Housekeeping
"It's about the experience. To us, that is heavily influenced by the space itself and the people who created it, and ultimately, how it makes you feel."
GUEST ARRIVAL
Luxury Coastal Escapes will ensure that the house is clean & ready for guests' arrival.
The following will be supplied and included in the holiday rental to ensure your arrival is comfortable: Bedding, towels, toilet paper, sunlight liquid, dishwasher tablets, refuse bags and basic cleaning equipment will be supplied during your stay, however, we do ask that guests supply their own washing powder and fabric softener for personal items.
Our self-catering homes come fully equipped with essential amenities to make your stay comfortable and convenient. Each home is stocked with kitchen essentials such as cookware, utensils, and dinnerware. While we don't provide daily supplies of braai spice, salt & pepper, sugar, coffee, and milk to accommodate individual preferences.
Please note that personal care items like body wash and sunscreen are not included, allowing guests the freedom to use their preferred products during their stay.
HOUSEKEEPERS DUTIES
Housekeepers handle light cleaning needed for the upkeep of your holiday home.
Typically they'll tidy living rooms, kitchen, halls and bathrooms, sweep, mop floors, make beds, and empty trash.
They will wash dishes in the morning and again before they go off. Bedrooms will be tidied in the morning.
The staff are key to a successful holiday and the efficient running of your holiday home, please treat them with the utmost respect at all times. We will not tolerate our staff being treated badly.
Please Note: there will be scheduled visits from contracted pool service and gardeners. These visits are essential to ensure that the amenities and outdoor spaces are in top condition for your enjoyment. The pool service and gardeners will have limited access to the yard area during specific times.
Regretfully our staff are unable to babysit, wash cars, do shopping/unpack shopping or anything besides their designated duties.
STAFF WORKING HOURS
Housekeeping is included 7 days a week Monday - Friday from 8:00 - 14:00 - unless otherwise stated on listing.
and also Saturday & Sunday from 8:00 - 12:00 - unless otherwise stated on listing.
Public Holidays are an extra cost and optional, rates below per staff member, per shift:
Public Holidays: R440.00 per day, from 8:00 - 14:00
All House-Staff, Housekeepers, Caretakers or Gardeners do not work on Easter Sunday or Christmas Day.
Should guests feel that they don't need a housekeeper during their stay they may choose to send the staff home at any time, however, the staff fees are non-refundable and guests will not be refunded for the shifts the staff was meant to work.
OVERTIME
Overtime and additional weekend shifts must be arranged in advance. Should the staff member not live on the property they will need to arrange for transport accordantly in advance.
Any staff that requires to work after 14:00 during the week, overtime will be charged to the following per staff member, per hour:
Overtime at R90 per hour, for the first 3 hours (from 14:00 until 17:00)
R170 per hour after 17:00 until 20:00 (not allowed to work after 20:00)
Please note that the overtime rates are non-negotiable.
All work shifts will include tea/meal breaks.
According to the legislation, domestic workers should work no more than 45 hours a week, and should not work more than nine hours a day if they work a five-day week, or more than eight hours a day if they work for more than five days a week.
LAUNDRY
Two FREE Loads of laundry per day, included in your rental from Monday until Friday - washing and folding only, Staff are not permitted to iron.
Please supply your own laundry washing detergent - powder/liquid & fabric softener for your personal washing.
If guests need to iron an item, an iron and ironing board will be available unless you come to some sort of arrangement with the housekeeper to do ironing at an extra cost. This will be at your own risk!
While the Housekeepers are experienced we accept no liability for any damage they may cause to your property when providing personal services. If you have delicate or expensive clothing items, please advise the Housekeepers of this when requesting their services.
For any extra loads of washing - additional to your two loads of washing per day at, R90.00 per load, for wash and fold only.
TOWELS & BEDDING
Swimming & Bath towels will be washed every 3rd day, included in the rental.
Bed linen will be changed once a week, also included in the rental.
Any additional changes or if you get visitors sleeping over, the extra linen change will be charged as an extra R170.00 per bed for washing and ironing.
Children that accidentally get sick/wet their beds will also be charged R170.00 for linen change.
The mattresses will be professionally cleaned and sanitised after your departure. This will be claimed from the holding/breakage deposit.
ADDITIONAL HOUSEKEEPING COSTS BREAKDOWN
R440 per day for public Holidays shifts from 8:00 until 14:00
R390 per day for additional weekend shifts on Saturday and/or Sunday from 8:00 until 12:00 (if not included 7 days a week)
R 90 per hour overtime after 14:00 until 17:00
R170 per hour after 17:00 until 20:00 (not allowed to work after 20:00)
R170 Extra bed change
R 90 Extra laundry per load, washing and folding
Please note that the rates are non-negotiable and we strongly suggest that guests keep track of overtime and laundry costs before departure to avoid misunderstanding with the house staff.
OVERTIME PAYMENT
Before Check-out, any additional fees (overtime, additional laundry, tips etc.) must be paid directly to each staff member.
Please ensure that you pay the staff directly in cash before departure.
Should you fail to pay in full, this will be deducted from your holding/breakage deposit.
MAINTENANCE
Any maintenance issues need to be reported to the housekeeper or you can reach out to our team.
TIPPING GUIDELINES
Remember that tipping is always your choice, it is never mandatory. The objective is to give you all the information you need to make an informed decision. From the staff perspective, many of whom have minimal education, come from overlooked, under-resourced communities and are the only breadwinners in their family, tips are not only a welcome supplement to their income but also a source of pride and motivation in their work.
Your tip is personal. It is not just a ‘thank-you’. It is a reflection of how the person has cared for you and ensured your holiday experience is one you will cherish. You are contributing to a staff member's sense of self pride, motivation and ease of living. Generally, tips are given to workers who are not ‘professionals’ in the sense that they haven’t necessarily had significant tertiary education to qualify for a specific job. Most importantly, if you decide to tip, do so with a happy heart and the knowledge that you are making a huge difference in the life of someone to whom your tip means an enormous amount in terms of self pride, job satisfaction and ease of living.
It is customary to leave R70 - R90 per person, per day for housekeeping.
