Help, electric cooker not working

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
User avatar
greenbarn
Posts: 6146
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 6:41 pm
Location: The Westmorland Dales, Cumbria

Post by greenbarn »

PW in Polemi wrote: Got a much simpler microwave in the cottage :lol:
I had to replace a microwave in one of the cottages very recently. There was a very limited choice with no Mission Control, just two simple knobs - Heat and Time. And it goes "ping" when it's finished... Idiot proof, and almost guest proof.
Giraffe
Posts: 410
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2016 10:10 am
Location: Cornwall, England

Post by Giraffe »

Thank you everyone for your input. An update on what has happened. New cooker arrived yesterday, didn't fit the space. My fault. Thought cookers only came in 50m and 60 cm as these were the only sizes that came up when I looked at some online. WRONG! I know mine wasn't the slimline 50 cm so I went for the 60 cm. S..d's law, and completely my fault.

New cooker now coming on Monday. Guests not very happy. Offered them a combo microwave/grill/oven available to pick up immediately at local Tesco, 3 miles away. Response, too busy to do that on holiday.

Offered them a meal out (for 7 of them) at local pub. Too busy to do that. They like to eat in every evening, they can't afford to eat out.

Offered them a take away meal from local pub, declined.

Thay wanted compensation, I offered 10% of holiday. They haggled, wanted 20%. Said they had brought lots of food which was now wasted. Don't believe that as they knew of the problem before their holiday, and had the option to cancel. Anyway, I gave in. Son agreed we should move on and forget it. They booked via TA and I don't want a poor review. Have only one 5*. (I'm not getting results when asking guests to do an online review. I always email a request when thanking them for their custom)

This is the first time in 15 years of letting that I have had this situation, so in the overall scheme of things this is small fry. We have potentially "demanding" guests arriving in 2 weeks so we are thankful this didn't happen when they would be at the house.

I would be interested in how other LMHers would have handled compensation.
Last month the Internet failed and the guests, who were quite 'techi' made every effort to sort it with myself and BT. They were without WI-FI for 5 days but did not complain.

Anyway, I'm off on Monday to beautiful Cornwall for a week's holiday with my family. Will have a lovely new cooker, but won't be using it much - I'm on holiday! And when I return home I'm going treat myself to a halogen cooker.
:D :D :D
The best things in life are free
JanB
Posts: 508
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 9:41 pm
Location: Near Bath
Contact:

Post by JanB »

Goodness, I really feel your pain. So annoying when your best efforts are not enough and it soinds as though you were right to do 20% - a poor review is worse for your business (and your peace of mind) than a slight reduction even though it is annoying to effectively be blackmailed.

Enjoy your holiday and hope the guests you have in two weeks prove to be less hassle than you are expecting!
"It's a funny old world...." but full of the most amazing people. :-) Sense of humour essential!
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

I would be disappointed if the cooker wasn't working ,but it wouldn't have been the end of the world, and I would have bitten your hand off for a free meal out at the pub. :lol: :lol: In the circumstances, as they had declined your offers of a soution, I think 10% was very fair. They had obviously decided to dig their heels in.
User avatar
Bassman
Posts: 757
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2010 1:08 pm
Location: Charente Maritime
Contact:

Post by Bassman »

It is a bit different as we have 4 gite but we have a spare mini oven, electric hob, gas bottle, toaster, iron & kettle in case. We were out to celebrate our anniversary last Saturday and the gas run out in one of the gites the guests told our eldest foster son and he phone us. Changing the bottle is tricky so i told him to give them the electric hob which was in front of him as we spoke. He couldnt see it which was a surprise to me as i had placed it on the kitchen table (to be use the next day for a party) which was in front of him. So after going through countless words to describe it, it then came to me it looks like a "djs scratch table" Voilà!
la vache!
Posts: 11065
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 7:22 pm

Post by la vache! »

When the oven broke down for my guests I cooked their food for them every night so for some people an oven is pretty indispensable and if there were 7 of them perhaps even more so. There were 12 people in my house without an oven. And if they'd bought food too I think 20% is probably fair.
JaneTwo
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2016 6:06 pm
Location: UK

Post by JaneTwo »

And after we thought they were good guests too! Really sorry you're having these hassles.

So... Rather than pick up an oven from 3 miles away, they would rather sit and watch the food they've brought (although they knew beforehand that the oven wasn't working) rot, and calculate how much compensation they can wangle.

It is annoying to have to cave in to their blackmail, but yes, I would vote for doing so to avoid a bad review.

Just put it behind you and enjoy your break with your family with lots of treats! You've earned them.
Giraffe
Posts: 410
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2016 10:10 am
Location: Cornwall, England

Post by Giraffe »

Thanks everyone for your responses. What I hadn't mentioned previously was that these guests enquired a couple of months ago and did not take up on the full price. They then booked recently when I did a late booking offer at 30% discount. Effectively they got a high season holiday for 50%. Not bad!

However, I take the point, I wouldn't like to be without an oven. I could manage with 4 hobs and a microwave, but would appreciate some level of compensation in those circumstances.

Have now moved on into "learning" mode, taking up Bassman's ideas on backups. Have spare hobs and 2 kettles in the house. Need some sort of spare oven, one which is easy to use and store. I can sort this out next week when I'm on holiday there. :D
The best things in life are free
Giraffe
Posts: 410
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2016 10:10 am
Location: Cornwall, England

Post by Giraffe »

FOOTNOTE

Karma works. Have received 6 enquiries overnight, 2 have booked, 3 still "in progress". All via OD, but that's another thread.
The best things in life are free
Post Reply