Holiday home complaint
Discussion
I stayed in a property recently that we were very unhappy about. The company lied about the property, stuff wasn't there upon arrival etc. It wasn't cheap for a uk holiday. We didn't enjoy the place, our dog wasn't safe etc, so we left half way.
Anyway, stupidly, I didn't want to pay the 2% charge (£20!) for a credit card, paid via debit, so I'm unable to get my money back via them.
I complained , and have had several back and forths with them. They've basically said they've done nothing wrong, and the owner agrees. Turns out, the owner is the company!
Where do I go from here, they are not part of ABTA or any governing body. Some will say to let it go, but it's now down to the principle matter, over money.
I'll go to their facebook etc, but they can 'manage' it anyway. I've seen other bad reviews of them misleading people about properties too.
Anyway, stupidly, I didn't want to pay the 2% charge (£20!) for a credit card, paid via debit, so I'm unable to get my money back via them.
I complained , and have had several back and forths with them. They've basically said they've done nothing wrong, and the owner agrees. Turns out, the owner is the company!
Where do I go from here, they are not part of ABTA or any governing body. Some will say to let it go, but it's now down to the principle matter, over money.
I'll go to their facebook etc, but they can 'manage' it anyway. I've seen other bad reviews of them misleading people about properties too.
illmonkey said:
I stayed in a property recently that we were very unhappy about. The company lied about the property, stuff wasn't there upon arrival etc. It wasn't cheap for a uk holiday. We didn't enjoy the place, our dog wasn't safe etc, so we left half way.
Anyway, stupidly, I didn't want to pay the 2% charge (£20!) for a credit card, paid via debit, so I'm unable to get my money back via them.
I complained , and have had several back and forths with them. They've basically said they've done nothing wrong, and the owner agrees. Turns out, the owner is the company!
Where do I go from here, they are not part of ABTA or any governing body. Some will say to let it go, but it's now down to the principle matter, over money.
I'll go to their facebook etc, but they can 'manage' it anyway. I've seen other bad reviews of them misleading people about properties too.
Did you tell them you had left half way when you did so or did you just leave without telling them?Anyway, stupidly, I didn't want to pay the 2% charge (£20!) for a credit card, paid via debit, so I'm unable to get my money back via them.
I complained , and have had several back and forths with them. They've basically said they've done nothing wrong, and the owner agrees. Turns out, the owner is the company!
Where do I go from here, they are not part of ABTA or any governing body. Some will say to let it go, but it's now down to the principle matter, over money.
I'll go to their facebook etc, but they can 'manage' it anyway. I've seen other bad reviews of them misleading people about properties too.
R8Steve said:
Did you tell them you had left half way when you did so or did you just leave without telling them?
I emailed the following day explaining we had left saying we were not happy. I followed it up with a email a few days later explaining why.There after all my points have not been addressed and I've been told I'm wrong, at one point the email agrees with one of my complaints then knocks me back saying it's not true.
I feel my complaints are valid, especially when all together.
OP, you've been very vague about what was wrong with the property, so how do we know if it was a significant departure from what was advertised?
If it wasn't significant, then there's not a lot of hope for anything other than a minor goodwill payment. If it was significant, then you can do the Small Claims (online thingy these days).
I've also stayed in a cottage that was so unpleasant we left early. We just didn't like it. So we put it down to experience and got on with our lives.
If it wasn't significant, then there's not a lot of hope for anything other than a minor goodwill payment. If it was significant, then you can do the Small Claims (online thingy these days).
I've also stayed in a cottage that was so unpleasant we left early. We just didn't like it. So we put it down to experience and got on with our lives.
EskimoArapaho said:
OP, you've been very vague about what was wrong with the property, so how do we know if it was a significant departure from what was advertised?
If it wasn't significant, then there's not a lot of hope for anything other than a minor goodwill payment. If it was significant, then you can do the Small Claims (online thingy these days).
I've also stayed in a cottage that was so unpleasant we left early. We just didn't like it. So we put it down to experience and got on with our lives.
I'm trying to keep it vauge...If it wasn't significant, then there's not a lot of hope for anything other than a minor goodwill payment. If it was significant, then you can do the Small Claims (online thingy these days).
I've also stayed in a cottage that was so unpleasant we left early. We just didn't like it. So we put it down to experience and got on with our lives.
Could we have more details please?
What did they lie about and did you collect evidence that they had mislead you in some way?
Did you contact them as soon as you were aware that some stuff that was supposed to be included wasn't there and did you give them opportunity to rectify this?
If the charge for credit card would have been £20 then I assume the holiday was £1000 for accommodation only. Was that for one or two weeks? If it was 2 weeks in an expensive location then that is not expensive at this time of year. If the accommodation was not of a reasonable standard then it sounds like a rip off!
Why was your dog not safe? This is an important point and needs to be expanded upon. Did you tell them that you were bringing a pet and did they offer pet facilities?
What do you now want? Do you want compensation for their failure to meet their obligations or do you just want revenge as you feel pissed off by the whole situation? The third option could be that you are a freeloader who had a change of heart partway through a holiday and now just wants money back. Apologies if that seems offensive but there is an increasing number of people who fall into this last group who realise they can use the power of social media to blackmail legitimate businesses.
Using social media should be your last resort as it is usually not very effective, is unlikely to get you what you want and puts you at risk of being a blackmailing freeloader. Particularly if the business has lots of other positive social media representation.
If it is a legitimate complaint, your best course of action is check you have evidence that you have been short changed, present the case to them and advise them that you are considering legal action.
You don't need credit card protection or ABTA etc in cases like this. If anyone has tried to use these services in the past, they will know it is easier to just take out a small claim and let the courts deal with it. If you don't feel there is a case to answer - you have answered your own question.
What did they lie about and did you collect evidence that they had mislead you in some way?
Did you contact them as soon as you were aware that some stuff that was supposed to be included wasn't there and did you give them opportunity to rectify this?
If the charge for credit card would have been £20 then I assume the holiday was £1000 for accommodation only. Was that for one or two weeks? If it was 2 weeks in an expensive location then that is not expensive at this time of year. If the accommodation was not of a reasonable standard then it sounds like a rip off!
Why was your dog not safe? This is an important point and needs to be expanded upon. Did you tell them that you were bringing a pet and did they offer pet facilities?
What do you now want? Do you want compensation for their failure to meet their obligations or do you just want revenge as you feel pissed off by the whole situation? The third option could be that you are a freeloader who had a change of heart partway through a holiday and now just wants money back. Apologies if that seems offensive but there is an increasing number of people who fall into this last group who realise they can use the power of social media to blackmail legitimate businesses.
Using social media should be your last resort as it is usually not very effective, is unlikely to get you what you want and puts you at risk of being a blackmailing freeloader. Particularly if the business has lots of other positive social media representation.
If it is a legitimate complaint, your best course of action is check you have evidence that you have been short changed, present the case to them and advise them that you are considering legal action.
You don't need credit card protection or ABTA etc in cases like this. If anyone has tried to use these services in the past, they will know it is easier to just take out a small claim and let the courts deal with it. If you don't feel there is a case to answer - you have answered your own question.
illmonkey said:
I'm trying to keep it vauge...
Why? You don't have to name/shame; just say what was wrong/bad/missing of what had been advertised.Otherwise, write to them by recorded delivery, state what you want and by when, and then say you'll take legal action. Then wait and use the small claims if they don't offer something to your satisfaction. A judge will then decide what was significantly deficient and its financial value.
(ISTM that any social media blackmail by you is unlikely to be looked on favourably by the judge if the company decided to counter claim.)
It was £950 including £50 for the dog for a week. The property was stated as "dog friendly", which to me says I can be in the garden with the dog and it's secure.
The property stated it had a low ceiling upstairs, infact all of them were low enough for my, not so tall, 5ft 11 height to be a problem.
The oven was an electric aga, it was idling at 100degrees C, I popped it up to 200 and threw pizza in, 2 hours later, and the cheese started melting. It was not fit for purpose. I explained to the house keeper when they were over to fix the leaking bath, and was told it wasn't right, it was suggested to keep it on max so I could cook in it. Problem with that is, it'd made the house far too hot.
It was meant to be provided with 2 sets of garden furniture and a BBQ, it only had 1 set and no BBQ. I complained and got a pathetic excuse for a bbq, but not the other set of furniture (it had 2 gardens). Subsequently I've been told they were in the locked room, we couldn't find a key for. The set that was there could barely take 2 plates.
The TV was unviewable from the only sofa, and there was no space to move it.
I was going to forward all the correspondence to the owner of the property, as I didn't believe they were contacting them about the problems. Turns out, the company renting the property out, own in. They've not told me they don't, but been saying things like I've talked to the management and directly with the owner...
Honestly, initially I complained to let them know, they decided to take it to heart and got defensive, so I pushed the issues. I got more fustrated with them blaming me for their problems, saying I was at fault for the oven not working, and I should have just called for all of the issues, which I did, but didn't get resolved
The property stated it had a low ceiling upstairs, infact all of them were low enough for my, not so tall, 5ft 11 height to be a problem.
The oven was an electric aga, it was idling at 100degrees C, I popped it up to 200 and threw pizza in, 2 hours later, and the cheese started melting. It was not fit for purpose. I explained to the house keeper when they were over to fix the leaking bath, and was told it wasn't right, it was suggested to keep it on max so I could cook in it. Problem with that is, it'd made the house far too hot.
It was meant to be provided with 2 sets of garden furniture and a BBQ, it only had 1 set and no BBQ. I complained and got a pathetic excuse for a bbq, but not the other set of furniture (it had 2 gardens). Subsequently I've been told they were in the locked room, we couldn't find a key for. The set that was there could barely take 2 plates.
The TV was unviewable from the only sofa, and there was no space to move it.
I was going to forward all the correspondence to the owner of the property, as I didn't believe they were contacting them about the problems. Turns out, the company renting the property out, own in. They've not told me they don't, but been saying things like I've talked to the management and directly with the owner...
Honestly, initially I complained to let them know, they decided to take it to heart and got defensive, so I pushed the issues. I got more fustrated with them blaming me for their problems, saying I was at fault for the oven not working, and I should have just called for all of the issues, which I did, but didn't get resolved
illmonkey said:
The property was stated as "dog friendly", which to me says I can be in the garden with the dog and it's secure.
It could also just mean "dogs allowed" and you'll still need to keep an eye on what its doing.illmonkey said:
The property stated it had a low ceiling upstairs, infact all of them were low enough for my, not so tall, 5ft 11 height to be a problem.
Whats the problem? They advertised, then delivered, low ceilings.illmonkey said:
It was meant to be provided with 2 sets of garden furniture and a BBQ, it only had 1 set and no BBQ. I complained and got a pathetic excuse for a bbq, but not the other set of furniture (it had 2 gardens). Subsequently I've been told they were in the locked room, we couldn't find a key for. The set that was there could barely take 2 plates.
How many people were there? If there was less people than could sit at one set of garden furniture I don't see this being a realistic avenue of complaint. Likewise they advertised a BBQ, then gave you one.It seems unfair to say dog friendly and then make it so I need to keep him on a lead so he doesn't escape.
They said low ceilings upstairs, not the whole house
2 of us. Fair enough they provided up with a BBQ, but why do I need to do their job? The listing state a BBQ, there wasn't. It just added to the problems.
If I pay close to 1k for a house, that is meant to be top notch, I don't expect baths to leak, equipment to be missing and ovens to not work.
I'll reiterate my point though, initially I wanted them to be aware of the problem and apologise. But straight away they jumped on the back foot and blamed me. So I got angry with it.
They said low ceilings upstairs, not the whole house
2 of us. Fair enough they provided up with a BBQ, but why do I need to do their job? The listing state a BBQ, there wasn't. It just added to the problems.
If I pay close to 1k for a house, that is meant to be top notch, I don't expect baths to leak, equipment to be missing and ovens to not work.
I'll reiterate my point though, initially I wanted them to be aware of the problem and apologise. But straight away they jumped on the back foot and blamed me. So I got angry with it.
I appreciate that you want to be deliberately vague, but you can't have it both ways. This vagueness is preventing anyone giving you any realistic advice in return.
We don't know what you rented for the £1k or where it was, so we can't say what would have been reasonable in return.
I've rented plenty 'dog friendly' places in the past and they've ranged from anything that looked like a category A prison as far as getting out of goes, to not even fenced at all and merely dogs are allowed to be in there. imo you should have clarified that point. To me, you could have a well trained dog off a lead in a place with no fence at all, and it could still be called 'dog friendly'
We don't know what you rented for the £1k or where it was, so we can't say what would have been reasonable in return.
I've rented plenty 'dog friendly' places in the past and they've ranged from anything that looked like a category A prison as far as getting out of goes, to not even fenced at all and merely dogs are allowed to be in there. imo you should have clarified that point. To me, you could have a well trained dog off a lead in a place with no fence at all, and it could still be called 'dog friendly'
OK, it sounds like one of those quaint places that seem wonderful in the brochure/online but which are a PITA to live in. At that price, I presume a large part of the cost is due to location? Similar in that respect to the one we left early - a converted outbuilding in a fantastic location, but largely impractical and just annoying to stay at for more than a couple of hours. We'd have great days out and then feel terrible about going back to the cottage.
I think it's worth a bit of pressure, but I'm not sure you can justify a very significant refund. And the hassle/stress of proceeding even with small claims is unlikely to be worth a refund of perhaps £100 or so, IMHO.
I think it's worth a bit of pressure, but I'm not sure you can justify a very significant refund. And the hassle/stress of proceeding even with small claims is unlikely to be worth a refund of perhaps £100 or so, IMHO.
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