No Water!

From the moment they step through the door your bookings become guests, and their experiences determine whether they ever come back.
Foxandsot
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No Water!

Post by Foxandsot »

Hello All

Just had a conversation with our guests and they tell me that they haven't had any water since 4.30pm yesterday afternoon!!! I have sent someone round to investigate and also sent someone with a huge container full of water for cooking and drinking. The problem is most probably because of water shortages in Cyprus, they turn the water off all the time! The guest has just texted me to say that if the water isn't on again by this afternoon they will have to check into a hotel. Obviously, they will expect us to pay! If it does turn out to be water shortages, don't know whether we should pay? Anyone else had this situation??

Mx
Fraise
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Post by Fraise »

Oh dear, sounds like you will have to pay their accomm. I would not be pleased if I rented a villa and there was no water for over 24 hours ! Maybe for the future you will have to mention this problem on your website/details :roll:
Good luck, fingers crossed it comes back on :wink:
brenda
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Post by brenda »

We too get water cut offs - especially in high season.

Soon after moving in we realised that these can last up to a week so installed a 2000 litre Water Deposito and, fingers crossed, have never run out since. Our longest cut off was 8 days last July when there were 7 adults here - 5 guests + the 2 of us - and it was the hottest fortnight of the year!

Our website does state that water cut offs are an inevitable part of campo living but that it is unlikely they will run out completely due to the tank.

We are lucky that, being on site, we can always inform guests when the tank has come into operation and ask them to use water sensibly.

Is there a pool that they can freshen up in and take water from to the flush the loo? If so, they may well be able to cope until the water comes back on - I would give a percentage discount on the number of days without water. If not, I would ensure that I found them accommodation at a reasonable price rather than letting them check themselves into a 5 star hotel!

Do ensure that your website mentions the possibility of cut offs - we mention the vulnerability of both water and electricity on ours.

Good luck and I hope the water comes back on quickly for you.
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

Does the water shortages affect all properties or do they tend to try and leave the hotels on? I'm just thinking if they booked into somewhere is there the guarantee they'd have water there?

In the short term can you take a lot of those 5lr bottles of drinking water around to ensure they have a decent drinking supply and could heat it up too for a wash down from the sink. Maybe offer something towards their extra expense of heating the water up if they pay for leccy? Of course a bottle of wine or two to make them forget they have no water....
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Big Sis..
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Post by Big Sis.. »

OOh Foxie What a worry for you. :roll:
I really do sympathise..but as the others have said ..no water is a real problem...and I sympathise also with your guests :roll:
I think what the others have said is good advice get some 5Ltr water supplies round there pronto[if poss]
Our longest cut off was 8 days last July when there were 7 adults here - 5 guests + the 2 of us - and it was the hottest fortnight of the year!
Brenda :shock: What a nightmare cant even think about it :o
Nessie
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Post by Nessie »

When we use to rent in Spain we had a property on a new complex and we would sometimes get cuts for 24 hours, but not just us the whole complex would be without, I use to state in my terms and conditions that in some instances it was inevitable that there could be water cuts during the summer months.

I suppose it depends the reason why you have no water
Nessie
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Overboard
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Post by Overboard »

Oh, I sympathize!! We had this problem last week at Tully. Guests called at 11pm to say water had stopped, we though it was just overuse and it would be back in a few hours (happens sometimes being on well water, pressure tanks dont keep up with lots of use). In the morning water still wasn't back and my husband actually postponed an overseas flight (I MADE HIM!!). Cut a long story short, a flapper in one of the toilets was stuck open. Anyway, during the water out time we arranged for a nearby B&B to take our guests if need be, that was not required thankfully, and we refunded the 1st nights accommodation. The relief of resolving the problem though. I hope you get matters sorted out ASAP as I was extremely stressed.

First thing I would do is look for available temporary accommodation for your guests.
brenda
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Post by brenda »

Would have been a nightmare Ros if we hadn´t had the tank!

Was actually reassuring that 7 people could last 8 days with just one tankful of water.

Was getting low by the 8th day though so were jsut about to order a tanker delivery when it came back on.
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Big Sis..
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Post by Big Sis.. »

Would have been a nightmare Ros if we hadn´t had the tank!
Yep good for you Brenda thinking ahead :wink: and as you say you now know that it should last a week which is reasurring :roll:
Hi Foxie..

Hope your problem gets resolved quickly :!: ...Let us know ....
Its not always straighforward this renting lark Eh :wink: but at least cos were on here we do see other peoples experiences and how they deal with problems..and it helps us to see what could happen and what to do if it does..thanks for sharing :wink:
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fincafern
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Post by fincafern »

We lost our water for two days only two weeks ago. They just turn it off with no warning at all so you cannot save anything or make preparations - we had guests in too. This is the first time in 5 years though.
Forunately, we have two wells, one drinking water and a 3000L emergency tank so we are able to pump water supplies through and we are on site. Some of our neighbours had a hot sticky time of it . Its OK if you have a pool and can use buckets to help with loos etc but it can be a horrid problem otherwise. We are in an official drought area - Guadalhorce valley which feeds the costa del sol's water.
...and they build more golf courses here ???? duh ???
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Giddy Goat
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Post by Giddy Goat »

Nightmare and I feel for all of you who've experienced this, big time. So far so good in our area though power cuts are an occasional problem and never for any serious length.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
Foxandsot
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Post by Foxandsot »

What a day I had yesterday!

I managed to get my husbands nephew down to the house within half and hour with a huge container of water (it's housed on a swing thing to make it easier to pour the water out!) and then tried to get someone down to fill up the water tank on the roof, to no avail! Everyone in Cyprus is on holiday! Contacted the developer and it turns out the problem was not a shortage but a pump somewhere had gone??? They were working on it, in the meantime tried to find another villa in the area, all fully booked or had water & electricity problems of their own!! Eventually found a hotel in the old part of Larnaka and booked the guests in for a few nights!! Guests just used the hotel for it's washing facilities and texted me to say they all felt 100% better and to thank me for sorting everything!! Got another text this morning to say still no water!! :shock: Got on phone to developer again, they were sent down to the house and it turned out their was an air lock and all was sorted!!!

We are going to be investing in some sort of extra tank for emergencies like this and also try and encourage guests to conserve water.

Mx
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Giddy Goat
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Post by Giddy Goat »

Pheww, what a relief, and it sounds as though your guests really appreciated your efforts Foxie.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Glad to hear all your water problems ended well Foxy and i'm sure you're guests will be very appreciative of the effort you put in to sorting things out for them.

I must admit I dread anything happening/breaking down in August - its usually a nightmare trying to get something done.

well done!

Mouse
x
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Foxandsot
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Post by Foxandsot »

August seems to be a nightmare everywhere! My husband says that he is going to train as a plumber/air-con engineer/water supplier and work in Cyprus during August!!! :lol:

Mx
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