Compensation for defective hob? Your thoughts please!

[Hells Bells]

Exactly, hubby and I have just been to Montreuil-sur-Mer for the weekend. Nice hotel, spacious rooms, but the breakfast was extra and they charged us when we didn't have it (apparently you have to cancel the night before). Our bill was extortionate, and there was no real bar to go for a drink, we had to go out. We would have felt more comfortable in a cottage/gite at half the price, particularly as rain kept us in the hotel room. unfortunately the hotel replied first, and they took a non-refundable deposit from us.

[vrooje]

I agree with James and all the others about the compensation.

Perhaps the reason this couple is complaining is (at least partially; they may also be serial complainers) that they are on a tight budget and were counting on cooking meals in to save money. Our last vacation was like that. We were able to afford to stay a couple of extra days because we broke from our usual vacation habits and ate almost all our meals at home. If our hob hadn't been working, I would have been fairly upset. But, in that situation, if the rental owner were to have offered to compensate me for my meals out, I'd be perfectly happy with that.

I also think that it's quite reasonable of you to say "we'll pay for up to 50€ per day for your meals" or something similar. That would prevent them from going to a four-star restaurant on your tab!

[Partridge]

Oh well, I must be a right meany because I would not pay for a meal/meals out because the hob was not working. If they are the sort of family who would cook in on holiday, then they would be the sort who could find their way round an oven for a couple of days. Hot water is entirely different, a major inconvenience and we all remember how long it takes to fill a bath tub with kettles of water

They are obviously whingers so a couple of bottles of vino or 50 euros max (wouldn't let them loose on a 'I'll pay for your meal' scenario) is generous enough.

Or you could always 'let them eat cake', which we know you can make very well

[Rocket Rab]

Well, folks, I went to bed fretting about these peeps and guess what? Yep, I woke up fretting about them too! But at least I have the invaluable benefit of the 'LMH perspective' and your moral support, which goes a long way in a hob dilemma!

As Helen said..you don't need a hob to cook a dinner. They have the microwave to steam vegetables and an oven to cook with....

...plus the grill..! Yes, I fully understand that this is an inconvenient situation, and one that requires prompt action and oodles of sympathy, but, well, humph... gimme a break!

Or you could always 'let them eat cake', which we know you can make very well

Yes, Partie, they were the recipients of an RR choccy cake (which obviously has limited impact in a real emergency ), so if the worst comes to the worst...

If they are only a couple then I think 100€ to cover two nights of inconvenience sounds just about right. Maybe deliver it in an envelope stuck with a bit of sellotape to a bottle of wine ?

Nice idea, James. I might even go one better and opt for a (small) bottle of champagne...just to see whether it is accepted with good grace!

Well, today's the day - please don't let me down, electrical appliances store (or your name will be MUD! Like mine. )

[Big Sis..]

Hi Wabbitt ..
I really think you are doing all you can and they are making a mountain out of this....
My poor people had no HOT water..and have been lovely......I think whatever you do they will moan so do what you think is right and relax....

[enid]

I think 100 euros is very generous - here you can easily eat out well for under 50€. A bottle of something is always a nice gesture.

The benefits of renting a gite, villa or apartment far outweigh the occasional hiccup that goes with staying in a real home.

I so agree - that's why we want a cottage for our for our trip to the Isle of Man at the end of the month - we will eat out a lot because that's what we do when we are on holiday , but we want the option to eat in with a take away say.

If a report of something broken/missing/etc is greeted with sincere apologies and an obvious effort to rectify things any further complaint is just grumpy. What about our poor guests who were here in rainy May - we gave them wood for log fires which wasn't much compensation for a pool and a sunbathe but theses things happen.

Hope all goes well with the repair RR - having this disrupt your sleep is because you are an owner who cares

[Rocket Rab]

If a report of something broken/missing/etc is greeted with sincere apologies and an obvious effort to rectify things any further complaint is just grumpy.
Hope all goes well with the repair RR - having this disrupt your sleep is because you are an owner who cares

Thanks, Enid! Feeling perkier already!

[Big Sis..]

enid wrote:
If a report of something broken/missing/etc is greeted with sincere apologies and an obvious effort to rectify things any further complaint is just grumpy.
Hope all goes well with the repair RR - having this disrupt your sleep is because you are an owner who cares



Thanks, Enid! Feeling perkier already!

Totally agree Enid ....and shes lovely with it

[Jimbo]

Hi RR

Those guests who are kind and forgiving and understand that kitchen gadgets do go wrong and it may be the owner's responsibility but it's not actually their fault always do worse in the compensation stakes than guests who stamp their feet and throw the toys out of the pram.

Something else that isn't fair.

Jim (foot-stamping guests this week!)

[Mouse]

and perhaps not having the hob for two days could be difficult especially if all they can cook is pasta

We had guests like that last year LV! They had every conceivable style of pasta!

RR - as usual you have shown yourself to be full of consideration for your guests holiday experience and I feel you've reached the right decision. It also sounds like thats what they were angling after when they moaned about the restaurants being expensive.

I can't believe that some people go on holiday and cook in all the time...but they do.
So hopefully they will have had a lovely dining experience which they wouldn't have otherwise had.

Finally - to really shut up moaners I always put the situation back into their hands by asking; if you feel there was a better way I could have dealt with this situation I'm happy to listen to your thoughts so that next time my guests don't feel as inconvenienced as you have felt (then sit back and listen to............silence )

here's more Mousie hugs ((()))
Mouse (whose going to be out of hugs at this rate...praps it is global warming Kip!)
x

[la vache!]

I can't believe that some people go on holiday and cook in all the time...but they do.

I think that famlies do cook for themselves rather than go out (as it can be quite expensive for a family to go out, and after all, that is what self catering is), but most of the couples who stay here go out to eat fairly often, after all food is one of the things that people come to France for!

[Alan Knighting]

Mouse,

They had every conceivable style of pasta!

In my part of France pasta is a very normal ingredient and is served in most restaurants. In the local pizza/pasta places one can eat a ton of the stuff for very little money so I don’t think a “huge� discount is appropriate for the lack of a hob for a couple of days.

I can't believe that some people go on holiday and cook in all the time...but they do.

One shouldn’t be too surprised, after all we are offering self catering holidays.

Alan

[Mouse]

Hopefully this one isn't 'off topic' but thought I'd share it all with you;

I work for a holiday accommodation company and sometimes we get bizarre questions (well I think they are) from clients. Yesterday we got asked; how easy is for me to purchase gas canisters in Ibiza as we thought we'd bring over a camping stove to cook on to save money
Try and explain that one to Leeds airport security staff....and - this is bizarre...they'd booked an apartment

So RR - my suggestion would be that we all should have camping stoves in reserve - just incase the hobs pack up!

Mouse
x

[Guest3]

RR...fingers and toes crossed for you today that the electrical store comes up with the goods and service!

[Rocket Rab]

So RR - my suggestion would be that we all should have camping stoves in reserve - just incase the hobs pack up!

You're all brilliant - thank you so much for your sympathy and good sense; cheered me up no end! In fact, I'm tempted to buy one of those electric one-ring (two?) contraptions and keep it at the house as an emergency solution for this kind of scenario...tuh! What a lot of angst for fried egg and sausage..!