I don't have dust allergies, so I can't commiserate on that front. But I have to ask, how did your condo get so moldy and dirty if the previous guests were only gone three days?? It sounds like your cleaner hasn't been doing his job for a while. Good that he's gone.

I'm still shaking my head at the painter story.

Think I read somewhere that mold is a huge problem in Hawaii and will sprout up in days???

I have dust mite allergies, so I feel for you. My current housekeeper isn’t doing really well on that front even though I have told them several times to pay close attention to ALL surfaces, especially in our bedroom and bath.

Anyway, having spent a lot of time in hotels and condos in both Florida and Hawaii, I can understand your frustration. It’s importantly keep the mold at bay.

It was nice of DS to let the cleaners in and out, but I wonder if a small part time job might be given to someone whose only work would be to let cleaners in and out and to be aware of exactly what you expect and notify you (while they are still there) if the work falls below your expectations when they are fixing to leave?

I tried "helping" on the bathroom forum, people hired contractors to do their remodel....and it was just "unbelievable" the terrible work that was done. Everyone advised the WHOLE thing should be ripped out....and .....honestly....THAT was the only solution. I kept trying to calm everyone down...total pandemonium and hate.....

Hiring others....to do a job right..in a timely manner......it's a rarity if you get exactly what you want!

In my experience, paying top dollar doesn't always insure top quality, but low quality is much more likely with a low price relative to other competing bids or options.

The cleaner in Maui returned your Christmas tip? Wasn't that in appreciation for past work done, with which you've been happy? I'd think that you'd just not tip him this Christmas (of course). In any case, so sorry that you've had these frustrations. I understand, and have experienced, how difficult it can be to work with contractors.

aok -- Oh, yes. The Maui cleaner's work had to have been going downhill for a while, but I didn't know it. He'd been so good for so long that when ONE guest complained about a broken lamp and some sandy beach chairs in September, I thought they were 'bargaining'. They complained, but said they'd like to return. All my other guests rated the condo 'clean', right though Christmas. I'd put that down to first-time visitors falling in love with Maui -- given what we found a few days after they'd left.

When I said I sensed mold, I have to admit that I am super-sensitive to mold and dust. It didn't *look* all that bad, except for the woven wood slider shades that DH and I washed from top to bottom with bleach water. They were mostly just dirty on the bottom half of the interior sides -- dirt + humidity + heat inside the condo when it's closed up between guests. Exterior sides were fine; they get a sun bath every day. These have a rough surface that needs to be vacuumed regularly -- actually a big improvement on fabric drapes.

Elmer -- I'm not sure what you are saying. On Maui the rate for a 1BR 2Bath at Maui Kamaole is pretty standardized -- now $100 per cleanout. Sometimes the cleaner can be in and out in under two hours after a 'clean guest'. I have also seen a cleaner haul hundreds of beer bottles to the dumpster.

The painting company is charging over $10K, to paint about a third of the interior --with a third down. I did hold back $2K until we actually *saw* the job.

Re: Painters. Since I missed seeing family on Easter, they came here yesterday for brunch -- and to let me 'measure and mark' the kids' growth on the back of the hall closet door. My smart DIL discovered more painting mistakes. Dry-wallers were to have repaired a floor to ceiling corner taping in the laundry area, but they only did so down TO the dryer -- and nobody painted the 'el' that is behind and beside the washer and dryer.

I had been telling DH that I thought the kitchen and eating area walls looked 'greenish'. DIL noted that the top four inches of wall -- brushed on -- were indeed "BM San Diego Cream", but that the roller guys evidently only gave the rest of the walls one coat (over the preexisting light GREEN).

I thought I was going to have to sedate my DH!

This painting company has been in business for twenty years, with a good reputation. They were very accommodating about supplying color boards to help me select paint. The bid was somewhat higher than two others, but not by a lot.

Suzieque -- The Maui cleaner insisted on returning the tip. He knew his crew's work had become shoddy. He knew I suffered a sinus infection *because* he and his crew failed to do the deep clean. They'd been receiving full pay for poor work for at least the last part of 2017, best I can guess.

*The Cleaner* is KEY to running a vacation rental, -- especially because I advertise ours as having "Many Happy Returns". If we'd been guests, we would NEVER return after this winter's visit. I don't know how many 2017 guests will feel the same.

If you're concerned about returning guests (those who might not return because of less than stellar cleaning) could you take a page from your cleaner's book and refund some small portion of the rent your guests paid? With a note that you discovered the cleaners were not doing the job as well as they should have and you feel they are entitled to some of their money back? Not sure if it would be worth doing that, or what it would cost you, but to help ensure returns? I think the good will would make me want to come back, even if I'd decided I wouldn't because of the condition of the place.

chisue, my low cost-low quality comment was a response to what NIcole said. For cleaning my house, we tired of the poor quality of a just below market rate individual. We dumped her and hired a well regarded company operation in her place, at nearly double the cost. Double the cost seems to get us triple the work so it's more than worth it.