Trashed Parasol

[Sam V]

My manager sent me a photo today (wish I could post it here) of one of our parasols which clearly has been left out in strong wind, open, for the day/night. The fabric is just about still attached to one arm.

She says it was fine on change over and she had told the guests on arrival not to leave them open if it's windy, and put them down when not in use, at night, etc. We also request this in out T&PCs.

This time I feel I should perhaps make a deduction from the deposit as it's clearly not a case of 'oh there was a sudden gust of wind'[/img][/code]

[Bunny]

Well we all know that most people don't even read the T&Cs but if they were specifically told on arrival, then I think you would be fully justified in charging. In any case, common sense tells you not to leave a sun umbrella up at night or unattended. Have they never seen them putting them all down in hotels at night?

[e-richard]

...Have they never seen them putting them all down in hotels at night?

Probably yes, but that was done by the staff

[Moliere]

So familiar, happens all the time. The problem we found was finding a replacement now, when the buying season was three months ago. There just aren't any.

Mols

[CarolineH]

Yep, every year at least one ... despite notice by the handle to raise the parasol saying "Please put me down when I'm not in use - I fly away very quickly in the slightest gust of wind!".

I have only charged once - this was when I watched someone chasing it up the drive on their first day and then the managed to bend it shut and didn't use it for the rest of the week. When I said something about it on checkout, they denied ever touching it. I charged them 50€ - but that was because they lied to me!

The rest of the time, I just take it on the chin (most people say what has happened ...)

Casa have them all year round, Mols

[kg1]

My sympathies SamV - hope it wasn't an expensive one.

A neighbour once walked past our house & saw our sun umbrella up, being used to shelter a smoker in the garden from the rain!! I was not best pleased

[Mouse]

Like Mols says, the worst thing about it us trying to buy a replacement as by July and August the shops are selling wood burning stoves! So we now have a spare one.

Have to admit we take it on the chin and just replace. ... but we are on site and so can the weather conditions. In fact we replaced one last week....the wind did suddenly get up and caught one of the parasols that was being used.

We gave up on the asking people to put them down when not in use. Nearly everyone doesn't bother.

Mouse
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[la vache!]

Once I had a parasol take off with the [glass] table, what a mess and it cost a lot more than just the parasol to replace. You can't expect guests to think about putting down the parasol all the time, they are on holiday. I don't like notices with dos and don'ts either. I take it on the chin, parasols are around 30€ at my local SuperU, they are available all summer and are generally more sturdy than in the past.
As I live on site whenever there is a storm I run around closing all the parasols myself.

[annedab]

I despair of parasols and we now treat them as disposable items - it's really not worth buying expensive ones. We had a sudden storm in our first year and, like LV, I dashed round putting them all down....while our guests just sat round and watched me. I go out and put the pool ones down in the evening (whilst removing all the floating inflatables from the skimmer openings!) but almost always I look out of the window an hour later and someone has put one back up. We do have a more expensive one on our own patio which gets used when we are doing breakfasts, but even then, guests have seen fit to drag it out of position leaving me to spend the rest of the day reburying the base slabs under the gravel.

[French Cricket]

As I live on site whenever there is a storm I run around closing all the parasols myself.

Same here.

Fortunately we're not in a very windy area here but have lost a few over the years. When a storm comes up here it comes out of nowhere (and goes back there equally fast), and I don't really think it's up to guests to (a) know that or (b) run round closing parasols everywhere (though we've had quite a lot who do). So we take it on the chin too, and if the worst happens in mid summer when you can't buy/beg/borrow/steal a parasol for love, money or baksheesh, we simply 'donate' one from our end of the house and try to mend the broken one as best we can for us! We do keep a couple of old faded ones stashed away in a barn too.

[Moliere]

Guests, eh? Why do we bother? It would be so much simpler if we could just abolish them altogether.
(I suspect there's a flaw in this argument, I just can't figure out what it is at the moment.)

Mols

[newtimber]

, but even then, guests have seen fit to drag it out of position leaving me to spend the rest of the day reburying the base slabs under the gravel.

We bought a 50kg base - no-one has tried/managed to move it!

[annedab]

Ours has 4 concrete paving stones (no idea what they weigh) and a substantial amount of gravel on top. Looking at it, the base can't be seen so it appears that the post comes straight out of the ground. Goodness knows why they thought they could drag it.

Mols -

[Frenchlady]

Some guests at one of the properties we manage had put a parasol with base right on the stones at the edge of the pool (to protect their little one in the water). Along came a gust of wind and in it went with base attached of course. Hence we got a phone call from the guests and when my other half attended he found the parasol had bounced across the pool with the base hitting the liner and cutting it in about 6 places. Then the panic sets in trying to find someone (in Aug) to come and hopefully be able to do a repair. Luckily it was able to be repaired and the pool was not out of action for the next guests, plus the owners themselves with their grandchildren. So, so stupid. Husband went up to see next guests and guess what ...... yes, they were doing exactly the same!!!

[Mouse]

Unbelievable frenchlady!

I know we have had many a discussion on here about having notes around the place for guests....but how else do you prevent something like that from happening.

It's like a game....just when you think you have seen it all, along comes another issue to deal with.

Mouse
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