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The Host and that stain on the ceiling...
There is that part of the work that is rarely told.
It is not the one of keys handed over with a smile, happy guests or five-star reviews.
It is the one that begins when you look up... and see a stain on the ceiling.
Small at first. Then a little wider. Always there, above the bed.
The rigmarole begins: take a photo. Write to the administrator. You call. Send another photo. Then a PEC. Then another call. And as always, the answer is vague: "Yes, we know... but there is a complicated situation above. The ownership is blocked by unfinished business. We will have to wait'
Then, suddenly, something seems to move.
They come to see the stain. Once, then another.
The administrator arrives, then the builders, then the insurer. They come back as a group. They check, assess, take measurements. They seem ready to intervene.
They tell you they will do some work.
You ask for confirmation, you enquire, you try to find out if the leak really has been fixed.
They say yes. Or so it seems.
Then you move.
You organise yourself to fix the ceiling.
Call someone, get a coat of white.
You tell yourself that it's over, that it can all end there. That that halo on the ceiling is finally just a memory.
But no.
After a few days, the stain reappears.
Same area. Same subtle discomfort.
Like a scar that won't heal. And each time it reminds you that the promised cure was just a patch.
You find yourself juggling between the building manager and the guests
You take care of everything else: impeccable cleanliness, cosy atmosphere, every detail in its place.
Because even if it is not up to you, the responsibility ultimately lies with you.
When renting also means mediating, waiting, suffering
Those who think renting is easy, or that it is all profit, often do not see these things.
- the administrator's unread messages,
- the answers that come once in three times, when they come,
- phone calls made with patience,
- conciliation attempts,
- months when nothing changes,
- the percentages you leave to OTAs, often between 15% and 20%,
- management costs by property managers, ranging from 20% to 30%,
- the taxation on rents, which can go up to 26% with the cedolare secca,
- people you pay to replace you when you simply cannot be there in person.
Running a home is not just a matter of cleaning and hospitality.
It is a chain of decisions, delegation, trust, constant presence. Even when you are far away. Even when you are out of sight.
And so... how do you turn an unexpected event into an opportunity to tell how much care there is, even behind a limitation?
Honestly? I don't know...
Or at least... I don't think there is a single, absolute recipe.
For now, I chose to leave a note on the bedside table.
A simple, personal message.
I explain that we are aware of the problem, that we are sincerely sorry and that we are doing everything we can to solve it.
Because those who arrive must feel welcomed, not abandoned in front of a misplaced detail.
If you have experienced something similar, or if you can think of an alternative that might work, or speed up the solution... Write to me in the comments.
Comparison and networking are the best thing we can build.
Thank you for reading the whole article.
