to think hotels shouldn't invoice you for the toiletries?

[frangipani13]

Booked a weekend away for Dsis and DN for the former's birthday treat. DN must've got a bit carried away and took the mini shower gel/moisturiser home with her. B and B have left me a voice mail and sent an invoice for £44 quoting "stolen items" and threatening legal action if the invoice is unpaid. I've stayed in many many places of varying quality and have never experienced this. Has anyone else? AIBU to think this is a bit much?

It won't be mini toiletries. Either it is a misunderstanding or she's taken something else. I'd phone the hotel and ask what they think they're missing.

Sorry x-post with OP

The thread from years ago was Strattons hotel in norfolk and irrc they were massive fancy refillable toiletry bottles. Not the single use things.

Perhaps a previous guest did steal something like a bathrobe and the hotel didn't notice until now, and assumed if was your sis/niece.
We have stayed in self catering places where decent items were missing according to the inventory e.g. Cafetiere, microwave. I had wondered in passing if we could be blamed for this (never have though).

Yep have phoned but no answer just trying to glean the facts and understand if I'm being unreasonable or not.

Could you telephone them now (so we can all sleep easy )

Maybe your niece took a couple of sachets of coffee too, and that was a step too far!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a303601-to-take-the-body-lotion-and-soap-from-a-GBP250

Great thread off to re-read!

Seems a bit off to entitle it "stolen items" but then not specify what the items are.

Hopefully you can through to them soon.

*get through to them

Hmm. If your DN starts appearing from her bedroom with hot cups of tea and plates of toast then I'd be very VERY suspicious.

Only way to get to the bottom of it is to speak to the hotel and find out exactly what was taken and how it costs £44. One of three things is going on:

1. DN took more than the mini shower gel, and is now too embarrassed to own up
2. Previous guest half-inched something and B&B has only just caught up that it's gone
3. B&B is taking the piss, and are going to tell you that the mini shampoo and conditioner cost £22 each to replace.

£44 is not for a mini bottle of shower gel. Whatever they're accused of taking most be more valuable than that.

Personally I would email back

Dear hotel

Thank you for your invoice for £44 for "stolen items".

Please can you clarify exactly why you have sent this invoice as I did not steal anything from your hotel and I am not aware that any member of my family did either.

Please accept this email as notice that I am disputing the invoice and thus will not be paying it until we have fully clarified the matter and agreed the exact sum (if any) payable.

That's ridiculous. (if true).

Hotels cost a fortune as it is.

No, it was not just the mini shampoo and moisturiser I'm afraid.

Either that or there has been some mistake OP. Hope it's sorted out painlessly.

It can't be the mini toiletries as they are designed to be used per stay - for example how can the hotel say you didn't actually use them?

I immediately thought of that thread too. Please update us,we can help you decide if they are unreasonable. I'd be very surprised if it's just toiletries.

Stolen items!!

That's harsh, did they inform the police?

FFS a mini bottle of crap shower gel £44

I went on a coach trip once and one of our party was apprehended in reception trying to smuggle a bedside lamp out.

It sounds like more than mini toiletries or a mistake.

They took a.... golf buggy! Only joking, turns out it was the big bottles of shampoo and shower gel they half inched, the dingbats. Have said to the hotel we'll post them back tomorrow but in future they probably don't want to threaten with debt collectors if invoices aren't paid within 7 days!

They have no chance of recovering this in court without proving DN took it and what it actually cost. A second hand used dressing gown in a hotel is not worth £44. They do not get new for old, only what it is actually worth.

If they just bill your credit card contact the credit card company and explain the dispute. The credit card company must remove the item from your credit card invoice - a hotel cannot just bill you for whatever it wants.

Bloody hell, what brand were they?!

Oh dear. Guess that's one you can't go back to!