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Slug-gate! How much reimbursement should I request?

161 replies

youdontwantasluginthebedroom · 02/12/2025 12:49

NC for this, and posted shamelessly in AIBU for traffic.

The story, in a nutshell; I had to go away at v short notice last month and booked 4 nights in a self-catering place. On arrival (day1) I noticed slug trails on the bedroom carpets. But it was late, I was tired, I didn't have the owner's number so I left it until the following morning, when I contacted the owner.
Nothing was done about this by the owner on days 2 (which I queried that evening) or day 3 (when I kind of gave up).
But early hours of day 4 I got out of bed to go to the loo and almost stood on a slug on a carpet next to the bed. (There was no bedside light so I had to cross the room in the dark, and no furniture other than a tiny bedside table so my case had had to stay on the ground; thankfully I couldn't see any slug trails on it). Decided I couldn't stay there any longer so moved out with daybreak and had to find alternative accom at even shorter notice for that evening.
I've contacted the owner and by text and phone but am getting nowhere with a refund so have now opened a case through the CC company (luckily I'd paid with my card).
My question - how much refund would you go for? I'm asking for a refund of the unused night plus some more to reflect distress and inconvenience. I think a total refund for 2 out of the 4 nights is reasonable, and I'm sure that some people would ask for more. But a couple of people have told me not to make such a fuss about a slug!
Well, who wants mashed slug between their toes when they get out of bed?
So what does the MN jury think?
Poll - YANBU = refund well deserved (but how much? Freetext please!)
YABU = suck it up (but I'll still write an honest review!)

OP posts:
CluelessAboutBiology · 03/12/2025 16:58

@@InlandTaipan I shall never forgive you for introducing me to the phrase “slug froth” 😳

InlandTaipan · 03/12/2025 16:11

Really @Theresalittlebitofwitchinyou ? What sort of tortoise do you have? One of ours once tried to eat a slug and - well let's just say it didn't go well for either of them. And it's surprisingly difficult, as it turns out, to get all the slug froth off the face of an animal that can retract its head into it's shell. Wasn't happy boy at all!

Theresalittlebitofwitchinyou · 03/12/2025 16:05

BitOfAWeirdo · 02/12/2025 13:27

My chickens love eating slugs.

Next time you go away, take a chicken.

Tortoises are also useful for this task, ours seem to love a good slug 🤢

Tweakie123 · 03/12/2025 16:03

I didn’t get a refund recently from a hotel where the guest next door was drunk, assaulted his partner, spent all night loudly on the phone keeping us awake until 6am when he finally answered the door to me and agreed to leave his room. The hotel were useless. This was a large 4 star well known chain in Spain. The 65+ year old receptionist tried to deal with it but said he couldn’t do anything without a manager who wouldn’t be there until 7am. They refused to refund me this nights stay, and threatened legal action if I post a review!

Somethingsnapped · 03/12/2025 14:48

Redpeach · 02/12/2025 15:53

Mice ok too?

A little different, as I'm sure you know really, bless you.

Sunshineandoranges · 02/12/2025 21:51

Slugs always come in my house..usually one at a time. We throw them out but they always come back..i think they are like homing pigeons!

JH0404 · 02/12/2025 21:44

Your distress at seeing one slug???

EBearhug · 02/12/2025 20:42

I was staying in a hotel in Newcastle about 3 months ago, which did have a damp problem in the bathroom. On the last night, I got up for the loo in the middle of the night without turning the light on. And I did tread on a slug, which was not a pleasant experience.

I grew up on a farm and with cats, so the experience of treading on something unpleasant is not unknown to me, but I really didn't expect this in a city hotel (I have stayed in rural abodes where it would be less of a surprise.) I did take a photo. The hotel didn't really care. I didn't give it a good review, but neither did I get any other response.

Still, it was better than the hotel in Derby which caused me to report them to Environmental Health...

Oftenaddled · 02/12/2025 20:39

Happyjoe · 02/12/2025 20:27

The room was full of them, coming through old wooden window frame. They were all over, walls, ceiling and bed. I like them but didn't want to share a bed with them. Owner just said 'oh yes, there is rather a few this year'! Yes, I would've refunded too in her shoes but I just couldn't be bothered to argue. She did try and get my review removed!

They must have ended up hibernating in there if she didn't remove them! All tucked up in the bed for winter ...

Happyjoe · 02/12/2025 20:27

Oftenaddled · 02/12/2025 18:55

Assuming it was an aggregation of ladybirds and not just a few, I'd certainly have moved them on for you or I'd have refunded or exchanged the room if I chose not to bother them.

One slug is just no comparison at all though!

The room was full of them, coming through old wooden window frame. They were all over, walls, ceiling and bed. I like them but didn't want to share a bed with them. Owner just said 'oh yes, there is rather a few this year'! Yes, I would've refunded too in her shoes but I just couldn't be bothered to argue. She did try and get my review removed!

Pollqueen · 02/12/2025 19:13

RecordBreakers · 02/12/2025 19:05

Not an option on the react button any more, sadly. (I'm on a lap top)

😭 for you

RecordBreakers · 02/12/2025 19:05

Pollqueen · 02/12/2025 18:12

Does this not work? 🤣

Not an option on the react button any more, sadly. (I'm on a lap top)

Oftenaddled · 02/12/2025 18:55

Happyjoe · 02/12/2025 18:00

Rented a B&B once and the room was covered in ladybirds. Owner knew, didn't care and I slept in my car instead. I was never refunded anything but did leave a bad review.

Assuming it was an aggregation of ladybirds and not just a few, I'd certainly have moved them on for you or I'd have refunded or exchanged the room if I chose not to bother them.

One slug is just no comparison at all though!

Pollqueen · 02/12/2025 18:12

RecordBreakers · 02/12/2025 17:43

PLEASE MNHQ, bring back the laughing emoji.

Grin

Does this not work? 🤣

Pollqueen · 02/12/2025 18:11

Oftenaddled · 02/12/2025 17:38

Good luck! I've found it infallible.

Thank you! I will be v grateful if it works 🙏

HoskinsChoice · 02/12/2025 18:10

CluelessAboutBiology · 02/12/2025 16:09

I’m with you OP, I’m absolutely terrified of slugs, I’d have run away screaming in the middle of the night.

What are you expecting it to do? You don't need to run by the way a slow amble will suffice, (see the previous poster's excellent research into the speed of slugs).

Happyjoe · 02/12/2025 18:00

Rented a B&B once and the room was covered in ladybirds. Owner knew, didn't care and I slept in my car instead. I was never refunded anything but did leave a bad review.

sickleaveornot · 02/12/2025 17:53

How many slugs did you actually see because it sounds like only one? That's definitely not an infestation!

NemesisInferior · 02/12/2025 17:49

bellabasset · 02/12/2025 17:44

My cats have brought slugs in from outside on their paws. They ruin your plants also, coffee grounds are thought to stop them. I try not to use slug powder. I took out the liner on a pond and we still get toads and frogs where it was. The dogs love the wet earth left behind and next door's jump over the wall to play there if they can with my little rascal. I get lots of bees due to the lavender and honeysuckle and we sometimes have beautiful dragonflies in late summertime slugs come in under the door. But if you're letting a property then it's not a good advertisement.I think they could offer you a free stay out of season by way of apology

.... a free stay because a slug got in?

FFS. If I ran an air bnb and someone tried that, I'd spend all day laughing out of my arse.

bellabasset · 02/12/2025 17:44

My cats have brought slugs in from outside on their paws. They ruin your plants also, coffee grounds are thought to stop them. I try not to use slug powder. I took out the liner on a pond and we still get toads and frogs where it was. The dogs love the wet earth left behind and next door's jump over the wall to play there if they can with my little rascal. I get lots of bees due to the lavender and honeysuckle and we sometimes have beautiful dragonflies in late summertime slugs come in under the door. But if you're letting a property then it's not a good advertisement.I think they could offer you a free stay out of season by way of apology

RecordBreakers · 02/12/2025 17:43

Sidebeforeself · 02/12/2025 17:27

Surely it’s the slug who doesn’t have a leg to stand on?

PLEASE MNHQ, bring back the laughing emoji.

Grin
Oftenaddled · 02/12/2025 17:41

Witheringlights · 02/12/2025 17:18

That’s your opinion that it’s not a reasonable request. I am entitled to mine!

If you are letting a property out for money; the facilities should be above that which you would expect in an ordinary home.

However high quality the facilities, you can't stay in (or indeed enter) a hermetically sealed house. There'll always be entry points for slugs - doors, windows, roof space, plumbing, ventilation. You can't demand a nature-proof house.

Oftenaddled · 02/12/2025 17:38

Pollqueen · 02/12/2025 17:26

Thank you! I get the odd slug in my kitchen in the evening. I live pretty rurally and they drive me nuts. I will now leave kitchen light on

Good luck! I've found it infallible.

Oftenaddled · 02/12/2025 17:38

Mygardenandme · 02/12/2025 17:31

Distress? Really?

What did you expect the owner to do exactly? Even if they would use slug pellets (which should be banned) it wouldnt work immediately.

Well, exactly. It's like calling your dad to get a spider out of the bathtub for you. Except slugs are nocturnal, so presumably the landlord was expected to camp out in the dark, seize it in the small hours, and carry it out.

Your request was never reasonable, OP, and you chose to move out, so you are not owed any refund or compensation.

InMyOodie · 02/12/2025 17:31

YABU to have rented a place with carpet in the bedrooms.