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.

Sorry, I think that's a really shitty attitude to have.

It might be "just" a glass but the decent thing to do is tell the owner that you've broken it, not just leave it for them to discover on check-out.

Ok. <shrug> I'm not typically a shitty attitude type of person, maybe this is the exception.

I also don't stay in holiday homes so maybe I'd feel differently if I did.

Just explaining why it may not get reported.

I would expect single small breakable items to come under wear and tear and to be cheap versions. £5 isn't reasonable as the glass would not have cost that and could be picked up whilst buying other supplies. It's petty of them. One glass can be absorbed. If you'd smashed the lot that might be different.

I’m not opposed to paying for it, but it’s the insinuation that we have deliberately ignored some “unspoken rule” which has rubbed me up the wrong way. If the rule had been clearly mentioned in the online listing then we would have ensured we had some fivers on us just in case!

I just think the decent thing to do is to be honest. I think it's really disrespectful to break someone's stuff and just carry on like it never happened.

If I rented a cottage, I would be much more understanding if someone "owned up" than if they ignored it and I was left to discover missing items on check-out.

If the former, I would just say "please don't apologise, accidents happen!" but the latter would piss me off as it just shows a lack of care and honesty more than anything else.

So if you broke a glass in a restaurant, would you expect to pay for it?

Or dropped a jar in a supermarket?

why plus a tip?

Never heard of doing that.

Personally, I'm guided by the condition of the stuff in the place when I arrive - you're saying that it was all mis-matched, and a glass was missing, so I wouldn't fuss about breaking one - they clearly didn't care enough about the other missing one to bother sorting it. I certainly wouldn't be leaving a fiver for one wine glass in such a place (nor would I have a fiver on me)

If I arrived and everything was beautifully matched/complete and I broke one, then I'd absolutely let them know - but expect to be told not to worry as it's wear and tear. If they did want to charge me then I'd pay, but consider it poor customer service and probably not go back.

As I said, we’d already checked out before we were made aware of the rule and we don’t carry cash on us…

I just meant that it’s left a bit of a sour taste in our mouths after what was otherwise a nice holiday. I wouldn’t stay there again and I’m not going to leave a glowing review like I normally would.

This....

Of course a broken wine glass is part of usual wear & tear!

I have several pals who own holiday cottages... None of them as far as i know have this stupid 'rule'! (because no rule exists....)

I think it's really disrespectful to break someone's stuff and just carry on like it never happened.

It is a holiday cottage.
So the idea that it is 'someone's stuff' is a bit off here.
It is a business and the glass is an item, like if you break a glass in a pub/restaurant.

Anyone who is renting who still thinks of it is 'their stuff' is on the wrong business. It isn't a home, it is a business.

I wouldn't expect to have to replace a broken glass. I assume they expect minor breakages and plan accordingly.

I've never mentioned a broken glass when staying somewhere, I guess I would if it was obviously part of a matched set or was a big or expensive item but not for a wine glass.

I'm the same - i don't (like most people nowadays) don't carry cash.

I would have either:

• gone to cash point and left the £5.00
• Transferred £5.00 to them

No biggy!

YANBU completely reasonable and normal "wear and tear" of such a business, just like you wouldn't expect to be charged for a broken cup in a restaurant or broken glass in a pub.

What IS unreasonable is holiday home owners who provide so few items of glassware/crockery etc that one broken item becomes an immediate problem, i.e. only 4 wine glasses for a property sleeping 4 guests. You need at least double the amount, i.e. 8 wine glasses for 4 guests, which not only means the guest don't have to wash up so frequently, it means that the odd breakage can be replaced at the owner's leisure/convenience, rather than urgently needed before the next guests check in. Same with cups, plates, fruit juice glasses, tumblers, etc.

We've just stayed in a place where the cupboards were literally full of glassware, cutlery, crockery, etc - probably 3 times the amount "needed" for the maximum capacity of 6 guests. They even had wine glasses AND champagne flutes, AND whisky tumblers, AND fruit juice glasses, AND pint and half pint glasses, in addition to 12 coffee cups but there were only 11 tea cups, so have to assume one got broken but still 11 is more than plenty until they replace it at some point in the future. They were all strong/sturdy brands where you can easily go and buy odd items, not dainty bone china or fragile glass where you have to buy in sets.

One place we stayed in a few years ago had a good idea. Next to their "visitors book", was a "housekeeping" book, where they asked guests to note any breakages or report any problems with the place, and they made it clear it was just so they could replace/repair and wouldn't be charging for any accidents. We had a look through it and thought it was a really good idea as guests weren't just noting the odd broken plate, cup or glass, some would report other things, like low power in the shower, or a slow/partially blocked bath/sink drain, or even make comments such as suggesting the owners left the washing machine instruction book, or suggesting a 4 slice toaster for a house for 8 guests instead of the 2 slice one they provided (that comment actually worked because when we stayed in it, it was a 4 slice toaster!). So much better giving guests the opportunity to leave comments like that rather than them mentioning problems in the visitors' book or online reviews!

You won’t leave a glowing review because you were careless and damaged their property and don’t like being called out on it?

Honestly? No, I wouldn’t. I have actually dropped a jar in a supermarket before and the staff wouldn’t allow me to pay even though I begged them to let me because I was so embarrassed for the mess I caused! I don’t think I’ve broken a glass in a restaurant before but when I worked in a bar we wouldn’t have dreamed of charging a customer for accidentally breaking one.

Thanks for the perspective. That makes me feel better.

I always mention it (but usually they say don't worry).

All the people talking about the holiday let owner being “out of pocket” and the cost of their time to replace are cracking me up - they’re running a business and there are supposed to be costs associated with that! Truly passive income is not a thing! It’s not like OP stayed there for free!

I think letting the owner know you’ve had a breakage is the right thing to do (and have had to do this before) but I wouldn’t have left cash/made a transfer of funds/sought a replacement. Plus, I would be put off booking a place that had a clause requiring me to do as much in their T&Cs. Bonds/deposits are for damage beyond reasonable wear and tear, like trashing the place, not breaking one glass!

I won’t leave a glowing review because the owners of the property got arsey with me for not being able to read their minds!

Can’t figure out if you’re an owner of a holiday let yourself or just enjoy being snooty 🙄

It's petty as fuck.

We have a cottage we rent out and I expect breakages. We have a stash of spares in anticipation and in a Cottage for max 4 there are 10 wine glasses (same number of water/juice glasses, champagne glasses and beer tulips)

I'd like to know it happened so I can replace but I'm not going to charge anyone for a glass or a plate.

oh for god's sake.

Nope. You won’t leave a glowing review because you’re careless and don’t want to be called out on it.

There’s nothing wrong with their message to you, and no, I don’t own a holiday let nor am I “snooty”. I’m just a responsible person.

Okay, you didn’t know the rule. That doesn’t mean they were wrong in mentioning the usual done thing. You’re still wrong for being careless, damaging their property and then trying to claim
the moral high ground.

Sounds petty to me but is it in the TCs in the booking agreement?

@SunnySaturdayMorning it's called hospitality.

Nail on the head as to why "some" holiday home owners aren't particularly suited to that kind of business. It IS a business, and owners need to get their head around that fact. Breakages are normal in hospitality, and the owners need to make decisions based on the fact that breakages will happen and not do stupid things like buying sets of expensive crockery/glassware where it will be expensive/difficult to replace lost/stolen/broken items.

At least, in recent times, most holiday home owners seem to understand that it's a business and adjust their attitude/plans accordingly. We've been renting them for 30 years and back then it was pretty normal to suffer the "personal" owner, often renting out their old home, or their grandma's or aunt's home they'd just inherited, still leaving in the old furniture, old knick-knacks, antique cutlery, glassware and crockery, family photos on the walls, etc. They were really awful and grim!

We tend to look for places where there are multiple properties, i.e. where there's a group of 3 or 4 on a farm converted from an old barn courtyard. The more they have, the more they are likely to run them a proper businesses rather than think of them as their home. Also, the newer the better - new builds or new conversions are also more likely to be run as proper businesses.

Yes, I know some people will prefer the "homely" look and feel, but personally, we prefer the "hotel" feel of a modern property, simply decorated, solid furniture etc.