Whilst we do everything we can to ensure only great digs are listed on the site, there can be times when a Guest is not comfortable staying in the digs and needs to leave early.
Something isn't quite right:
Our first advice is to try to give the Host a chance to rectify any issues by speaking with them first. In many cases, a quick word can bring sub-standard elements to the attention of the Host and allow them to quickly rectify the issue. There may be not enough storage or something has been missed when cleaning. We are all human and can make mistakes and by allowing the Host that chance to make things right you could also avoid the inconvenience and extra expense of having to find alternative digs.
It's more than that:
Unlike hotels, theatrical digs are most often run by private individuals. Reviews from previous Guests along with the photos and description should give Guests a fair idea of what to expect but there is a chance that the Guest and Host are not compatible. If direct communication is not possible then please raise an issue from the booking page and our team can help mediate.
Be nice!
Because digs are mostly run by individuals, the majority of digs are in people's homes. Whilst they do charge a fee, this is often hugely discounted when compared with a commercially run hotel or guest house. Just because the decor or furnishings may not be to your taste does not mean that these aren't acceptable theatrical digs. We often suggest imagining a relative is renting out a room and consider how you would want their Guests to behave with them.
Don't expect perfection:
The nature of touring theatre in the UK is quite unique. We are given a limited touring allowance (usually) and with that are expected to go to new towns and cities around the country, book our own accommodation with little or no local knowledge, travel to and from those digs and the venue AND eat!
Whilst it would be great to stay in 5 star hotels (sometimes) this simply isn't feasible and therefore we need to look to kind and welcoming, private individuals willing to rent us space in their homes. They don't charge hotel prices so it would be unreasonable to expect hotel standards. Often Hosts exceed expectations but when digs aren't brilliant, Guests have an opportunity to make things better by giving feedback to the Host, either directly or with a review of their booking.
This ensures TheatreDigsBooker is a meritocracy - rewarding great Hosts with higher rankings & more bookings and encouraging poorer digs to rise up.
Early Check-out:
If a Guest does have to leave early, we ask them to talk to their Host and pay for the nights stayed and ensure all keys etc are returned. We also ask them to email support@theatredigsbooker.com with an explanation of why they felt the need to leave early. Each case is different so we do our best to mediate to find agreeable terms for both parties.
Raising an Issue:
You may wish to raise this as an issue. If so, log in and navigate to the 'bookings' tab. Here, a list of your previous, current or upcoming bookings will be shown.
1. Select the booking in question and click on the 'Raise Issue' button in the bottom left:
2. This will bring you to a menu outlining a series of questions which you may wish to fill out. The more information you give here, the easier it will be for us to resolve the issue. This information will not be sent to the host. Fill out the form as directed:
You may also wish to tell us your preferred next steps. Once filled out to your satisfaction, click the 'Raise Issue' button in the bottom left.
You can read our more in-depth solution to the whole raising issue process here. This will outline more about what happens next. We hope that you rarely have to utilise this tool, but we aim to best resolve any issue that you may raise.