Holidaycottages.co.uk

marlot

Aylesbury_Duck said:

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.

Oh that's a pain.  Thanks for the heads up.
Do you know if a section 75 claim has any chance of succeeding?

Aylesbury_Duck

I can't see what you'd be claiming for?  £20?  That's all you've paid so far, isn't it?

I think you've unnecessarily complicated things with the card gymnastics.  I've just realised that your new credit card is with the same issuer, so the two will be linked anyway (just as if the first was stolen and they sent a replacement), so cancelling one card and starting another isn't going to avoid your liability for the rest of the deposit.  What it might do is complicate a section 75 claim because you've cancelled the original card...

marlot

I'm not worried about the £20.  I'd be very happy to walk away from that.
If the holiday can go ahead, I'm happy to pay.

If cottages.com were giving refunds, I'd be happy to let it go through and sort it later if the holiday cannot go ahead. 
But as they are not, I'd rather not pay the rest of the money until nearer the holiday date - if there's a way to avoid it.

coey

J_B said:

coey said:

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......l

You must have a different Which? magazine to me .....

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/03/coronavirus-should-you-cancel-your-summer-holiday/#accommodation

<<If you booked with an accommodation booking site, check its terms.>>

What do your terms say?

Again,apologies for not being able to post link , guess you must need special status with MSE forum. you will find my quote from google link Coronavirus: how to cancel or refund travel plans-which? news

J_B

coey said:

J_B said:

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/03/coronavirus-should-you-cancel-your-summer-holiday/#accommodation

<<If you booked with an accommodation booking site, check its terms.>>

What do your terms say?

Again,apologies for not being able to post link , guess you must need special status with MSE forum. you will find my quote from google link Coronavirus: how to cancel or refund travel plans-which? news

Plenty of ways to post links even when 'not allowed' just go w w w dot etc

What I asked though, was 'what do the terms of your contract with the agent say'?

Vegastare

Just to update the balance of our cottage rental which was due - did not get made...the payment link page was closed.  So I did a screen shot of the page .  Am sure eventually they will chase up the amount but at the moment it seems there focus is not on the cottages.

Noshton12

Hi

We are in the same position with holiday cottages. Our holiday is booked for the end of June 2020 and we've queried cancellation with them. 
It looks like they've added new T&C's which have superceded T&C's at the time of our booking (I'm not sure this is even allowed?). These state we have to endeavour to re-book the holiday. 

Their current website advice is also to contact them in the eventuality you can't make the holiday. However the govt advice is for these places to close (except for emergency housing, to shelter homeless people and for key workers). We are none of the above so surely they can't provide the service to us under current guidance. 
I'd look at claiming under travel insurance or speaking with your card provided to raise a dispute. 
I think a lot depends on what the govt guidance is at the time, but for now, I don't think the bookings should be active. Hotel Cottages probably should cancel the stays and refund as they shouldn't be open for normal holidayers.

Let me know how you get on. 

Bubble2012

The company confirmed this morning that I am not entitled to any refund because they are applying standard T&C's to any booking after 4th June. Not only that, but if I don't cancel in the next 4 days then I also owe them more money on the booking as per their standards T&C's.
Doesn't really make sense given on their website, they are asking for people to "wait and see" what the situation brings!

Noshton12

Under section 4.1 of the T&C's it states you have to pay the balance in full before 9 weeks of the holiday date. Is this the date you've been given to pay buy? That night buy you a bit of time. 
https www.holidaycottages.co.uk/full-booking-terms
I think if the govt advice remains the same in terms of the cottage not being able to accept holidayers, then you could try and dispute the payment with your bank. September is a while away but the restrictions could be in place then. 

robHH

Hello 
we booked our Cornwall holiday in Early January this year for a June holiday
we paid in full and included cancellation insurance 
now when all this kicked off we kept our eye on the holidaycottages.co.uk website and logged into our account to check on updates 
Its very clear we won’t be able to go there in June and I contacted them to cancel( by messenger only as they have disabled their phone lines)  and they said sure Standard cancellation so you will get 20 to 40% back 
erm NO
ive got cancellation insurance so they messaged back 
please contact them as they are a 3rd party insurance provider and although bought on our site is nowt to do with them
So ok let’s contact them ........
Towergate
again they have disabled the phone lines leaving only an e mail address 
3 e mails in 4 weeks with no response at all other than the automatic response 
I have contacted my local MP to see if they can help 
what more can be done surely they can’t get away with just ignoring us 
We would love to go on holiday to Cornwall we love it there but come on 
If the worst comes to the worst il travel done there myself and get a massive banner made and contact the local press once there
SHAME on Holidaycottages.co.uk as it’s on them as far as I’m concerned