Lay My Hat

Hello everyone,
I have a two bedroomed property.

Yesterday I received an email from this week's guests to say that when the TV in the back bedroom is switched on, it displays a "smashed screen". The TV looks perfectly normal when off, so my cleaner has not noticed anything. This weeks guest used to work with my sister, so I am pretty sure I can trust her to be honest.

I am not sure how often the TV is used, I often have couples book, so the second bedroom may not be used. I don't get many children staying, mainly adults who are walkers etc and very pleasant guests to have. I am a remote owner.

This damage could have been done some time ago, and I cannot see how I would ever discover who is the culprit. I have asked my cleaner to switch TVs on from now onwards as part of the changeover. I have also just emailed guests who stayed in recent weeks to ask if everything was ok for them and for feedback. I have been able to ask some repeat guests if they used the TV at all, and if it was Ok for them, so awaiting replies. Anyone got anymore suggestions? I am quite upset about this as the TV has to be replaced. I don't hold much hope of anyone confessing now.

Doing a search online, a screen cracked on the inside (so you wouldn't see the crack if the TV is off) is usually a thermal crack from heat and not impact damage. So it may not have been your guest's fault, but a manufacturing fault.

Hmmm,....yes an internet search says a thermal problem may be the cause, but on the sites I looked at the people were insistent that they had not done anything to damage the TV. The cracks often happened as they were watching.

There are also a number of search results which indicate it is caused by trauma...

Apparently we may know more when we get to see the TV as the actual crack can vary depending upon the cause.

Hi Newtimber, I can see that a crack could be possible but I would doubt multiple lines that make it look smashed.

We had a tv smashed recently (The guest owned up and replaced it) It did not really look broken when turned off, only when powered up could the damage be seen.

I've seen several cracked, damaged PC and Laptop screens / monitors damaged over the years and it is possible to drop them and the external glass doesn't crack or break but it looks cracked when switched on. Talking to the customers about what has happened and they have accidently dropped it onto its back or the screen has had a blow or pressure applied to it from the back rather than the front and yet there was no visible damage to the rear or front of the unit.

I've always thought that it may be possible to apply pressure to the back of a screen, just enough to break the screen internally without any outward visible damage.

Checking TV's is something I've always done to make sure they are working and not on an undesirable channel. I switch channel to the BBC news channel, adjust the sound level and turn off subtitles if required every week. This tests the TV and the remote and ensures any kids don't get to see anything there parents wouldn't want them to see when it is turned on!!

It wouldn't surprise me if it was possible to break a screen by twisting a larger TV panel slightly, just enough to break it without damaging the glass either.

akwe-xavante wrote:Checking TV's is something I've always done to make sure they are working and not on an undesirable channel. I switch channel to the BBC news channel, adjust the sound level and turn off subtitles if required every week. This tests the TV and the remote and ensures any kids don't get to see anything there parents wouldn't want them to see when it is turned on!!

I do the same for those reasons. Sometimes departing guests have fiddled with the buttons on the remote, and some resetting is needed. Ours is satellite TV.

My caretakers check because we have French and British tv and we make sure it is switched to French for French and Belgian guests and make an assumption of British tv default for all other nationalities. It hadn't occurred to me that it also checks that no one has actually damaged the tv during their stay but that's useful.

Yep something like this happens and the task of checking the tv or whatever is added to the poor changeover person's ever-growing list!
We already automatically check all the lights, smoke alarms, and internet modem lights.
A simple TV system yes, but I draw the line at video games equipment and dvd/blueray.
Owners often don't realise we descale their kettles & coffee machines, empty the house hoover (we use our own) and clean the filters, check & clean washing machine & dishwasher product dispensers & filters and clear crumbs from the toaster.
In some properties with fancy showers we have to put up with getting soaking wet cleaning the sides and corners. We do have a high-tech rinsing method for some which involves standing on a chair and chucking a saucepan of water over the top of the shower, then waiting for it to drain down before polishing the glass!
Should we also be cooking a meal using all the different functions of the oven?
Cook on all 4-5 rings?
Use the dishwasher & washing machine on every cycle?
Make coffee?
Make toast, toasted sandwiches and cook in the microwave?
Where is it all going to end?

Meanwhile the moans about ever-increasing cleaning costs go on, and with the £ in freefall against the euro UK clients with European properties are finding life tough.

Rant over, I'm off to get the shopping in for welcome packs & binbags etc for the 4 changeovers we have this weekend. Yes I do charge for my time for this, and why not?

I feel your pain Circe and couldn't have put it better myself!

Where will it all end, will it ever end ...............

+1

Circe wrote

Yep something like this happens and the task of checking the tv or whatever is added to the poor changeover person's ever-growing list!


Rant over, I'm off to get the shopping in for welcome packs & binbags etc for the 4 changeovers we have this weekend. Yes I do charge for my time for this, and why not?

Yes, I agree with you, I feel awful that I have to ask my lovely caretaker to check something else out, probably (not yet determined) because of carelessness by a guest who then doesn't own up.
If anything is missed she feels really bad as she is conscientious and reliable.

I do value the work done by my caretaker and the relief girl. They are so obliging, and I hope that they feel that I pay them fairly for whatever I ask them to do.

As a remote owner, my caretakers play a critical role - dirty cottage soon means no more bookings, no star rating and just slightly lower than excellent standards definitely means no repeat guests.
If a remote owner doesn't understand this, then they racing towards a crisis as there are more owners out there than reliable cleaners/caretakers!

update
OH went to the cottage today with a replacement TV. You can definitely see an impact on the screen, so some delightful person has hit it hard with something.

Circé wrote:Yep something like this happens and the task of checking the tv or whatever is added to the poor changeover person's ever-growing list!
We already automatically check all the lights, smoke alarms, and internet modem lights.
A simple TV system yes, but I draw the line at video games equipment and dvd/blueray.
Owners often don't realise we descale their kettles & coffee machines, empty the house hoover (we use our own) and clean the filters, check & clean washing machine & dishwasher product dispensers & filters and clear crumbs from the toaster.
In some properties with fancy showers we have to put up with getting soaking wet cleaning the sides and corners. We do have a high-tech rinsing method for some which involves standing on a chair and chucking a saucepan of water over the top of the shower, then waiting for it to drain down before polishing the glass!
Should we also be cooking a meal using all the different functions of the oven?
Cook on all 4-5 rings?
Use the dishwasher & washing machine on every cycle?
Make coffee?
Make toast, toasted sandwiches and cook in the microwave?
Where is it all going to end?

Meanwhile the moans about ever-increasing cleaning costs go on, and with the £ in freefall against the euro UK clients with European properties are finding life tough.

Rant over, I'm off to get the shopping in for welcome packs & binbags etc for the 4 changeovers we have this weekend. Yes I do charge for my time for this, and why not?

This year it is loos. Or more accurately the flushes. In that they do but then dont stop!!

We feel your pain! Nearly over now. Deep breath! Exhale