Dear Sir,
We have now had the mis-fortune to have rented our lovely little apartment in the Old Town of Palma to 3 different sets of so called "Yachties”, every time we have been somewhat burnt in the process .NO MORE.
The last lot were 2 Belgian guys who have left us hanging for over 300 Euros.
They left the apartment so dirty it took several days to clean it.
The toilet hadn’t been cleaned for months if ever in their 10 months stay, it had to be chipped clean with a scraper.
The oven was the same with the top needing similar treatment.
Bed sheets were gone so were duvets and covers, tea towels, glasses, towels, electric jug and sundries plus a broken fridge that one of them had "defrosted" with a knife, rendering it useless in the process.
The mattresses looked like no sheets had ever been used.
We also filled 2 rubbish bags of sundries including cannabis propagation equipment, various smokeable material dotted about the place, used condoms from under the beds etc etc and a broken window.
We tried quite calmly to approach them at various times to discuss the state they left the place in but were told in no un-certain terms "to go away" despite the fact that we were originally promised by them that they would leave the place to "boat standard. God knows what sort of boat they work on; i´d love to see it!
We thought we had agreed with them that the items that were missing and broken would be paid for when we had the final water and electricity bills in. Not to be.
All items in the apartment were inventorised and signed and agreed on by both guys so there were no surprises by either side.
They had decided to vacate the apartment early from their contract and instead of paying the last months rent they refused to do so telling us to take the bills from the bond. Sadly the bond didn’t cover anything near our costs especially taking into account the work needed to clean the place and to wash all sofa covers, replace manky pillows and all other sundries such as cellphone calls, our time etc.
Finally after many text messages and cell phone calls we managed to settle on an amount that they promised very reluctantly to pay us and to return a set of keys to the apartment some 5 weeks after their departure.
One snag, it wasn’t to be until the 1st of April (April fools day I think !!).
Nothing appeared in the bank on the 7th April so yet more text messages and cellphone calls, now desperate we threatened to go to press via your newspaper thinking that it would be a last ditched effort to recoup our losses.
But we were met with the 2 keys and heaps of more abuse. So here we are!
Beware........2 Belgian Yachties
(Note:- one other apartment owner here in Palma had a similar experience from one of these guys as well.)
Kind Regards, Name supplied but withheld
Hello John,
I´m writing this in the hope that it will help others to avoid the kind of situation we have with one of our "Clients".
The "Client" in this case was a company called Contane Marine SL based in Cala Dor. The owner is a crook called
STEVE WAYMAN. Last summer we worked on two of his boats in Cala Dor for a total of well over two thousand euros and the guy has since avoided all our calls.
We have sent invoices by mail but they have been returned. We finally made contact with him this year by using another phone so that he could not see who was ringing and we gave him every chance to pay even offering him the alternative of paying two hundred euros a month. Now he knows the other phones we use and, of course, does not answer them. We sent a text message saying that "enough was enough" and we would have to take action. The text
We got back was as follows:
"Whatever - I am NOT in Mallorca” We know he is and we texted him back saying that after waiting nearly a year we would have to denounce him.
The message we got back was:"I WILL DO WHATEVER THE FXXX I WANT YR THREATS ARE MEANINGLESS. ADIOS"
(the spelling is his).
The point of this story is that we went to a lot of trouble to help him when he started up and we did not charge him for a lot of the time and travel used although this was caused by him giving us the wrong information.
After all this time and our efforts to find an amicable solution this is the result.
We are not the only people he owes money to and I can only say that we do not need these kind of people in our industry.
I hope other suppliers take note of this "Company" and take payment up front if dealing with them.
Steve Wayman´s phone number is: 687 033651. Mine is:
696 920664.
Best Regards
Peter Shorter
Expresslube
Dear John,
We at Mallorca Sea School and Charters thank you for mentioning the fact that we were there at the London Boat Show (and at Southampton in September) batting for Mallorca and, as you so rightly point out, unaided by the government and we’ll be there again in 2004 at the new Excel site.
However, the good news is that despite the apparent slump, it seems that quality will out. In other words, we’re doing all right Jack!
As to claiming the title for the best RYA training school in Mallorca, we reserve the right to let the facts speak for themselves.
In the first 13 weeks of 2003 we have undertaken practical and shore-based courses for more than 100 students! Courses have included ICC, Day Skipper, First Aid, Sea Survival, VHF/SRC and Radar - the largest proportion being students taken to Yachtmaster standard.
Our instructors have the most impeccable qualifications and experience and include specialists in practical power, sail and motor-cruising as well as the theory courses.
Like most true professionals they hate to brag and that goes especially for our Principal, John Hart but I think at times like this, it doesn’t pay to hide your light under a bushel so I can tell you that John is also an examiner and trains and examines other potential examiners for the RYA.
Training facilities are superb, with our first line waterfront Puerto Portals classroom and the school’s boats are exceptional - Sunseeker Camargue 44s, an 8 metre RIB (on which we can take students to Power Boat Advanced Level) and now two brand new Bavaria 38ft sailing boats which arrived today. Look out for the launch party!
Kindest regards
Margaret Whittaker
www.chartermallorca.info