Real life MMD: Do I punish the cleaner?

Former_MSE_Penelope · 28 May 2010 at 10:50AM

This is a real life MMD so please bear in mind the MoneySaver in question will read your responses:

Please give this MoneySaver the benefit of your advice...

Do I punish the cleaner?

While staying in a hotel in Istanbul, I came back one evening to find my entire toiletries bag, worth c.£200, missing. The manager said the cleaner had mistaken it for rubbish as I'd wrapped it in plastic bags to avoid leakage.

They said they'd reimburse me but take the cost out her girl's wages. I don't want to pay to replace the toiletries, but feel guilty she'll lose a massive amount of her wages.

ML note - sadly for those who will suggest 'claim on your travel insurance' it's unlikely travel insurance is a solution (or a full solution) due to the excess needed.

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rlp · 1 June 2010 at 10:30PM

I wonder if they actually have the right to dock her that much (it would be a lot compared to her wage) or if they are trying it on to dissuade you from claiming. I don't believe it would be ethical behaviour from the hotel.
I can't answer the dilemma but I am sure we can all take note to be careful about putting things away out of sight in future. I personally tend to use the "do not disturb" or "do not clean room" signs (if I remember) as I don't even want my things tidying away from where I left them on the bed.
If this was a major hotel chain (which I doubt) I would encourage the person to name and shame for unfair treatment of an employee. There does not seem to be any genuine suspicion of theft or dishonesty on her part.

McKneff · 1 June 2010 at 10:37PM

£200 quids worth of toiletries, the whole lot in mine would prob be les than £20

ruthiejane · 1 June 2010 at 10:45PM

McKneff wrote: »

£200 quids worth of toiletries, the whole lot in mine would prob be les than £20

My thoughts exactly!! Why have such expensive stuff? I doubt all the toiletries in my bathroom come to that amount, never mind what I take on holiday.

If you are that bothered ask the hotel to split the cost. I would think in Turkey they probably do have the right to dock someones wages by that sort of amount, though I don't think they do in the UK.

scotsbob · 1 June 2010 at 11:09PM

£200 is a night out for me, but a month of wages for the girl.

Everyone makes mistakes, I'd forget all about it.

rose28454 · 1 June 2010 at 11:15PM

My daughter recently went travelling in Thailand and when she was staying in Koh Samui ( in a fairly nice hotel ) one of the others on the trip said one of her dresses was missing. So when my daughter got back to her room she unpacked her rucksack completely and found her favourite t-shirt, a silver necklace and a bracelet she had bought me for a present were missing. She searched the room and found them hidden at the back of a drawer. The other girl found her dress hidden in the same way. So in the morning she told the tour guide who told the hotel manager. He then brought the maid to the room and asked if my daughter if she wanted her sacked. She replied no as she did not actually lose anything and she hoped the maid would learn not to do it again. So I would either claim on the insurance or not take so much expensive make up on holiday again

emmakw · 1 June 2010 at 11:32PM

I'd be a little concerned that she 'conveniently' thought of it as being rubbish.
Could she not tell when she lifted the bag that the containers werent empty?
I would be a little dubious and would have maybe asked a few other guests at the time if anything of theirs had also been removed/thrown away in error.
They could use this excuse all of the time....saying that though, that is a massive amount of money to the girl and personally I couldnt live with knowing she'd been sacked/ money taken from her wages and would rather just learn from my mistake for next time!

I'd def' note it down though on any travel review sites for people to be mindful in future just incase there is some sort of a scam going on!

mr_mortgage · 1 June 2010 at 11:36PM

scotsbob wrote: »

£200 is a night out for me, but a month of wages for the girl.

Everyone makes mistakes, I'd forget all about it.

Good time Charlie

flossy_splodge · 1 June 2010 at 11:37PM

Fraid so.
Sometimes one has to learn the hard way.
Who chooses to decide someone elses property is rubbish?
Sounds a bit like a scam.

hamzramz · 1 June 2010 at 11:47PM

MSE_Penelope wrote: »

This is a real life MMD so please bear in mind the MoneySaver in question will read your responses:

Please give this MoneySaver the benefit of your advice...

Do I punish the cleaner?

While staying in a hotel in Istanbul, I came back one evening to find my entire toiletries bag, worth c.£200, missing. The manager said the cleaner had mistaken it for rubbish as I'd wrapped it in plastic bags to avoid leakage.

They said they'd reimburse me but take the cost out her girl's wages. I don't want to pay to replace the toiletries, but feel guilty she'll lose a massive amount of her wages.

ML note - sadly for those who will suggest 'claim on your travel insurance' it's unlikely travel insurance is a solution (or a full solution) due to the excess needed.

Click reply to have your say

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Only God knows who'd spend £200 quid on toiletries, mine would be worth only a fiver! I guess they were designers or something.

But I see the OP has a conscience, I'm glad that they're thinking about the cleaner and the implications of making a complaint for compensation. Obviously the cleaner made a mistake, but a costly mistake, but they don't want the cleaner to suffer greatly for this. If I was them I'd forget about it, or just make a complaint without asking for the compensation, as its not like the cleaner threw away the suitcases with the passports and tickets so they can't get home!

pmcmahon_2 · 1 June 2010 at 11:49PM

Can you afford to lose the money? Obviously nobody likes to throw £200 away but there have got to be bits and pieces that you wanted to replace anyway. You could use this as a money saving opportunity and see if you can spend say £100 less when you replace the stuff.

A very cynical view of the world - lots of people would no doubt just take the money regardless of the effects on others, they're not going to be as considerate as you. With this in mind the maid probably wouldn't risk losing wages by stealing stuff - especially toiletries which must have little or no resale value! Therefore she is likely telling the truth, in which case it would seem unfair to charge her for an accident.

Rubbish hotel - what they propose is totally unethical and really if they do have that practice they shouldn't tell you - I think there's got to be some guilt trip mixed up there...standard hotel room has to cost what, £30-40 a night...they'll make the money back in a week!

Potentially highly pointless and useless suggestions, take or leave :-)

Real life MMD: Do I punish the cleaner?

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