AIBU for not replacing a broken wine glass on holiday?

[OtterlyMad]

My DH and I have just spent a week in a rural holiday cottage. We accidentally broke a wine glass while washing up on the last night of our trip, so we messaged the owner the next morning to let them know and apologise for the inconvenience.

After we checked out, we received a text from the owner complaining that it’s the norm to either replace breakages ourselves or leave a £5 note. Is everyone else aware of this “rule”?Because we weren’t! In fairness I don’t think we’ve ever broken anything in a holiday let before so no experience of this situation. Obviously if we’d damaged something big or stained a carpet or whatever then I would expect to reimburse them, but I suppose I assumed that breakages of small/cheap things like glassware, crockery etc. would be super common and therefore factored into the price. It’s also quite difficult to buy a singular wine glass. Would they not care about it matching the rest of their glassware? Or do you think they would expect a whole new set?

It got broken around 11pm and we had to check out before 10am the next morning, so frankly we wouldn’t have had time to buy a replacement even if we’d known that was the expectation. The rule wasn’t mentioned anywhere in the online listing or in the welcome pack. We also don’t tend to carry cash, so as above, couldn’t have left a £5 note even if we’d wanted to. Most irritating of all is that lots of the kitchen sets were already incomplete e.g. there were only 3 wine glasses to begin with (the property is advertised for 4 people). We didn’t mind as it was just the 2 of us, but it’s clear the owners don’t actually check and replace items that get lost/broken… makes me think we just shouldn’t have mentioned it. Too honest for our own good!

I feel guilty as we strive to be excellent guests, but I also think it’s a dumb rule and I’m annoyed that they’ve cast a shadow over our holiday for the sake of a £1.50 glass (especially as we paid over £500 for the cottage).

Did we act unreasonably?

YABU - the owner is right, and you should have carried change on you to leave in case of a breakage.
YANBU - the owner is being petty, a broken glass is normal wear and tear.

is this supposed to be a flex?

Well, I’ve had a laugh tonight.

To be fair I have Denby at home (wedding present) and it’s survived my toddler so maybe.

Wouldn’t want to see it in a holiday let though 😂

Me too, cheers @AP5Diva 😆

I'm an Airbnb host and I rent out my own home (for big events in my city). So in my case it IS actually my stuff rather than 'rental stuff'. It would never occur to me to ask someone to cover the cost of such a minor breakage. It goes with the territory. YANBU.

I wouldn’t even notice where the crockery and glassware came from! It definitely doesn’t interest me when on holiday.

It was like the good old days of Crumbs and her cumberland sausage, five perfect adult children, and her Parisian hotel bedroom in Hertfordshire.

Airbnb super host here.

Broken glasses are interesting, I didn't realise until I started doing this that glasses have a shelf life, this means that careless guests can drop a new glass and it'll virtually bounce. Conversely super careful guests can often be using "old" glasses that virtually self combust.

Different scenarios.

• Broken glass isn't mentioned, super annoying.
• Broken glass flagged up, great.
• Guests try and pay, lovely but never accepted, guests regaled with my glass theory
• Guests buy new glasses, frustrating because they rarely match and what a pain for them.

Honestly the rental price should cover this.

I’d have replaced it if I could have, you couldn’t.
I wouldn’t have let them know I’d broken it either way.

Could you link to a few cottages with the expensive glasses? Not necessarily ones you've stayed in but I just want to see the kind of thing you mean.
I don't even know how to start googling it myself.

Yeah don't drop vintage Denby it'll knacker your floor

I've accidentally broken crockery and glasses in holiday lets.
I've just swept it up, chucked it in the bin and got on with my day.
Just the same as I would at home.

Surely this is a cost of doing business? It's only a wine glass, you didn't flood the bathroom or pour red wine all over the sofa.

As for the cost and time - the owner is probably getting £1000 a week or thereabouts for the property. THAT covers their time and the cost of a new glass!

So many holiday home owners seem to think they should just collect the rent and have nothing to do in return. In any event I have no sympathy with them as they are, in most cases (excluding certain properties that can only be used for holiday rentals) , keeping a home out of the residential market. Either sell up or rent.

I would have bought a replacement in a charity shop if time had allowed, but we’ve broken bigger things in cottages over the years and always been told it’s fine they have a spare to replace as accidental damage is expected and planned for. A glass is nothing really!

Another holiday let owner here - we’ve rented out our cottage for over 50 years and have never expected tenants to have to pay for a small breakage like that.
Like others said, most stuff comes from ikea precisely because accidents like this do happen, we keep spares on hand, it’s part of the running costs. You were thoughtful to even let them know!

Wow. That I find incredible. Wouldn't dream of doing that to my friends

Wear and tear.

What a tight arse asking for £5 for a glass.

Forget it.

this isn’t the norm. I’ve broken a few glasses in holiday homes and always message the owner to apologise and offer to pay for a replacement - without fail they’ve always replied to say “thank you for letting us know but please don’t worry, these things are to be expected”.

I've gone back to holiday homes on many occasions. I've been back to one four times now, others I've been back to on 2 or 3 times. I've also recommended some to family and friends who've gone to them, too.

We have been repeat customers too at one cottage and over the years what was once a full crock cupboard dwindled down in quantity. In fact one year we were fed up as few mugs there were were all tiny - small cup size- so when we went shopping we bought ourselves some in the supermarket sale. We did take then home but made sure to pack them for the next year!

I own a holiday rental and I would not expect guests to replace broken items although it's helpful if they let you know so you have a full set of everything for the next guests. A broken glass is nothing. I once had to replace god knows how many things (on the day new guests were arriving) including bedding that the guests had s* on. Takes all sorts.

Yep, I’ve stayed in a few holiday cottages with big pallets of spare ikea glasses in the cupboard under the stairs.

And one memorable one in Rochester where there was 1 fork and no other cutlery, in a flat supposed to sleep 4! It was new as well, so obviously just really badly fitted out. We contacted the owner and they said they would bring stuff over, but never did. We had to pick up some disposable spoons from a cafe to eat our breakfast (we had bought stuff).

This so petty. Not sure who you booked through but swear this is the horror show that Airbnb has created. I just came back from a trip where we stayed in 3 and spent too much time fretting about what OUR review as guests was going to be. Nevermind the fact that we've spent thousands to stay in their family villa/ outbuilding. Sod them, remember the good trip and don't be so honest in future. Not everyone is as decent as you!

There was a thread the other day that was something like why on earth do people do self catering UK holidays and these comments are honestly validating everyone who was against. No, I don’t want to do my own washing up, strip my own bed, and have exhausting exchanges with irate snippy owners about “breaking their property” all for the cost of a holiday abroad.

with apologies to those on this thread who are holiday home landlords, who all seem very nice and rational.

I manage holiday home for my parents and glass or plates breakage are ok , we actually had a lady break a glass and 5 plates ( she dropped them all on the floor at the same time ) and still did nit change her . Some people will buy replacements and leave them but we never expect it

I had an holiday let , lots of crockery breakages, no would never charge for them and no guest ever cash left for it. It’s not customary at all. Very petty!