Holidaycottages.co.uk

DonnySaver

Amateurd said:

DonnySaver said:

Amateurd said:

Cottages.com have taken our money and we can't stay (we're supposed to be using the cottage in the next few weeks).
They have refused a refund, hiked their future prices and actually CHANGED THEIR WRITTEN TERMS AND CONDITIONS to avoid paying us.
They have said we can rebook in June to a future date within 12 months (at the inflated prices) but neither of us have any dates available.
Looks like we're down over £500 and absolutely nothing we can do about it.

Likewise, we are in a similar position with cottages.com. On top of everything else one of our party has now had a serious fall and has a broken leg in 2 places, a broken pelvis and a broken shoulder. We took cottages.com holiday insurance out at the time of booking which should cover this event also but they are not budging at present. I have told them I will be going to ABTA next with a complaint if they do not refund me.

Unfortunately it seems ABTA are backing the holiday companies over this, and recommending that customers accept the alternatives. This seems to give travel companies a free rein to hike up future holiday booking prices either to profiteer now, or just put customers off booking and so they keep the money.

Well if ABTA are going to side with the likes of cottages.com, Sykes etc, etc then what do people feel is the next best course of action? Like I said, cottages.com sold us their travel insurance but have provided no details on how to claim on it?
Should I contact the bank next to try a charge-back on credit card?

Aylesbury_Duck

DonnySaver said:

Amateurd said:

DonnySaver said:

Amateurd said:

Cottages.com have taken our money and we can't stay (we're supposed to be using the cottage in the next few weeks).
They have refused a refund, hiked their future prices and actually CHANGED THEIR WRITTEN TERMS AND CONDITIONS to avoid paying us.
They have said we can rebook in June to a future date within 12 months (at the inflated prices) but neither of us have any dates available.
Looks like we're down over £500 and absolutely nothing we can do about it.

Likewise, we are in a similar position with cottages.com. On top of everything else one of our party has now had a serious fall and has a broken leg in 2 places, a broken pelvis and a broken shoulder. We took cottages.com holiday insurance out at the time of booking which should cover this event also but they are not budging at present. I have told them I will be going to ABTA next with a complaint if they do not refund me.

Unfortunately it seems ABTA are backing the holiday companies over this, and recommending that customers accept the alternatives. This seems to give travel companies a free rein to hike up future holiday booking prices either to profiteer now, or just put customers off booking and so they keep the money.

Well if ABTA are going to side with the likes of cottages.com, Sykes etc, etc then what do people feel is the next best course of action? Like I said, cottages.com sold us their travel insurance but have provided no details on how to claim on it?
Should I contact the bank next to try a charge-back on credit card?

Your credit card company will only do a charge-back if the service isn't being provided.  If the cottage is still available, a charge-back for the accommodation won't work.
I'd pursue the insurance option.  You say they provided no details on how to claim but earlier you said they "weren't budging", which suggests you have tried to claim and they've refused.  Which is it?  If you insured the party for the booking and the insurance covered not being able to fulfil the holiday through illness or injury, it should be a simple case of gathering the medical evidence of the injury and making a claim.  The next question is: how far into the future is the booking?  Is it reasonable to expect the injured person might have sufficiently recovered to take the trip?  It might be that an insurance claim nearer the holiday date is more likely to be successful.

SSBS1969

I have the same problem with cottages.com.  I can't even get hold of them though.  How have those who have managed to contact them done so please? I tried the holding email address they sent us but then got an automated reply saying that the email was confirmation that we had agreed to transfer to a new date but didn't know when that would be!!!  

Amateurd

SSBS1969 said:

I have the same problem with cottages.com.  I can't even get hold of them though.  How have those who have managed to contact them done so please? I tried the holding email address they sent us but then got an automated reply saying that the email was confirmation that we had agreed to transfer to a new date but didn't know when that would be!!!  

2 messages back on Twitter, also some on email. We have to face it, we’ve been ripped off. Travel insurance claim might be an option. Maximum they will refund is 10%.

Harry55ty

Horrified by Sykes Cottages.  We paid over £1200 for an Easter break. The cottage owner has cancelled our booking which is fine.  And they will be returning the money to Sykes. But seems Sykes won’t give me a refund - they are holding on to customer’s money and forcing us to rebook with them by issuing a credit against our account.  We have no plans for a holiday cottage in the foreseeable future.  How do we get our money back?

Amateurd

Harry55ty said:

Horrified by Sykes Cottages.  We paid over £1200 for an Easter break. The cottage owner has cancelled our booking which is fine.  And they will be returning the money to Sykes. But seems Sykes won’t give me a refund - they are holding on to customer’s money and forcing us to rebook with them by issuing a credit against our account.  We have no plans for a holiday cottage in the foreseeable future.  How do we get our money back?

Sadly, I don’t think you do. You might be able to claim on travel insurance if you have it?

coey

I know it's not easy but seems people giving in too easily. If your accommodation has been closed by the company or owners as is currently required under government advice then the company / property owner is failing to supply the contracted service. Don't accept the line that you are cancelling due to travel restrictions. It is their cancellation NOT yours so a full refund is required. Not had it yet from STS holidays but intend taking it all the way including the courts rather than accept any derisory offers. 

Amateurd

coey said:

I know it's not easy but seems people giving in too easily. If your accommodation has been closed by the company or owners as is currently required under government advice then the company / property owner is failing to supply the contracted service. Don't accept the line that you are cancelling due to travel restrictions. It is their cancellation NOT yours so a full refund is required. Not had it yet from STS holidays but intend taking it all the way including the courts rather than accept any derisory offers. 

Unfortunately the terms and conditions offer no protection. Some companies have even rewritten their terms after the corona crisis! You might win in court, you might not. I will try through travel insurance but it’s a long shot. The company’s only offering us 10% of the money paid (we paid in full). That’s it, we’re down £500.

coey

Below is copied the latest info from MSE , Please note operators HAVE , repeat HAVE been told to close down properties , if you are due to go shortly , I'm going 9/5 , don't accept anything other than a full refund. It is the company that is cancelling NOT you.
" If you've booked a trip with a holiday company in the UK and it's forced to close due to coronavirus, it's likely you'll get a full refund for your trip direct from the company – and won't need to claim on insurance. For example, Center Parcs says it's closing all UK villages from 20 March to 16 April 2020. It's giving guests the option to rebook at a date until the end of 2021 and get a £100 discount on their new booking, or a full refund. "

coey

Don't give in , demand a full refund , Latest [today] advice quoted from Which on UK holidays , unable to add link but easily found on google search....... " What you’re entitled to if your UK holiday plans are cancelled If you had booked a package holiday for the next few weeks – that’s where any two parts of the holiday were booked together, such as accommodation, car hire, transport and activities – the law says you are due a refund within 14 days. Some companies, such as Center Parcs and Haven, have already committed to providing full refunds. However, many companies are only offering customers credit or the chance to postpone their package. If this is not what you want, insist on your legal right to a refund. We’re lobbying for action to be taken over customers being refused refunds. If you had just booked accommodation and the hotel or B&B has now cancelled, you will generally get a refund. Many hotel chains, such as Premier Inn and Hilton, have said they will offer full refunds. Airbnb is also offering customers full refunds until 14 April. But we’ve heard from a number of customers struggling to get refunds. One disappointed holidaymaker, James, told us he had a holiday cottage in Northumberland booked during the lockdown period. But Cottages.com refused to refund his stay, offering him a 12-month deadline to rebook instead. James said the company ‘just couldn’t tell me what would happen if this all lasts more than a year, and said I might even have to pay more when I rebook. I feel very letdown.’ "