Guests Deny Responsibility For Their Actions

[Morristhedog]

Got a new family in on Saturday. I did the cutlery inventory with the Grandma who arrived with Granddad, before the others arrived. They were a tad early.

Six teaspoons and two dessert spoons were lost by the previous family. I did find one under a sofa cushion however.
The inventory was otherwise intact.

At twilight I went out to find the pool unlocked and the gate swinging in the wind. Toys were blowing about everywhere. I noticed the Boules set lying open on the gravel missing a few boules which I retrieved from the pool whilst checking the liner was OK.

This afternoon Granddad was by the pool with the children and I mentioned about the importance of locking the gate for the law, even if their children were in bed. I also mentioned the boules. He said it was impossible for the children to have put them in the pool. He also told me the Velux blind was broken in the children's bedroom.

We went to look. I had found it myself out of the track on the Saturday morning, but had put it back in position, and opened it and closed it a few times, so I am convinced that it was not broken when they moved in.

Granddad told me he was going to move the blind from the landing to the bedroom and I told him not to do that. It is a tricky business installing Velux blinds and I do not want someone interfering with the blinds that are not broken. Granddad does not seem necessarily the person in charge in the group. But he is capable of causing damage.

I was not wearing glasses at first, so returned to look at the blind again, and had a word with the mother about the boules and the blind. She said no one from her family could have put the boules in the pool. They would have been there already. She had never seen any boules. I had to explain that since it is I that service the pool I knew it was one of their party that had done this. I was only mentioning it because the pool liner is not strong enough for this. I had gone into the pool and removed the boules and taken them away. I also mentioned that I had collected up some of the crockery from under the garden table. At once she began to deny it could be their fault that the crockery was there. I told her I was just saying that I had some crockery to return to them. Last night I had simply stashed everything in my car boot.

She told me the blind was broken from the moment they arrived. I know this not to be true. In fact now the end of the blind had been broken off by someone. It was not broken on Saturday morning.

My goodness, they are here for three weeks. Crikey!

The previous lot half erected the parasols and by the time I got down there one had blown inside out and a stay was broken.

The question is, do I charge for the parasol, the blind, the missing cutlery? What does anyone else do? Should I be costing in these breakages?

I was very gentle with the Granddad, and the mother, but their going into blank denial was very strange for me. I pointed out that I had to explain to them the importance of locking the pool area, and the fragility of the pool liner. The conversation was not at all accusative.

I do have a spare Velux which I can get installed this week most likely. I just hope they don't break it!

[Fleur]

To me this is more than usual wear and tear.

Do you take a damage deposit?

[Morristhedog]

Yes Fleur I have a damage deposit of £250.00 I have not returned the deposit to the previous people yet. I could not believe that they didn't mention the blind was jammed, when I asked them if there were any problems to report as I waved them goodbye.

They certainly are due for the broken stay on the parasol. But then the guy set about the task of putting them up, left them swinging in the wind, and was totally impractical. Is it his fault or mine?

The new lot claim the blind was already broken, but I know it was OK. What a nuisance.

The missing cutlery is a really expensive nuisance. I guess they didn't count it before they left. Probably their kids chuck out the spoons with the yoghourt pots?

There is a loose leaf book that I draw their attention to, with information they need, how to do the recycling, what the wifi number is etc, and the inventory. But I don't think they read it. e.g. I found the yellow recycling sacks in the dustbin with general rubbish in. I know they are on hols but they must take some responsibility?

[la vache!]

I wouldn't charge for the parasol or the teaspoons. It is really petty to do so. You need to build things like this into your prices. Teaspoons are hardly "expensive"!

[edinburgh]

Parasol and blind - depending on cost I'd be inclined to bill.

Cutlery - you inventory the cutlery? Are we talking jewel encrusted, or IKEA?

I use midrange cutlery from John Lewis, and always buy a few sets at a time when they appear in the clearance Just accept that people will lose things.

[Fleur]

I agree with Edinburgh though if the blind had given you problems before these guest arrived then perhaps it has a problem and this may need to be put down to wear and tear.

It is really annoying when holidaymakers don't take care of your property and can't be bothered to read the instructions (and carry them out)

[French Cricket]

The missing cutlery is a really expensive nuisance. I guess they didn't count it before they left.

I'm sorry but that made me laugh! Can you really imagine guests, on departure morning, counting the teaspoons?

Now what's that fat pink thing flying past my window?

[pepsipuss]

Losing cutlery, especially teaspoons, is a fact of life, not just for renting.

I have recently discovered Nisbets and am delighted with prices, service and quality. Cutlery is sold in packs of 12 and as I have 12 of everything in the drawer I also have a spare pack of everything so it can be topped up. Except teaspoons where I have two spare packs! I have found even the budget Olympia range to be of perfectly acceptable quality. Cheap enough not to stress about losing any of it.

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/4/Tableware-an ... 2c04.r12.1

[lorca]

You will lose a lot of cutlery and many glasses and some crockery will be broken - this is what happens and we never charge. It's up to you how you balance quality and cost with these items, but whatever you decide you'll need a lot of spares.

People are on holiday, however responsible they are, they're unlikely to take in a great deal of information. Set a few priorities (waste disposal, pool rules or whatever yours are) and draw their attention to those. Forget the inventory and accept that some small things will be lost/broken - otherwise you'll nevr make it through the season without a heart attack

[pepsipuss]

+ 1 Lorca!

[French Cricket]

Another vote for Nisbets. There's a French version, nisbets.fr, with the same range. Free delivery over 200€, 9,90€ less.

[tavi]

I agree with the others, put yourselves in the guests' shoes....on arrival they simply cannot take everything in. They're tired, excited, they want to kick off their shoes and relax. They don't want to count cutlery or read the house guide.

Don't charge (or inventory) cutlery,glasses, plates. Expect breakages and loss - (put your prices up by £5 a week and you've got it covered )

For the important: create an attractive, simple, easy to read house book, with photos or sketches, where the useful info (wifi code, useful tips,) is mixed up with the warnings and do's and don'ts, then email it as a pdf several weeks before they come. Bet you they read it and remember it.

What to do about the boules and the blind with your current guests I'm not sure.

[Casscat]

I wouldn't charge for any of it. Breakages are a fact of life which is why you should never put posh stuff into a holiday rental. Glasses and crockery will get broken, cutlery will mysteriously vanish. Parasols are also a regular casualty I gather because no matter what you say to people about putting them down in windy weather they don't. As for the blind, well you have already commented that it was defective before your current guests arrived so the fact that it instantly derailed again upon their arrival I don't actually see as their fault. If you have another blind then just replace the dodgy one and go pour yourself a nice stiff drink. Some things are just not worth getting too upset about.

[Bunny]

I never charge for anything if there is the slightest element of doubt. Given that the blind had already come out of its tracks, it could just be unlucky that it finally gave up on the guests. Broken or not, I would put that down to wear and tear.

So much lost cutlery from just one let is excessive and certainly very, very annoying but I wouldn't charge for it. I do lose cutlery but only the odd one occasionally. There's nothing wrong with having a full inventory (I have one too and it's good practice with rentals) but I don't check it off with guests. I haven't got the inclination or time and it comes across a little unwelcoming to be showing distrust as soon as they arrive.

With regard to the Boules, could they have rolled into the pool on their own or in the wind?

The parasol is annoying too but they seem to get damaged so regularly and easily. If the guests are from the UK where we use parasols so infrequently I doubt people realise just how vulnerable they are in long term use.

With regard to the current guests I think you need to wait until you see what other damage occurs (if any) before you make any decisions, but if it is just the blind I wouldn't charge.

Sorry to hear you've had a frustrating run of damage.

[pepsipuss]

[quote="tavi"

For the important: create an attractive, simple, easy to read house book, with photos or sketches, where the useful info (wifi code, useful tips,) is mixed up with the warnings and do's and don'ts, then email it as a pdf several weeks before they come. Bet you they read it and remember it.[/quote]

We do that too - it works!! People are so eager to be going on holiday that they will devour stuff about it - much more so than just finding it in the house on arrival.