Dear Diane,
Is it too much to ask a houseguest to clean their hair out of the drain? After their stay, I was left with a stopped up pipe and had to call a plumber to resolve the issue. I hate to bring it up to my guest, but it was a somewhat costly fix. Would it be appropriate to ask her to contribute to the plumber’s fee?
D.J.
Dear D.J.,
I understand your frustration. You opened your house to friends and family and expected they would treat your home with courtesy and respect. However, billing them for a plumber’s fee is not the way to encourage goodwill. In the future, ask if they would kindly clean the drain after each shower because you have temperamental pipes. Your guest had no way of knowing this; it was an honest mistake. I recommend you pay the plumber and go on about your day. It’s the right thing to do and in the long run, you will feel better that you didn’t alienate a friend. If you’ll be a houseguest in the near future, you may find more of my Houseguest Etiquette Tips helpful.
Sincerely,
Diane
You may also like Bathroom Etiquette. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips, visit her blog, connect with her here on The Huffington Post, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.
