason it reset to 74 is because a guest must have put that on a schedule for Sunday otherwise it would have been a solid 50 the entire time.  Basically, from the moment they got there, almost 4 days ago!  It shows the AC running 24 hours every day!  Photo for a visual...

-This is my first Booking.Com guest in some time.  I generally have great guests as I have said on here before.  Maybe 2 or 3 in the 9 years I've had vacation rentals guests I would want to rent to again.  I have found BDC guests a bit needy and they don't communicate but nothing like this.  

I am not looking forward to getting my electric bill this month.  What is wrong with people?  Does anyone actually set an AC to 50 in their own home?  And yes, I see that people have been setting it below my recommended 69 previously, well, now I am locking it.  I hate to be one of those hosts...

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Josh SedivyBusiness Member
St. Louis, MO · Member since 2024 · 134 posts · 55 votes
1y

Lock the thermostat to prevent damage and high bills. Just add a quick note in the guide so guests know it’s set for comfort and system health. Most people will understand.

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  • Collin HaysBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    1y

    I own 5 properties and have never had programmable thermostats. I've never had that much of an issue. I don't really want to know what all is going on at my places - it would drive me crazy to keep an eye on all of that.

  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    1y

    I put Honeywell 9000series color touchscreens thermostats in all my STR'S for this reason!

  • JD MartinBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
    1y
    Quote from @Patricia Andriolo-Bull:

    Combining several prior threads, not necessarily saying that they are related but...

    Thermostats-recently someone asked if we lock thermostats.  I hadn't but do include a minimum of 69 in my Welcome Guide.  Reason being - I'm in SWFL and replaced one of my AC units last summer because it froze from a contractor running it with all the windows open in the summer.  My HVAC company recommendation was above 70.  Today, I checked my thermostat in all 3 units.  I normally don't do this but 2 are vacant and was making sure the AC was set at my standard 76.  The guest in the occupied unit had the AC set to 50 DEGREES!  The only reason it reset to 74 is because a guest must have put that on a schedule for Sunday otherwise it would have been a solid 50 the entire time.  Basically, from the moment they got there, almost 4 days ago!  It shows the AC running 24 hours every day!  Photo for a visual...

    -This is my first Booking.Com guest in some time.  I generally have great guests as I have said on here before.  Maybe 2 or 3 in the 9 years I've had vacation rentals guests I would want to rent to again.  I have found BDC guests a bit needy and they don't communicate but nothing like this.  

    I am not looking forward to getting my electric bill this month.  What is wrong with people?  Does anyone actually set an AC to 50 in their own home?  And yes, I see that people have been setting it below my recommended 69 previously, well, now I am locking it.  I hate to be one of those hosts...


     And that's just a perfect illustration of why we have remote, lockable thermostats in our Florida property. Stupidity. Yes, your electric bill is going to suck but what sucks even more than high electric bills is HVAC repairs. 

    I have the Google Nest learning thermostats. They're excellent. Even if I forget to turn it up during vacancies, it does it for me when it senses there's no one around. I can see the same kind of report as what you have there. The only downside to it is having to change from summer to winter as far as the ranges. It does have a "heat+cool" option that should prevent me from having to mess with it, but you can't set separate ranges so whatever your range is for cooling is going to be locked for heat as well. 

    As far as people: I was meeting our window contractor at one of our units today to go over some windows they are going to be replacing between tenants. The tenant had almost every window open with the screens, and the AC unit going as well. 

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

    We see this happen quite often.  Definitely lock and monitor otherwise they will freeze it up constantly in FL

  • Josh SedivyBusiness Member
    St. Louis, MO · Member since 2024 · 134 posts · 55 votes
    1y

    Lock the thermostat to prevent damage and high bills. Just add a quick note in the guide so guests know it’s set for comfort and system health. Most people will understand.

  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    1y

    My thermostat isn't lockable to my knowledge but the app does let me know when things are awry like too much humidity or the temps out of range that I set so I can go and adjust them myself.

  • Collin HaysBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    1y

    Just had another one star review on a property where the owner has the thermostat locked on 75 degrees.  I believe this is three such reviews. He's toast. Might as well sell and buy a bass boat.  

    • Member since 2022 · 529 posts · 413 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Collin Hays:

      Just had another one star review on a property where the owner has the thermostat locked on 75 degrees.  I believe this is three such reviews. He's toast. Might as well sell and buy a bass boat.  


       Is that for AC or heat?  My range is now set (and locked) from 68 - 76.  As much as I don't want the AC below 68, I also don't want it above 76 to prevent mold and mildew.

    • Collin HaysBusiness Member
      Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
      1y
      Quote from @Patricia Andriolo-Bull:
      Quote from @Collin Hays:

      Just had another one star review on a property where the owner has the thermostat locked on 75 degrees.  I believe this is three such reviews. He's toast. Might as well sell and buy a bass boat.  


       Is that for AC or heat?  My range is now set (and locked) from 68 - 76.  As much as I don't want the AC below 68, I also don't want it above 76 to prevent mold and mildew.


       A/C.  

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