As a rule I give my guests my local man's number just in case an emergency arises. In turn, a week ago, guests phoned to say they had a problem. A stray cat had entered through the kitchen window they had left open and could we please come to take it out now? The guests added that one of them was allergic and the other did not like cats. My local man had to leave everything and make his way there to deal with the cat. The sight that met his eyes made up for the journey. One guest was holding a broom and the other was standing on a chair.
Now, in my books, this should have been dealt by themselves, but how do you strike a balance between being nice to your guests and be at their beck and call? What guests do not realise sometimes is that each call costs money, petrol and time.
1. What should one do in such circumstances?
2. What "emergencies" have you been called to?
Called in for a non emergency
Aldo this is interesting because I was discussing this with a friends who's house I looked after whilst they were in france.
Although I was offically there for emergencies only, I got called out because the guests couldn't get the parasol up.
We came up with the solution (for us) that the guests would be told that a call out charge would be levied for anything other than emergencies or faults that could be attributed to the owner. But that all other call outs would be charged at x rate.
We classified emergencies to do mainly with utilities and failure of equipment.
That way - your guests will be aware of where the line is drawn.
Have to say though...I feel sorry for the cat
Must have been terrified!
Although I was offically there for emergencies only, I got called out because the guests couldn't get the parasol up.
We came up with the solution (for us) that the guests would be told that a call out charge would be levied for anything other than emergencies or faults that could be attributed to the owner. But that all other call outs would be charged at x rate.
We classified emergencies to do mainly with utilities and failure of equipment.
That way - your guests will be aware of where the line is drawn.
Have to say though...I feel sorry for the cat
Must have been terrified!One martini, two martini, three martini floor!
"The sight that met his eyes made up for the journey. One guest was holding a broom and the other was standing on a chair. " sorry, that made me chuckle 
It reminded me of the silly cartoons where you see same situation, but over a mouse, not a cat !
How would your poor guests would deal with my feral cats ? It's just as well they didn't come here - see post under Spain. I am dealing with that problem at the moment.
I totally agree with Mouse's comments and think its very good advice. It can be difficult when you are not on site - we have lots of silly problems to deal with because we are on hand.
At least my husband can chase the feral cats out by himself, armed with various pieces of armoury - our cats bite when cornered.
My worst offender was a turkey we had kept from a baby. Before he was put down for dinner, I had to go down the garden, armed with a dustbin lid and broom - I must have looked like a gladiator ready for battle - so I couldn't help laughing when I read your post. The wretched creature would leap up at me with talons forward trying to attack my face. He didn't taste very good either - too stringy and over muscled from chasing me everywhere
Hope you get things sorted out.
It reminded me of the silly cartoons where you see same situation, but over a mouse, not a cat !
How would your poor guests would deal with my feral cats ? It's just as well they didn't come here - see post under Spain. I am dealing with that problem at the moment.
I totally agree with Mouse's comments and think its very good advice. It can be difficult when you are not on site - we have lots of silly problems to deal with because we are on hand.
At least my husband can chase the feral cats out by himself, armed with various pieces of armoury - our cats bite when cornered.
My worst offender was a turkey we had kept from a baby. Before he was put down for dinner, I had to go down the garden, armed with a dustbin lid and broom - I must have looked like a gladiator ready for battle - so I couldn't help laughing when I read your post. The wretched creature would leap up at me with talons forward trying to attack my face. He didn't taste very good either - too stringy and over muscled from chasing me everywhere
Hope you get things sorted out.
Ouch ! Tricky one, if someone rang me and I was actually in the country I would just grit my teeth and go around and deal with it but for a cat in the house because they had left the windows open ( or such similar occurence) I do not think you should have to pay anyone to attend! How to tell them this politely without giving offence is tricky though 
INteresting question, and constructive suggestion from Mouse, but I've been thinking......
What would these people have done if a similar situation happened at home ? Perhaps they'd have called a neighbour or friend round to help them ?
I appreciate that its not an "emergency", but when on holiday in a foreign country, one sometimes needs a "friend" to help out, and this is a role the Manager just sometimes has to fulfil. If we, as owners have to pay, perhaps its part of our hospitality package ?
Occasionally it will be abused, but even my closest friends at home have been known to abuse that friendship
What would these people have done if a similar situation happened at home ? Perhaps they'd have called a neighbour or friend round to help them ?
I appreciate that its not an "emergency", but when on holiday in a foreign country, one sometimes needs a "friend" to help out, and this is a role the Manager just sometimes has to fulfil. If we, as owners have to pay, perhaps its part of our hospitality package ?
Occasionally it will be abused, but even my closest friends at home have been known to abuse that friendship
Not sure where I stand on this.
on the one hand if you had warned them that they shouldn't leave the window open because of cats then it is there fault.
On the other had - I am scared of rats. If I had rented a property and there was a rat there I would class it as an emergency and expect it dealt with. Just because we see cats as cute and fluffy doesn't mean everyone does.
I think sometime you just have to take it on the chin and except that one persons emergency is the next persons everyday occurence.
Ju
on the one hand if you had warned them that they shouldn't leave the window open because of cats then it is there fault.
On the other had - I am scared of rats. If I had rented a property and there was a rat there I would class it as an emergency and expect it dealt with. Just because we see cats as cute and fluffy doesn't mean everyone does.
I think sometime you just have to take it on the chin and except that one persons emergency is the next persons everyday occurence.
Ju
I got called into one of the gites once because one of my cats had climbed through the velux window and was asleep on one of the beds. The guest had a phobia about cats, so called me to get it out of the house, which I completely understand. Likewise another guest had a phobia of birds and during her stay one came down the chimney into the woodburner, so I got rid of that too.
Feral cats can be quite fierce at times too, I don't think I would want to get rid of one without wearing a thick pair of gloves, so I think the call out could be considered an emergency.
Feral cats can be quite fierce at times too, I don't think I would want to get rid of one without wearing a thick pair of gloves, so I think the call out could be considered an emergency.
Ah, interesting divergence of opinions. OK, but in an actual non emergency ( if we can agree on what one is ) we can not run around like headless chickens, although easier said than done and if you are on site I gues you probably would anyway. I was once asked how to cook the meat a person had just bought, now I told them best I could over the phone but I wasn't go to go out and inspect it! They were lovely but had staff at home and would have appreciated me going to view the meat I am sure but I was in the middle of feeding my own family and it would have been a 40 min round trip, did I go ? No. Did I spend ages on the phone trying to give them all the options? Yes Result= my food at home was ruined LOL
) we can not run around like headless chickens, although easier said than done and if you are on site I gues you probably would anyway. I was once asked how to cook the meat a person had just bought, now I told them best I could over the phone but I wasn't go to go out and inspect it! They were lovely but had staff at home and would have appreciated me going to view the meat I am sure but I was in the middle of feeding my own family and it would have been a 40 min round trip, did I go ? No. Did I spend ages on the phone trying to give them all the options? Yes Result= my food at home was ruined LOL 
Susan has a definite point about feral cats. Very often, they are antisocial and hiss and scratch if approached. If it was the neighbor's cat who wandered in I might raise my eyebrows at the call (though perhaps not even then if there are severe allergies involved). But for a feral cat I'd put that in the same category as a rat, a bat, or a raccoon.
Brooke
I had a callout today, TV not working. I asked them to check that the leads at the back were properly plugged in. They checked and it still didn't work. I went over and sure enough a lead was not properly plugged in. I get about 10 callouts a year like this. I try to encourage self-reliance. In this instance I would have told them to try opening the front door and sprinkling water on the cat.
Paolo
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