Renting A Villa For 3 Months

[H2oDunc]

Greetings all. I have rented places around Thailand and other places in the world many times. Each time I have always expected to pay for the electricity and the water. Never has this been free especially on the islands around Thailand. We have a water capture system in the house that collects the rain and stores it in a 80,000 litre tank under the house and a smaller 20,000 litre tank under the carport. The smaller tank is above the house so water is transferred automatically to the smaller tank as the levels drop to give a head of pressure in case of no electricity. With the rain we have been having lately both tanks have been full to overflowing. We had some guests rent the place and though I was only expecting 4 adults and 2 children it turned out to be 8 adults and 2 children. Within less than a week both tanks had been emptied which then means we have to truck the water up the mountain at 600 baht per 6000 litres. We have been averaging 5 trucks a week. When I mentioned the fact that they would need to be paying for this they seemed to think this was some kind of rip off ? <deleted>!!!!They would only have been paying for the water at cost so no added bills etc.

Just me or what ?

Is expecting them to pay for their water excessive considering the amount they were using ?

[smokie36]

Pointing out the number of extra guests and showing the receipt for the water paid should have left them satisfied. But then some people never are....are they?

[H2oDunc]

The owner who is a very reasonable guy was prepared to pay the water had their usage been average but they are going through it like crazy. Looking on the internet it says the average adult will use 100 litres a day ? We have gone through 30,000 in a week

[smokie36]

Maybe they'll be a bit more sensible...ie switching off the taps etc.......that is just insane.....sounds as if they just left something running all week long!!

[joe84330]

hell yes they'd get the bill.

[itishothere]

Do they smell really, really clean?

Daily water usage in the UK is about 150 l a day but over here with more cooling showers? Maybe double that? Either way they seem to be using an excessive amount! And I guess what you are used to when it comes to renting is important. Water is often included in some countries, so too electricity. And what they were told in any rental agreement they had is also relevant.

I would charge them; but not too sure how to go about it in a friendly way.

[NHJ]

i would inspect the tank first to see if there's no leak, if there's no leak you have to warn them about their water consumption and tell them you'll rationalize the use of water to xxx amount of liters per day or charge them for what they use.

to rationalize them, a truck of 6000 liters should last 4 days

[BigC]

this is why i have in the contract that they can only have a maxmum amount of people. u could evcit them for having too many people in.

Just give it too them straight. why should you pay for there water if they dn't like it then they can leave but u can keep there deposit.

I have some sample contracts that you cna modify if u want me to send them to you.

Basically i take 1 month deposit up front. if the customers start to mess me around then i swallow there deposit and kicke them out.

on the other hand if they respect the place and don;t give me too many head aches then i help them more than normal.

some people really doo try to take the right piss out herebascially i give it back if they start up.

[tonititan]

Does it say anything about water in the contract? For example, does it say that water is included?

Similarly, does it say anything about how many people will be staying there?

[Gatorade]

The owner who is a very reasonable guy was prepared to pay the water had their usage been average but they are going through it like crazy. Looking on the internet it says the average adult will use 100 litres a day ? We have gone through 30,000 in a week

Hey Dunc, if they are so wasteful with the water, I would sure as hell be checking the AC/Electric!!

[BigC]

Does it say anything about water in the contract? For example, does it say that water is included?

Similarly, does it say anything about how many people will be staying there?

good point. if you havent said anything about water in the contract. just tell them to get there own water !

give them the number for the truck then tell them to order themselves then they connot accuse u of ripping them off. they might not waste as much.

or set the amount of litres that u r prepared to give for free each month then anything over they can order themselves.

they are taking the piss by having too many people in there.

i have maxmum people in the contract. Its your house u have to protect it cause some people r under the illsussion that if it is rented then they can take the piss . if they do then u cn do it back.

think that to be fair give them that tank per month then anything over they can order themselves.

in all fairness 80 000 litres should last about 6 months

Edited January 2, 2011 by BigC

[tonititan]

think that to be fair give them that tank per month then anything over they can order themselves.

I think that's fair too, but in my opinion, it all depends on what's on the contract. If it's for 4 adults and they have 8, then they have broken the contract. But if the number of people isn't specified (or no maximum is indicated) and it says water is included, well, it's a bit hard to go back on that now in the middle of the rental (lesson learned for next time?). I can understand the OP's frustration, but at the same time, I'm looking at it from the renter's perspective. If I was staying in a hotel or villa that said "electric & water provided," then all of a sudden the owner told me that I'd have to pay for utilities because I was using a lot, I'd also be thinking, <deleted>? I'd probably think I was being treated unfairly as well. Especially if it didn't seem like I was being excessive.....I'd think it was one of those many Thailand rip-offs.

OP, have you talked to them to figure out what they are using all the water for?

[LaoPo]

....8 adults and 2 kids used 80+20.000 litres = 100.000 litres in less than a week?

I've never heard anything alike; how did they do that ? ..are you sure you had 100.000 litres when they arrived ?

LaoPo

[Carib]

First make sure the problem is not on your side, like a leak or running/open garden taps whatever.

If not, talk to them, tell them that the water usage is ridiculously high by any standard, and they will have to pay for it themselves, if they refuse, give them the number of the water delivery guys and let them handle it themselves.

[John 1]

Unless it's stated in the contract that they pay for electricity and water I would say it's your responsibility same with the number of people in the house it's for you to control. No good complaining you need to take the good with the bad.

[H2oDunc]

Unless it's stated in the contract that they pay for electricity and water I would say it's your responsibility same with the number of people in the house it's for you to control. No good complaining you need to take the good with the bad.

I'm sorry but I certainly do not have to take the good with the bad. Maybe you can rent them a place ?

They have now to find a replacement 5 bedroomed pool villa for the ridiculous price they got this one for at the busiest time of the year.

[koheesti]

I've never heard of paying for water when renting a place short time (how long are these 10 people renting it?). That should be included in the rent like all other utilities. I mean, they'll be gone before the final bill comes that's why you include it in the rent. That said, it appears something is wrong with so much water being used (with a leak or they are watering the hillside). You can always tell them with that water comes only once a month, sorry with a smile, TIT and all that.

Edited January 3, 2011 by koheesti

[wasas]

Unless it's stated in the contract that they pay for electricity and water I would say it's your responsibility same with the number of people in the house it's for you to control. No good complaining you need to take the good with the bad.

I'm sorry but I certainly do not have to take the good with the bad. Maybe you can rent them a place ?

They have now to find a replacement 5 bedroomed pool villa for the ridiculous price they got this one for at the busiest time of the year.

how long have you been in thailand, you should expect these type of problems,

[LaoPo]

....8 adults and 2 kids used 80+20.000 litres = 100.000 litres in less than a week?

I've never heard anything alike; how did they do that ? ..are you sure you had 100.000 litres when they arrived ?

LaoPo

Repeated questions and no answers yet...?

Did you check the pool, meaning if there is a leak but you have an automated water-filling system so you don't (didn't) notice the leak yet; could the problem be there?

I have rented out and been in pool villa's my whole life -all over the world- but never seen such an excessive 100.000 litres usage in less than a week; not even in villa's with 10+ people.

There must be another reason or a combination of reasons for this kind of water usage.

LaoPo

[wasas]

Unless it's stated in the contract that they pay for electricity and water I would say it's your responsibility same with the number of people in the house it's for you to control. No good complaining you need to take the good with the bad.

I'm sorry but I certainly do not have to take the good with the bad. Maybe you can rent them a place ?

They have now to find a replacement 5 bedroomed pool villa for the ridiculous price they got this one for at the busiest time of the year.

Another family or two, that probably wont be coming back to samui ever again, probably go home and say farangs ripping us off,

I,m not saying you did, but it was up to you to have the contract written out properly, and when extra people turned up,you should have sorted out that problem, maybe charged more.

2 families conplaining to others about samui, could possibly lead to 10 or twenty families not coming to samui.

well done, just what samui needs

[tonititan]

Another family or two, that probably wont be coming back to samui ever again, probably go home and say farangs ripping us off,

I,m not saying you did, but it was up to you to have the contract written out properly, and when extra people turned up,you should have sorted out that problem, maybe charged more.

2 families conplaining to others about samui, could possibly lead to 10 or twenty families not coming to samui.

well done, just what samui needs

Exactly. This family probably feels just at jilted as the OP, especially if their vacation is ruined by the villa owner kicking them out for doing something "wrong" that wasn't even addressed in the contract (presumably.....the OP has apparently declined to answer any of the questions we've asked about the contract, so I'm assuming that the terms were not clearly laid out).

I am actually in the process of researching & booking a villa right now. Not in Samui, thank god! No chance of it being this place. One of my main deciding factors has been feedback from previous guests. Bad reviews means I don't even add the villa to my short list....not worth taking the risk in case the complaints are true. Great reviews means the villa goes to the top of my list. Fancy websites and descriptions can say anything they want.....guest reviews say it all.

[joe84330]

Another family or two, that probably wont be coming back to samui ever again, probably go home and say farangs ripping us off,

I,m not saying you did, but it was up to you to have the contract written out properly, and when extra people turned up,you should have sorted out that problem, maybe charged more.

2 families conplaining to others about samui, could possibly lead to 10 or twenty families not coming to samui.

well done, just what samui needs

Exactly. This family probably feels just at jilted as the OP, especially if their vacation is ruined by the villa owner kicking them out for doing something "wrong" that wasn't even addressed in the contract (presumably.....the OP has apparently declined to answer any of the questions we've asked about the contract, so I'm assuming that the terms were not clearly laid out).

I am actually in the process of researching & booking a villa right now. Not in Samui, thank god! No chance of it being this place. One of my main deciding factors has been feedback from previous guests. Bad reviews means I don't even add the villa to my short list....not worth taking the risk in case the complaints are true. Great reviews means the villa goes to the top of my list. Fancy websites and descriptions can say anything they want.....guest reviews say it all.

pretty shortsighted. can't see the forest for the trees. nobody booked his nice 5 BR villa on the west coast with private pool and sea views without sending an email stating the number of guests. they certainly didn't randomly show up in this area.

would only take a sensible person 10 seconds on a site like for an example an advisor for trips to see the number of bogus property reviews that vault an unacceptable and reputation burning property to the top of the list to realize that reviews are a minor factor in the purchase process.

debate hypothetical numbers (total guests, total water usage, etc.) all day and twice on sunday but you weren't involved in either the buying or selling process so if you want to play devils advocate at least use a credible argument because i'm told i need a few hundred more posts to be able to access the full features of this website and i could stand a good argument to help me get there.

[smokie36]

Another family or two, that probably wont be coming back to samui ever again, probably go home and say farangs ripping us off,

I,m not saying you did, but it was up to you to have the contract written out properly, and when extra people turned up,you should have sorted out that problem, maybe charged more.

2 families conplaining to others about samui, could possibly lead to 10 or twenty families not coming to samui.

well done, just what samui needs

Exactly. This family probably feels just at jilted as the OP, especially if their vacation is ruined by the villa owner kicking them out for doing something "wrong" that wasn't even addressed in the contract (presumably.....the OP has apparently declined to answer any of the questions we've asked about the contract, so I'm assuming that the terms were not clearly laid out).

I am actually in the process of researching & booking a villa right now. Not in Samui, thank god! No chance of it being this place. One of my main deciding factors has been feedback from previous guests. Bad reviews means I don't even add the villa to my short list....not worth taking the risk in case the complaints are true. Great reviews means the villa goes to the top of my list. Fancy websites and descriptions can say anything they want.....guest reviews say it all.

pretty shortsighted. can't see the forest for the trees. nobody booked his nice 5 BR villa on the west coast with private pool and sea views without sending an email stating the number of guests. they certainly didn't randomly show up in this area.

would only take a sensible person 10 seconds on a site like for an example an advisor for trips to see the number of bogus property reviews that vault an unacceptable and reputation burning property to the top of the list to realize that reviews are a minor factor in the purchase process.

debate hypothetical numbers (total guests, total water usage, etc.) all day and twice on sunday but you weren't involved in either the buying or selling process so if you want to play devils advocate at least use a credible argument because i'm told i need a few hundred more posts to be able to access the full features of this website and i could stand a good argument to help me get there.

I've learnt to pay close attention to the negative reviews. If they are concise precise and balanced then I tend to believe. Otherwise I discard along with superb reviews. Personally I only comment on things that are especially good singularly...and if the whole experience is bad I will slate it properly.

A fine balancing act but mostly who can be bothered usually?

[nocturn]

our water tanks on phangan last about 2 weeks.

That is the amount i provide for a rental, if they burn through it in 3 days, they get a bill.