Partial refund for bad Christmas holiday rental in UK

isplumm

Hi

Do they have a TA site you can put a review on?

Mark

artemist

Sea_Shell wrote: »

Maybe that's where all the flies came from....and old box of maggots (bait) that then hatched!!!:eek:

(i'm sure hatched isn't the right technical term...but I can't think what is at the mo.)

It could be, but they’d have to be in the roof then for that to be the case. They definitely were coming from the ceiling.

Pollycat wrote: »

But not as you were out and about away from the property...?

As in - it was something to do with the property, not the area.

In your initial post, you list 4 areas of complaint.
Did you phrase your complaint in this way?
If you did, did the accommodation owners/managers respond to each complaint or did they simply reject it in total?

And do you have photos?

Yes, they weren’t anywhere else around the property. Just inside or on the outside walls/doors of the house.

I did phrase it that way. They ignored my email and after a month of waiting (we got one email mid-way through this time from a secretary telling us they’d respond ASAP) my sister called them and that was when they simply rejected the complaint entirely and offered the flowers.

I have a lot of pics and a video. I am a new member though so it won’t let me attach them here. Is there any other way I can show them, do you know?

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

You may have something there. I once got a lift home from work with a colleague. Her husband was a real fishing aficionado, and their car was full of angling paraphanalia.


A few days later our lobby was absolutely alive with flies. There were no flies anywhere else, but the shoes I'd warn that day were in the lobby. Apparently there had been maggots in the car and we concluded I'd somehow got some (a lot!) on my shoes without noticing.


(The point I was making is I'd be wary of good reviews for a place that caters for anglers. They're notorious for either not noticing or putting up with the sort of discomfort most normal people would run a mile from).

We were told that flies are a common problem in the houses of that area, as it’s close to a fishing river. They told us they fumigate the place every summer, so they do know the flies are a frequent issue. I just can’t understand how they can think it’s perfectly normal to have dozens of flies dropping dead on us while we’re eating our Christmas dinner :rotfl:

artemist

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head wrote: »

Based on my limited understanding, the cost is around £25 to file and another £50 if it actually goes to court.

The fees may be slightly higher depending upon the amount being claimed but the process is designed to be affordable. The awarding of costs is also very limited so one party can't use high priced legal services and end up with the other party footing the bill.

If they didn't respond at all you'd win by default and, again limited understanding but, as you are a consumer and the other party a business I believe you can apply to the court to have the case heard locally to yourself which would be another deterrent to the company wishing to fight the claim rather than offering you something.

That doesn’t sound too bad then. I might have to take that route if they don’t respond to the threat of it. My worry would be the paying their legal fees if we lost, as they clearly have money to burn and w do not, but if there is some kind of limit it might be do able! Thanks for your input I’ll look more into that for sure

isplumm wrote: »

Hi

Do they have a TA site you can put a review on?

Mark

Apologies - what is a TA site? I know they’re on AirBnb, Facebook and “Britain’s Finest” so I could post some negative reviews in a few places. I suppose I’m worried about completely destroying any good will left between us by doing so. But as they’ve already flat out refused a partial refund, there’s not much to lose now. Would it negatively effect any future small courts claims do you know?

Pollycat

TA = Tripadvisor.
And I'd hold off doing a bad review until you're sure they will not budge on a refund. And maybe until after small claims court if you do go down that route.

Did they refuse in a letter or verbally when your sister spoke to them?

Did you ask for a specific amount of refund?

Re posting pics:
I'm not used to doing it but I'm sure someone will be back with 'how to' instructions.

hollydays

It appears they aren't on tripadviser , and the only other reviews are via minor holiday cottage booking pages which you probably can't review them unless you booked through them.

You could however ask a few well placed questions about whether anyone else has experienced this on the tripadviser forum which other people could pick up via a google search,( as Pollycat suggests at a later date.)
I wouldn't book somewhere with so few independent reviews in future.

MikeWhite

artemist wrote: »

It could be, but they’d have to be in the roof then for that to be the case. They definitely were coming from the ceiling.

Do you know if there was a loft space or void above the ceiling?
We had a dead squirrel in our loft that lead to flies appearing from the ceiling until we realise why and remove the cause.

artemist

Pollycat wrote: »

TA = Tripadvisor.
And I'd hold off doing a bad review until you're sure they will not budge on a refund. And maybe until after small claims court if you do go down that route.

Did they refuse in a letter or verbally when your sister spoke to them?

Did you ask for a specific amount of refund?

Re posting pics:
I'm not used to doing it but I'm sure someone will be back with 'how to' instructions.

Right, thank you!

It was a verbal refusal of a refund. She said he was extremely adamant on no refund. We did not ask for a specific amount, just communicated that we felt due to the large expense of the lodge that we’d appreciate some kind of response to this issue in the form of a partial refund. We weren’t expecting to ask for any more then half the costs.

hollydays wrote: »

It appears they aren't on tripadviser , and the only other reviews are via minor holiday cottage booking pages which you probably can't review them unless you booked through them.

You could however ask a few well placed questions about whether anyone else has experienced this on the tripadviser forum which other people could pick up via a google search,( as Pollycat suggests at a later date.)
I wouldn't book somewhere with so few independent reviews in future.

Thanks! That’s a good idea and I’ll do that!

MikeWhite wrote: »

Do you know if there was a loft space or void above the ceiling?
We had a dead squirrel in our loft that lead to flies appearing from the ceiling until we realise why and remove the cause.

I didn’t see any hatch or door leading to a loft anywhere but would assume there was space in the roof somehow. The upstairs bedrooms were definitely the most affected, with flies pouring out of seemingly no where.

Can I just ask everyone though, this is definitely a situation in which a partial refund or some kind of compensation would be expected right? Like we’re not being dramatic or unreasonable? 🤔 if anyone knows how I can add pictures I’d love to show them for reference.

suki1964

Just because they aren't on TA right now, doesn't mean to say you can't add them, I have added local businesses in the past

OP, yes, I would be looking for some type of refund

The kettle and the microwave, I think you would find pretty hard to prove spoiled your enjoyment of holiday home, Its not like not having hot water or heating for example

I would claim for the flies, how they impacted on your holiday, rooms out of use etc. But set a realistic amount. Divide the amount of people who paid for a bed, between the beds available and the nights booked, then claim the cost of each night someone or other had to sleep on the sofa and couldn't use the rooms

Send them a letter before action showing how you are coming to the figure you have done. if its fair, they will probably pay out. If they don't, then the small claims court will possibly award to you.

You have to prove loss. You didn't lose the holiday, you lost the use of a few rooms for a few days. Microwave, map and toaster may just be a tad hard to prove as a lose

hollydays

suki1964 wrote: »

Just because they aren't on TA right now, doesn't mean to say you can't add them, I have added local businesses in the past

OP, yes, I would be looking for some type of refund

The kettle and the microwave, I think you would find pretty hard to prove spoiled your enjoyment of holiday home, Its not like not having hot water or heating for example

I would claim for the flies, how they impacted on your holiday, rooms out of use etc. But set a realistic amount. Divide the amount of people who paid for a bed, between the beds available and the nights booked, then claim the cost of each night someone or other had to sleep on the sofa and couldn't use the rooms

Send them a letter before action showing how you are coming to the figure you have done. if its fair, they will probably pay out. If they don't, then the small claims court will possibly award to you.

You have to prove loss. You didn't lose the holiday, you lost the use of a few rooms for a few days. Microwave, map and toaster may just be a tad hard to prove as a lose

There's also loss of enjoyment, not sure if you can claim this for non package holidays..
A plague of flies is quite disgusting.
I don't think you're overreacting.
You say there were flies on the dining table , fridge etc.
I'd have expected them to send cleaners in, but then it was Christmas .
If I went to a hotel and this happened, I'd expect a refund.
I also find the lack of map for walking safely, incredibly remiss.
Accommodation is supposed to be safe and clean.

It seems ' interesting' that they have hardly any independant reviews..
I find one for a different property on Airbnb called " Langford Valley Barn"

Only has two reviews. One says

" The host cancelled this reservation 13 days before arrival" This is an automated posting.