Really awful guests

[vincam]

We have a cottage in which two Australian couples stayed last week.  During their stay one was bitten by a dog whilst cycling.  This of course was not our fault but when she got back here we dressed her leg and took her and her husband to our local hospital (about 40km round trip).  We waited with them and in all spent 3 hours in the hospital.  In that time we provided translation for them etc.

The Doctor told us the woman would have to report the incident to the Police who would then apparently go to the owners of the dog and require them to have it Rabies tested.  So, we then took the couple to our police station which was closed.

The next morning we took them back to the station (very early so they could enjoy the day) and there they made out a report.  This took over an hour.  The police made an appointment to come out to the house the following day.  The guests, who again were keen to enjoy the day arranged to go out and we waited for the police and when they arrived we accompanied them to the house of the offending dog where the process was completed.

Each of the following evenings we dressed her leg and on the last evening her husband suggested to us that we had been so helpful because we obviously feared they would sue us!!!!???? (He was trying to re-assure us they would not sue us)[8-)]   I explained that we are not responsible for the local wildlife any more than we are traffic in France and that our motivation was nothing to do with self concern and only to do with helping them.

It seems to me that these people simply could not comprehend someone doing an altruistic act so had to find a reason to which they could equate. We did not do any of this for reward.  As many of you will know, Gite owners often go way beyond the call of duty and for no reward. 

Many of our customers have left little gifts for us; some have bought us dinner even.  These people not only left without so much as a thank you but also left the cottage in the worst state we have ever seen.  They had left faeces on the bowl, the fridge half full, bins full and so on....  These were professional people and I am very disapointed they could behave like this. 

I have of course written to them with photos and sent them their deposit.  That may surprise some but I have not deducted a penny, mainly because they will no doubt immediately assume the wrong reason if we did deduct money.

I mention all this because we have only one other time had Australians stay and although not as bad they were also very poor guests, they too had no idea how to clean.  Both sets also seemed to think it perfectly OK to refer to us (English) as ‘Pomms’, I find that quite insulting.

I have nothing against Australians but I am keen to know if other owners have had good or bad experiences with them. 

 

Thank you

[Georgina]

No i do not think it is just Australians, I believe some people just cannot understand why anyone would do anything for nothing,  because that is the way they are.  I remember in England, ringing up a neighbour a few doors down, at work to tell her that their car was flashing its lights.  I thought their battery would go flat.  They shouted at me for bothering them, and made out that I was ringing to complain - it left me rather flabbergasted.[8-)]  No really it is beyong comprehension to some that you mean well, sad really. Sign of the times but one reason for living in France eh?

[Iceni]

[quote user="Puzzled"]

I think it was very noble of you not to deduct any money from their deposit,

[/quote]

"Noble" is not the word that springs to mind for me,why bother to take a deposit if you don't intend to use it? OP - you seem a kind, generous but somewhat gullible person, probably not the best attributes when trying to run a business. But each to his own as they say, you may wait a long time but you will doubtless get your reward somewhere.

John

[Renaud]

Iceni, this is real life not an episode of The Apprentice.

The OP behaved as I would hope any otrher member of this forum might have done to help a person with an unfortunate problem. The fact that this kindness was met by incomprehension and ingratitude is a sad aberation.

[Dick Smith]

Well, Vincam, I think you acted honourably, and it does you credit. That isn't gullibility, that is generosity. It's a shame if the two get confused...

[cassis]

I sympathise.  Thank God for forums where we can all let off a litle steam and air our grievances! [:D]

[vincam]

[quote user="Iceni"][quote user="Puzzled"]

I think it was very noble of you not to deduct any money from their deposit,

[/quote]

"Noble" is not the word that springs to mind for me,why bother to take a deposit if you don't intend to use it? OP - you seem a kind, generous but somewhat gullible person, probably not the best attributes when trying to run a business. But each to his own as they say, you may wait a long time but you will doubtless get your reward somewhere.

John

[/quote]

I'm not sure you can make a valued judgement on me based on the post.  I assure you that I am not in the least gullible and that I probably am better qualified to run a business that you realise.  By letting them keep the money I show to them that my motive for mentioning the state of the place was not an excuse to take the deposit.  We take a deposit in the hope that it will be a deterrent to people leaving the place in a mess.  We never plan to use it and never have.  Sort of like a nuclear deterrent I suppose but without the MAD part.  The fact is it did not work this time.   I don't need to wait for a reward...  I sleep well, its enough for me.   

[vincam]

[quote user="Dick Smith"]Well, Vincam, I think you acted honourably, and it does you credit. That isn't gullibility, that is generosity. It's a shame if the two get confused...
[/quote]

 

Thank you Dick, your comment and some others make me sure I did the right thing... Occupying the high ground has its merits! [:D]

[Wendy]

Vincam, being both Australian AND in the accommodation business here in France I can only say that your post suggests you are relatively new to the tourism game. If so, then 'Welcome' to the business of being 'taken in'.

The act of being 'ungrateful' as well as leaving 'faeces in the bowl' is pretty much a universal thing where guests are concerned. Take it from me, such habits are not restricted to mere nationality. Wait until you have to scrape 'faeces' from the toilet SEAT - even though you have provided a toilet brush for them to use (it amazes me how many folk do not know how, or even bother, to use one).

Dirty, fithy people (guests) come in all shapes, sizes, professions and nationalities - as I have found - and among the worst I have seen have been 'older people' who should know better...and yes, 'Poms' were among them. But in my personal experience young females travelling together in groups tend to leave the worst mess. I cannot speak for all Australians but most of us have been well familiarised with 'indoor plumbing' for well over 50 years now - I suggest your guests were of the 'backyard dunny' type who only have one other known use for newspaper after they have read it...they probably live in Woy Woy [:)]

We Aussies tend to stay away from anything involving litigation...too expensive in our eyes...so don't ever worry about being sued by an Australian. We are not in the same league when it comes to suing as are our American friends nor do we have such bothersome things as 'yooman rights' to scream about as do the Brit's.

But I think you should have deducted something from their deposit for your trouble...I certainly would have.

By the way, we spell it 'Poms'...not with a double 'm' [:D]

 

[Callie]

Vincam, I think you were just unlucky. Unfortunately, an experience like yours leaves a nasty taste in the mouth. But most guests are nice, normal people who enjoy their holiday, and judging by what you have written, I'm sure you would do exactly the same thing again. You're a kind, generous person and gullibility has nothing to do with it. Bravo !

[Deby]

We've had such a mixture of guests it is hard to generalise.  The worst guests we've had would in my opinion would have been a nightmare for anyone - you must all have come across them - they think that you are there 'to serve' them and thus treated as if you are something that was on the bottom of a shoe! 

I am quite surprised that the Ozzies would mention litigation - I've never met an Australian yet that would go down that route - but the world is changing :-(

I found our French guests are always fantastic, Americans make me nervous but so far they've always been fantastic! The northern europeans are fine too, we;ve had ozzies and kiwis and they are usually so relaxed, the ones that are unpredictable are the Brits (in my exp, erience) you never can tell, simply depends on expectations and that just doesnt mean our place, it could be the weather, the region or simply their journey to France. I've been blamed for lost luggage believe it or not!  My brother lives in New Zealand and is a hotel manager - he dreads the Brits, cringes in fact! He says, the phrase 'whinging poms' is well earned.

Again just opinions based on experience.

I think the OP is right not gullible, deducting money would have been the best business case to do so, but i'd not have felt comfortable by compounding their guests sad view. The OP's glass is half full, I daresay their guests is half empty.

 

[vincam]

[quote user="Jura"]

Vincam, being both Australian AND in the accommodation business here in France I can only say that your post suggests you are relatively new to the tourism game. If so, then 'Welcome' to the business of being 'taken in'.

The act of being 'ungrateful' as well as leaving 'faeces in the bowl' is pretty much a universal thing where guests are concerned. Take it from me, such habits are not restricted to mere nationality. Wait until you have to scrape 'faeces' from the toilet SEAT - even though you have provided a toilet brush for them to use (it amazes me how many folk do not know how, or even bother, to use one).

Dirty, fithy people (guests) come in all shapes, sizes, professions and nationalities - as I have found - and among the worst I have seen have been 'older people' who should know better...and yes, 'Poms' were among them. But in my personal experience young females travelling together in groups tend to leave the worst mess. I cannot speak for all Australians but most of us have been well familiarised with 'indoor plumbing' for well over 50 years now - I suggest your guests were of the 'backyard dunny' type who only have one other known use for newspaper after they have read it...they probably live in Woy Woy [:)]

We Aussies tend to stay away from anything involving litigation...too expensive in our eyes...so don't ever worry about being sued by an Australian. We are not in the same league when it comes to suing as are our American friends nor do we have such bothersome things as 'yooman rights' to scream about as do the Brit's.

But I think you should have deducted something from their deposit for your trouble...I certainly would have.

By the way, we spell it 'Poms'...not with a double 'm' [:D]

 

[/quote]

Thanks for that and the spelling tip. 

We have had guests from the US, Hong Kong, Ireland, UK, Canada etc although most we get are from the UK, thank the Lord. We even have French guests who despite their reputation to the contrary have always been exemplary guests in every way; clean, courteous and warm people.  I agree many guests are disappointing but it has only ever been the Antipodeans who have been so crude in their behaviour. 

Maybe we just got unlucky but I do note an almost pathological delight in some people (not just Australians) in showing off their 'non sophistication', almost as though it were a tag which distinguished them from their British forebears...  They simply had to do 'ploppy' on the seat to show they were not like those namby pamby 'Poms', who would not doubt be big sissies and clean it up... If you get my drift. They at least are successful in this distinction.

Having said that I admit that I like it in some ways; there is a lot to be said for a classless society, as opposed, that is, to a society and a people, without class.   (I refer to any  group whose primary aspect is ignorance and bad manners and not necessarily Australians, but we can hardly exclude them can we?). 

The two women by the way were primary school teachers, one man a Lawyer and the other an Electrical Engineer  (though I have my doubts) they were in their late fifties.  If this is what we can expect from the 'professional type' of Australians I hate to think what we could expect from the 'Dunny type' of whom you speak. I do hope I have not misspelt that word.. 'Dunny'... is it of Greek or Latin derivation?  It certainly has merit as a word as it conveys so much in just two syllables, as much about the speaker as the subject, almost onomatopoeic (but not quite) I imagine.  Forgive me, I am only  familiar with the Australian vocabulary in so far as it coincides with the English.  It does seem rather  quaint that they can invent such interesting words: 'Dunny' and 'Pom'....  I believe also that 'Sheala' or ‘Sheila’ is another... no doubt derived from the correct but rather more challenging spelling, 'Sheglah'.

Incidentally, strictly speaking 'Pom' or 'Pommy' is a reference not to the English but to the inhabitants of Australia who were there at the courtesy of England, these often included nationalities other than English.   It stands for 'Prisoner of Mother England'.  POME... Later becoming 'Pommy' (perhaps it is easier to remember words if they have a ring to them ..  Pommy, Dunny, Barby etc..).  So to use it to describe a person who has never had the great good fortune even to have visited the island, as a guest of her Majesty or otherwise, is inappropriate, I would respectfully suggest, old chap.[B]

I realise I cannot ban people on the grounds of their race, nor would I want to but if I do again come across people who plainly pride themselves in having no class, who as a matter of course use derogative (and incorrect) terms to describe the English, seem to wear nothing but cheap crimpolene clothing and complain incessantly at not being able to buy ‘Jacob’s Creek’ in any French cafe (I absolutely swear that is true!)... I shall either eject them or offer them a tent in the back garden - next to the Barby.   Regardless of nationality.

As you feel it is appropriate to refer to me as a 'Pom' I am sure you will take my comments in the same spirit, me old Cobber[:D] 

Bamber Bothlewhaite-smythe

PSThe Jacob’s Creek reference.  I know it is a good wine.  I just question why someone would travel from Australia to the heart of France and want to dink it. 

BBS

 

[vincam]

[quote user="Callie"]Vincam, I think you were just unlucky. Unfortunately, an experience like yours leaves a nasty taste in the mouth. But most guests are nice, normal people who enjoy their holiday, and judging by what you have written, I'm sure you would do exactly the same thing again. You're a kind, generous person and gullibility has nothing to do with it. Bravo ![/quote]

 

Cheers.   No nasty taste though, we have a toilet brush!!![:D]

[vincam]

[quote user="Deby"]

I am quite surprised that the Ozzies would mention litigation - I've never met an Australian yet that would go down that route - but the world is changing :-(

[/quote]

He mentioned it only because he had assumed I was thinking we were susceptible to a case.  Of course we were not. He was trying to re-assure me..  I know he was not thinking of suing but the fact that he thought that MUST be our motivation was the point.  He simply could not just accept that I, and others in this business often, as a matter of course do go 'that extra mile'.

BBS

 

[Wendy]

Vincam, I am sure 'courtesy' had nothing to do with sending the products of Mother England's overflowing prisons out to 'god knows where' on ships some 200 odd years ago...but we thank you all the same [:)]

If only we had followed the same path that the Americans took [:P] , but dont worry we are getting there [:D]

You spelled/spelt 'dunny' just like an antipodean would and well done - however...'Barby'...? isn't that a doll ?? 

What is 'crimpolene' when it's at home...? and I don't know any sheila's/sheglah's...or whatever you call them.

But this 'Mother England' business...ain't she now more 'wrinkled old hag' ??

Glad though to see 'we' still get up the noses of some Brit's...our sole purpose on earth for many of us...glad you met a couple of them[:P] just in case you thought Kylie Minogue and the cast of Neighbours were atypical. However being a business person you should have acted as such and not as though you had never seen a bit of poo in a toilet bowl for the very first time...I would also report the mangy mutt who bit your guest - there are laws in place in France now about such things. Hope you warn your next hapless visitors - hope they are not Yanks...

They also sell Jacobs Creek in the local Carrefour and Le Clerc - sorry to shoot you down there...put your thesaurus away dear Vincam and do some deep breathing exercises.

Signing off as the product of a classless, crude but very happy society...we exist to shock tha' knaws[;-)]

 

 

[WJT]

[quote user="vincam"]

Maybe we just got unlucky but I do note an almost pathological delight in some people (not just Australians) in showing off their 'non sophistication', almost as though it were a tag which distinguished them from their British forebears...  They simply had to do 'ploppy' on the seat to show they were not like those namby pamby 'Poms', who would not doubt be big sissies and clean it up... If you get my drift. They at least are successful in this distinction.

[/quote]

This is probably more information than you want to know but.. [Www] Just to give the Aussies the benefit of the doubt, I have never been to Australia so perhaps Jura can confirm, but if the loos are the same as the American ones, chances are they are not used to using a toilet brush so frequently. The toilets in Europe are notorious for having a spoon full of water in the bowl, in America and perhaps Australia as well the bowl is usually 3/4 full of water therefore much much cleaner (albeit nowadays much less Eco friendly). Americans are not used to looking at the loo afterwards like Europeans and I assume perhaps the same could be true of the Aussies. Perhaps it could be pointed out as well as showing them the toilet brush when showing them around the gite for the first time. [:$]

A very dirty subject but felt it needed to be said. [:-))]

Of course this doesn't excuse their bad behaviour in regards to your generosity and kindness but just perhaps an explanation of the different toilet cultures. [:D]

[cassis]

"Pom" or "Pommy", or however anyone likes to spell it, is sometimes explained as being a reference to pomegranate.  Red raw skins unused to burning acid pouring from the Aussie sun etc.  But we had this same discussion many, many moons ago, even before Captain Pugwash discovered the mythical island of Australanastasia.

[Wendy]

Yeah I hear what you are saying WJT and you are correct about the water-levels thing. However, if one has something akin to a 'power jet' built into their backside then, well...sometimes one flush just does not suffice my dear[:$]

Or do we need eyes in the back of our 'head'...[Www]

[Wendy]

Correct Cassis...and Catweazle was our first PM after Federation back in 1901! I should also tell you that I have friends actually descended from the Wombles too...oh boy, there are great days ahead for us yet Down Under[:D]

 

[Frederick]

Having just returned from 6 weeks living with Australians I discovered that any problems  encountered seemed to be answered with  " She'll  be right " and "No worries "  ......so you now you know what to tell them if they come to you with any !

[Wendy]

Frederick, you have discovered the secret to a happy life...

Developed a taste for vegemite yet?[:)]

[Frederick]

Vegemite is OK Jura ..........but you can leave the beetroot out of the Aussie burgers for me !

[Jo Taylor]

Have only entertained Aussies three times. One lot were very spooky, not only had they known my brother-in-law in Brisbane but were going to stay in my former home village in England with someone I knew. The second lot left me eight huge fluffy towels. The third lot went off with my maps.

I cannot, therefore, draw any conclusions with regard to national propensities...

 

[wiskersnatch]

How is the dog after biting an Aussie?  

[BIG MAC]

I don't normally read posts in this section of the site.....I am getting a feeling I now know why!

OP Showed kindness,gets slagged off for being nieve.........eh?.....What's that all about then?

OP Has in my opinion "Cast their bread upon the waters"  a kindness offered may just pass right round the World and come back in the form of a flurry of Aussie bookings from slightly more couth representatives of the nation.

Anyone who goes through life expecting a certain amount of  'S**t' On the periphery....more than likely they will not be disappointed in this regard.