Petty Things That Get On Your Nerves...

[Boghead ranter]

2 hours ago, thomas said:

Sickholiday.com adverts on the radio. I don't think I've ever been on holiday and not shat my guts out, it's usually down to trying foods I don't normally eat and washing it down with ridiculous amounts of drink. How do these "experts" tell if it's food poisoning or just the usuall over indulgence?

They don't care, so long as they encourage gullible holidaymakers to make a claim, which SicHolidays.com then take a cut of, if paid out.  People like the Bondarenkos, of Darlington.

Quote

A British couple are facing a counter-claim of £170,000 from a five star Greek hotel which alleges that their holiday sickness claim is false.

Sean and Caroline Bondarenko are accused of making a fake £10,000 claim against the Caldera Palace Hotel in Crete after saying the resort’s food and drink made them ill.

They could now face losing their home as a result of the legal action, and are trying to drop their claim against the hotel they booked through Thomson.

Holiday sickness claims by British tourist have risen by 700% in the last 18 months, according to Abta. Claims from other countries have not risen at anything like the same rate.

Court documents issued by the Caldera Palace Hotel allege that the Bondarenkos ‘consumed large quantities of alcohol’ at a time they say they were sick.

Atlantica Hotel Management Ltd claims the couple from Darlington, County Durham, did not report any illness during their one-week stay in October 2013, and didn’t make their bid for compensation until three years later.

The hotel chain says it has a dossier of Facebook posts which demonstrate the Bondarenkos enjoyed their stay.

A Thomson spokesperson said: “UK holidaymakers should understand that if they make a fraudulent claim they could face prosecution at home or overseas.”

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Mr Bondarenko, 47, said he only mad the claim because of contact from a claims management company.

He said he and his wife had been ill, but only for a day or so, adding: “We asked our solicitor to drop the claim in February because we felt uneasy about it, but they said we would have to pay legal costs.”

Mrs Bondarenko, 42, suggested the couple’s illness had been exaggerated. She said: “I was horrified when I saw the court papers which listed all these negative things we were supposed to have said about the hotel.

“We never said any of those things. I rang the solicitor and she told me not to worry about it. We are terrified for our future and petrified we will lose our home.”

The couple’s solicitors, Opes Law, said: “The allegations are unequivocally denied. Opes takes its duties to its clients seriously. When things occasionally go wrong, clients are advised to use our complaints policy and procedures to resolve any dissatisfaction.

It's actually the new PPI (ie easy money), and such an issue for some Spanish hotel chains that they are seriously considering not selling All Inclusive holidays to the British market.  And yes, it's pretty much an exclusively British problem, exaggerating a bout of upset tummy, and claiming it's someone else's fault (as said, nothing to do with eating foods that they wouldn't normally eat at home, and also going on the lash for every waking minute of the holiday).  The amount of sickness claims from continental Europe is next to zero, by comparison. 

[Miguel Sanchez]

I cleaned my windows not three hours ago and there's bird shite on them already.

[thomas]

1 hour ago, Boghead ranter said:

They don't care, so long as they encourage gullible holidaymakers to make a claim, which SicHolidays.com then take a cut of, if paid out.  People like the Bondarenkos, of Darlington.

It's actually the new PPI (ie easy money), and such an issue for some Spanish hotel chains that they are seriously considering not selling All Inclusive holidays to the British market.  And yes, it's pretty much an exclusively British problem, exaggerating a bout of upset tummy, and claiming it's someone else's fault (as said, nothing to do with eating foods that they wouldn't normally eat at home, and also going on the lash for every waking minute of the holiday).  The amount of sickness claims from continental Europe is next to zero, by comparison. 

I could quite possibly claim for every holiday I've ever been on. I can't understand how they get away with the claims, how do they prove it? For me it's just another step towards this country being a part of America, from proms and suchlike to us now putting claims in for everything possible.

[Boghead ranter]

30 minutes ago, thomas said:

I could quite possibly claim for every holiday I've ever been on. I can't understand how they get away with the claims, how do they prove it? For me it's just another step towards this country being a part of America, from proms and suchlike to us now putting claims in for everything possible.

Quite often they never have to prove it. The cost of the hotel or Tour Operator defending the case if it goes to court (whether they win or not) is a lot more than it costs to bung the claimant a small gesture/shut up and go away money. That's before you factor in possible reputational damage if they end up in court repeatedly, mud sticks and all that.

The case I've quoted is extreme, both in the amount claimed, and in the fact that the Hotel has had the time and balls to put together a solid defence.

And good on them I say - guess who ultimately pays the cost of all these claims? Us, in future years, when the cost of our holidays increases.

[Boghead ranter]

And what should happen is that the only claims that are considered are the ones where the claimant saw a Dr while in resort, and came home with a wee slip proving they were unwell.

Problem is that some gastric illnesses take a couple of days to manifest themselves, so the really smart claimants could claim they must have been affected by food on their last day, or whatever.

[thomas]

5 minutes ago, Boghead ranter said:

Quite often they never have to prove it. The cost of the hotel or Tour Operator defending the case if it goes to court (whether they win or not) is a lot more than it costs to bung the claimant a small gesture/shut up and go away money. That's before you factor in possible reputational damage if they end up in court repeatedly, mud sticks and all that.

The case I've quoted is extreme, both in the amount claimed, and in the fact that the Hotel has had the time and balls to put together a solid defence.

And good on them I say - guess who ultimately pays the cost of all these claims? Us, in future years, when the cost of our holidays increases.

These same claimants will likely be the first ones moaning when a week in Spain is too expensive due to this.

[Boghead ranter]

Just now, thomas said:

These same claimants will likely be the first ones moaning when a week in Spain is too expensive due to this.

For sure.

[whiskychimp]

3 minutes ago, thomas said:

These same claimants will likely be the first ones moaning when a week in Spain is too expensive due to this.

Also justify themselves with "everyone else is at it. We were just doing the same" 

I think a major issue is this,

Too many lawyers looking for work. They should reduce the number of University places for Law

[Hedgecutter]

Philpy has fair been getting around this weekend (Aberdeen earlier):

 

 

Upon reflection, this picture fails to highlight that this takes up a quarter of the one-way road through the car park (and there's absolutely nothing in the bay behind the car)

 

Reminds me of the neighbour's 'car' that couldn't fit in the garage when I was staying in Houston a couple of months ago:

 

[Daydream]

In German "Es ist halb zwölf" means "It's half to twelve" i.e. 1130. If you think about it, it makes as much sense as us saying "It's half past eleven". We even say "Quarter to..."

For my teuchter grandparents saying 'half three' means half past 2. And half seven is half past 6, and so on.

[Fae_the_'briggs]

I'm surprised that no University or Government Department has carried out a survey linking dog ownership to illiteracy. It's the only conclusion I can think of when the cycle path /walkway I often use has plenty of signs saying dogs must be kept on leads and clean up after your dog seem to be completely ignored. Either that or most dog owners, around here anyway,  just don't give a damn.

[GordonD]

11 hours ago, thomas said:

Sickholiday.com adverts on the radio. I don't think I've ever been on holiday and not shat my guts out, it's usually down to trying foods I don't normally eat and washing it down with ridiculous amounts of drink. How do these "experts" tell if it's food poisoning or just the usuall over indulgence?

Vegetables.

[thomas]

6 minutes ago, GordonD said:

Vegetables.

Not far off the truth tbh.

[DA Baracus]

People who, somehow, can't understand how it can be raining and still be a warm day.

[Miguel Sanchez]

People who put chocolate in the fridge.

[DI Bruce Robertson]

This.  Getting the bairn ready this morning for school and the missus looks out thick (fatty) tights, winter boots and her winter coat.
It was about 13°C/55.4°F this morning ffs.
 

I like how you say "about" then be so precise as to state the Fahrenheit temperature to a decimal point.

[Cerberus]

8 minutes ago, Miguel Sanchez said:

People who put chocolate in the fridge.

This.

Anyone who enjoys a chocolate lolly is oftw.

[sjc]

2 hours ago, Melanius Mullarkey said:

This.  Getting the bairn ready this morning for school and the missus looks out thick (fatty) tights, winter boots and her winter coat.

It was about 13°C/55.4°F this morning ffs.

 

In fairness, that's cold.

[sjc]

9 minutes ago, Miguel Sanchez said:

People who put chocolate in the fridge.

Really? Even in summer?! I'd far rather eat a cold and crisp bar of chocolate than a molten dribbling mess.

Agree that there's no need to refrigerate chocolate in the winter though.

[Miguel Sanchez]

2 minutes ago, sjc said:

Really? Even in summer?! I'd far rather eat a cold and crisp bar of chocolate than a molten dribbling mess.

Agree that there's no need to refrigerate chocolate in the winter though.

If you think thirteen degrees is cold then the topic is probably wasted on you