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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think DD should get a full refund?

91 replies

Goldmandra · 06/11/2018 21:55

DD1 stayed in a city branch of a large chain hotel last week for one night.

When she got up and went to use the bathroom, there was no cold water. Shortly afterwards the hot water stopped too. She was unable to shower or clean her teeth. This was two hours before the checkout time.

In addition to this, one of the light switches was coming away from the wall and the toilet flush didn't work properly in the evening.

When she checked out, she mentioned all of these things to the receptionist who said "Oh yes. We've turned the tanks off." When DD said she hadn't been able to shower or clean her teeth she was told "Sorry we disrupted your routine." DD isn't confident and doesn't cope with confrontation so she just left.

She has submitted a complaint to the management company who have credited her some reward points equivalent to around a quarter of the cost of the room.

She replied requesting a refund of the cost of the room or points to the full value of the stay and the response was that they believe that they had already done enough.

AIBU to think you don't turn the water off on hotel guests two hours before the checkout time and she should receive a full refund?

OP posts:
MrsMoastyToasty · 06/11/2018 23:33

I would also be concerned about how they were able to maintain hygiene in the kitchens and bars and how they could do the laundry.....

Alfie190 · 06/11/2018 23:34

Yes it is a fair point that the hotel should be given the opportunity to address issues and they were not. I do not believe that a large chain hotel just switches off the water for all rooms, there must have been an issue in her room which could have been rectified.

BarMcBarsen · 06/11/2018 23:36

Full refund, no question. Not to be able to wash your hands after using the toilet (assuming there was enough water in the cistern to flush it) plus not shower or brush teeth is unacceptable. More fool the doormats who think that is ok!!! Wtf

Witchesbritches · 06/11/2018 23:56

Full refund.

‘Oh yes, we’ve turned the tanks off’. WTAF? WHY?

IF the Receptionist had given an answer that included something about an emergency then I’d have been more inclined to just let it go, but her reply was dismissively and vague.

Full refund because using the toilet, handwashing, teeth cleaning and showering are basic requirements in a HOTEL room.

newmumwithquestions · 07/11/2018 00:03

Full refund.

No water half way through her stay - annoying but copeable.
No refund in the morning - when most people are getting up for work - not good enough.

Full refund and apology required

MrsStrowman · 07/11/2018 00:04

She should've gone to reception as soon as it didn't work. She's only complained after the fact which makes it trickier. We were staying at a Malmaison a little while ago and on the second morning the water cut out midway through DHs shower, I called down to reception and they had it back on in about five minutes. When we checked out we were told the manager wanted to see us, he gave us a very nice bottle of wine and refunded one of the two nights we'd stayed, I really hadn't thought it a big deal as they fixed it so quickly but that level of service means we actively seek out Malmaison if we're doing city breaks etc. I do think I'd she couldn't shower or brush her teeth they should refund her though. If you get no luck, try Twitter companies often respond differently when the complaint is public

CoughLaughFart · 07/11/2018 00:08

*I think a full refund is a bit much given that she slept there overnight and used the facilities provided apart from the last 2 hours before check-out.

Did she ring Reception when the water went off and tell them? It sounds like she did nothing and just mentioned it when checking out? Why didn't she call them and ask to use another room so she could shower and clean her teeth? For all she knew, Reception might not have been aware there was even a problem with the water. She should have called them at the time rather than mentioning it as she checked out and complaining in writing after the event.*

This is ridiculous. Running water is a fundamental expectation if you pay to stay somewhere.

‘It might have been an emergency’ is irrelevant. The hotel can claim on their insurance. All that matters is that the OP’s daughter paid for her room and got an unacceptable service. I would kick up an almighty stink.

Talkingfrog · 07/11/2018 00:34

Sounds like even if she had spoken to reception to say there was no water it would not have made a difference. For the receptionist to have said they turned the tanks off as you have written it, it sounds like a common occurrence, so they should have warned her in advance and given her the option not to stay there and get a refund.

Out of interest, what happened to the water supply to the kitchens while this was going on?

I would be tempted to contact trading standards/environmental health for the council the hotel is in and speak to them. Lots of people walking around the hotel at breakfast time without having been able to wash their hands must be a heath risk.

IamAporcupine · 07/11/2018 00:39

100% unacceptable - I would ask for a full refund.
I agree with PP that what makes it a bit tricky is that she didn't complain as soon as she found out there was no water, which makes it look like she was not that bothered.

Also, a vouchers/points refund would only be acceptable if exceeded the cash value, otherwise is really poor service.

Walkingdeadfangirl · 07/11/2018 01:16

The time to ask for a refund was when she was checking out. Looks like she has accepted the points and the opportunity for anything more has passed.

notangelinajolie · 07/11/2018 01:17

Guess it depends on if you want to have a shower in the morning or not. I usually shower before bed and get up early and leave so no hot water would not even register on the scale for me. She did stay the night and benefit from full facilities for the majority of her stay so no - I don't think no hot water in the morning should mean a full refund - I would think a discount/discount off a future stay is appropriate.

CupMug · 07/11/2018 01:23

I’d expect a full refund.

SofiaAmes · 07/11/2018 01:48

Did she pay with a credit card? She should contest the charge as she did not get the goods that she paid for ...ie a habitable room.

nutellanom · 07/11/2018 07:45

We had a similar issue when staying at a hotel before. Were staying for two nights and the manager refunded us the cost of one of the nights and gave us vouchers for free evening meal for the second night. Was wonderful customer service. I absolutely would expect at least 50% off the cost of the stay in this scenario.

nutellanom · 07/11/2018 07:46

To clarify - they Refunded the cost of one night because the issue only occurred on one of the nights.

ShatnersWig · 07/11/2018 07:51

Full refund. Points are ridiculous.

dontalltalkatonce · 07/11/2018 07:52

Also got a night's lodging refunded (an Ibis), when a stag party kicked off in the corridor around 3am and had to be arrested. This is a chance for your DD not to take shit behaviour lying down. This hotel is crap. I'd name and shame on social media.

explodingkittensexpansion · 07/11/2018 08:21

Which chain was it? I got a full refund from Hilton Manchester when no water.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 07/11/2018 08:25

A partial refund but not full would be reasonable in my opinion.

Puffinhead · 07/11/2018 08:28

My DH lives for stuff like this and would kick up a fuss - and has done for much less - he always gets results. A discount on a future stay/reward points is no good if you aren’t planning on going back! And why would you if they treat their customers so badly. Advise her to push for the full remand, keep badgering them, and as someone else has said - name and shame them on social media.

Puffinhead · 07/11/2018 08:29

*refund not remand obviously

Sandsnake · 07/11/2018 08:32

Yes, definitely a full refund. Water is a basic in a hotel.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 07/11/2018 08:33

I'm amazed so many posters think she's not entitled to a full refund. It does sound like it is a common occurrence in the way the receptionist was so casual about the whole situation.

I would expect a full refund and I agree with another poster it is crap when companies offer a gesture of goodwill or points that require you to spend money to use, its a shitty response that shows they don't give a damn about their customers.

Poloshot · 07/11/2018 08:34

Full refund should be forthcoming, that's a joke not being able to shower or brush teeth.

SushiMonster · 07/11/2018 08:36

I’d want a full refund if there was not even any cold water. That’s stupid. You can’t flush the toilet or brush your teeeth.

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