Guest broke my wall clock.

[Donna3]

I noticed the wall clock was not keeping correct time, so I thought it might need a battery. When I checked the cover was broken. I was not sure if it was the last guest or the guest before. Then I noticed a tiny bit of plastic on the floor from the broken cover. I asked the last guest. They coped to it and said it was the people staying with them were willing to pay. Am I being petty to ask them to pay. it is about $35.00. Their stay generated $1500 for me. Someone earlier in the year took my clock radio plug and I wrote it off, but it was about $35.00. What would you do?

[Dave-and-Deb0]

I would write it off and buy a new one. You could probably also claim it on your taxes.

[Helga0]

@Donna3, there are a lot of people who disable any clock during their stay, taking out batteries mostly or hiding the clock somewhere. If you buy a new one, get a digital one which does not make any sound. That's no garanty either, but it increases the lifespan. 

[Donna3]

@Helga0, It was a clock in the living room that has a retro feel to go along with the style of my cottage.  They took it down to chnge the battery, I(I have them in the house with emergency equipment), but somehow broke the front crystal.  Do you think I should just write it off?

[Helga0]

If the rent was over 350 Euros, I don't bother for honest accidents up to 50 Euros. For over 500 I even accept that a cheap microwave jumped from the wall whilst they slept in all innocence. Without excuse for the inappropriate behaviour of my furniture though. For a cheap night, I'd ask for refund. - Does the clock still work? Usually you need several guests phobic of ticking noises taking the battery out to destroy it for good 😉

[Robin4]

@Helga0 @Donna3 @Dave-and-Deb0 I know I am coming in on this conversation after it has in all probability run its course! But knick knacks around a house are a real issue because the guest is not personally attched to them like you are. And that clock that has been in your family for generations and was 'dragged on foot through the snow of a Russian winter after the revolution' means bugger all to guests!! If it breaks just claim it on insurance!

So, to be a bit cynical keep precious items away from guest contact. I like to make my cottage look homely, eclectic and interesting so have included lots of things that in some way relate to my family. The semi precious things I have made a point sticking down with 'Blue tac' ( a bit like plastecine), and this was the result of allowing a guest with two cats. She assured me they travelled caged but, during the night a vase got broken by one of them! Bluetac is not like superglue, it wont damage the item but it does provide a decent amount of adhesion...at least enough so that the average guest will really think twice about it before removing it! It definitely helps with breakages.

My problem is remote controls....I have one for the bed, one for the TV, one for the 'set top box', one for the DVD,one for the wall heater and one for the airconditioning. The floor of the cottage is polished concrete and the air con remote got dropped from its wall mounting, and of course broke! Two nights rental went into replacing that. The TV remote had liquid of some sort spilt on it...it was salvageable, but only after having a professional dismantle it and cleaned it....another nights rent gone there!

My way around this problem is to buy generic remotes at a fraction of the cost of originals....You can buy TV and Air Con remotes for as little as $10-$15 and I keep the originals out of the guests reach. I am still having to replace these on a regular basis through carelesness.

I did come across something the other day that I had not thought about and I will now include as a house rule....'Do not wear lipstick in bed' This particular guest left bright red lipstick over three pillows and a sheet.....thank god it didn't get to the Duvet. It has taken the best part of an hour of scrubbing with every stain removal aid I know of to get it out, and it has still not been removed totally but, one has to look incredibly dilligently to see it.

Every guest teaches you something....the trick is to learn something from it! cheers....Rob