Vertical blinds

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>
sparkJS
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Vertical blinds

Post by sparkJS »

My house has vertical blinds in two separate patio doors as well as some roller blinds in windows.

Each time I have visited they have either been broken or pulled apart. The cleaners don't report any issue nor it seems attempt to put back together.

I have continually replaced and repaired. On one set I bought a fixing for the 2 cords to go into so that it was impossible to use incorrectly however I'm annoyed to find that it has been prised apart!

Is it a foreign concept to pull one cord to rotate the blinds and another to pull them back? Should I do an instructional video for guests?
MG
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

It would seem that something so complicated is beyond the wit of the 'average' guest. However, blinds with cords are banned in many situations as they represent a health and safety issue - children hanging themselves!
newtimber
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Post by newtimber »

GillianF wrote:It would seem that something so complicated is beyond the wit of the 'average' guest. However, blinds with cords are banned in many situations as they represent a health and safety issue - children hanging themselves!
+1 There is more to see her https://www.rospa.com/campaigns-fundrai ... lind-cord/
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

We have a similar problem with guests being unable, or unwilling, to shut the shutters (a simple action of a twist on a round knob, and yes we explain on the meet n greet) and so drag the curtains to close, which are not meant to. This means I'm forever on a stepladder on changeover day trying to get the curtain pole back in place.

So I can empathise!

Mousie
x
p.s. we also had one group who painstakingly sellotaped black bin bags to the shutters :roll:
Fleur
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Post by Fleur »

I'm not sure what the paying guests do as we're not in residence when they stay.
Friends and relatives (from UK and USA) staying with us have our little Gite for two and just don't understand what to do with wooden shutters.
Like mouse one set of. Amercans had pulled curtains that didn't require pulling and then asked what they should do with the shutters. (Instructions printed out and left in the gite).
I had to tell everyone that shutters need to be anchored to prevent them blowing (and getting damaged) on windy days.
Fleur
sparkJS
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Post by sparkJS »

GillianF wrote:It would seem that something so complicated is beyond the wit of the 'average' guest. However, blinds with cords are banned in many situations as they represent a health and safety issue - children hanging themselves!
My cords are secured in a contraption fixed to the wall. Some guests seem to have prised them apart to open up the mechanics. So can be dangerous once they have done this. In my opinion it's the same risk as if a guest prises open any electrical appliance.

Anyway I'm back after Christmas to see how my recent efforts have got on.
MG
SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

I'm all for the easy life, given that guests can't/won't change their behaviour. To keep repairing something guests are breaking because they misunderstand / aren't paying attention / can't be bothered sounds to me like Ground Hog Day.
I'd be looking for a solution that makes effortless sense to guests and is no problem for you.
LotBoy47
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Post by LotBoy47 »

We’re finding simple curtains on a plain round wooden pole is guest-proof, but then we’re fortunate that none of our gites have blinds or shutters.
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Moliere
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Post by Moliere »

I’m afraid the old adage still holds true - if you make something idiot-proof, they’ll just find a bigger idiot.
We learned that when furnishing for holiday rentals, taste and elegance come second to KISS - keep it simple, stupid.

Mols :roll:
Jumping is just dressage with speed-bumps.
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bornintheuk
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Post by bornintheuk »

Moliere wrote:I’m afraid the old adage still holds true - if you make something idiot-proof, they’ll just find a bigger idiot.
We learned that when furnishing for holiday rentals, taste and elegance come second to KISS - keep it simple, stupid.

Mols :roll:
+1 DEFINATELY !
What would Plato do ?
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