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ejc-free
Joined: 30 Nov 2005
Posts: 52
Location: Deux Sevres, France
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 Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 11:59 am Post subject: |
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Please don't panic you cannot catch aids or hepatitis off old dried blood or semen stains - the virus will have died. Of course the stain is not pleasant to clean up but it won't give you HIV
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joddle
Joined: 22 Feb 2010
Posts: 322
Location: Valencia
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| Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 12:23 pm Post subject: |
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| ejc-free wrote: | | Please don't panic you cannot catch aids or hepatitis off old dried blood or semen stains - the virus will have died. Of course the stain is not pleasant to clean up but it won't give you HIV |
I know that - and I'm not trying to scare anyone - just saying that cleaning up stuff is part of what we do and sometimes blood and other bodily fluids can still be damp when they we come to clean up so there is a very very minute risk if you had an open cut or scratch or wound on your skin. Hopitals take grerat care these days to make sure things are clean before passing from patient to patient as its so easy to take something unwanted with you.
Maybe using aids and hepititis was not the best example but we are all the time dealing with materials which have the potential to transmit bacterium and viruses - eg saliva, toilet seats, blood, semen, food leftovers etc etc etc and usually, so long as we are carefull and clean, the risk to health is so small we don't normally think about.
However we dont always wait for everthing to dry completely before laundring it! New vomit will contain some bacteria - but it wil also clean up pretty easily - once dried, vomit may still have some bacteria but worse is then it is a lot harder to clean up and so the risk of leaving something nasty does increase.
Anyway my main point is that for vomit etc we dont normally need "specialists" using "special chemicals" to deal with it. If in doubt the local chemist will recommend something suitable.
One thing we should be aware of is that in these days of low temperature washing machines and detergents, and that is we are no longer killing off as many nasties which in the past would have been dealt with in a much hotter wash! Not all progress is beneficial!!!
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elena
Joined: 26 Aug 2006
Posts: 314
Location: PERIGORD NOIR
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| Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I don't think that you can get nappy bags in France, or you couldn't a while ago (I'm not in that game anymore, thank goodness!) |
You can get nappy sacks here - I get mine in Carrefour. I leave a box of perfumed ones for guests with babies & very young children. They get used, I often get positive comments about them and they do reduce the smells from the toilet bins ......
Elena
Dordogne Holiday Cottages |
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annafern
Joined: 07 Feb 2008
Posts: 117
Location: Derbyshire, The Cotwolds, Anglesey
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:09 am Post subject: |
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I am afraid this incident has taken a disturbing twist . I have now calculated damages which are now running into over £1,000. The carpet in the bedroom has a permanent stain right next to the bed so thats going to have to be replaced. ( and before anyone shouts out 'stain remover'- it won't come out and thats after a professional carpet cleaner has visited)
I am just about to issue them with the bill when an email came in from the sister of the lady who booked, claiming to be a solicitor and now stating they had no hot water all weekend and that they want compensation and if they don't get it they will write a damming report on Trip Advisor.
You might want to see my comments in the private members unders ' is there a way to opt out of HL/TA reviews'
Not only i have been faced with the worst case of guest damage and mess, but now i am faced with blackmail 
And I guess now we are moving to another subject but very relevant and an issue properties owners i believe will see more of in the future if unsolicited reviews are allowed to continue.
It really is time that this type of behaviour is knocked on the head for good.
Anna 
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Windy
Joined: 02 Oct 2007
Posts: 3194
Location: Windermere UK
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:29 am Post subject: |
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Anna
Assuming that you have documented evidence of the damage etc I would be very tempted to contact the police to explain that you are worried that you being blackmailed.
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if they don't get it they will write a damming report on Trip Advisor. |
is all you need to show them.
Maybe better to wait for other opinions and weigh the responses up of course.
It's time someone got done for this sort of behaviour and if they have been stupid enough to make a direct threat after having caused damage of the sort you describe they are wide open for it. |
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HelenB
Joined: 30 Apr 2005
Posts: 10659
Location: Durham/Le Monetier-les-Bains, Serre Chevalier
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:32 am Post subject: |
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| A solicitor, if indeed she is one, should know better than to threaten you like this. |
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Mouse
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 4617
Location: Ibiza, Balearics
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:40 am Post subject: |
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Anna, they are trying to pre-empt you sending them a bill. They would not be able to afford/ not want to pay a solicitor to follow through a disputed claim; as it would be. Far too expensive.
I'm sure Windy or GB will give you more advice on the small claims court, but I suspect that might be too much trouble for them anyway, and as I undestand it would give you ample opportuntiy to put your side of the case.
They are simply trying to put you off following through on what they know to be a costly experience for you.
I would put the bill to them anyway, and ignore their threats, explaining, and providing evidence, of bills uncurred. I would also add that they have x days to pay otherwise you will pursue it.
That action gets you on a level playing field and they must decide do; they add fuel to the fire, and incur costs, or keep quiet and hope you go away.
You would still have the choice to let things lie if you preferred.
Some guests are no using TA as a way to blackmail people and that is wrong.
This is the reason I would never get in to the whole review arena, because I know there are nasty people out there and also ones who have totally unrealistic expectations (though thankfully I haven't yet met any in my renting business).
I'm happy to continue without any reviews and if I lose a few people who feel my information, facilities and manner on emails isn't enough to convince them to stay...so what?
This is a stressful situation for you and I hope that when you tackle them they slink quietly away. The guests that tried it on with me in the 1st year did, and I never heard from them again.
best of luck
Mousie
x
edited poor typing due to being in a rush!
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Last edited by Mouse on Thu Oct 13, 2011 10:01 am; edited 1 time in total |
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James3214
Joined: 18 Jun 2009
Posts: 339
Location: Belgium
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:56 am Post subject: |
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Sorry to hear about your tenants from hell but I'd say pursue them and even let them put a bad review up. Then you can give a polite carefully worded reply explaining the damage and the fact that they are attempted to blackmail you. If I was reading the reviews and found you had other good reviews I know who I would believe and of course you can see you are owner who cares about your property.
If you have the time/money take them all the way I say! |
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la vache!
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Posts: 10425
Location: A field, somewhere between Brittany and Normandy
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:12 am Post subject: |
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| annafern wrote: |
I am just about to issue them with the bill when an email came in from the sister of the lady who booked, claiming to be a solicitor and now stating they had no hot water all weekend and that they want compensation and if they don't get it they will write a damming report on Trip Advisor. |
So why didn't they mention it to you when they were there? I agree with Helen, there is no way a genuine solicitor would advise this course of action., it is laughable. I'd take them all the way to the small claims court, let the write their review and respond accordingly to ensure any reader knows the story behind the review. Have you contacted HL about it? It would be interesting to hear what they have to say.
Last edited by la vache! on Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:18 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Cassis
Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 587
Location: Normandy/Pays de Loire border
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:14 am Post subject: |
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| Mouse wrote: | Some guests are no using TA as a way to blackmail people and that is wrong.
This is the reason I would never get in to the whole review arena, because I know there are nasty people out there and also ones who have totally unrealistic expectations (though tankfully I haven't yet met any in my renting business).
I'm happy to continue without any reviews and if I lose a few people who feel my information, facilities and manner on emails isn't enough to convince them to stay...so what? |
I agree Mouse, but if your run a B&B, hotel or restaurant you don't have any choice - anyone can put a review on TA about you and you can't opt out.
It's not the norm, but I've seen several horror stories of this type concerning people who try to get discounts, money back etc. under threat of a bad TA review. It's so much easier for some bastard to make and carry out this sort of threat than it is for an owner to defend against it. It stinks.
Phil
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Big Sis..
Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Posts: 8019
Location: Torrevieja and Norfolk
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 9:04 am Post subject: |
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| Cassis wrote: |
I agree Mouse, but if your run a B&B, hotel or restaurant you don't have any choice - anyone can put a review on TA about you and you can't opt out. ......
Phil |
Thats true Im like Mouise, and heve never courted reviews, but now have no choice as HL have a direct link to TA.
Of course guests could have always left TA reviews without this but I think theyre more likely to now. 
I definitely feel for the likes of Phil though, because as Yang from HL has said to me ,at our houses guests do have to have stayed at the houses, for B&Bs and Restaurants they dont even have to show that they did.
So anyone can leave an awful review without even having stayed/eaten there. 
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Mouse
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 4617
Location: Ibiza, Balearics
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 10:12 am Post subject: |
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Yes, of course you're right Phil...and like BS I too feel for the difficulties people like these can cause. It is irresponsible to receive clearly damaging reviews without consulting the business first and conducting an investigation.
It would be nice to have the likes of TA put a disclaimer that some negative reviews can be false because extortion techniques have failed, and the viewer must judge for himself.
Would it help if you got in there first when threatened? ie. contact TA/HL and let them know extortion techniques have been used?
Mouse
x
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apexblue
Joined: 10 Sep 2008
Posts: 1434
Location: UK
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 10:31 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | claiming to be a solicitor |
Isn't that an offence? I would be digging deeper to find out if she is.
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DarnSarf
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 18
Location: Pyrenees
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 10:31 am Post subject: |
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| annafern wrote: | I am just about to issue them with the bill when an email came in from the sister of the lady who booked, claiming to be a solicitor You might want to see my comments in the private members unders ' is there a way to opt out of HL/TA reviews'
Anna |
If you have the sister's name, it is possible to check whether she is actually a solicitor by visiting http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/choosingandusing/findasolicitor/view=solsearch.law
If she's not, you might want to mention that it is a criminal offence to pretend to be a Solicitor - see http://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/fraud-dishonesty/bogus-fake-solicitors.page
But I wouldn't worry too much. Strikes me it's just a try on. I'd also point out that not only will you pursue the matter through legal advisors, you'll also be submitting a claim to recover your legal costs for what appears to be an entirely unfounded claim which has in your view only been made since they realised the damage that they caused to your property. I assume you have photos of the mess they created?
I don't think a proper solicitor would threaten TA - they are only interested in legal claims, not punishment per se. Even if she is 'real', by mentioning it, she's severely weakened their case should it ever go to court. If you were feeling particularly aggressive, you could even point out that any defamation regarding your business would be vigourously pursued.
best of luck
DarnSarf (erm, not a Solicitor!) |
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annafern
Joined: 07 Feb 2008
Posts: 117
Location: Derbyshire, The Cotwolds, Anglesey
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 10:53 am Post subject: |
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I really don't think TA/Flipkey will take any notice if i approach them first. As i said i have already had words with them a week ago about a damming review where guests were trying to get money back and they said that if the guests have stayed there, then they have a right to put the review on the website.
All you can do is post a reply back which if they do i will be writing a very glowing report about these lovely guests!!
I am going to take them all the way to the small claims courts if necessary and i have to say its tempting to report this to the police now as a case of blackmail, but i fear that they wouldn't be able to do much and actually any police follow up at this stage couldn't fuel the fire even more.
Anna
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Last edited by annafern on Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:18 am; edited 1 time in total |
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