Damp musty holiday cottage has triggered allergies in husband and dog

Money_woes_2

I booked a cottage via Owners Direct for 7 nights. On arrival, it overwhelmingly smelled of plug-in air fresheners and reed dispensers - to the point of being headache-inducing, so we switched off the plug-in fresheners.

After a few hours, my husband started having allergy symptoms (he is allergic to dust and mould spores). The cottage was very clean, so it couldn't have been a dust problem.

The next morning when we woke up, once the smell from the air fresheners had chance to dissipate, the whole cottage smelled really musty and damp. That explained the numerous air fresheners and reed dispensers, to mask the damp musty smell. We looked behind furniture, and there was a damp patch on the wall behind the sofa. My husband's allergy symptoms were getting worse the longer we stayed, and my dog, who has respiratory problems, had also started sneezing. So we've packed up and come back home after one night - where my husband's symptoms have started to ease up.

I'm going to contact the owner today to let them know we've left 6 days early. But before I do, does anyone know of any rules/regulations holiday property owners have to abide by, aside from the obvious gas safety etc. regulations? I suspect that we have no comeback on this and that it's just a lesson learnt and have to accept the lost holiday and money.

PS the reviews were very good; I didn't just book blindly! We just must have been the first ones starting there with allergies.

martindow

Money_woes wrote: »

After a few hours, my husband started having allergy symptoms (he is allergic to dust and mould spores). The cottage was very clean, so it couldn't have been a dust problem.

When I was younger I used to be asthmatic and always reacted to staying in different places. I got accustomed to the dust and spores where I lived and tended not to react to them. But new places regardless of how clean they were nearly always provoked a reaction.

There clearly is a damp problem in this place when it is unventilated and it probably develops when the building is closed up between rentals. I'm surprised that you didn't throw the windows open to air out the place to see how that improved things, before abandoning your stay. The person renting probably thought air fresheners were a good idea - in my case that would have added to the issues.

But unless the dampness and mustiness extended to clearly visible problems such as patches of mould on the walls I am afraid it is probably down to your husband's sensitivity rather than the building.

I do sympathise as I had several dismal holidays and stays in friend's houses. In my forties I became less sensitive and things were easier. We got a caravan for holidays at one point mainly to avoid problems that you have experienced.

richardw

Was it rising damp, or damp through the walls or leaky roof, poor guttering etc?

System

I have been to a few holiday cottages and have a musty smell. I believe most of the cause is down to not being lived in (almost) every day. There is also a similar musty smell when going around properties that have been unoccupied for a couple of years. The damp can be an issue with unoccupied properties too.

macman

Why didn't you contact the owner or agency instead of just going home? They might possibly have offered you alternative accommodation.

meer53

More likely they were allergic to the air fresheners.