Why so little protection when renting holiday cottage in UK?

AnneS2015

We recently rented a cottage from Yorkshire Cottages. When we arrived it was tired, drab and grubby. Certainly not the advertised 4 star. We stayed 1 night reluctantly and then left early the next morning. Becuase we didn't give the owner the chance to put things right he is refusing compensation. Why should we give him the chance to put things right? It should have been clean. It's not as if something unexpected had happened. Yorkshire Cottages have made us a small offer of compensation but as they are agent we seem not to have any rights against them. Is our only redress the small claims court against the owner?

LilElvis

Probably best to just chalk it up to experience and leave a truthful review on Trip Advisor. Trying to recover money via court action is unlikely to be successful if you didn't give the owner an opportunity to rectify the problems.

wealdroam

AnneS2015 wrote: »

Is our only redress the small claims court against the owner?

Quite likely.

That is exactly what the County Courts are for.

keyser666

AnneS2015 wrote: »

Becuase we didn't give the owner the chance to put things right he is refusing compensation. Why should we give him the chance to put things right?

Because that is what you have to do. I would take their compensation and then chalk it up to experience

AJXX

- Owner tired to put things right; you refused?

- Compensation offered by the agent; presumably you've refused that or don't deem it to be enough?

What more do you want? You stated you told the owner it wasn't up to standard, he appeared to want to remedy that, but you refused - which make it sound to me like your one of these awkward people who just likes complaining for the sake of it.

What justifiable reason did you have to not allow the owner to remedy the situation (presumably ending your trip early)? other than your delusional statement of "Why should we give him the chance to put things right? It should have been clean" - mistakes do happen, we don't live in a perfect world.

No sympathy for people who refuse to let business fix mistakes.

The-Truth

What do you mean by so little rights anyway. You've mentioned legal rights as a consumer which of course we all have (and you have in this case). I'm just not sure what more rights on top of legal rights you're expecting?

pinkshoes

It is unfair to expect a refund without giving the owners a chance to put it right.

If you take it to small claims court, I imagine their defence will be that you did not give any opportunity for them to help the situation. perhaps their cleaners had let them down or something??

We arrived at a holiday cottage to find a broken shed windows and glass everywhere. the owner came the next day to clean it up.

Did you take lots of photos as evidence?

As you did not give the owners any opportunity to put the situation right, I doubt you will get anywhere in the small claims court.

Auntie-Dolly

It would have to be pretty grubby to up-sticks and forego your holiday. How much did you pay? Have you got a link to the property?

unholyangel

Also OP, the star rating relates to the services/amenities (such as 24 hour reception, beverages/phone/internet in the room etc) - not the decor. Its a common mistake though.

LilElvis

Auntie-Dolly wrote: »

It would have to be pretty grubby to up-sticks and forego your holiday. How much did you pay? Have you got a link to the property?

Not necessarily, judging by some pretty indignant threads that have been started here over incredibly petty and minor issues by hotel guests and holiday home renters.

DCFC79

Interested to know if you have any news OP ?