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

[Bellsandwhistle]

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??

I would chop up the lasagne and cook it on the hob, serve as 'deconstructed'.

Same for the pie filling, removing raw pastry and serving with buttery mash.

@honeybeetheoneandonly Great minds

Then OP 150 pounds minimum.

You really have to complain in writing (text or email that you can save) now or asap. I'd be going in at asking for full refund - then settle on a figure you're comfortable with, like a third.

The owner's attitude stinks, given it's £150 a night.

If I were the owner I'd have bought you a microwave/oven combo and bring it round pronto.

Take photos and keep receipts. Robert Rinder is waiting for you ...

You booked self catering accommodation, the self catering element was unavailable so I would expect 50% of the cost of the accommodation for the two nights.

£150 a night isn't cheap, I would definitely be expecting more than £30 compensation. £100 would be more appropriate.
Good ideas from PP about salvaging your dinners. You could buy a bag of pasta, take sauce out of lasagne and make spagetti bolognese instead.

I rent my parents apartment in Spain for them. In this instance, seeing as it is a self catering accomodation, I'd offer the two nights back of whatever we charged. So £300 in OP's case.

Often not worth getting a shit review over!

My friend had a week at a haven site last year (as she does regularly). Turns out the oven wasn’t working and couldn’t be fixed / accommodation changed in that time period. They never eat out on cost grounds and as they had taken all heir own food, haven refunded them £200, which she thought was reasosnable.

Just a perspective from someone recently in the same position.

I’d have looked at it as an excuse to eat out! Your on holiday!

OP, I don't usually bother reporting little things in sc holidays but this would really annoy me - both the time wasted and that it is now a different holiday. We often rent in areas like the Lake District because we like walking all day and coming back to relax in the evenings. An oven is major so I'd expect more dosh and a different attitude.

Holiday home owner here. I would be fretting like anything if you were in my cottage and would be treating the repair of your oven as my highest priority. I would have bought around my micro-combi, or rushed out this morning to buy you one. I would have said 'obviously we will reimburse you for any out of pocket expenses' and also given you something extra as goodwill gesture. I agree I might find it hard to get someone to fix it within the duration of your stay (if parts have to be ordered) but I would bend over backwards to minimise the inconvenience to you.

I suggest you now do as someone upthread suggested. Treat it as fait accompli that you will be reimbursed for all out of pocket expenses. Next time you see/talk/message her, say that you will prepare an itemized list of the out of pocket expenses and will forward it asap. In that list be scrupulously detailed and honest - dinner at xxx cost £65, minus voucher value £35 = £30 balance etc. Don't take the piss (I know you wouldn't) just claim for what you are owed.

I’d have looked at it as an excuse to eat out! Your on holiday!

A lot of people don't want to eat out and/or cannot afford it, that's why they book SC . We like to plan meals and prep and cook as a family. Some people don't see cooking as a chore they need a break from and so choose SC and accommodation based on having access to a full kitchen.

I'd have expected to be provided with a combi oven or a refund because the SC element of the holiday is no longer there but I'd complain in writing and keep on complaining and keep record of responses.

Perfect excuse for takeaway or pub meal

The OP doesn't need or want an 'excuse'.

This happened to us in Menorca. Agent sent a guy round same day. He couldn't fix it so it was replaced a day later.

That's the service I would expect.

In your circumstances I'd be on the phone setting out my expectations. I'd expect £200 to cover the cost of two meals out for 5 people, at the very least.

If she can't get it fixed same day she should replace it. She's running a business and you're a customer.

Make it clear what you expect and she will buck her ideas up. She's taking the mickey.

The OP didn't want a takeaway or pub meal, if you RTFT you can see where it was a huge inconvenience to them.

OP if you booked via an agent make sure they are aware as well.

We often use Cumbrian Cottages and in all honesty the 'owner maintained' properties can be a real pain. We had one where we had no heating or hot water for almost a week in November and were then expected to spend a day waiting in for the repairman (we refused, and the owners had to come round to babysit - we got a bottle of wine as an apology for freezing for a week!); and this year had one where the owners lived next door and kept letting themselves into our garden through the gate in the hedge (bolted their side only) and even parked a visitors car in the driveway at the back of our property (in full view of the garden and our lounge) because they were having a party and had run out of parking space on their own property!

mrsmartini that’s exactly the holiday we’d planned. Out all day walking back for chilling, food, wine, games etc.
origami that’s what I expected a bit more this is a priority not being made feel like it was a major hassles and almost my fault.
Anyway good need is it’s fixed and I salvaged one nights dinner. Have to bin the other. I’m weird about throwing food out as didnt have much growing up.
If abroad I’d be totally delighted at the excuse to go out but different holiday here.
Will see what she says on sat but not sure I want to argue about it with her for maybe £50. If she’d just paid the chippy I’d have been happy.