how to deal with guest claims maid for stolen item

[BNcruzIng]

Our Inn opens for business for 5 years and we never had one incident of stolen item. One of the guests lost her pair of shoes (she stated it worths 250) and claimed it on our maid and wanted us to pay for her loss. How do you deal with this sort of situation?
Thanks in advance for your advices.

 

[Madeleine]

It's very hard when a guest claims someone has stolen from them at your inn. You trust your housekeeper or you would not have hired her and kept her working for you. That is how you have to explain it to your guest. 'Our housekeeper has been with us a long time and we would not keep her working here if we did not trust her. We will help look for your shoes, but we cannot pay you for the lost shoes.'
Don't say the guest is lying. The shoes are probably in her suitcase or in the car or she left them somewhere, maybe even home. She may not have packed the shoes!
We had a guest accuse us of keeping her diamond earring that she said she lost. She was sure it was still in the room and we were not returning it to her. It made me feel awful, but the guest lost it, not me.

 

[Copperhead]

Used shoes are not an item that anyone would steal. Jewerly, electronics etc., but not used shoes!
I agree with Mattie. Do not state that they are lying but state the integrity of your maid, how long they have worked for you and that there have been no other incidents of this nature. Offer to help them look, tell them you will ask the maid if she recalls seeing the shoes, she could have set them out of the way while cleaning.
It has been pounded in our heads that the customer is always right, but we all know after being in business for awhile that it is not always the case and good employees are hard to come by. Stand up for your employee while trying to be sympathetic.

 

[Generic]

It's very hard when a guest claims someone has stolen from them at your inn. You trust your housekeeper or you would not have hired her and kept her working for you. That is how you have to explain it to your guest. 'Our housekeeper has been with us a long time and we would not keep her working here if we did not trust her. We will help look for your shoes, but we cannot pay you for the lost shoes.'
Don't say the guest is lying. The shoes are probably in her suitcase or in the car or she left them somewhere, maybe even home. She may not have packed the shoes!
We had a guest accuse us of keeping her diamond earring that she said she lost. She was sure it was still in the room and we were not returning it to her. It made me feel awful, but the guest lost it, not me..

I agree. Don't even suggest that it was the help. Help look for it. They likely left it elsewhere. I have a few extra shoes in the house from guests who left us just one.

 

[seashanty]

i am guessing these are designer shoes ... they easily cost $250 a pair. like christian louboutin ... up to over $1000. a pair. not just some old pair of shoes like i wear.
you must stand by your staff.
apparently this is a big problem for larger hotels ... theft of guest property. maybe this is why the guest suspects the worse.
the guest might file a police report or claim for loss against your place. i don't know. but i would not pay money to the guest from my pocket.
let us know what happens.

 

[Flower]

Say something like send me a picture of you wearing the shoes and I will do my darnest to look for them. As I not sure what your shoes look like.
I have had some people leave one shoe here . I keep it for a month then if I have not heard from them then , I throw it out.

 

[Highlands John]

We've had people phone to say they've left mobile phones or jewelery in the rooms, we don't find them and then they phone back and say they've found the item in their suitcase or in the car,......etc.

 

[gillumhouse]

I found a pair of Rebocks under a cot. Kept them for a very long time - no calls and I was not calling them! Same for a really nice jacket left in a closet. It was a shame it was too small for me!
Have had calls about diamond earrings (one lost) and rings - I look and do not find so I figure it is in their luggage and if it was on the floor, it is in my vac bag and I do NOT go there!

 

[JBloggs]

The first thing I would do is wait. Why does she claim the maid took them? Many of us have experienced similar when a guest believes they left somehting here only to find it once they get home.
I would have to implement some sort of a claim form if it was something costly and they are accusing theft.
Sorry this happened to you, not sure what I would do, I would need recpt of the shoes, in the first place, like an insurance company probably would!

 

[Silverspoon]

I agree, stick by your housekeeper. You can regret that they lost this item and suggest that they do a more thorough search of their luggage, but I would not pay them a nickel.
People are always leaving things behind. We have had only one woman who lost a necklace while here and implied that we had taken it. I remember that she was very careless with it, in fact she had it hanging on a mirror on the vanity in the bathroom at one point. Since I am the housekeeper I know for sure that she misplaced it...it was not stolen....and I made that clear. Every other guest who has left something valuable behind has contacted us and we have returned their items. Those items, from shoes to pillows to bathing suits, that don't get claimed are given to the local charity.

 

[Joey Camb]

I found a pair of Rebocks under a cot. Kept them for a very long time - no calls and I was not calling them! Same for a really nice jacket left in a closet. It was a shame it was too small for me!
Have had calls about diamond earrings (one lost) and rings - I look and do not find so I figure it is in their luggage and if it was on the floor, it is in my vac bag and I do NOT go there!.

the weirdest thing was I had a jacket left by the daughter of one of our guests - the daughter lived very close thats why they were staying. We found the jacket rang the parents who said she was going to pop round and get it - never did and that was about 2 years ago - was an expensive jacket.

 

[Proud Texan]

This is what we state in our policies that the guest must agree to before a reservation can be made:
Release
By acceptance of these policies, Guests agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the owners of XYZ Bed and Breakfast, L.L.C. and its representatives from all claims, disputes, litigation, judgments, costs, and attorney fees resulting from loss, damage or injury to Guests and occupants, and licensees of Guests. Owner recommends that Guests obtain and carry insurance to protect personal property.
Guests or their personal property, including vehicles, are not insured by the property owners against loss or damage due to fire, theft, vandalism, rain, water, criminal or negligent acts of others, or any other cause. Please read and understand our policies before making your reservation.

 

[MarieF]

We have a registration form that all of our guests sign upon checking in and one of the things covered by it is that we are not responsible for lost items.

 

[Madeleine]

We have a registration form that all of our guests sign upon checking in and one of the things covered by it is that we are not responsible for lost items..

We have that statement on our registration form as well.

 

[JBloggs]

I found a pair of Rebocks under a cot. Kept them for a very long time - no calls and I was not calling them! Same for a really nice jacket left in a closet. It was a shame it was too small for me!
Have had calls about diamond earrings (one lost) and rings - I look and do not find so I figure it is in their luggage and if it was on the floor, it is in my vac bag and I do NOT go there!.

the weirdest thing was I had a jacket left by the daughter of one of our guests - the daughter lived very close thats why they were staying. We found the jacket rang the parents who said she was going to pop round and get it - never did and that was about 2 years ago - was an expensive jacket.
.

the weirdest thing was I had a jacket left by the daughter of one of our guests - the daughter lived very close thats why they were staying. We found the jacket rang the parents who said she was going to pop round and get it - never did and that was about 2 years ago - was an expensive jacket.

Odd.
...and then there was the old ugly worn out black belt (not comfortable worn like a leather jacket either) that the minister left and had his daughter come by and get for him and post it back. It was one of those items I would never in my wildest dreams consider to post back to anyone, it was nothing unusual, or brand. That was about 10 emails/phone calls to sort it out and then waiting for her and finally a month later with "said belt" in my laundry room I finally called and said "It is out on the porch wicker by the front door, come and get it" She works 2 blocks from here, literally 2 blocks walk.

 

[seashanty]

i had a guest who insisted someone had stolen her designer purse from her room and she all but accused everyone in the place, the chambermaid, the guests, (me?) and actually attempted to get in other guests' rooms to search, trying to push past them as they came out.
she was obnoxious, rude and threatening. i told her she probably left it in the restaurant where she was til they closed the place ... no no no impossible she said. a designer purse, she said. worth hundreds of dollars, she said. with my pills in it, she said.
it turns out she did leave it in the restaurant across the road overnight. they found it under a table in the morning, everything inside as it should have been.
she did not apologize to anyone.
all my guests were upset and angry with her. my chambermaid felt vindicated but just barely. happily, i had defended my chambermaid and did not interrogate her as the guest demanded, nor did i allow the guest to interrogate her.
i met the woman at the door when she marched in holding her purse. she said she was going to come tell me she'd found it so i wouldn't feel guilty.
one of my female guests proclaimed, 'we're so glad you found your fake louis vuitton.' (naughty ... but she deserved it)

 

[Copperhead]

I found a pair of Rebocks under a cot. Kept them for a very long time - no calls and I was not calling them! Same for a really nice jacket left in a closet. It was a shame it was too small for me!
Have had calls about diamond earrings (one lost) and rings - I look and do not find so I figure it is in their luggage and if it was on the floor, it is in my vac bag and I do NOT go there!.

the weirdest thing was I had a jacket left by the daughter of one of our guests - the daughter lived very close thats why they were staying. We found the jacket rang the parents who said she was going to pop round and get it - never did and that was about 2 years ago - was an expensive jacket.
.

the weirdest thing was I had a jacket left by the daughter of one of our guests - the daughter lived very close thats why they were staying. We found the jacket rang the parents who said she was going to pop round and get it - never did and that was about 2 years ago - was an expensive jacket.

Odd.
...and then there was the old ugly worn out black belt (not comfortable worn like a leather jacket either) that the minister left and had his daughter come by and get for him and post it back. It was one of those items I would never in my wildest dreams consider to post back to anyone, it was nothing unusual, or brand. That was about 10 emails/phone calls to sort it out and then waiting for her and finally a month later with "said belt" in my laundry room I finally called and said "It is out on the porch wicker by the front door, come and get it" She works 2 blocks from here, literally 2 blocks walk.
.

the weirdest thing was I had a jacket left by the daughter of one of our guests - the daughter lived very close thats why they were staying. We found the jacket rang the parents who said she was going to pop round and get it - never did and that was about 2 years ago - was an expensive jacket.

Odd.
...and then there was the old ugly worn out black belt (not comfortable worn like a leather jacket either) that the minister left and had his daughter come by and get for him and post it back. It was one of those items I would never in my wildest dreams consider to post back to anyone, it was nothing unusual, or brand. That was about 10 emails/phone calls to sort it out and then waiting for her and finally a month later with "said belt" in my laundry room I finally called and said "It is out on the porch wicker by the front door, come and get it" She works 2 blocks from here, literally 2 blocks walk.

An old worn T-shirt of the NY Yankees that the owner called said they were coming back for but did not; 4 mths later emailed and asked for it to be sent to him. He sent me a box of Girl Scout cookies as TY. And as I type I am reminded of an old frayed quilt that was left & I called within minutes of their departure. Too much in a hurry to swing back for but they would be back this way in a couple of weeks.... that has been several couple of months and it is still here.

 

[Samster]

We have a registration form that all of our guests sign upon checking in and one of the things covered by it is that we are not responsible for lost items..

I had that on the registration form as well.
I had things left and no one ever claimed them or wanted them back, even after emailing them about said items. I've sent things back to a few guests and never heard back that they received them, or not.
I felt bad for a gal who was here and lost a necklace somewhere during the trip, but I never found it here in the room which I tossed from top to bottom. They did return to stay with me again and turns out it was never found.

I would stand by the chambermaid and just say that I'd do the best to try and find the shoes for the guest.

 

[Joey Camb]

i had a guest who insisted someone had stolen her designer purse from her room and she all but accused everyone in the place, the chambermaid, the guests, (me?) and actually attempted to get in other guests' rooms to search, trying to push past them as they came out.
she was obnoxious, rude and threatening. i told her she probably left it in the restaurant where she was til they closed the place ... no no no impossible she said. a designer purse, she said. worth hundreds of dollars, she said. with my pills in it, she said.
it turns out she did leave it in the restaurant across the road overnight. they found it under a table in the morning, everything inside as it should have been.
she did not apologize to anyone.
all my guests were upset and angry with her. my chambermaid felt vindicated but just barely. happily, i had defended my chambermaid and did not interrogate her as the guest demanded, nor did i allow the guest to interrogate her.
i met the woman at the door when she marched in holding her purse. she said she was going to come tell me she'd found it so i wouldn't feel guilty.
one of my female guests proclaimed, 'we're so glad you found your fake louis vuitton.' (naughty ... but she deserved it).

we had a woman who had lost her purse - she didn't usually carry one and so wasn't used to it. Me and the chamber maid looked all over but she admitted herself she could have left it anywhere, trouble was it had the sat nav and the address of the friends they were traveling on to see in it. Was getting a bit of a weird vibe when the husband realised the phone was in it and they could ring it and if it was a restaurant or whatever they might answer. He rang it infront of me and the chamber maid and someone answered and then hung up so at least they knew it definately wasn't us! mind you the theif must have been a complete idiot to answer!

 

[Generic]

i had a guest who insisted someone had stolen her designer purse from her room and she all but accused everyone in the place, the chambermaid, the guests, (me?) and actually attempted to get in other guests' rooms to search, trying to push past them as they came out.
she was obnoxious, rude and threatening. i told her she probably left it in the restaurant where she was til they closed the place ... no no no impossible she said. a designer purse, she said. worth hundreds of dollars, she said. with my pills in it, she said.
it turns out she did leave it in the restaurant across the road overnight. they found it under a table in the morning, everything inside as it should have been.
she did not apologize to anyone.
all my guests were upset and angry with her. my chambermaid felt vindicated but just barely. happily, i had defended my chambermaid and did not interrogate her as the guest demanded, nor did i allow the guest to interrogate her.
i met the woman at the door when she marched in holding her purse. she said she was going to come tell me she'd found it so i wouldn't feel guilty.
one of my female guests proclaimed, 'we're so glad you found your fake louis vuitton.' (naughty ... but she deserved it).

Had a guest lose his car keys this week. Went through all the luggage, etc. Finally thought it might be in the room, so we went to check the room. It turned out it was... in his left pocket. He's been carrying it the whole time.