Real life MMD: Do I punish the cleaner?

mime20

brokeinwales wrote: »

I would definetly kick up a fuss (throwing something away that isn't in the bin when the guest is still checked in is pretty ridiculous) but I'd be more likely to insist that they search for it (the rubbish probably hasn't been collected yet) and then submit a complaint and a bad review on tripadvisor, than actually ask for financial compensation that might be disproportionately crippling to the cleaner.

Agree with this. Also, I'd strongly suggest to the manager that staff are trained to only throw away what's in the bin, and if the the hotel was part of a chain I'd be writing to head office.
If the make-up didn't re-appear I would still look for some compensation, probably in kind (eg a room upgrade or free night's stay or, if not on a package, they could take me to the airport at the end of my holiday) or at least a token £50.

Also, for those who think that a make-up bag can't contain £200 worth of stuff, I have a friend who pays £60 for her foundation & around £55 for her moisturizer. Add in clenser & make-up she's easily got over £300 worth of stuff (and that's without any perfume...) No, she's not rich, but she doesn't drink or smoke & walks to work so that's what she chooses to spend her money on - doesn't mean she could afford to loose it...

jgriggle

It's up to the hotel to compensate you, however it's unreasonable for the hotel to deduct the amount from the staff member's wages. They also shouldn't involve you in the disciplining of their staff.

When you choose to employ human beings, you have to accept that human beings make mistakes. If you can't accept that then employ robots instead. What if the man who washes and shifts the cars around in the Aston Martin dealership down the road from me accidentally crashes one? Repairing one of those would cost more than he earns in a few years!

A few years ago I worked for an electrical retailer, and accidentally dropped a 42" Plasma TV (back in the days when they were about £1500) and totally destroyed it. The company I worked for were pretty good about it and certainly didn't take it out of my wages. Their attitude was pretty much 'accidents happen but please try not to do it again!'

slig

I don't use designer toiletry brands (most of my stuff is by Simple) but the cost of replacing all of my holiday toiletries would easily come to £100 or more. When you factor in not just shampoo/shower gel/face stuff but also sun cream, make up, perfume, etc, it soon adds up. And I think it is wrong to say it's 'not very MSE to have £200 of toiletries'. Being MSE isn't about not spending money or buying the cheapest thing possible, it's about getting value for money. Eg, yes it's MSE to buy £1 suncream from the supermarket. But I like the continual spray ones (they're the only ones that allow me to put suncream on my back myself!), and I can afford to spend more to have the convenience of getting what I want (and to not end up with a burnt triangle on my back). If I check out where it's cheapest to buy the item I want, and stock up when it's on BOGOF, then that is MSE too.

I also don't think it is reasonable to have to lock up anything of 'value' rather than leave it in the hotel room. Laptop/camera/money yes, but putting your toiletries in the safe seems a little extreme. I don't buy expensive clothes or bring many clothes on holiday, but to replace all my clothes would cost a couple of hundred pounds at least. Should we lock up our clothes in the safe too? It's quite reasonable to put dirty laundry in a carrier bag, what if the cleaner thought it was rubbish too? I don't think cleaners should be making judgement on what's rubbish and what's not.

However, ultimately I think I would just suck up the cost and chalk it down to experience if I was the OP (I'm a wimp and I hate confrontation!) But I don't think is particularly just and I don't think the OP should have to. If she decides to take all or part of the money then I think accompanying this with a strongly-worded letter is a good idea (especially if there is a tour operator involved) requesting the hotel absorb the cost and stating that it is not fair or professional to ask customers to make a moral decision such as this. It could be a scam, it could be a silly mistake, but the OP shouldn't have been put in this position by the hotel.

Saetana

Okay, I'll admit I'm not sure what to advise about the dilemma in general. I think it sounds like a scam but you just can't be sure. I personally would take the reimbursement as we are on a low income and I buy my more expensive toiletries/make-up/perfume one at a time or receive them as presents so it would be a big ask for me to replace them, but I don't know the financial situation of the poster.

What I do wish to mention though is the number of people who have had a dig about the bag and contents being worth £200! That was not the question and is no business of anyone else. The questioner was asking for advice about what to do, not inviting inverted snobbery about how much they spend on toiletries. Like many others on here my bag would probably be worth no more than £20 (my make-up bag would be worth rather more though and maybe this bag had some make-up in in or perfume which is generally expensive) but I don't feel it gives me the right to have a sly dig at the OP. Like Martin says at the top, please remember this is a real person who will be reading this posts and be nice people!

happyinflorida

Having previously been to Turkey I would not go easy on this cleaner at all. We were ripped off by the Turkish at every opportunity possible. They are only out to get all they can from you in any way they chose, so I definately would not believe her story.

I'd ask for a full refund and if it does come out of her wages, tough, she probably did steal the bag and thought she'd get away with it as she usually does.

TheCheapFashionista

I have been lucky enough to stay in hotels all around the world in my previous job (motherhood doesn't quite have the same perks!).

Not once have I ever had something stolen, go missing, or "thrown out". Even scraps of paper that I've made notes on late at night to remember to mention in meetings the next day have been tidied up (eg put together instead of strewn across a desk) or picked up off the floor, bed, chair etc and put on the desk/table.

It sounds like a scam to me - either on the part of the cleaner or the hotel. It is unfortunate that you will never be able to find out which, but as a previous poster has already mentioned it is the hotel's responsibility to train their staff effectively so the responsibility lies with them.

They should not have told you of their policy of deducting money out of staff wages but at the end of the day your things have gone missing in their hotel room.

It is the hotel's responsibility to reimburse you and how they do this should not be a concern of yours.

You'd claim if it was a £200 watch, bracelet or sunglasses wouldn't you? Why should the fact that its toiletries make any difference?

Hope this helps

TheCheapFashionista

Saetana wrote: »

What I do wish to mention though is the number of people who have had a dig about the bag and contents being worth £200! That was not the question and is no business of anyone else. The questioner was asking for advice about what to do, not inviting inverted snobbery about how much they spend on toiletries. Like many others on here my bag would probably be worth no more than £20 (my make-up bag would be worth rather more though and maybe this bag had some make-up in in or perfume which is generally expensive) but I don't feel it gives me the right to have a sly dig at the OP. Like Martin says at the top, please remember this is a real person who will be reading this posts and be nice people!

here here!!!

The_Rock-man

There's 2 things I wonder about. 1) What the bag looked like (as it could easily look like rubbish, as all we got is it in a carrier bag)?
2) Where was this carrier bag with this stuff in (was it really close to the bin)?
As for it should be weighty well I dunno how much £200 of Toiletries and bag will weight (after all it could be £180 bag with £20 of toiletries in it).
The answer to these 2 questions will have a large impact to what I would do, also I would prefer if possible to talk to the cleaner who made the mistake, after all this is the easiest way to get an idea if it was really a mistake or not.
If it looked like rubbish and was really close to the bin then I can see this type of mistake happening fairly easy, expressively if the staff haven't been trained properly.

One time we did have something of ours thrown out by a cleaner it was some stuff brought at a market stall and was wrapped in newpapper in a carrier bag (so it did look like rubbish at a glance) the item was found in the rubbish and it was broken. The cleaner did offer to replace the items and even post them to me in the UK, but it clearly was an honest mistake on her part and we made it easy for that mistake to be made so we left it as that.

Katie-Kat-Kins

I'm really struggling to believe that so many people have toiletry bags that only contain £20 worth of stuff. Seriously add up the costs of all of the stuff you might take (and lots of people take their usual stuff and don't buy separate small holiday size versions) I bet it comes to much more even if you don't buy expensive brands

Shampoo
Conditioner
Shower gel
Soap
Cleanser
Toner
Eye Cream
Day Cream
Night cream
Sun cream
Aftersun
perfume
toothbrush (possibly electric)
Toothpaste
facial wipes
foundation
powder
concealer
eyeshadow
eyeliner
mascara
lipstick (most likely at least two)
Hair serum/mousse/or whatever
Lip balm

Even at superdrug own brand/Avon prices I make that £100. Add in a bottle of designer perfume maybe a few extras or more expensive brands and you are up to £200, plus there is the cost of the actual sponge bag which if it is a nice one could be a fair bit. Lots of people have more expensive items as a gift too.

Then consider that there could also be things like an electric razor, contact lenses and solutions etc and £200 is not excessive at all.

I'd also point out that we haven't a clue what the person in question does for a living or what their disposable income is. Several years ago I went away with my sister, she hadn't paid for the holiday, it was her christmas and birthday presents from our parents, she was a single mum who wasn't working and £200 would have been an absolute fortune for her. Just because someone has a holiday and has some decent stuff doesn't mean they can afford to kiss good bye to £200.

CAPTDAVO

Well i'd love to believe in a perfetly innocent explanation if........ the account given didn't give a slight hint of foul play.
You made contact with the manager and told him of your plight....... he goes away and speaks with the cleaner....
cleaner informs manager it was an accident, he/she thought it was a bag of rubbish.......
1.The cleaner services a quantity of rooms, number unknown to me?
they have the memory recollection for cleaning your room, what made them remember your room in particular? some new toiletries perhaps...
2. How would they know to give that explanation to the manager unless they have made a slip up that they knew what the bag contained and therefore shouldn't have taken your property in the first place.

Emotional blackmail.... used by many of the worlds most convincing con artists in so many different forms, calculated suspicion sorry if its not alot of folk want to hear but ive had a bad day lol
hope it helps you come to your decision