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AIBU?

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Original poster

Coving fell on DD (2)

144 replies

lovelilies · 19/04/2019 09:42

We're on holiday, 5* resort. This morning we were woken by a massive crash and found that 2 pieces of coving from the ceiling had fallen and landed on the bed where the DC were sleeping. Fortunately neither was hurt amazingly but they could have been seriously injured. We rang reception and reported it and when they didn't come within an hour we went for breakfast and when we came back the maintenance men were fixing it.
I feel we should be making a bit of a thing about it as it could have been more serious. What would you do?

OP posts:
Original poster
lovelilies · 19/04/2019 13:12

I moved the bit which landed on her, yes 🙄

OP posts:
TSSDNCOP · 19/04/2019 13:13

A piece of coving fell on me in an Indian restaurant once. Not next to me, ON me. I didn’t even get a free popadom. They definitely didn’t do an immediate close and check. DH and I finished our dinner and vowed never to go there again. That showed them.

TSSDNCOP · 19/04/2019 13:17

An you climb on a chsir and give the rest of the coving a wiggle to see if it’s loose OP?

Morgan12 · 19/04/2019 13:21

I'd want to move rooms.

turnedToInsult · 19/04/2019 13:22

Out of interest, at how many stars does this become acceptable?

Original poster
lovelilies · 19/04/2019 13:24

I'll check the rest when we get back to the room
I was curios what most people would do in this situation, that's all. Seems most if you would just brush off the dust and have a good old laugh that no one was actually hurt.
It's AI so a free meal wouldn't really work 😂

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 19/04/2019 13:26

Realistically what else can you do? You could ask for a move (if they have availability) but apart from an apology what else would you like?

Sexnotgender · 19/04/2019 13:26

That’s a bit shit but no one was hurt and they’re fixing it.
An apology would be nice but that’s about it.

Acis · 19/04/2019 13:31

The key question is was th hotel negligent. And i would assume not. It was an accident

How, FFS? Properly fixed and maintained coving doesn't just fall down like that.

People on MN seem to have this extraordinary blind spot around the concept of negligence. How hard is it to work out that there is a concept between deliberate action and pure accident where harm is done as a result of someone doing something stupid or failing to do something with proper care?

If someone has a moment's inattention and drives into a crowd of people on a zebra crossing, it's an accident: the driver didn't do it deliberately and no-one would have foreseen it. No-one would suggest, I hope, that those injured should just shrug their shoulders, say "Just an accident, never mind", and wave the driver on their way.

Acis · 19/04/2019 13:33

Nicknacky, as pointed out upthread, OP is entitled to a hell of an apology and some sort of evidence that she and her family will be safe if they stay in the hotel. In her shoes, I'm not sure I would be happy with just a move to another room in case the same shoddy workman put the coving up in that room as well.

Nicknacky · 19/04/2019 13:39

asics Well, if she doesn’t want to move rooms because of safety fears then what can the hotel do?

I’m not sure why you are comparing it to carnage caused by a road collision (they aren’t called accidents anymore)?

Honestly asics, calm down

meercat23 · 19/04/2019 13:46

Looking at the coving in the picture it looks as if it has been fixed with just small blobs of adhesive at intervals. (If that is what the whitish blobs in the picture are) If this coving is heavier than, eg the polystyrene stuff, that may not have been nearly enough. I would be asking them to check the rest of the coving at the very least.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 19/04/2019 13:47

I'd tell all on every review site possible. I'm glad that your DDs were not injured but I'd worry that there were other issues that might mean someone else was hurt later.

HomeMadeMadness · 19/04/2019 13:52

The key question is was th hotel negligent. And i would assume not. It was an accident

Well it's always an accident - I don't think OP is suggesting a murder attempt on the part of the hotel but in a properly maintained building the ceiling doesn't randomly fall down! So the hotel sounds like it's in poor repair and unsafe. Even at a cheap hotel that isn't acceptable.

Rottencooking · 19/04/2019 13:56

@Myheartbelongsto how else should they look when they land? They're not strategically standing on end!

Rottencooking · 19/04/2019 13:57

OP YANBU, that's ridiculous. I didn't realise they'd be such big pieces.

Honeyroar · 19/04/2019 13:57

I think that the hotel ought to come and check that the rest is safe and clean up ASAP, and an apology wouldn't hurt.

TSSDNCOP · 19/04/2019 14:04

The hotel are never going to admit liability. So the options are: check out to a different hotel, accept a change of room, ask for a complete room check of all the coving.

The Trip Advisor photo of DD amongst the wreckage might focus their attention......

SadOtter · 19/04/2019 14:07

I moved the bit which landed on her, yes Before you had taken a photo for us? tut tut.

I'd have expected an apology and maybe an offer of some sort of small goodwill gesture, nothing big but maybe free drinks with dinner or something like that. My little sister had a shelf fall on her in lidl once, the manager gave her a box of chocolates and a teddy from the specials aisle as an apology and gave mum a £20 voucher (which goes pretty far in lidl)

Bantameggs · 19/04/2019 14:08

I think at the very least they need to get people in to check the ceilings throughout so that others are safe. I’m not surprised you’re not happy - yes no one was injured but they easily could have been and that is very scary.

Dana28 · 19/04/2019 14:46

@acis how do you 'maintain' coving??? You don't it isn't a thing the reasonable person does.
I don't think you understand the notion of negligence! Negligence is recklessness or carelessness .Unless the op can prove the hotel knew the coving was coming down they are not negligent

JassyRadlett · 19/04/2019 14:49

Negligence is recklessness or carelessness .Unless the op can prove the hotel knew the coving was coming down they are not negligent

Unless it was not adequately installed to ensure safety.

HomeMadeMadness · 19/04/2019 15:14

@Dana28 coving doesn't randomly fall down. It's not an act of god. Either it needs replacing entirely or it wasn't installed properly in the first place. If parts of the coving is falling down it's obviously unsafe and people shouldn't be paying to stay there.

TSSDNCOP · 19/04/2019 15:20

It does just fall down. It fell down on me, see up thread. Things do just fall down occasionally.

It’s how it’s dealt with thereafter that will demonstrate confidence.

NannyRed · 19/04/2019 15:40

Ifs and ands!

If you’re plane had crashed you’d all be dead and if your shuttle bus had not arrived you’d still be at the airport.

No damage done, learn to appreciate the good things and just enjoy your holiday.

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