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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this wasn't right

86 replies

peachesandclean · 13/11/2019 11:33

I just got back from a weekend break with my family (8 of us in all) and we stayed in a large house with a hot tub in the garden.

My sister and I (both early 20s) were in the hot tub sunday afternoon and the owner came in through the garden and told us he was coming to do the chemical check for the hot tub, we were in our cozzies so naturally felt a little uncomfortable that this man we had never seen before had just arrived and came and did that. We asked him if he needed us to get out and he said no so we just sat in the hot tub not knowing what to say whilst he did it. The rest of our family was out sightseeing whilst all this was happening. He was quite unfriendly and blunt with us and the whole encounter was a bit awkward.

We told our family when they got back and they were annoyed on our behalf saying that he should have come back later once he'd seen we were in it, or asked if it was okay for him to do the test. All in all it felt rather invasive.

I get that it's his house and he can do whatever he likes but to me when you're paying someone to stay in their house, surely there should still be some sort of boundaries? Luckily it didn't ruin the weekend but it has left me wondering about what is morally acceptable in situations like these

OP posts:
AryaStarkWolf · 13/11/2019 11:36

Yeah I wouldn't be happy about it either. He should have done that before you got there surely?

Georgenord · 13/11/2019 11:41

Yeah that’s pretty weird

TheReluctantCountess · 13/11/2019 11:53

That’s is weird. How often would the water need to be checked?

IWorkAtTheCheescakeFactory · 13/11/2019 11:57

Yep he’s a perv! Chemical check should be done before customers arrive! It’s part of the prep work like making the beds, cleaning the bathrooms, putting fresh bin bags in the bins.

Give them an honest review on trip advisor and mention gown uncomfortable this made you. People should know that he does this.

OldEvilOwl · 13/11/2019 11:57

He should have done it before you got there. Very weird behaviour

BridgeFarmKefir · 13/11/2019 11:57

I have stayed places before where the owner comes and checks the chemicals in a hot tub. Where we were he waited until we were out I think. It was written in the house rules. Sounds like this person didn't handle it well at all.

LochJessMonster · 13/11/2019 11:58

Luckily it didn't ruin the weekend Because that would have been a massive overreaction.

Chemical checks are quite important and probably regular checks would have been mandatory as part of his insurance.

You go to a swimming pool, people see you in a swimsuit.

YABU

It takes a matter of minutes, I think you need to get over it.

TheReluctantCountess · 13/11/2019 12:01

How long did it take him to do it? Was it just a case of scooping some water out, like at the swimming pool?

whatsinthebagwhatcoulditbe · 13/11/2019 12:02

That is a bit odd but I probably wouldn't care enough to think about it ever again. If you are really bothered you can leave him a snotty review on Trip Advisor or similar.

littlehappyhippo · 13/11/2019 12:02

@peachesandclean YANBU of course. What a weirdo.

He should have done this 'chemical check' before. Coming in while you were all stripped down to cozzies is pervy and creepy.

I would put this on trip advisor as a warning to other people! And ignore anyone telling you that you are being irrational.

Dontdisturbmenow · 13/11/2019 12:08

You were in your swimming costumes not naked, how is it any different to being on a beach?

If it made you so uncomfortable, why didn't you ask him to go and come back in 1mn so you could get out in a towel?

I could understand maybe of you we're 14 but mid 20s?

rottiemum88 · 13/11/2019 12:15

I've stayed in cabin type places on holiday before where the company has come round daily to check, so for those saying he should have done it before that's not necessarily the case.

You say you asked if he "needed" you to get out and he said no. He also didn't force you to stay in. If you felt uncomfortable maybe you should both have got out while he did his check and then got back in once he'd left?

I imagine that it's quite difficult, if he is required to do the check daily, to find a time that's always going to be convenient for the occupants. Especially when in this case there were 8 people to consider. He came at an otherwise quiet time when the rest of the guests were out. Unfortunately it didn't please everybody, but I think to assume his intentions were anything other than to do his check and leave are a bit of a leap Hmm

UmmH · 13/11/2019 12:27

OP, did he call out or just walk in? Although you weren't naked, you could have been, so this would have infuriated me. Owners who rent out their properties don't have the right to barge into your personal space at any time.

WestSideSnorey · 13/11/2019 12:42

This sounds fairly normal to me unless there is something you've missed out.
I get that he's a man (aarrgghh) and a bit grumpy but I'd imagine he has an obligation to check these things, it has certainly been the case in places I've stayed with a private pool or hot tub.

Would you have had the same concerns if he was a woman and chirpy or is it just Grumpy Men that you tend to have a problem with?

Bluntness100 · 13/11/2019 12:44

Meh, he likely does it at the same time each week or something, so didn't think anything of it. Just got the job done and went on his way. You were in the water and wearing your costumes, so he was hardly perving on you both as you were pretty much hidden.

I'm not seeing the issue frankly.

Bluntness100 · 13/11/2019 12:48

Although you weren't naked, you could have been, so this would have infuriated me.

Quite an unusual response. I'm trying to imagine two sisters who like to sit alone naked in a hot tub together, and why you think if they were naked the man would still have done it, and not walked away. Confused

Yarboosucks · 13/11/2019 12:53

If the other 6 of your party were out sightseeing , he probably thought everyone was out and that it was a good time to do the check.

Not being chatty is not a cause for complaint. Leaving a negative review when the man only inconvenienced you by taking a sample of water is extreme! Maybe he was not chatty because he felt awkward or embarrassed. Not everyone handles every situation well every time..

TBH you sound rather precious. Don't forget, he was checking the water to protect you and your family.

PineappleDanish · 13/11/2019 12:55

We rented a house over the summer (not in this country) and a man turned up randomly to check the pool water twice in the week we were staying. Says to me that the owners are taking their responsibilities seriously.

Hot tubs are bacteria soup if they're not maintained and chemicals kept in balance. Complaining about this is way over the top.

Bluntness100 · 13/11/2019 12:59

If the other 6 of your party were out sightseeing , he probably thought everyone was out and that it was a good time to do the check

Agree, and if he was some form of perv, he'd have said they needed to get out, so he could have a look at them, not told them to stay in, so he couldn't.

Serendipity79 · 13/11/2019 13:07

Ive stayed with Hoseason a few times in lodges with hot tubs and have always had someone come daily to check the hot tubs. Its a wise thing to do, not only checking chemicals but also that drunkards haven't filled it with champagne - ever seen Geordie shore? :)

SweetNorthernRose · 13/11/2019 13:10

Whilst I get the water has to be checked regularly, I would expect there to be some kind of note of it somewhere, like 'please be aware we check the hot tub daily at x o'clock' in a guest book or a notice on the wall or something. It would be a bit disconcerting to have an unexpected stranger suddenly appear in the midst of a relaxing break. I'm not sure whether there are laws or rules on this type of thing but I wouldn't have thought someone could just turn up and let themselves in unannounced like the way OP has described.

OneMoreLight · 13/11/2019 13:11

All the places I've stayed in with a hot tub have had someone come and check the levels every morning.

Lunde · 13/11/2019 13:15

I have stayed at a lot of places with hot tubs, jacuzzis and swimming pools and in my experience it is normal for it to be done on a fixed day each week.

If the owner is doing it himself on his day off - then I don't see anything unusual to him coming at the weekend. He probably thought you'd be out and about.

Tinkobell · 13/11/2019 13:16

A quick dipping of a testing paper into the pool water is a 2 second job, I do think he could have been friendly about it and phrased it as a "apologies .....any objection to me quickly testing the water?"
Ideally this ought to be done during changeover and any adjustments made and retested though.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 13/11/2019 13:19

Maybe he was unfriendly and blunt because he was embarrassed???

Dont leave a negative review because he tested the hot tub! That sounds ridiculous!

Unless he made creepy comments then dont start accusing him of being a creep?!

Ive worked in a hotel gym / spa and you really do have to test the water pretty regular. Tbh id be glad he was actually bothering to test it.. the place i worked at just chucked another cup of chlorine in every day shudder it was gross!!