Q. I own a holiday cottage in Padstow in Cornwall.
Sometimes I let the cottage, at other times I allow friends to stay there. I employ a local cleaning agency to come in on Monday mornings to clean up after each occupancy and get it ready for the incoming parties. My problem is that recently a great friend of mine, who is very fastidious, stayed in the cottage and informed me that she had left the place spotless on her departure — yet I still had the usual bill from the cleaning agency. It now occurs to me that other occupants may be equally fastidious, but since I live in London I have no means of checking. How can I avoid being had for a mug, Mary?
B.T., London W12 A. The cleaning ladies are only human. You cannot expect them to set aside a morning in which to generate some income and then walk away without charging if there is no work to be done. You must bite the bullet and cough up. I recommend that you increase your rental by a tenner or so, to make it easier for you to shoulder this burden more philosophically.
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