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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to expect my washing machine to work on holiday?

34 replies

gottaloveascamhun · 18/04/2017 10:59

Staying in a nice chalet on a holiday park. Paid extra for a chalet with dishwasher and washing machine. Washing machine completely dead so I reported the fault 2 days ago. Nothing happened. Want back to reception yesterday and they said they would send maintenance round. No sign. Expected to come back from day out yesterday for it to be fixed. Today I went back to reception and asked for launderette tokens. These were provided. Have spent last 2 hours lugging washing bags up steep hill, sat in launderette waiting for a machine, wash is 34 mins so not worth going back to chalet, then using dryers as washing too heavy to carry back. 2 hours of holiday lost on a beautiful day, we had planned to go out but now hanging around doing washing. It was piling up (family of 4) so had no choice. Surely the appliances should be checked at changeover. AIBU to expect a working washing machine in accommodationif paying more than for a chalet with no washing machine?

OP posts:

Wolfiefan · 18/04/2017 11:03

Are you in the UK? It's frustrating but if you reported the fault on Easter Sunday you really couldn't have expected them to send out an engineer that day? Surely on holiday you take pretty much enough clothes to last the break and wash when you get home? (Unless you have a sick child then they really need washing!)

Original poster

gottaloveascamhun · 18/04/2017 11:07

Yes in the UK, we did bring quite a few clothes but with ice cream spills etc got through a fair amount! The car was packed to the max so I didn't bring a full week's clothes as we needed space for wetsuits, beach stuff etc. The reception is open every day and maintenance working every day including Easter Sunday.

OP posts:

BusterGonad · 18/04/2017 11:10

I disagree with Wolfie, even in the uk I'd expect an emergency maintenance person to come out and have a look, holiday homes/let's are a 24 hour 365 days a year business. It's not like it's your rental home and you live there everyday iyswim, you are there for a short period of time and I would expect everything to be perfect because of that, and you've paid additional money for the washing machine.

BusterGonad · 18/04/2017 11:12

Wolfie the op paid additional for the washing machine, why should she/he bring a whole load of clothes when they've booked a place with a washing machine for this reason!

MrsGotobed · 18/04/2017 11:19

I would expect them to come out and repair/replace within 24 hrs.

On a holiday park surely they should have spare/new machines for situations like this.

We had a machine break in an apartment in a small hotel complex in the Canaries. We reported it to reception in the morning and the machine was replaced with a brand new one before lunch! I was very impressed seeing as the Spanish are said to have a laid-back "Mañana, mañana" approach to life.

Original poster

gottaloveascamhun · 18/04/2017 11:23

WIBU to complain to the manager as I've spent almost the whole morning in the reception and the launderette instead of on the beach with my children? If our machine was working I could have bunged a wash on last night and hung it up to dry.

OP posts:

BusterGonad · 18/04/2017 11:26

I would defiantly complain, you rented somewhere with a washing machine, paid additional costs and the washing machine didn't work, I'd expect some kind of refund. It doesn't matter what day it is, hotels still serve breakfast on Christmas Day so I'd expect a holiday let to sort out a washing machine at Easter weekend.

Original poster

gottaloveascamhun · 18/04/2017 11:30

Still no sign of supposed new machine arriving within half an hour... that was 3 hours ago! The sun is shining out there 😠

OP posts:

BusterGonad · 18/04/2017 11:32

Defiantly complain, you've not paid additional costs to be sat in a launderette all day!

Chippednailvarnishing · 18/04/2017 11:32

This is worthy of a TripAdvisor review!

Original poster

gottaloveascamhun · 18/04/2017 11:33

I love tripadvisor 😆

OP posts:

BusterGonad · 18/04/2017 11:37

I hate it when shit like that happens on holiday, god knows why some hotels have Tv's as they're never tuned in! It makes me mad!

Wolfiefan · 18/04/2017 11:41

If the owner of the place isn't a washing machine engineer then I think it's unreasonable to expect it to be sorted over Easter Sunday. If they need to replace the machine there will still be a wait.
You could have asked if any places with a washing machine were empty or if there was a washing line you could use to avoid the drying time.
You have paid extra but I doubt the only extra benefit was a washing machine and dishwasher. If it was you could ask for a partial refund.
I hate washing on holiday so always take lots of clothes. Will never forget the holiday where DS was spectacularly sick though. Carroty vomit. Gross. Lots of washing to do

BusterGonad · 18/04/2017 11:50

But Wolfie people do work on Easter Sunday's, like water companies, gas people, electricians etc the management need to put their hands in their people's and fix the situation as the Op is a paying customer and has paid for the use of a washing machine. I understand in home rentals the tenant can wait etc but it's a holiday let.

Wolfiefan · 18/04/2017 11:52

Yes. Emergency services run. But really this isn't an emergency. It can wait. Irritating but not essential.

WonderMike · 18/04/2017 11:54

If there's enough holiday lets on site to require a launderette, why don't they store a spare washing machine which can be swapped in so that no one is without a working machine?

BusterGonad · 18/04/2017 11:59

I know what you are saying Wolfie it isn't an emergency but they need to treat it as such as the op is a paying customer, it's not like they need to ring 999, all they need to do is ring an emergency washing machine repair man, you just don't get it, she's paid for the service, they should provide it. If they can't do a simple thing like repair a washing machine on a bank holiday weekend then they shouldn't be in the hospitality business.

Original poster

gottaloveascamhun · 18/04/2017 12:19

New washing machine has finally arrived. Have waited in for 2 hours after launderette trip which took most of the morning. But a load is on... very happy! Still a bit annoyed to have wasted my holiday time though.

OP posts:

BusterGonad · 18/04/2017 12:29

I wouldn't be happy either. You didn't get the service that you paid for. I'd have to complain. I'm not a moaner about everything but when it ruins family time and I'm paying for a service I expect it to be good.

Wolfiefan · 18/04/2017 12:42

It's not an ordinary bank holiday though. Many people don't work at Easter. Like at Christmas.

BusterGonad · 18/04/2017 12:47

Ok Wolfie whatever, so someone's washing machine floods the house on Christmas Day and NO ONE who fixes them are working? Ummm... ok.

Wolfiefan · 18/04/2017 12:58

Flooding is not the same as not working though??!!

melj1213 · 18/04/2017 15:19

OP YANBU to want the machine you paid extra for to be fixed YABU to be so under prepared that not having a washing machine in your rental unit (even though there is one on site) would become a holiday afecting issue.

I am wondering how much laundry the OP actually has if they not only had "washing bags" worth of laundry to take to the laundrette this morning AND still had enough washing to put on another load as soon as the new washing machine arrived, despite having only gone on holiday for a week and they didn't even bring a full weeks worth of clothes per person! What exactly have you got left to wash OP?!

If you can't go a single week without having to do multiple piles of laundry then you either need to pack better to get more clothes in your bag to cover the time you're away or consider why you're needing so many clothes. It's one thing to take lots of clothes for babies but if your kids are older then there is no reason why they need multiple outfit changes per day.

haggisaggis · 18/04/2017 15:38

I only rent places with washing machine & dryer now. I don't like coming home to loads of washing so do it while we're away. We were away last week and I reckon I did 4 loads in a week - not full loads, admittedly. Also family of 4 - my dc are teens.

If you expect to have a machine available you do not take enough clothes to last a week.

anothermalteserplease · 18/04/2017 15:42

I'd definitely ask for some money back as you didn't have the facilities you paid extra for for part of the week. But it sounds like you've been a bit of a washing martyr. Why did you wait in for a new washing machine to be fitted? And get a load on straightaway after doing washing all morning?

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