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Original poster

B&B want me to pay £150 fine!

453 replies

froggy1811 · 30/11/2021 20:32

So, this might be a longish read, but please bear with me! Recently my husband and I went to stay at a pub B&B. It is not often that we would ever be in a financial position to do this; however, we love the area and decided to treat ourselves. Anyway, when we arrived we didn't exactly receive the warm welcome that we were hoping for! I thought that perhaps I was imagining things; however, I received a message this morning from Booking.Com demanding that I pay £150 to the B&B for not following their policies. They have stated that this is because my husband smoked a cigarette in the room (please don't all shout at me at once! 😱) BUT, in his defence, he did this hanging out of the window at 2am and disposed of the dimp discreetly - so the only way I can imagine that they knew, is if someone from across the road of where we were staying, saw him and told the landlord!

To be honest, the attitude of the owners was absolutely dreadful from the moment we arrived! And I got the distinct impression that they didn't like us straight away! I shall list some of my points below:

1: Upon arrival we were told that if we wanted a table for dinner, we should have pre-booked. Our fault entirely, but it was the irritable way it was said to us.

2: My husband ordered several half pint ales at the same time, so that he could try them and decide which one he wished to drink for the night. Unfortunately, the idiot forgot which one was which, but as his drinks was still relatively full he asked the landlord which he thought was which based on the liquids colour. The landlords response was extremely cold and scratchy! He made it plain my husband was a fool in his eyes, and then he just stomped off without trying to assist him.

3: Over the course of the night, I had ordered 2 bottles of Prosecco (although, the second bottle didn't actually get drunk, as I couldn't manage any more!) So, it was taken up to our room.

4: We had booked a King room, but this was actually a really cramped, small double , and my husband's legs hung over the end of the bed. Shower and sink only a few inches apart so if you opened the door it hit the sink, and there was zero room to dress in there! The toilet seat was also wonky.

5: Room wasn't the cleanest, and no option to pay extra for a later check out.

6: When my husband went down for the breakfast, the landlord made reference to the amount of Prosecco I had drank the night before! This is despite the fact that we sat quietly at a table all night and was not in any way 'loud' or rowdy! So why mention this?!

7: WiFi didn't work all night long.

I know my husband shouldn't have smoked out of the window, but I have a suspicion that they just didn't like us from the moment we arrived. I had expressed this concern to my husband, who just brushed it off. We were quiet guests who made sure the room was spotlessly immaculate before we left, so I just genuinely feel like they were looking for issues!

Would you pay this? Do you think AIBU?

OP posts:
starfishmummy · 01/12/2021 00:38

I did NOT line up 2 bottles of Prosecco! I ordered one, then later than night I ordered another!

I'm getting confused. In two posts you have said you ordered it and in another thst your husband ordered the second bottle.

In some posts you haven't drunk it and in another you didn't drink all of it.

Clearly you were very drunk, and have a very hazy grasp of the evening. As such I suspect that your husband just smoked in the room and the hanging out of the window is just you trying to minimise the situation.

So pay the fine and learn to behave like adults.

starfishmummy · 01/12/2021 00:40

@lynntheyresexpeople

This will end up in the daily fail.

The room will need a deep clean as will be advertised as non smoking, and will stink. Second hand smoke lingers badly in fabric, and when you aren't a smoker, or aren't around one - it smells really strongly. You owe the fine, pay it.

You were probably drunk, you don't realise how irritating you are when drunk. Chances are you were a lot more merry than you thought.

Exactly. All the soft furnishings and probably the carpet will need to be cleaned
Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 00:40

@lynntheyresexpeople

This will end up in the daily fail.

The room will need a deep clean as will be advertised as non smoking, and will stink. Second hand smoke lingers badly in fabric, and when you aren't a smoker, or aren't around one - it smells really strongly. You owe the fine, pay it.

You were probably drunk, you don't realise how irritating you are when drunk. Chances are you were a lot more merry than you thought.

The landlord was not nice from the moment we arrived and we hadn't had a thing to drink at this point! If he gets 'irritated' by drunk people, he's in the wrong business.
OP posts:
lloe7 · 01/12/2021 00:42

Honestly op I would just refuse the fee or ignore it completely- they aren't going to take you to court over it. Sounds like it was a pub for locals who don't seem to like 'tourists'. Sorry you had a rubbish time for a night that was supposed to be a treat.
As for the smoking- I have never smoked so I do notice the smell of smoke in rooms and on linen etc and it really isn't pleasant, but hopefully lesson learned for your husband.

Silvershroud · 01/12/2021 00:42

I did the same thing as OP a few years ago (I think it was a Premier Inn, too). I sneaked a few drinks upstairs and smoked out of the window. They deducted an extra £100 from my card (and sent me a letter saying it was to air the room). I asked my bank to stop the payment, they told me the hotel was justified in taking it. I have quit smoking since then and can now see the hotel was right- I could never sleep in a room with traces of stale smoke in the air, it is disgusting.

Carpetsareforflying · 01/12/2021 00:44

Wow. fine? Id have sent you packing. Talk about nightmare guests

Almostmenopausal · 01/12/2021 00:45

@AngelsWithSilverWings

If I'd checked into the room after you I'd have refused to stay. The smell of cigarettes makes my nose itch and my eyes stream.

The fine will be to cover the cost of a deep clean and possibly a refund to the people booked in after you.

Whilst I don't condone any oF the actions in the OP, this comment is one of the most OTT & over dramatic nonsense I've ever read on mumsnet and that reallllly takes some beating!
Pascal80 · 01/12/2021 00:49

You sound absolutely AWFUL. Of-course you should pay the fine.

Nanny0gg · 01/12/2021 00:52

@justaweeone

Not sure how they can make you pay this fine?
Probably got their credit card details?
Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 00:53

@starfishmummy

I did NOT line up 2 bottles of Prosecco! I ordered one, then later than night I ordered another!

I'm getting confused. In two posts you have said you ordered it and in another thst your husband ordered the second bottle.

In some posts you haven't drunk it and in another you didn't drink all of it.

Clearly you were very drunk, and have a very hazy grasp of the evening. As such I suspect that your husband just smoked in the room and the hanging out of the window is just you trying to minimise the situation.

So pay the fine and learn to behave like adults.

Well that's just being ridiculously pedantic! What difference does it make whether I personally ordered the second bottle or my husband did? At the end of the day we were a 'couple' sharing the same table! And for the record, my husband actually ordered it trying to be nice; however, he poured me a drink from the second bottle and after a few sips I realised that I didn't want anymore, so really it is entirely fair to say that I did not drink the second bottle!
OP posts:
Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 00:55

@starfishmummy and actually, yes he DID hang out of the window! But you may believe whatever you wish.

OP posts:
Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 00:58

@lloe7

Honestly op I would just refuse the fee or ignore it completely- they aren't going to take you to court over it. Sounds like it was a pub for locals who don't seem to like 'tourists'. Sorry you had a rubbish time for a night that was supposed to be a treat. As for the smoking- I have never smoked so I do notice the smell of smoke in rooms and on linen etc and it really isn't pleasant, but hopefully lesson learned for your husband.
Thank you! It was definitely a pub aimed at the locals. It was very cliquey indeed. Not at all welcoming unfortunately! My own fault for not reading all of the reviews!
OP posts:
kittenkipper · 01/12/2021 01:01

Assuming the room had curtains around that window, or WORSE blinds- they have to be dry cleaned now because of your husbands choice to break the rules. So - 24 hours airing plus dry cleaning of curtains and blinds (£60 min and the bad rep the cancellation of the next guests because you chose to break the rules! I'd smell a smoky room , even as you say after a single "sneaky" one.I'd not pay. Not the £89 nor for foodie breakfast or anything more. You arrived , they squeezed you in out if courtesy - you didn't book! Your husband ordered drinks and then asked advise on the drinks- making himself seem like an idiot. You ordered lots of wine. YOU paint yourself badly. If the adage is that there are two side to a story and neither are the truth- you exemplify it , according to you. The locals were drunker.and the hosts meaner. Despite lots of drinks (less than you estimated after first public judging!) Their reasons silly. They didn't like you ever! Your reasons for breaking the rules are fair (they aren't no matter how much you bleat it) you wanted to save them their being woken! (He could have been quiet - or gone without the fag?! ) but no he was doing the thee guests a favour! By smoking in the no smoking room

DriftingBlue · 01/12/2021 01:05

I’ve stayed in many rooms that had stated policies for smoking fines that were multiple times the cost of a night in the room. So yes, less than double seems like you got off easy.

If I walked into a room and detected any trace of cigarette smoke, I would turn around and expect a new room or a full refund.

The landlord has to really clean to make it suitable to get the next guest in when someone smokes.

Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 01:17

@kittenkipper

Assuming the room had curtains around that window, or WORSE blinds- they have to be dry cleaned now because of your husbands choice to break the rules. So - 24 hours airing plus dry cleaning of curtains and blinds (£60 min and the bad rep the cancellation of the next guests because you chose to break the rules! I'd smell a smoky room , even as you say after a single "sneaky" one.I'd not pay. Not the £89 nor for foodie breakfast or anything more. You arrived , they squeezed you in out if courtesy - you didn't book! Your husband ordered drinks and then asked advise on the drinks- making himself seem like an idiot. You ordered lots of wine. YOU paint yourself badly. If the adage is that there are two side to a story and neither are the truth- you exemplify it , according to you. The locals were drunker.and the hosts meaner. Despite lots of drinks (less than you estimated after first public judging!) Their reasons silly. They didn't like you ever! Your reasons for breaking the rules are fair (they aren't no matter how much you bleat it) you wanted to save them their being woken! (He could have been quiet - or gone without the fag?! ) but no he was doing the thee guests a favour! By smoking in the no smoking room
When did I ever say we didn't book the B&B? We absolutely did book it 6 months in advance! We did not, however, book the table for dinner - and I have already stated that this was our fault entirely! The chef then agreed to cook us something, which was nice of him! My only point was that the landlord didn't have to be so grotty about it when we requested a table!

And I have never once said that dh's reasons for breaking the rules were 'fair' - nor have I 'bleated' on about how considerate it was of him to consider the other guests! I simply stated his reasoning (I neither encouraged, nor condoned it!)

And as for me looking bad for ordering 'lots' of drinks in a pub - get a grip! It is a pub and people buy alcohol! If you're honestly telling me that the amount of drinks we ordered over the course of the night are excessive, then either you live a very sheltered life or your lying to yourself!

OP posts:
buddythemum · 01/12/2021 01:18

@froggy1811 to be honest if you got instantly judged and made to feel like you said you did when you went in then I would probably smoke in the room etc. I am a nice person and if treated properly at a hotel I would never dream of leaving rubbish out, smoking etc, but if someone speaks to me like the OP says then there's no incentive to play nice

KTB19 · 01/12/2021 01:19

It was one night, could he not have gone one night without a ciggie or if not, he could have gone outside for one.

I am not surprised they are angry.

BewitchedBotheredandBewildered · 01/12/2021 01:21

My friend's mum always travels with a spray can of men's cheap deodorant to spray the room with after she's had a fag out the window of hotels.

I wouldn't want to be the cleaner trying to get rid of that.

Yuck!

Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 01:21

[quote buddythemum]@froggy1811 to be honest if you got instantly judged and made to feel like you said you did when you went in then I would probably smoke in the room etc. I am a nice person and if treated properly at a hotel I would never dream of leaving rubbish out, smoking etc, but if someone speaks to me like the OP says then there's no incentive to play nice[/quote]
Thank you! I didn't go out of my way to be disrespectful (my DH had the cigarette) however, the same can't be said for the landlord who was rude from the moment we arrived! Never in my life have I had such shoddy treatment in a hotel or B&B. That said, I read all the reviews when I got home and apparently we are not the only tourist's to be treated this way.

OP posts:
lemmein · 01/12/2021 01:24

Whilst I think your DH was unreasonable no way would I pay it. Dispute the charge - unless they have him on CCTV how can they even prove it? Hmm

Original poster
froggy1811 · 01/12/2021 01:29

@lemmein

Whilst I think your DH was unreasonable no way would I pay it. Dispute the charge - unless they have him on CCTV how can they even prove it? Hmm
I don't think they have him on CCTV because the room was front facing! To be perfectly honest, I don't have the £150 right now anyway, so it's a case of "can't pay" as opposed to "won't pay". He shouldn't have smoked the cigarette, but I definitely think £150 is excessive!
OP posts:
SparklingLime · 01/12/2021 01:36

@kittenkipper

Assuming the room had curtains around that window, or WORSE blinds- they have to be dry cleaned now because of your husbands choice to break the rules. So - 24 hours airing plus dry cleaning of curtains and blinds (£60 min and the bad rep the cancellation of the next guests because you chose to break the rules! I'd smell a smoky room , even as you say after a single "sneaky" one.I'd not pay. Not the £89 nor for foodie breakfast or anything more. You arrived , they squeezed you in out if courtesy - you didn't book! Your husband ordered drinks and then asked advise on the drinks- making himself seem like an idiot. You ordered lots of wine. YOU paint yourself badly. If the adage is that there are two side to a story and neither are the truth- you exemplify it , according to you. The locals were drunker.and the hosts meaner. Despite lots of drinks (less than you estimated after first public judging!) Their reasons silly. They didn't like you ever! Your reasons for breaking the rules are fair (they aren't no matter how much you bleat it) you wanted to save them their being woken! (He could have been quiet - or gone without the fag?! ) but no he was doing the thee guests a favour! By smoking in the no smoking room
Erm, have you been drinking, @kittenkipper?
MrsTerryPratchett · 01/12/2021 01:38

but I definitely think £150 is excessive!

So he shouldn't have had the cigarette. You knew what the charge was before he did it. You can't argue it's excessive after!

If he couldn't afford to pay for the cigarette smoking, he couldn't have the cigarette.

buddythemum · 01/12/2021 01:38

@froggy1811 my husband if gets spoken to like that will 100% go out of his way to do everything he is demanded not to. He won't let anyone talk to him like they have to you so screw them, if they had treated you with respect like any human child or adult deserves then people respect that and are genuinely nice. But why would you be nice to a person who talks to you like shit.
It's crap that you don't have the upper hand because you broke the rules, but overall this is when your bf has won in my eyes by officially losing, but he's not let himself and his partner be bullied and demeaned

halloweenie13 · 01/12/2021 01:44

Regardless of whether you did or didn't it's for them to prove and they would be hard pushed to do so , don't bother paying dispute it and leave it at that.