Holiday Complaint - Advice Appreciated!

Crabtree2015

Just returned from holiday booked online with Italian holiday company that advertises its properties on TripAdvisor and Homeaway where we first found our property. Encountered numerous problems and issues to the extent that despite having paid for 2 weeks at the property, we left after week one and managed to find somewhere more suitable. Were told there were no other suitable properties the firm had that we would be able to afford and, despite manager saying he would try to fill the second week, he clearly made no attempts whatsoever and simply preferred to take our money. Here is a rough list of things wrong or not as advertised on the website:
- Further away from local town than advertised
- Extremely close to main road, visible and audible from the swimming pool and garden - property advertised as in peaceful and quiet location
- Gates that didn't shut or lock, no boundary fence in most places, the bit of fence that did exist was broken - website advertises maximum security, especially for children
- Chased and barked at by two guard dogs of house opposite, they would enter our drive and we would have to wait in our car before coast was clear
- Aforementioned dogs would happily enter our property boundary (as it was not securely fenced off) and leave dog mess in garden and on drive.
- Despite specific question before booking about presence of sunbeds, upon arrival no sunbeds.
- After much discussion, two sunbeds are brought - however, one is broken and the other nearly sinks you to ground when you try to lie on it - not exactly relaxing
- BBQ broken. After discussion, new BBQ brought, except not new at all and actually also broken.
- Only parasol broken and unusable despite 38 degree heat
- Inside accommodation immediately smells badly of drains, damp and smoke
- Supposedly a non-smoking property
- Unclear if damp or bugs (or something more sinister) but lots of kitchen paper placed in gaps of bedroom wall to outside
- Both bathrooms stink of drains
- Cutlery broken
- No comfortable chairs anywhere so have to use the bed (in bedroom), not to be confused with sunbeds which no, sadly are not comfortable at all and feel like they will drop us to the ground any second
- Kitchen isn't really a kitchen but a dirty tiny area with two fridges
- Inside is BOILING, so hot I can't think so demand a fan - fan is brought and slightly relieves the pain of the unbearable heat in which we will have to sleep
- Complete privacy outside is, in fact in full view of the "main" road, which I am told is not a main road?! Yet I stand in my bikini by the pool and can see (and be seen, lucky people) by all who drive, cycle or motor past

We have been offered a 20% discount on the total of two weeks, when we only stayed for one, complained immediately and every day we were there, our week was severely compromised in dealing with complaints, broken items etc, trying to spend as much time away from the place as possible, and also many hours spent online desperately trying to find alternative accommodation for the second week. No, we do not agree that a 20% on thousands of pounds of our hard-earned money is enough after this holiday from hell!!!

Advice would be greatly appreciated.

deva

Stick to the facts and cut out the minor gripes- they don't support your case, rather you come across as a moaner.

Did the place have reviews? When you say things were broken have you pictures?

Things like comfiness of chairs is subjective so largely irrelevant.

What do you want? 20% is quite good...

lovesgshp

Think you are going a bit OTT Crabtree.
With regard to the smell and damp, this is quite normal in many Italian houses, as they have septic tanks and the smell does sometimes permeate back inside. Damp can be a problem as well.
With the road, was it a actual main road, or what we call here a "white road", without tarmac, which are often used as short cuts by the locals!
July/August temperatures, have been extremely high here this year, but glad you managed to get a fan. After 10 years here, you get used to it!!

hollydays

It sounds like the problems you'd get if you try to save money and book through a third party website, I did it myself once,at the last minute, cleanliness was an issue.

It would be best to put a link to the property.
Home away for example says

"(1) This site is a venue which allows Owners to advertise one or more holiday rental properties (each a “Property”) for rent in a variety of pricing formats to potential tenants (each, a “Traveller” and, collectively with an Owner the ‘users’). We may also offer online booking or other tools or services to allow Owners and Travellers to communicate with each other and to enter into rental agreements or other transactions.

(2) The Site provides a venue for users to interact, and HomeAway is not, and does not become, party to any contractual relationship between the Traveller and the Owner, and does not mediate between the Traveller and the Owner in the event of any dispute arising between them. This is true even if the Site facilitates booking a Property or the use of other tools, services or products, as HomeAway is not a party to any rental or other agreement between Travellers and Owners."

Crabtree2015

Thanks to all who have replied. We have travelled to Italy many times over the years and stayed in different types of properties, some very old, as well as in completely different parts of the country. We have never encountered any problems, such as bad smells etc, thankfully until now.

In our opinion, 20% of two weeks when we couldn't bare to be there for the second week is not really fair. We had repeatedly asked the manager to try to fill the second week from day one, thus we would have received that whole week back, plus our first (and only) week there was filled with trying to find an alternative - not exactly the relaxing time we had expected. Let's say the holiday cost us £2000 for the two weeks. We stayed only one week but that week from the moment we arrived was severely compromised. 20% would be £400 refunded. We have then paid for alternative accommodation for the second week, let's say £1000. So our holiday costs £3000 minus £400 for an awful week then a great week elsewhere.

I know some of the things listed seem incredibly trivial and wouldn't necessarily be used in any legal proceedings, I just wanted to try to portray how even the small things were wrong. On holiday you want everything to be perfect but it isn't always perfect so you put up with things because you just want to have a good time. Unfortunately it just wasn't possible for us to forget all these problems as they encroached upon our enjoyment/lack of relaxation.

In terms of the road, no it was really a "main" road, with tarmac and lots of lovely traffic. The SP14 I believe. We did take photos and video as well.

budgetflyer

The trouble with these type of booking sites is you really don't have any real comeback if it all goes wrong.
Rarely can you pay with credit card.
The website wash their hands of any responsibility
The villa owners are in another country and hard to deal with without dealing with the local court system which we usually do not know how to, or have the patience (and time) to proceed through.

Its really is a case of "pay your money, take a chance"