Lay My Hat

We have just waved off an early retired couple who rented a sleeps 6 for three weeks. The guest had had a knee operation so they checked everything was ground floor before they booked. Good idea!

I've always been nervous about three week bookings: There is a lot they can get up to, a lot to go wrong, three weeks and not being able to weed the garden, check things etc.

So, within hours of their arrival they were on the phone that they couldn't get the TV to work. We gave instructions over the phone. Then, they couldn't fathom the Wifi code. They phoned for clean linen after a week (all fine, that's the arrangement) and added that the gas on the barbeque had run out and they had broken the ignition switch. When I arrived to change the linen they said they were using the twin bedroom rather than the double and had re-arranged all the furniture to suit. OK-ish with me. On the second linen change they said that Mister had had to heave himself up off the bed by using the radiator and pulled it off the wall "Don't worry though, it isn't leaking!" Oh good!

Then we heard from them they had broken a garden chair.

When we went yesterday to do the changeover we found the rope for the parasol had been cut off to shorten it (why?), a knife and glass missing, a very badly tea stained teapot and sink, cold coffee and mouldy coffee grouts in the coffee machine and the geraniums she offered to water ("We're keen gardeners and be delighted to have it to do") were not only bone dry but had been deadheaded and some chopped back to soil level leaving me with very empty looking pots …….

Add to that the lady's comment that a hand towel EACH was a bit excessive and the comment in the Visitors' Book that the pool hadn't been cleaned during their stay - it was, often, but early morning before they were up and around.

Why? Why? Why?

Oh dear.......

Some people are just so inept that you wonder how they manage in their daily lives, do they live in perpetual chaos? We had a few like that too, so you're not alone (small comfort, I know).

Crucial question - do you take a damage deposit?

Mols

Oh GillianF, you have our sympathy!
Please tell me they have returned home to whatever country they came from as we have a dreaded 4 week booking coming up in 3 weeks time, from a couple that sound very similar, please let it not be your now departed guests. The thought has quite put me off my forthcoming supper.
I will ensure we take a security deposit either way.

I'm pretty sure they were headed home from us and hoping they have satnav to find their way there!

I think they were also a bit lonely because whenever we went there they seemed desperate for conversation and the neighbour came by yesterday when we were there and he was on first name terms with them.

We do take a damages deposit. When they made their final payment they overpaid by £50. I advised them of this but there was no reply/comment and when they arrived the lady reminded me of it and said I should keep it to cover the hire of pool towels and 'cleaning' at the end of their stay.

OH was not best pleased having to re-attach the radiator to the wall but we decided to just grin and bear it and not charge them any more than the overpayment they had made. We decided their need may be greater than ours ………….

Oh dear we have all had them.

My departing guests cleaned the villa windows, mirrors, shower screen...and the whole villa. I think they were OCD on cleaning the place was cleaner than when they took it on. It averages out...

Unfortunately we had some recent guests from the UK who left the place in a right state - bedroom wastepaper baskets full of dirty nappies in 40 deg heat, full rubbish bins, a weeks worth of empty wine and beer bottles not taken to the bottle bank, burnt on food in oven - and after we with held £60 from damage deposit to cover additional cleaning, as stated in our T&C's then then posted a false poor review on TripAdvisor which we had to take time out to refute.
Why do we do this to ourselves ?

We had a text this week from guests (gite we look after, not ours) stating that a sunbed was rotten (exaggeration) and "they wanted a new one delivered the next day". We happened to be going shopping and found one (as rare as hen's teeth half way through August and after sales have finished!!). OH drove up to drop it off and half way up the hill was nearly taken off the road by a Brit car on the wrong side of the road. Yes, you have guessed it ... half of the family staying in the gite.

Can anyone fathom this observation from US guest.

Kettle had about 1 cup of water left in it.

apexblue wrote:Can anyone fathom this observation from US guest.

Kettle had about 1 cup of water left in it.

Still laughing!

apexblue wrote:Can anyone fathom this observation from US guest.

Kettle had about 1 cup of water left in it.

I'm guessing, as Americans, they expected everything empty and microscopically cleaned, just as in a hotel - water remaining in kettle = slovenly!
Consider yourself rebuked. 😄

Mols

Ah the great 'kettle conundrum'.

Does one leave the kettle full so they just have to flick the switch for the much needed pot of tea or does one empty it out to indicate it has been checked and cleaned and avoid them peering at it with mistrust?

GillianF wrote:Ah the great 'kettle conundrum'.

Does one leave the kettle full so they just have to flick the switch for the much needed pot of tea or does one empty it out to indicate it has been checked and cleaned and avoid them peering at it with mistrust?

Or switching it on empty?

apexblue wrote:Can anyone fathom this observation from US guest.

Kettle had about 1 cup of water left in it.

That's even better than my favourite text exchange

Them: "There are no saucepans"
Me, worried: "Oh! Are there not plenty on top of the shelf by the fridge? "
Them: "Only one"
Me, really worried: "I will send someone round to look. There should be seven orange Le Creuset pans"
Them: "Oh those are all there but they've got no handles"
Me: "They have two handles, one each side of the pan. Or do you mean they are broken?"
Them: "We prefer the type that has a single long handle and there's only one of those"

I actually can't remember what I said. Not much, I think.

This summer the guests have all been absolute gems so far, long may it continue!

Martha wrote:
Them: "There are no saucepans"
Me, worried: "Oh! Are there not plenty on top of the shelf by the fridge? "
Them: "Only one"
Me, really worried: "I will send someone round to look. There should be seven orange Le Creuset pans"
Them: "Oh those are all there but they've got no handles"
Me: "They have two handles, one each side of the pan. Or do you mean they are broken?"
Them: "We prefer the type that has a single long handle and there's only one of those"

I'd struggle with those myself to be honest. They are too heavy for me.