Bicycles...

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>
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tansy
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Location: La Manche, Normandy, France

Bicycles...

Post by tansy »

Is anyone leaving bikes with their property?

I am about to make some available (just used up my Champion points!).

I was thinking of doing them as an add on - i.e. charging say 30 Euros a week per bike for the use of them.

Would this then make guests look after them?
it's all a learning curve!
alexia s.
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Post by alexia s. »

We used to leave bikes. This was just more maintenance, though - & what about liability? One family arrived & a minute later the young son was wheeling down a steep slope - he could have had a serious accident.
We didn't charge for ours. If you charge, you'll have to be careful about this.
Now we give people the local address of a good rental supplier of bikes.
Best,
Alexia.
Fraise
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Location: Charente Maritime and Middle England

Post by Fraise »

I leave bikes (free of charge).It is in my T and C's that we accept no liability.We do leave a tool kit as well!! Some people have appreciated the facility and quite a few have used them :wink:

www.thepetitmanoir.com
alexia s.
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Post by alexia s. »

Fraise,
It is often the case that you cannot exclude your liablity by simply saying that it is excluded - in fact, it is increasingly "always" the case that you cannot exclude your liablity, especially where damage to persons in a commercial situation is concerned.
Best,
Alexia.
Fraise
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Post by Fraise »

Yep,I know but.... :?
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tansy
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Post by tansy »

so what do bicycle hire companies do?... I'm going to speak to our Insurance man... our Mr Mayor - hopefully he can put me right - will report in :wink:
it's all a learning curve!
Fraise
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Location: Charente Maritime and Middle England

Post by Fraise »

It's really frustrating isn't it? We're not supposed to leave cots cos we can't sterilise the mattresses between lets,we can't leave first aid kits cos we might be liable...it goes on and on ... Aaaaagh!!!!! :twisted:
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tansy
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Post by tansy »

Fraise - I know what you are saying... I once went all legal and uppity about cots & new regulations & lost a 2 week booking... now I just say I have cots - but the matresses's have not been sterilized - do you or do you not want to use them?

I have left a 1st aid box in each house - I bought it from Viking as it is meant to cover offices & shops - so thought that would do for rental house - & put some sticking plasters in the kitchen draw where everyone keeps them!

We have on our 1st line on our terms that we do not accept liability in event of accident etc etc

I just think we are in a position of having to use common sense otherwise we couldn't do this business...but has anyone ever actually been sued for having the wrong 1st Aid box, leaving a bicycle or not sterilizing a matresse.. are there any actual cases with the result for or against the claimant or is it just a case of you could be sued?
it's all a learning curve!
alexia s.
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Post by alexia s. »

"what do bicycle hire companies do?" - they take out insurance, but you are never covered for criminal liability (which can include reckless behaviour in some legal systems - it's wide).
In France you are committing an offence (penal) if you don't help somebody whose life is in danger - this is just one example of how different the various legal systems can be.
I was once asked if there was anything in the house which was dangerous for a young child & gave the only possible reply: everything can be dangerous - power points, stairs, the bath. I can't rent a house without all of these, however - and I don't lie awake at night worrying about my liability - but I can rent it without bicycles, so I do. I'd think twice about giving guests a pressure cooker, too - just one example of a banal object which springs to mind. It is an object which can go horribly wrong AND isn't essential to a letting, so I wouldn't include it.
Best,
Alexia.
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vrooje
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Post by vrooje »

I wouldn't provide a bike for the same reason that I wouldn't provide exercise equipment -- injury and insurance reasons.

Luckily there is a bike rental place a five-minute walk from the house, so we haven't had any problems.

This year we did have a group who wanted to bring their bikes along and store them at the house. We had no problem with that and they had a great time.
Brooke
alexia s.
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Post by alexia s. »

Tansy,
I guess the real point about bicycle hire companies is that they have the expertise to maintain & repair the bicycles, and to understand when, how and why something goes wrong.
Best,
Alexia.
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