Cleaning Fee for holiday rental

Hi, I booking a house for 5 people for the long weekend and got contract today which included a fee for cleaning the house afterwards. I have never seen this, is this normal?
Also a deposit of 60% is due and then the full rental is due one month before we stay there. The cleaning fee is taken out of the deposit. I wouldn't even talk about the cancellation fees!
Obviously the owners has been burned before and is protecting themselves but I feel that I have no protection I paying out the full value of the rental plus an additional 60% of the rental for the deposit.
Any advice will be great appreciated

We have a holiday rental and I am familiar with this.Some owners do look for an end of stay cleaning fee. Others charge for linen, electricity etc. They can feel it lowers their initial price and so may lead to more bookings. Personally I dont agree with this policy. Cancellation fees are widespread as owners may have a short season. Most will return funds if they obtain another bookings following cancellations. Some rental sites provide a money back guaranteee if the property does not exist.

Sounds like in the deflated holiday market you could get another booking without such onerous conditions. People who rent out property should pay for routine cleaning for themselves. I would leave it if I were you and look for another booking.

I agree with declanja. Most times cleaning fee is incorporated into the price of the rental. I would like to say though that maybe they are charging an extra cleaning fee as they have been burned before.
We have a the property cleaned after each guest and laundry sent out etc, (which is included in the rental price).
I've been renting for a few years now and the only time the place has been left really filthy is by Irish people. Leaving their rubbish strewn around the back of the garden instead of prepaid bags provided. Breaking items, writing on the walls (adults not children). Leaving dirty dishes pots all over the house, when a dishwasher is provided. Taking DVD's, books. games home with them (that have been provided to enjoy while you stay not take home).
This is obviously a small minority but I know it discourages some people in the area where our holiday home is from renting to Irish people when they could rent to a German or American Family for slightly less money and have the peace of mind that the guests will leave the property as they find it.

We have not had this experience. We have had plenty of Irish guests without a problem. My advise is to google for accommodation whever you are going. There probably will be the choice of different rental terms from different owners. Enjoy!

I have come across this in Italy booking an apartment.

I gave them an ultimatum. I would pay the rent due and their little racket could go where I cant say.
They soon made an exception 'just for us'. Some of these people live in the dark ages where they dictate terms to the 'proles' as they see it.
Send them a reality check as a cleaning fee..

We have a holiday rental too and the cleaning and linen fee is built into the price. However if someone books for two weeks and wants cleaning and fresh linen during the two weeks there's an extra charge.

We always look for a hefty deposit- about 50%- because the season is very short- basically in Ireland your season is two months and if someone cancels at short notice it's a large loss. Then the deposit is forfeited in theory ( in reality sometimes people cancel for reasons beyond their control and I would refund out of sympathy).

When we go on holidays we usually stay in a self catering apt too, and the one we usually stay in has an extra linen and cleaning fee ( per week, even if you stay three weeks and the linen isn't changed, they charge you for the 'rent' of the linen per week). You can't call it a racket if you know the charges up front and accept them.

www.holiday-rentals.co.uk have a guarantee scheme where you can register your bookings. Last year there was a major scam wherby non existant villas were being rented through some of the popular websites. People lost their money.

This site also allows you write and read reviews.

There is plenty of accommodation where you don't have to pay a cleaning fee but nearly all will ask for a security deposit. Having said that I have rented lots of places without having to pay either. If there is a manager on site or living locally you may be able to arrange to hand them the security deposit when you arrive and ask for it back as you are leaving. Having to deal with banks, IBAN codes etc and even remembering to ask for your deposit back can be an ordeal.

Our number one son was renting in Santa Ponsa last year. The terms of the rental were that the security deposit would be rerurned after 6 weeks. Six weeks came and went and he had to contact the owner. The usual excuse of we were changing bank accounts or similar was offered for the extra delay in returning the deposit.