Washing machine kaput!

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guest 4
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Washing machine kaput!

Post by guest 4 »

Heard yesterday from management that our Washing machine at the Villa has packed up. She is arranging an engineer to go today, Not sure how long it will take to fix, or if it will need replacing. Guests are leaving on Sunday after a two week stay. No other problems and have said they are having a wonderful time. We have directed them to the nearby hotel with a self service laundrette.

Question is, should I offer monetary compensation for this, or a token such as a bottle of Zivania and an apology? We do state in our listing that there is a W/M

Ruth
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Fil
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Post by Fil »

I think you have done all that was possible to minimize the problem.

Was there a material damage ? If no, I believe an apology and some gift should be apropriate
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

Agree with Fil, after all it's not your fault, these things happen, and being without a washing machine is not the end of the world.

As a gesture of goodwill, I would offer the bottle of wine plus apology letter, and offer to reimburse them if the local hotel charges them for the use of their laundrette.

I don't think you need to go any further than that...

Daisy
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Jimbo
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Post by Jimbo »

Dishwasher in middle gite packed up yesterday. American guests started to huff and puff about having to wash up by hand. No chance of a service guy fixing things quickly so opted a buy a new machine and have the old repaired (if possible) and store it against the possibility of another problem in the future.

What can you do? Machines wear out or go faulty but guests aren't always willing to be forgiving.

Jim
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Post by la vache! »

Jim,
if I were you I'd have done exactly the same thing. People seem to be more upset if a dishwasher packs up than if a washing machine does. Unfortunately my local repair man J-Y doesn't offer a replacement dishwasher, although he does offer a replacement washing maching.
I agree, machines go wrong but I can't see it having a major impact on their holiday. Some people never use them at all (although some use them every other day). A little gift and offer to reimburse any laundrette costs should be more than sufficient.
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Post by guest 4 »

Thanks all,

Still no word on how it went with the engineer today, hopefully just a small fixit job.

I will get a bottle or two sent round and hope that does the trick. :lol:

Ruth
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Post by Guest3 »

Isn't it a bummer when electrical items such as these break down in the middle of a rental!...and it's all to do with wear and tear totally beyond our control. I too would offer a couple of bottles of good wine for the inconvenience.
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Post by la vache! »

BagPuss wrote:Isn't it a bummer when electrical items such as these break down in the middle of a rental!...and it's all to do with wear and tear totally beyond our control.
It isn't always wear and tear unfortunately - sometimes it is due to misuse. Often in the case of dishwashers it is due to the pipe being blocked as guests haven't cleaned off the leftovers off the plate into the bin before putting the plates into the washer, or in the case of the washing machine - once I had a problem because guests had put septic tank cleaner powder (Eparcyl) into the machine instead of washing powder. It is a brown colour and doesn't resemble any washing powder I've ever seen before, but I don't leave it in the houses now.
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Post by guest 4 »

I did think that it shouldn't have packed up quite so soon, we paid extra for a good make, we have had it four years but for the first eighteen months it was just us there a few weeks in the summer and easter.

But you never really know with appliances how long they will last. I will be gutted to have to replace it, it is an Italian make that I have never heard of here, begins with a 'z' can't recall the name now. It's the quietest machine I have ever known and spins the washing almost dry.

Oh well, the joys of renting. :lol:

Ruth
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Post by gh »

Could it be Zanussi?

There are an excellent make, still have my tumble dryer 10yrs on.

Have you heard from the engineer, may be possible to fix as most parts are replaceable nowadays.
Helen
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Post by guest 4 »

Hi Helen, no not Zanussi,

I've had a Zanussi here, I agree, very good.

I just wish I could find this particular machine here, Although it has seemed to have gone wrong after what I would consider fairly light use, I have been singing it's praises up to now for how quiet it is and how well it washes.

It will bug me now, until I can ask my manager to give me the name. I hate it when this happens. Is it my age I wonder? Can't seem to remember anything these days. I even struggle to recall my age, but perhaps that is deliberate! :wink:

Ruth
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Post by Guest3 »

I'm sure I read somewhere that the modern domestic applicances aren't built to last more than 5 years compared to the 'older' models which seem to last for years!

I remember my MIL having a really old Hoover (which I classed as antique!) which outlived two newer 'top of the range' models I had! :shock:
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Big Sis..
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Post by Big Sis.. »

Hi Crystal..& Ruth..

I think your right I dont think theyre made to last either. :( ..they want our cash when we have to replave them :wink:
Our washing machines in Spain were given as a gift from the estate agent we bought through[as were all the white goods in both houses] after a lot of wrangling on our part[just offered us a hob to begin with]
Because of that theyre are very basic and we will replace with better as we need to.
Our washing machine handle doors are always breaking...[They dont wait until the cycle ends] Luckily the repair man lives a few doors up...but its getting a regular occurance...I have signs etc up but it still happens...I will definitely get one with a different door handle next time.
Does anyone else have this problem :?:
Had to have a new boiler last year the old one only lasted 3 years....
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Jimbo
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Post by Jimbo »

I dont think theyre made to last either
Further to the dishwasher mentioned earlier. Installed new one, up and running in 10 minutes. Old one proved too expensive to repair, so into the skip with a hundred other white goods. What a model consumer I am. So much of what we buy today isn't built to last.

Wasn't always like that. We have a double lever corkscrew that came through Diana's family and which is in daily use. This model was patented in 1888 by an English company and is the forerunner of all the modern ones. It's a mass-produced item but beautifully machined, a joy to use and it works still perfectly. It must be at least 100 years old. What stories it could tell!

Jim
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Continuing saga....

Post by guest 4 »

If anyone can be bothered to read my update, here it is. :lol: (I'm fed up with the whole thing myself)

Heard that the engineer had been early last week and fixed it. (great, thinks I..)

Spoke to 'our girls' today during changeover, everything ok apart from a note left by the latest guests to say the washing machine is still not spinning properly. (I wish they had let us know earlier) :shock:

They will call out the engineer again tomoz. So this is now two different guests who didn't have a fully functioning machine. Next ones arrive late tonight, girls have left a note to tell them that the machine is faulty.

They have an 18 month old baby, I'm sure they will not be happy if it isn't fixed during their stay. I didn't have time to warn them before they left.

Remembered the make by the way. Zerowatt. Which, after some googling have found that they are the same company as Candy. Perhaps not such a good make after all?

Ruth

Ruth
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