Holidaycottages.co.uk

Skippy13

Linuxgeek said:

same boat here booked with cottages.com
was going to be my last holiday before becoming a student they cancelled but wont give refunds just credit note

Sykes won't even give us a credit note.  I'm expected to know what annual leave I can take next year so I can rebook.

marshall100

We have a booking for May, Sykes have advised us to move this which is fine, but there are no dates available at this property. I wouldn't mind but they are due to take the money in the next 10 days and I fear that they will go down the pan during the coming months and leave us totally out of pocket. Customer services are spectacularly evasive, and are employing delay tactics at every opportunity. Poor standard.

SamB713

I have/had a holiday booked with holidaycottages for Easter. They offered the option to transfer to alternative dates (which for the same dates next year will cost me over £500 extra (my original booking was only approx £500)). I said no, and they then offered a credit note to use before December 2020. Again I said no and that I want a refund

I was then told I would not be able to get a refund, and all they can do is make a note that I have requested one. I agree with others that legal action may be required  to get refunds. I don't understand why they want to go down that route and incur possible legal costs and reputational damage, instead of just giving people back their money as they are not providing the booking!

Aylesbury_Duck

SamB713 said:

I have/had a holiday booked with holidaycottages for Easter. They offered the option to transfer to alternative dates (which for the same dates next year will cost me over £500 extra (my original booking was only approx £500)). I said no, and they then offered a credit note to use before December 2020. Again I said no and that I want a refund

I was then told I would not be able to get a refund, and all they can do is make a note that I have requested one. I agree with others that legal action may be required  to get refunds. I don't understand why they want to go down that route and incur possible legal costs and reputational damage, instead of just giving people back their money as they are not providing the booking!

Presumably because they are trying to stay in business and are prepared to risk legal and reputational cost.  I'm not condoning it, but it's easy to understand why they're doing it.

Vegastare

I have a query....we booked direct with cottage owners (it has four barn style cottages) although they do use cottage company site - we booked direct.  We are due to pay final balance shortly for June ....doubt travel will be permitted then...do we pay balance .  We approached them asking to defer visit and they said could not do this 
The cottage policy states
We will only cancel your booking if your accommodation becomes unavailable for reasons beyond our control. In this unlikely event, we will attempt to offer you alternative accommodation and/or dates. However, if this is not possible or unacceptable to you, we will refund all monies paid by you. Whatever the circumstances, our liability to you will not extend beyond a full refund. We shall not be responsible for any consequential loss.
My question is by paying the balance clearly if restrictions apply they will defer date or refund....would be happy with either
First question does the above passage read to others as it does to me regarding reason beyond control being gov travel restrictions!!
Second question  while I do not want to go down this road I may have back up with my home insurance which has travel to Europe included - but am wondering if they will question booking back in  mid Jan and the cirumstance of Covid 19 was little known, but will they use this as get out and also will they question why we paid balance.  We clearly entered into a contract to travel and pay in full.
We intend to contact them end this week and want best advice on how to proceed.

Aylesbury_Duck

Vegastare said:

I have a query....we booked direct with cottage owners (it has four barn style cottages) although they do use cottage company site - we booked direct.  We are due to pay final balance shortly for June ....doubt travel will be permitted then...do we pay balance .  We approached them asking to defer visit and they said could not do this 
The cottage policy states
We will only cancel your booking if your accommodation becomes unavailable for reasons beyond our control. In this unlikely event, we will attempt to offer you alternative accommodation and/or dates. However, if this is not possible or unacceptable to you, we will refund all monies paid by you. Whatever the circumstances, our liability to you will not extend beyond a full refund. We shall not be responsible for any consequential loss.
My question is by paying the balance clearly if restrictions apply they will defer date or refund....would be happy with either
First question does the above passage read to others as it does to me regarding reason beyond control being gov travel restrictions!!
Second question  while I do not want to go down this road I may have back up with my home insurance which has travel to Europe included - but am wondering if they will question booking back in  mid Jan and the cirumstance of Covid 19 was little known, but will they use this as get out and also will they question why we paid balance.  We clearly entered into a contract to travel and pay in full.
We intend to contact them end this week and want best advice on how to proceed.

1st: If they can't provide the accommodation because they're not permitted to open, I think that paragraph is relevant and therefore they'll try and come to agreement on an alternative or a refund.

2nd: Is the accommodation in the UK?  Many "Europe" and "Worldwide" policies don't actually cover domestic UK trips.  It's worth checking.

Vegastare

Aylesbury Duck - thanks was hoping you were around I thought it looked ok regarding if they cancel...as for our insurance spoke with them a few weeks back and was told it did cover UK - but not to the amount of there overseas trips etc....plus would only kick in if we were declined to travel due to Gov restrictions and if booked prior to covid incident and exsisting policy which it is.
As according to Money Expert list about 4 weeks back the insurer was one of just a couple covering covid then.
Thank you for your response.

cornwallholiday

@Vegastare - just be careful not to rely too heavily on this. Our terms and conditions say something very similar. Our cottage is shutdown and owner not giving any refund or credit. He also refuses to cancel our booking saying it’s not him that has cancelled! He is trying to force us to cancel the contract (presumably because we then are in breach and can’t claim refund). So just be careful. As he won’t cancel I’m not sure yet whether we argue he’s in breach or frustration of contract. But we will be pursuing him legally. I would hate for you to be in our position. He has over £4K of our money and we’re looking at court action. Good luck! 

Afterthought - as you have a bit of time would the accommodation owner agree to clarify in writing what will happen if still locked down? You’re in a stronger negotiating position now as you haven’t paid balance. Just a thought...

marlot

DonnySaver said:

We are in a similar boat with cottages.com
Due to go on 6th April for 4 days. They are saying that we can only rebook for another date within 12 months and not get a refund. Other people seem to be getting told the same but are finding that the same property in a years time is 20-30% more expensive!... 

We're due to go away via cottages.com in June.  It seems very unlikely to happen.
We're in the very fortunate position that we only paid a £20 'low deposit'.  The balance is due next week.  I've checked the original booking, and apparently I agreed to them charging the rest of the balance to my credit card.  So ... I rang the credit card company.  They let me cancel the card, and are re-issuing with a different number.  Hopefully that will stop cottages.com charging me.
If they were paying the cottage owners I'd be more sympathetic, but my uncle owns a couple a cottages which he lets out via them, and he's not being paid anything.  Cottages.com just seem to be sitting on the money.

Aylesbury_Duck

marlot said:

DonnySaver said:

We are in a similar boat with cottages.com
Due to go on 6th April for 4 days. They are saying that we can only rebook for another date within 12 months and not get a refund. Other people seem to be getting told the same but are finding that the same property in a years time is 20-30% more expensive!... 

We're due to go away via cottages.com in June.  It seems very unlikely to happen.
We're in the very fortunate position that we only paid a £20 'low deposit'.  The balance is due next week.  I've checked the original booking, and apparently I agreed to them charging the rest of the balance to my credit card.  So ... I rang the credit card company.  They let me cancel the card, and are re-issuing with a different number.  Hopefully that will stop cottages.com charging me.
If they were paying the cottage owners I'd be more sympathetic, but my uncle owns a couple a cottages which he lets out via them, and he's not being paid anything.  Cottages.com just seem to be sitting on the money.

Keep an eye on that.  As I understand it, changing cards doesn't remove their ability to enforce the payment you're contracted to make.  They simply contact the card issuer, collect the payment and then the CC company chase you for the money.  Be careful that doesn't add admin charges.