32507

[Phyllis167]

We’re you nervous on your first hosting? I am nervous something will break down.

[Emiel1]

@Phyllis167 

Yes, i was nervous when hosting my first guest. But it soon disappears when everything goes well.

BTW What is this "32507" in the subject line  ?

[Phyllis167]

I do not know why my zip code is in the subject line. I did not put it there.

[Gillian166]

@Phyllis167  at some point something will break down. That's just human life. From big items like the fridge or hot water system to little things like light bulbs and batteries in remotes. There is usually no warning sign. How you handle the situation is a big part of the job of hosting. A reasonable guest (most often this means: another home owner) will be far more understanding. 

We have 3 listings on our farm and I have back ups of: toaster, kettle, coffee machine, washing machine and we even have a shower and toilet located in the stables (handy for last December when the hws did decide to croak, and our wonderful mature guest was fine with using the shower there for 2 days). I also provide spare globes and batteries in our listings, again for that mature guest who can handle these normal situations. 

There are things you can mitigate against, like changing the batteries in smoke alarms annually. Those things are SO annoying when they "die" and often do so at 3am. There must be more things that others will mention. 

[Huma0]

@Gillian166 

I wish I had space for a back up washing machine (mine is broken right now and it's been a nightmare getting it fixed = queue guest refunds and probably lower ratings). 

Smoke alarms. Yep, learnt this the hard way. They last for years. Well, mine do because the smoke alarms are hard wired and the batteries just for back up in case of the electricity cutting out, which luckily never happens in my neck of the woods. So, it's just something I never worried about, until...

One evening, all the smoke alarms throughout the house and there are five, started screeching at high volume and I couldn't get them to stop. I turned off the power supply to them. They kept going. I got out a ladder and tried to switch them off. There is a switch on them specifically for that. Why is it not working?

Next, screwdriver to open them. They will not open. Next, take all alarms off the ceilings, then open them with difficult and take out the batteries. The whole process took about half an hour, all the while the whole house is filled with screeching and two guests watching me the whole time, looking as alarmed as the alarms.

I learnt that A.) these alarms are designed to screech no matter how much effort you go to to try to disable them, which I guess is a good thing. B.) One expired battery will set off ALL the alarms and it's not easy to get them to stop.

Guests were very understanding though 🙂

[Gillian166]

@Huma0  I had this happen to me last week, but in my own home.  Of course, at 3am.  

[Huma0]

@Gillian166 

Oh dear. It was stressful enough at 10pm, let alone 3am. On the other hand, I had guests here. That was the most stressful part. Well, it would have been stressful either way...

[Gwen386]

@Huma0  I actually started laughing as I was envisioning you doing this. 😂 I loved this tale and as you say, everything works until it doesn’t. 

@Gillian166 I also wish I had space for any backup appliances and Kudos to you for the forethought. Because, Murphy’s Law ….

I agree 100% about mature guests. The smoke detector in my basement rental needed a battery. Thank goodness it was only a constant chirping and not a full blown screeching as Huma’s. When my guest notified me—he worked nights and returned in the morning—he alerted me to the chirping. I did have batteries on hand and offered to bring it right down and install it because I felt the chirping would be nerve-racking. He said he was so exhausted that if a bomb went off, he wouldn’t hear it. He was okay with me leaving it outside his door later in the day and that he would install it. 

So @Phyllis167 things will happen. It’s how we, as hosts, handle the unexpected and we hope that guests will be understanding. 

[Huma0]

@Gwen386 

Yes, well, I guess you live and learn. I had the whole house rewired when I renovated it and the builders decided to hard wire the smoke alarms (in my previous property, they were just battery operated and the batteries did need replacing more often but it was simple enough). I thought it sounded sensible, i.e. an extra safety precaution. I had absolutely no idea the mayhem that would ensue once a battery went flat!

Washing machine is still not fixed as the insurance company has given me the complete run around, so now I am in the official complaints procedure and, having just got back from a work trip tonight, will be calling someone else tomorrow to try to get it fixed outside of the insurance (what actually is the point in insurance for these things when they always find an excuse not to pay?).

Of course, I have offered to reimburse the guests, but they are so nice, they are having none of it and just tell me not to worry and it's no big deal. Well, to be honest, I would rather give them some money because they probably don't realise that knocking off a star or two when it the time comes for review (which would I guess be valid because there is a missing amenity) costs me much more...

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Huma0 you remind me I need to change all the smoke alarm batteries. Even with mains alarms you are supposed to change them yearly apparently. I suspect your are like ours and need a very long ladder to get to them?

[Huma0]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

Yes, on some floors (each floor in my house has a different ceiling height), tall ladders are required. 

I didn't realise that you needed to change the batteries in hard wired alarms annually. Good to know!