Holiday help please anyone?

smspencer

Hi, does anyone know where I stand with regards to complaining about a UK holiday park?

The problem is two-fold. Firstly we were downgraded because their online booking system had messed up which caused them to double-book our accommodation. They said they would refund the difference plus 10% for the inconvenience - almost 4 weeks later, I still haven't received the cheque.

Secondly the accommodation was disgusting. I wrote a long letter of complaint when we got home, and they just replied with an apology. I wanted some form of compensation, due to the fact that when they downgraded us they absolutely assured me the lower grade accommodation was ok and had recently been redecorated - it hadn't, and was also disgustingly dirty. I took photos which I sent to them with my letter.

I don't know where I stand now. I wrote to them again and they've not replied, and I've still not had the cheque.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

smspencer

Does anyone know? Can't find anything online about where I stand, and what I can do.

Techhead_2

Did you complain whilst you where there and ask to be moved to clean re-decorated accomidation? (As you were promised)

smspencer

There was no point. On the phone she told me it was the last chalet available. When we arrived I asked if there'd been any cancellations and she said again that we had the very last chalet. It was that or go home, and as we'd booked the time off work, dogs in kennels etc, we decided to only sleep in it and make the best of the few days (we only went Monday - Friday).

They haven't even given me the money back that I paid for the upgrade we didn't get.

k0nstantine

Get in touch with either consumer rights http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Consumerrights/index.htm
or your local council trading standards department.

smspencer

Thank you very much - I'll try that.

texranger

smspencer wrote: »

There was no point.

theis is alway a point. in any claim you will have to show that you complained while their.

Also you booked a certain standard accomodation which through their error they overbooked and downgraded you to a less than impressed room, that as you say was unfit.

i has a similar thing happen to me, but the manager of the resort could not have been more helpful, they could not offer any other accommodation due to been fully booked, so they booked me into another hotel a few doors away with better accomodation to what i originally booked.

so yes complaining at the time can always work out as they could have done the same for you if they were fully booked.

smspencer

The thing is we had stayed in the lower accommodation a few years before, and it was terrible. When they rang me to say they'd double booked us I told her that there was no way I was staying in the lower accommodation again because it had been so awful. She said that the park had changed hands since then and that all their chalets had been redecorated and 'had a good clean up'. I kept saying that I was worried about it on the phone, but she completely assured me that it would be ok, and she also told me over and over that it was that or nothing because that was the only chalet left. Had I known it would be so awful I would have just cancelled and had the money back and gone elsewhere, but she put my mind at rest about the lower accommodation. Plus it was only 6 days away and in August - I wasn't even sure I'd be able to get anywhere else booked. When we got there and saw it I was horrified, I dissolved into tears and said we'd have to go home. My other half persuaded me that it would be ok and that we would only use the chalet to sleep in. The kids were all excited so going home wasn't really an option. I agreed to go along with it, knowing all along I would complain when I got home. If I'd known that that would change my position I would have complained whilst there, but I knew it was that chalet or nothing. That's why I took the photos - so that I had something to show.

texranger

smspencer wrote: »

The thing is we had stayed in the lower accommodation a few years before, and it was terrible. When they rang me to say they'd double booked us I told her that there was no way I was staying in the lower accommodation again because it had been so awful. She said that the park had changed hands since then and that all their chalets had been redecorated and 'had a good clean up'. I kept saying that I was worried about it on the phone, but she completely assured me that it would be ok, and she also told me over and over that it was that or nothing because that was the only chalet left. Had I known it would be so awful I would have just cancelled and had the money back and gone elsewhere, but she put my mind at rest about the lower accommodation. Plus it was only 6 days away and in August - I wasn't even sure I'd be able to get anywhere else booked. When we got there and saw it I was horrified, I dissolved into tears and said we'd have to go home. My other half persuaded me that it would be ok and that we would only use the chalet to sleep in. The kids were all excited so going home wasn't really an option. I agreed to go along with it, knowing all along I would complain when I got home. If I'd known that that would change my position I would have complained whilst there, but I knew it was that chalet or nothing. That's why I took the photos - so that I had something to show.

why take the word of the receptionist, she will just tell you what her system says, when you were their you should of asked to speak to the manager as he is the one that can arrange things, you never got what you booked or paid for.

smspencer

Yes - I can see now that I should have complained when I was there. I just thought there was no point. At least I know for the future! They are a horrible company - I will be posting about them on holiday review sites, so hopefully others won't have to go through what we did They blatantly lied about the accommodation, and have offered nothing as an apology. Just feel cheated really, because it should have been a happy family holiday, and it wasn't.