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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To expect more as a goodwill gesture when in holiday rental for 2 days with no oven?

93 replies

Bellsandwhistle · 14/08/2019 19:11

No oven yesterday or today - heating element seems to be gone - and I’ve bought food to cook for 3 days planning on eating out once on last night. Spent two hours last night trying to see what problem was googling instructions etc. Eventually called owner who kept saying couldn’t be broken as not old. After about 6 phone calls with her family plus / visits which took another 2 hours a sensible family member agreed yes broken. Now these things happen andI took kids for chips (cost £20). She was meant to get someone out today. No one came. One text and 2 calls later she says looks like they should come tmw. She had left a voucher round for dinner for tonight. We are 2 adults and 3 kids. What would you expect??

OP posts:

CitadelsofScience · 14/08/2019 20:22

SarahAndQuack it might be the end of the world for a family on a very tight budget.

Scarydinosaurs · 14/08/2019 20:24

I’d not be happy with that at all.

Is no one close by enough for you to beg use of their oven? She should be offering use of family member’s ovens to solve the problem.

Original poster

Bellsandwhistle · 14/08/2019 20:26

No we’ve travelled a long way. She’s about 20 min away and didn’t offer oven. I did think about that but decided that would be weird too! 😂

OP posts:

Original poster

Bellsandwhistle · 14/08/2019 20:26

Not the end of the world I know. I just really hate wasting food. Plus the time and effort I put into prepping it so I could enjoy on holiday!

OP posts:

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 14/08/2019 20:27

Is there a hob you could use? For pasta, stir fry etc.

If she has family living nearby I'd say could she either reimburse you for all the food wasted or arrange for one of them to heat it up for you

icelollycraving · 14/08/2019 20:31

I think you have an idea of how much you want to be compensated. I think it may be key as to how much you paid for your stay.
I’d be more pissed off with them not being v proactive and the time that’s been spent by you having to faff about with it all on holiday.

arethereanyleftatall · 14/08/2019 20:34

Did you have to wait in all day for the repair person? I'd be really cross if so.

In your circumstances, £30 isnt enough, as you had clearly planned and bargained on an oven. Does she know how much it's inconvenienced you?

For other people, us for example, £30 would be lovely as I never use the oven, we barbecue on holidays.

Malbecfan · 14/08/2019 20:35

As a holiday accommodation owner, I'm wondering what more she could reasonably have done. If it was your own oven in your house, you wouldn't necessarily be able to source and fit a new element the same day or overnight, so why should she? The last time the element went in my own oven, it took 3 days for the new one to arrive that DH ordered online. He fitted it that day, but I had to manage for those 3 days. Is it a really isolated cottage? Are there neighbours that you could ask to cook your pie in exchange for wine or chocolates?

I'm sure if you froze the food and wrapped it well in newspaper & clothes, it would survive a 200 mile journey. YABU

FiddlesticksAkimbo · 14/08/2019 20:35

Well, it's annoying, but not the end of the world really.

Obviously not. And it's not the end of the owner's world to bear the full cost of the some stress-free alternative given that she promised an oven that she didn't provide.

Original poster

Bellsandwhistle · 14/08/2019 20:36

Yeah it’s the combination of it all that’s starting to grate. £50 would have been fine. I still don’t know of it’s getting fixed tmw. I could go buy more food and cook on hob amd just bin what I have. Stay cost £600 for 4 nights. If it’s fixed tmw I’ll suck it up but I honestly can’t believe people wouldn’t be annoyed and binning food they bought and cooked and then spending more money on eating out.

OP posts:

redredrobins · 14/08/2019 20:38

OP said food has already been frozen for journey to the holiday, they can't be frozen again until they have been cooked in an oven!

LagunaBubbles · 14/08/2019 20:38

Well, it's annoying, but not the end of the world really

Depends on your spending money budget.

Bookworm4 · 14/08/2019 20:40

You say you made the lasagne etc at home, froze and brought them with you so why can’t you do the same but to take them home?? Why is the journey too long going home?

modgepodge · 14/08/2019 20:42

I do wonder about the reading skills of some people on here. The OP has made a lasagne and a pie and wants to cook them. She doesn’t want to buy extra ingredients for stir fry or pasta, nor should she have to. I too hate food waste and this would really bug me.

£30 towards a meal out for 5 is laughable. I’d be making a right fuss. The OP clearly planned to eat at home, and now has had to have a takeaway and meal out. If she’d wanted to do that she might have chosen a different place! Complain to the owner again, OP, and leave a bad review wherever you booked it if the response isn’t good enough.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 14/08/2019 20:43

I don’t think YABU, for me that would be disappointing. I’d have meal planned and had a supermarket delivery. I know that’s possibly not the point of self catering, but we can’t afford meals out every night. Had I known the oven wasn’t working in advance I’d have bought cold food.

We went on holiday and used a very expensive holiday agent. There was a massive water leak, the shower was out of order before we had a chance to use it. We wasted an evening in speaking to the plumber. Then we had to clean up after said plumber. No shower for a week an multiple other issues, we were given £50 as compensation for our 1,500 accommodation. I thought it was unfair really. So I too may be projecting.

CottonSock · 14/08/2019 20:43

Could you microwave lasagne at least?

Original poster

Bellsandwhistle · 14/08/2019 20:51

Dobby that’s awful.

OP posts:

SarahAndQuack · 14/08/2019 20:52

@CitadelsofScience, I doubt a family on a tight budget are going on holiday? You mean a family on a difficult but manageable budget.

I've rarely been on holiday as an adult, but my childhood memories of holidays are dominated by my parents getting hugely stressed out because of details like this. Yet it never seemed to occur to them that it's quite risky to make a plan that doesn't include room to compromise, when you're in an unknown situation.

If you're going on holiday, you know that the car might break down, the road might be closed, there might be a three-hour traffic jam, you might get there and find the power is off, etc. etc. A sensible person does not spend all their available cash on prepared food that can only be cooked one way at one time.

SarahAndQuack · 14/08/2019 20:54

@FiddlesticksAkimbo - YY, fair point! I did say I'd be annoyed too at being messed around like this.

One thing if there's a genuinely unexpected event, but the owners seem quite unconcerned about letting the OP struggle on now it's clear it was their problem.

Original poster

Bellsandwhistle · 14/08/2019 20:56

I cannot refreeze until cooked!!
There is no microwave!!

OP posts:

RaisinsRuinEverything · 14/08/2019 21:01

Are the owners nearby? Could you use their oven? Have they offered?
I agree you should have been compensated for the cost of the wasted food AND the cost of buying replacement food.

Tinkerbell89 · 14/08/2019 21:02

I think they should reimburse bills of you eating out. These things happen (appliances break) but they have a duty to ensure the house is as you paid for it, if they can't they should refund you some money. Not everyone can afford to eat out each night that's why you self cater & cool. Plus you want to be home if you have kids. Did you book with them privately or through another company? If through another company contact them to advise the issue & get them to liaise with the owner on suitable compensation to cover your loss of cost due to the issue. Was it broken when you arrived? If yes and you haven't used it how long could it have been that way. Don't forget to give them a suitable review when you leave

CitadelsofScience · 14/08/2019 21:11

SarahAndQuack you highly doubt a family on a tight budget would be going on holiday? Are you in touch with the real world?

Original poster

Bellsandwhistle · 14/08/2019 21:20

Booked through reputable agent I’ve used for 4 years and never had a problem before. Thought it a little odd this year that key wasn’t left at property but I’d to meet owner at cottage and she was still cleaning it when we got there. No big deal 15 min and she was away. The company usually use their cleaners but I guess it’s to save money. Totally agree these things happen and would be happy to wait 3 days at home but not on holiday where I’m paying for accom with oven. One day fine but tmw will be day 3. Plus the chilled out attitude as to when it’s getting fixed.

OP posts:

DobbyTheHouseElk · 14/08/2019 21:23

I guess you have two options

deal worth the situation as it is and go nuclear when you get home.
go nuclear now.

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