Is Linen Hire a Good Fit for Your Company? The Benefits and Drawbacks of Hotel Linen Rental
Many hotels and hospitality businesses do not have their own linens and towels; they hire it from professional companies that run the laundry service. Not only can linen rent be used for bed linen, table linen can also be rented in restaurants.
Linen companies should be able to supply commercial quality linen products among a wide range of linen items. Any good linen rental firm will offer a variety of linen items such as white duvet covers or satin line; 500gsm towels or 400gsm towels; Normal cotton linen or percale. Essential items available for a laundry company are sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases, towels, bath mats, tablecloths and diapers.
The way the linen rental service usually works is that several sets of linen per bed have been agreed upon and delivered to the hotel. The number of sets is usually called ‘par’. Estimates can vary depending on the number of times the bed can be changed per week, but it is usually set between 3 and 5. After the beds have been changed, the dirty linen is put in a bag and is ready to be collected by the washing company. The washing company will collect the dirty linen and recycle the washed items collected in the previous delivery. Delivery rates will also vary from hotel to hotel but are usually based on the hotel’s operating standards. The quality and frequency of delivery work together to ensure that the hotel does not run out of stock.
The benefits of renting linen are:
• Avoid accumulating cash investments.
• Additional flexibility to change the stock profile when changing your beds.
• Cost effect service.
• The linen will be replaced when it is worn out at no cost to you.
• It ensures that your linen is of high quality and of high quality.
The disadvantages of renting linen are:
• Low cost – a rental company will probably expect you to clean everything several times each month. If this level is not met you will be charged a lower level of activity even if you have not yet used the service.
• High levels of activity that could mean that you are running out of stock, such as a sporting event.
• You will have to pay for damaged and lost items.
• Be aware of additional payments such as stock calculations or additional delivery requests.
So, is linen rental suitable for your hospitality business? It really goes down to your annual career levels. If your business is really seasonal with a long low season then renting linen can be an expensive choice; In this case you would probably be better off buying linen and negotiating a really sharp price for washing only. Remember, a laundry company will not have a linen investment so the price of ‘washing only’ should be lower than a linen rental service. If your business is going to meet basic operating conditions for many months then renting linen is a good way forward if done right.
You will usually find small independent rental linen businesses that will provide flexible service and bring quality to the lessor because their processes are less flexible. Read the terms and conditions of the service carefully to make sure there are no hidden costs. Discuss with the firm how it works and understand what level of linen and delivery frequency you can expect. Keep in mind that the more high the linen the lower the application rate will be. And understand how reliable the delivery window will be. You should also find out from the company if you will need to count and record the dirty linen you return to them. In small hotels this is a good practice to keep stock as proof of how many items are being recorded, although it may not be possible in large hotels.
In short, as long as you are a busy hotel and follow the steps above when setting up a service, renting linen can take a lot of trouble in the day-to-day work of the hotel.
LaundryPro provides guaranteed linen rental services to tourist businesses in central Scotland. We offer a wide range of linen and towel products to meet all business needs. LaundryPro uses a dedicated rental service which means that the linen you receive will not be shared with other businesses.
If you are unhappy with your current linen and laundry provider, find out how LaundryPro can offer you the best service in terms of the right conditions.