Getting deposit back on UK holiday. Not as advertised.

Larrissa

I have booked our holiday for next year over the bank holiday weekend and paid a deposit by bank transfer. The holiday is in the UK Is there a cooling off period where I can claim my deposit back.

The cottage we have booked is in the middle of nowhere as shown in the pictures on their site. I have just looked on their facebook page and they are putting up another property near the one I've booked on the beach in front. If I had known this via the website or if it had been mentioned whilst I was emailing them before booking there is no way I would have booked.

pinkshoes

Larrissa wrote: »

I have booked our holiday for next year over the bank holiday weekend and paid a deposit by bank transfer. Is there a cooling off period where I can claim my deposit back.

The cottage we have booked is in the middle of nowhere as shown in the pictures on their site. I have just looked on their facebook page and they are putting up another property near the one I've booked on the beach in front. If I had known this via the website or if it had been mentioned whilst I was emailing them before booking there is no way I would have booked.

Just email them.

Say you booked the holiday as you want somewhere isolated as per the advert, but have just noticed on Facebook that there is soon to be another property built next to it, in which case would make the property not suitable, so could you have a refund please.

garth549

When you say they are 'putting one up', do you mean they are building a new one in front of it?

Check the T&Cs to see if there's a cooling off period or a way you can cancel and receive a refund. There's no statutory law protecting this as far as I know.

Larrissa

I have emailed them straight away but haven't had a reply yet. Just wanted to check if I had any rights for when they do. Yes it is a new property they are building from scratch.

Aylesbury_Duck

I think that if this new building substantially changes the advertised nature of the cottage you would be within your rights to ask for a refund. e.g. if it's advertised as isolated, or with a view that is now blocked by the new plot, or if you are going to be subjected to disruption from construction when it's been advertised as a quiet location. Similarly, if you specified that you wanted somewhere completely isolated/private and this cropped up.

ThumbRemote

In the first instance I would simply request a refund, as you have now discovered the property is not what you expected.

If they won't, you may want to point out they are committing an offence by advertising the property without making people aware of the changes.

Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, section 6, includes "A commercial practice is a misleading omission if ... the commercial practice omits material information" and ""material information” means ... the information which the average consumer needs, according to the context, to take an informed transactional decision"

Not mentioning building work, or using a photo that is out of date due to new buildings, would both be misleading omissions.