Couple of questions as I move forward in my innkeepers journey...

[inntropical]

I'm putting this in this forum though I am not an owner but passionate innkeeper! This is the third inn I've been in and as the season winds up and I go forward in my search for my next inn, there have been a couple of things that I personally never heard of being done. So, my first question is I'm not a live-in, however I sleep in the basement (no windows) when I have to work until 8 or 9 and be back in at 8 a.m. (I live an hour away.) The owners had me sign a lease? Is that common practice? As a live-in at my other inns it never was done.
My other question is cameras. Cameras are on us, I fully understand maybe there's concern? for your business, however they watch us on their phones and then will text us saying they just saw what we did...very odd behaviour and uncomfortable. I'm a grown woman, as we all are at this inn and I'm just wondering, as we all are, is this, normal? My other inns had no cameras, were/are very well known, and lovely. I also did not feel comfortable when I arrived at this inn that the owners had told employees my age. I was shocked. Common?
This is why I joined this sight. Because I really am not sure of certain practices and want to be at ease in next position. Thank you!

 

[EmptyNest]

NOT COMMON!!!
Sounds pretty strange if you ask me. Never heard of anything like this being done. Sounds like owners have been burned in the past and want to keep track of their employees and what they are doing. BIG BROTHER run a muck if you ask me. I would approach them on this with your feelings. If they say too bad, I would personally start looking for a new position. I wouldn't want to work anywhere where this kind of thing is done.

 

[Lee2014]

I'll say "adios!" and run!!!!!!
Your sanity and privacy, etc. is more important than any money or job. How private is that place in the cellar? Does it have a lock? Does it have cameras in it? Trust me, there are better jobs out there!

 

[Morticia]

Well, if you're asking this question in your dark basement my guess is your owners know all about this and you'll be hearing from them.
No. None of what you mentioned is normal. Those folks have some (serious) control issues and I hope you're on your way out the door.
Will you owe them anything for your 'rental' if you leave your job early?
Seriously, you are supposed to sleep in the basement with no windows? That is so many kinds of wrong.

 

[Copperhead]

No, not normal. I sure hope those cameras are only in the common and work areas!!!

I do not think I could stay working for someone who was always watching me. Occasional checking up maybe but not constant.

A lease for sleeping in the basement on occasion? No, don't think I have ever heard of that either. Wonder if they are writing that off somehow?

I would be moving on as quickly as possible. Glad the season is almost over for you.

 

[Generic]

I would run.

 

[gillumhouse]

Totally not the norm and I would run. I hope you read that "lease" before you signed it. And unless there is a second exit from that basement room, I would never sleep there. It would be illegal in most any State to lease a basement with no windows or alternate exit.

 

[happykeeper]

sounds like you should be entering a marathon!

 

[Silverspoon]

No, the things you mentioned (lease for occasional overnight, cameras, basement lodging with no windows or second exit) are not common practice and sound a bit bizarre to me. It is good that you are planning to leave soon. Better sooner than later IMHO!

 

[GoodScout]

I have two cameras in my inn. One watches the parking lot so I can keep an eye peeled at night for late checkins.
The other covers the front door so that when my door chime rings, I can see if its a checkin I need to come down two flights of stairs to greet, or a current guest I can just let be.
I would never think to use cameras to spy on my staff. I respect them too much.

 

[JimBoone]

The only folks with the correct answer would be the owners that employ you, but I offer these idle guesses.
Why a lease/rental agreement? I'm a detail person so to me it would spell out the rights and obligations of both parties, just good business. In our area a rental without a rental agreement for a period of time would be subject to lodging tax, maybe this agreement is just a way around that sort of problem, maybe it is a way to prevent another employee for asking for the same sleeping arrangement.
Why cameras? Hopefully just a new toy, an idea someone sold them as needed or they lead a dull life and have nothing else to do except watch others work.

 

[Flower]

I would get out of dodge faster then a hornet could fly. First off what if there was a fire you in the basement no windows to push out . You are trapped cameras watching people at all time. You have not given them the right to follow you and look at you 24/7 . . It is not normal to have cameras like that. Even the police are not allowed to put cameras in homes unless they have a warren to do so.
Run run run as fast as you can. Some thing is not right. This is very wrong.

 

[inntropical]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I KNEW this all couldn't be right. But I've been doubting myself as this particular inn I guess has not been my cup of tea. I'm the only person there who has worked at an Inn (as an Innkeeper) before aside from housekeepers. The lease? I feel its a tax write off. They have it waaaaaay over valued. It does have 2 doors in basement but my fear has been what if there WAS a fire? NO window to push out? This is where all the mechanics of the inn are and in this space is actually where ALL the circuit breakers etc are for the whole inn. Cameras? The staff are the ones who actually showed me how to stay out of the way of them if we want to have a conversation or even take a breath. I don't work like this, never have, and I am done. There is a lot about this place that if I didn't have a strong and lovely point of reference to refer back to I might have been like everyone else there and thought it as the norm. It's been so off that I actually thought I needed to get out of the industry.....BUT! I really like innkeeping and kept saying to myself, hang in there....
I am actively looking for a new inn. Thank you all so very, very much.

 

[Joey Camb]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I KNEW this all couldn't be right. But I've been doubting myself as this particular inn I guess has not been my cup of tea. I'm the only person there who has worked at an Inn (as an Innkeeper) before aside from housekeepers. The lease? I feel its a tax write off. They have it waaaaaay over valued. It does have 2 doors in basement but my fear has been what if there WAS a fire? NO window to push out? This is where all the mechanics of the inn are and in this space is actually where ALL the circuit breakers etc are for the whole inn. Cameras? The staff are the ones who actually showed me how to stay out of the way of them if we want to have a conversation or even take a breath. I don't work like this, never have, and I am done. There is a lot about this place that if I didn't have a strong and lovely point of reference to refer back to I might have been like everyone else there and thought it as the norm. It's been so off that I actually thought I needed to get out of the industry.....BUT! I really like innkeeping and kept saying to myself, hang in there....
I am actively looking for a new inn. Thank you all so very, very much..

Nope - happy to concur this is super weird!
I have 3 camera's in my B&B one covers the front door, one the car park (so I can see people pulling in) and one the front hall - nothing upstairs or covering the chamber maid - and to be frank I think guests would not be at all happy if they knew how much they were on film at the place you work.
Also in the UK it would be illegal to tell other staff your age as it would open to Age discrimination law suits - you don't even put it on CV's etc so in the UK they wouldn't even know it to tell.
The lease however might be to cover them against squatting issues but in the face of all the other stuff I'd be looking for a new position - its beyond odd.

 

[inntropical]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I KNEW this all couldn't be right. But I've been doubting myself as this particular inn I guess has not been my cup of tea. I'm the only person there who has worked at an Inn (as an Innkeeper) before aside from housekeepers. The lease? I feel its a tax write off. They have it waaaaaay over valued. It does have 2 doors in basement but my fear has been what if there WAS a fire? NO window to push out? This is where all the mechanics of the inn are and in this space is actually where ALL the circuit breakers etc are for the whole inn. Cameras? The staff are the ones who actually showed me how to stay out of the way of them if we want to have a conversation or even take a breath. I don't work like this, never have, and I am done. There is a lot about this place that if I didn't have a strong and lovely point of reference to refer back to I might have been like everyone else there and thought it as the norm. It's been so off that I actually thought I needed to get out of the industry.....BUT! I really like innkeeping and kept saying to myself, hang in there....
I am actively looking for a new inn. Thank you all so very, very much..

Nope - happy to concur this is super weird!
I have 3 camera's in my B&B one covers the front door, one the car park (so I can see people pulling in) and one the front hall - nothing upstairs or covering the chamber maid - and to be frank I think guests would not be at all happy if they knew how much they were on film at the place you work.
Also in the UK it would be illegal to tell other staff your age as it would open to Age discrimination law suits - you don't even put it on CV's etc so in the UK they wouldn't even know it to tell.
The lease however might be to cover them against squatting issues but in the face of all the other stuff I'd be looking for a new position - its beyond odd.
.

Thank you! totally agree with everything you said. Actually in the USA its illegal I believe to tell staff my age.....the owner just laughed at me when I confronted her with this.

 

[EmptyNest]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I KNEW this all couldn't be right. But I've been doubting myself as this particular inn I guess has not been my cup of tea. I'm the only person there who has worked at an Inn (as an Innkeeper) before aside from housekeepers. The lease? I feel its a tax write off. They have it waaaaaay over valued. It does have 2 doors in basement but my fear has been what if there WAS a fire? NO window to push out? This is where all the mechanics of the inn are and in this space is actually where ALL the circuit breakers etc are for the whole inn. Cameras? The staff are the ones who actually showed me how to stay out of the way of them if we want to have a conversation or even take a breath. I don't work like this, never have, and I am done. There is a lot about this place that if I didn't have a strong and lovely point of reference to refer back to I might have been like everyone else there and thought it as the norm. It's been so off that I actually thought I needed to get out of the industry.....BUT! I really like innkeeping and kept saying to myself, hang in there....
I am actively looking for a new inn. Thank you all so very, very much..

Nope - happy to concur this is super weird!
I have 3 camera's in my B&B one covers the front door, one the car park (so I can see people pulling in) and one the front hall - nothing upstairs or covering the chamber maid - and to be frank I think guests would not be at all happy if they knew how much they were on film at the place you work.
Also in the UK it would be illegal to tell other staff your age as it would open to Age discrimination law suits - you don't even put it on CV's etc so in the UK they wouldn't even know it to tell.
The lease however might be to cover them against squatting issues but in the face of all the other stuff I'd be looking for a new position - its beyond odd.
.

Thank you! totally agree with everything you said. Actually in the USA its illegal I believe to tell staff my age.....the owner just laughed at me when I confronted her with this.
.

Sounds like you have a paranoid idiot for an owner. I would be getting out of there ASAP!

 

[inntropical]

The only folks with the correct answer would be the owners that employ you, but I offer these idle guesses.
Why a lease/rental agreement? I'm a detail person so to me it would spell out the rights and obligations of both parties, just good business. In our area a rental without a rental agreement for a period of time would be subject to lodging tax, maybe this agreement is just a way around that sort of problem, maybe it is a way to prevent another employee for asking for the same sleeping arrangement.
Why cameras? Hopefully just a new toy, an idea someone sold them as needed or they lead a dull life and have nothing else to do except watch others work..

The only thing I can figure out is tax write off...I don't know why. They have a crazy amount on it stating that it is part of my pay. I'm very uncomfortable in this type of situation, and have been from the get go, especially after coming from a such a welcoming type of atmosphere in my previous inn experience.
Trust me, I'm not a disgruntled employee whatsoever, but I am a concerned employee.

 

[Kay Nein]

The only folks with the correct answer would be the owners that employ you, but I offer these idle guesses.
Why a lease/rental agreement? I'm a detail person so to me it would spell out the rights and obligations of both parties, just good business. In our area a rental without a rental agreement for a period of time would be subject to lodging tax, maybe this agreement is just a way around that sort of problem, maybe it is a way to prevent another employee for asking for the same sleeping arrangement.
Why cameras? Hopefully just a new toy, an idea someone sold them as needed or they lead a dull life and have nothing else to do except watch others work..

The only thing I can figure out is tax write off...I don't know why. They have a crazy amount on it stating that it is part of my pay. I'm very uncomfortable in this type of situation, and have been from the get go, especially after coming from a such a welcoming type of atmosphere in my previous inn experience.
Trust me, I'm not a disgruntled employee whatsoever, but I am a concerned employee.
.

This raises more questions - are you getting a W2 or a 1099?. Because if they are considering the "crazy amount" as part of your your pay, you could end up seeing that on a tax document at the end of the year. Now is the best time to find that out, not on Feb 2nd when you get your tax documents.

 

[Kay Nein]

Good luck to you and please keep us updated. I'm really curious to hear how this plays out.

 

[Morticia]

The only folks with the correct answer would be the owners that employ you, but I offer these idle guesses.
Why a lease/rental agreement? I'm a detail person so to me it would spell out the rights and obligations of both parties, just good business. In our area a rental without a rental agreement for a period of time would be subject to lodging tax, maybe this agreement is just a way around that sort of problem, maybe it is a way to prevent another employee for asking for the same sleeping arrangement.
Why cameras? Hopefully just a new toy, an idea someone sold them as needed or they lead a dull life and have nothing else to do except watch others work..

The only thing I can figure out is tax write off...I don't know why. They have a crazy amount on it stating that it is part of my pay. I'm very uncomfortable in this type of situation, and have been from the get go, especially after coming from a such a welcoming type of atmosphere in my previous inn experience.
Trust me, I'm not a disgruntled employee whatsoever, but I am a concerned employee.
.

The only thing I can figure out is tax write off...I don't know why. They have a crazy amount on it stating that it is part of my pay. I'm very uncomfortable in this type of situation, and have been from the get go, especially after coming from a such a welcoming type of atmosphere in my previous inn experience.
Trust me, I'm not a disgruntled employee whatsoever, but I am a concerned employee.

What? They are claiming your sleeping in the basement is part of your pay? They are 'giving' you lodging as part of the job? You are going to pay tax on whatever amount they claim that 'rental' is worth. Is there ANY way you can go home and come back in and get out of this 'lease'?
It would be one thing if you had an apartment there or at least a couple of rooms. But it sounds like you have a cot in with the equipment. That is NOT providing you with lodging as part of your employment. Not from where I'm sitting anyway. But I'm not a lawyer or an accountant.