Broken equipment

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>
GrangeCottageHarome
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Broken equipment

Post by GrangeCottageHarome »

Hello

Some guests have just arrived and said that one of the toilets isn't flushing. We went round within 30 minutes, but it needs a plumber, so may have to wait a few days! (In future we will double check everything). Should we compensate the guests for this not working or is there a set procedure?

Thank you.
This is our first holiday cottage.
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Cymraes
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Post by Cymraes »

Depends entirely on the circumstances.

If they have other toilets they can use in the property then it's less of an issue than if it was the only one so you compensate (or not) accordingly. If it's the main bathroom and means that they all have to use an ensuite one belonging to one of the bedrooms then that is more of an issue than the other way round.

Much depends on the attitude of the guests. Are they reasonably chilled about it or visibly annoyed?

You do need to get it fixed asap
SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

I agree with Cymraes, getting it fixed as soon as possible and being seen to take it seriously will go a long way to keep your guests happy. To say they may have to wait a few days doesn't sound like your showing enough urgency.
If you don't have one already, one of the most important people I believe who makes running a gite easy is a plumber/electrician whom you can trust will come out at a moment's notice. Our plumber is wonderful and will come out evenings / weekends. When our guests see someone working to put something right at 9pm at night they know we are doing the best for them.
Stuff breaks. It's how you react that will determine whether or not your guests expect compensation.
Last edited by SPJ on Sun Sep 08, 2019 10:41 am, edited 2 times in total.
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

Agree with the above.
If it’s one of several toilets that’s one thing, but if it’s causing the guests major problems (what are they saying?) it needs sorting ASAP.
If the flush mechanism isn’t working the simplest solution is to provide a bucket to be filled with water and tipped into the toilet bowl, which is all that the flush does.
Will the guests be okay with this? If not, and if you don’t have a competent DIYer available who can replace a flush mechanism, you really need an emergency plumber visit, not one "in a few days”.

But as Cymraes says, the key is in talking with the guests.
Dusty
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Post by Dusty »

I agree with all of the above, but if there is an inconvenience (see what I did there :D) I think a gesture goes a long way to smoothing things out, bottle of wine, flowers or maybe a discount if they book again.
Jemima Copping
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Post by Jemima Copping »

A couple of weeks ago our single male guest appeared at the door one morning to tell us that the electricity had gone off. Panic stations! Since he had not had his breakfast I asked him in and gave him toast and tea and he stayed in our kitchen chatting practically all morning. Luckily our local Mr Fixit was working in the village and was able to fix the problem in a couple of hours. My husband gave the guest £100 compensation for the inconvenience, which he accepted with alacrity - I thought it a bit excessive but the words were out of hubby’s mouth before we had even discussed it. However, the guest left a fantastic review on ABB, mentioning the problem and how well we managed it. Since he had paid £700 for his stay it wasn’t too much of a loss. When people are paying their hard earned cash for a holiday they expect everything to be in good working order, and rightly so.
So my advice is to compensate for any inconvenience, the last thing you want is a disgruntled guest leaving a bad review.
Better to be mutton dressed as lamb than mutton dressed as mutton!
Marks
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Post by Marks »

£100 :shock:
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
COYS
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Post by COYS »

Marks wrote:£100 :shock:
+1
If folk in these parts shelled out £100 after each power cut or breaker trip they'd end up owing the guests money at the end of their stay!
The tea & toast was more than sufficient IMO, regardless of any review 'system'
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

COYS wrote:
Marks wrote:£100 :shock:
+1
If folk in these parts shelled out £100 after each power cut or breaker trip they'd end up owing the guests money at the end of their stay!
The tea & toast was more than sufficient IMO, regardless of any review 'system'
+2

I hate to say it but things happen and if owners offered this sort of knee jerk compensation when they did then it does no good....it just raises guests expectations.

A couple of evenings ago we had the storm from hell. Our electric went off. Guests were hopping about mithering about their food in the fridge, had other villas lost electric (like we had time to find out...we had been flooded out in our living quarters and I was mopping like a mad thing).
We could not get the main supply back on. I advised them to go to bed and wait until everything dried out. But no, they were still mithering. I had to explain patietiently that people had lost their lives and homes in this and we were extremely lucky to get away with an electric blowout. They really were trying my patience.
We got everything back on at 4.30am. I am not paying compensation for that...and they havent dared ask me.

Things happen.

Mousie
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SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

I didn't respond earlier, because it seemed hard on Jemima to comment, since it was her husband who handed over the £100. However, as mouse has made it a more general discussion, I too would agree that handing over money when "stuff happens" seems over the top to me unless it really is down to the fault of the gite owner.
Our experience was the water being turned off in our local village. When it came back on, our house was fine, but the cottage only had a few drips coming through. So while we arranged to get our lovely plumber out ASAP, I offered them our guest shower/bathroom in the house and provided bottled water. At no stage did I offer compensation. The problem was dirt being pushed through the mains to the cottage and was solved within 24 hours over a weekend. Our guests could see we were doing the best we could (as Jemima did) and they were perfectly happy.
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

On the few occasions we have had an issue, I have given a bottle of Prosecco as a surprise or put money behind the bar at a local pub towards a meal. This has always been discussed with the guests and very well accepted. I try to avoid actually suggesting a figure in any discussion.

In general terms I think we should try and think like the big guys - what would a hotel do if they needed access to repair plumbing? Probably give you a bottle of wine and leave it at that.

What should be done does depend upon the actual inconvenience, the length of time for a repair to be completed and the cost of the holiday. I think it is better to go a bit further than not do enough. Jemima's husband only did what I’m sure many of us have done when faced with an unexpected crisis. The guest may well book again as a result.

Mouse, words cannot express how dreadful the storm must have been for you - so glad you are all safe.
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Thank you Zebedee. That's very kind of you.

Mousie
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Marks
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Post by Marks »

COYS wrote:.....regardless of any review 'system'
Too many people running scared of 'bad' reviews and capitulating to guests taking advantage (I am not suggesting this applies to Jemima).

If someone gives a bad review because of some minor annoyance that was fixed quickly it is easily dealt with.

Mouse - glad you are OK, we weren't too badly hit but 10km to the south it is horrendous.
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
AndrewH
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Post by AndrewH »

However much an owner would like to be the perfect host, there will be rare occasions when control is taken out of his/her hands and there is nothing she or he can do about the happening of some awful disaster. Last month (August) our guests were without water for 5 whole days. There wasn't a drop through the taps. There was no lack of water in reservoirs and other sources on the island where I live - far from it - but the water company's infrastructure just could not cope with supplying the needs of a population swollen by two to three times its normal size by the number of tourists.

We have two separate clauses in our t's and c's to cover us. One relates to natural disasters (e.g. fire, flood, earthquake) and the other relates to a breakdown in public services like the supply of water or electricity. I had to rely on the second one with our August guests and I was so glad it was there. I did offer compensation, but needed to stress that it was as a goodwill gesture.

This winter, we are going to invest in two very large water tanks so as to have our own reservoir in case this should happen again.
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