If it wouldn’t be frowned upon, I would have probably already started with the tips and obligations discussed with the delegation from Alicante regarding our Casa Rural before the end of their actual inspection visit. Because as a true control freak, I naturally prefer to solve problems before and not after they arise. I therefore had to restrain myself from quickly popping into the town hall (in order to be able to already cross the first item off my list), during the inspectors’ visit to the toilet right before they left.
With that being said it probably wouldn’t surprise anyone who knows me really well that I got a little scared when the official report of the visit (finally) arrived. Although the list of improvements contained no surprises and I had already arranged most of them in the last ten days, the official letter that came with it still made me nervous. Because when I read that we only have ten days to provide (photo) proof of all the obligated changes, my first instinct is to drop everything and get started on it immediately. Fortunately, our Spanish architect (who often also acts as my therapist) is a lot more relaxed. “Don’t worry! It is not a problem. Everything will be fine!” is something he has to text me over and over again. He will probably think twice before taking on another Dutch customer ever again. Because only when the deadline has already (long) passed and the organization in question decides it’s time to make a call, does it seem like the average Spaniard starts to feel the same sense of urgency.
In good spirits, I therefore decided to follow the (good) example of the Spaniards at least a little. So instead of starting Monday evening (late), I decided to start on Tuesday morning (early) with a game of Tetris in the dining room. Only when I have managed to turn four tables and eight seats into five tables and twelve seats without the guests having to sit on each other’s laps, am I satisfied. Quickly I capture the evidence with my phone. I also carefully capture the list of room rates, the evacuation plan with instructions in two languages and the famous complaint forms on camera. To obtain the latter, I not only went to the town hall of Vall de Gallinera (they don’t have them there) and Altea (you can only get them if you have already paid for them in advance), but also to Oliva where I was sent on a fun treasure hunt past three different buildings before I managed to get them. Luckily that didn’t spoil the fun.
So if our guests now want to file an official complaint because, for example, our beds slept too well and they were therefore forced to cancel their planned morning walk, I am happy to provide them with a form. After all, I have ten of them, I now know where to get them again and in the event of a compliment in the form of a complaint, I will happily pass them out to anyone who asks.