Exit Fees from Holiday Rental Companies

Louise_Shepherd

As an owner of a UK based holiday home whose circumstances have changed, I am being charged an horrific amount of money by Sykes Cottages to leave my contract and cancel the bookings that are currently made against the house. They want in excess of £8,000 for me to have my house back even though I have been with them for over two years and are charging me commission on the money they would have earned (20%) for each cancelled booking plus other charges on top. Has anybody else had any problem like this and if so did you find any way around it? Help needed please!

bigadaj

Want does it say in the contract you signed?

If there is ambiguity have they justified the charges they are imposing as demonstrating they are actual costs and losses they have or will suffer as a result of your cancelling?

May be worth speaking to a solicitor with relevant expertise, though their fees could also be significant.

agrinnall

Are they making any charges that aren't stated in your contract with them? I'd guess the majority of the cost is refunding bookings which seems only reasonable if you aren't able to fulfill them, in fact there might be an argument for you covering the cost of a replacement booking for those customers that you are letting down, which could be at a higher cost.