Sykes Cottages

clearingout

I paid a small deposit on a cottage for the end of July some months ago now.  I took insurance with Sykes at the time I paid the deposit and would be covered if  we are still not able to travel, but I'm guessing by then it will simply be 'advised' not to travel.  Full payment is due soon.  If I am reading the terms and conditions correctly (https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/terms/booking) I am unable to cancel. 
I am assuming that I am going to have to pay the full amount and take my chances as to whether or not it is advised we don't travel (and therefore we make a decision about whether we're travelling or not)  or if there is still a travel ban (in which case the insurance should kick in)?  If I don't pay, what are the possible outcomes?  I am pretty sure we won't be taking the holiday as we have a vulnerable adult travelling with us (not on the official shielding list).  Any advice? 

Browntoa

Read the long running existing Sykes thread here

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/77134175#Comment_77134175

Kevthegas

I booked a cottage with Sykes for the 15th of this month. I made it plain to them from the end of March that I still wished to go, But governments guidelines said NO. obviously.
I had only paid £20 deposit to them. They asked for the balance for the cottage which was £465. Or if I cancelled they wanted £165 which was the balance of the deposit. Offering me the cottage for 2021 at an increased price of £595. Nice little earner I thought there £110 price increase. I have suggested that I am more than happy to book with them for the same week in 2021 but not at this cottage. I want to go somewhere else.
They have now accused me of cancelling and want the remainder of the deposit of £165. I have pointed out that I have NOT cancelled the holiday. That to go would be have been breaking the Law. They suggested I pay the balance and then negotiate a refund. {Text removed by Forum Team}. I am adamant that I will not pay them any more money. I will forgo the £20 that i have already paid as a good will gesture towards them. But that's it. 
At no point in time have they contacted me personally, it has always been via automated e-mails, that kept repeating themselves.

in_my_wellies

My brother lives in New Zealand. He used Booking.com to book a Sykes Cottage and paid £210 deposit. He tried to cancel mid March but was passed from Booking.com to Sykes over and over, neither being helpful. He cannot travel from NZ so he has lost his deposit, nice little earner for them.
AirBNB refunded everything immediately. When, hopefully, he can travel next year he'll be using them. 

Life__Goes__On

Kevthegas said:

I booked a cottage with Sykes for the 15th of this month. I made it plain to them from the end of March that I still wished to go, But governments guidelines said NO. obviously.
I had only paid £20 deposit to them. They asked for the balance for the cottage which was £465. Or if I cancelled they wanted £165 which was the balance of the deposit. Offering me the cottage for 2021 at an increased price of £595. Nice little earner I thought there £110 price increase. I have suggested that I am more than happy to book with them for the same week in 2021 but not at this cottage. I want to go somewhere else.
They have now accused me of cancelling and want the remainder of the deposit of £165. I have pointed out that I have NOT cancelled the holiday. That to go would be have been breaking the Law. They suggested I pay the balance and then negotiate a refund. {Text removed by Forum Team}. I am adamant that I will not pay them any more money. I will forgo the £20 that i have already paid as a good will gesture towards them. But that's it. 
At no point in time have they contacted me personally, it has always been via automated e-mails, that kept repeating themselves.

So they want you pay £165 for them to cancel your stay!!!!!
I've seen a lot on here, but never a company trying to charge in that way.

in_my_wellies

Life__Goes__On said:

Kevthegas said:

I booked a cottage with Sykes for the 15th of this month. I made it plain to them from the end of March that I still wished to go, But governments guidelines said NO. obviously.
I had only paid £20 deposit to them. They asked for the balance for the cottage which was £465. Or if I cancelled they wanted £165 which was the balance of the deposit. Offering me the cottage for 2021 at an increased price of £595. Nice little earner I thought there £110 price increase. I have suggested that I am more than happy to book with them for the same week in 2021 but not at this cottage. I want to go somewhere else.
They have now accused me of cancelling and want the remainder of the deposit of £165. I have pointed out that I have NOT cancelled the holiday. That to go would be have been breaking the Law. They suggested I pay the balance and then negotiate a refund. Obviously thinking I came in on the last Banana Boat. I am adamant that I will not pay them any more money. I will forgo the £20 that i have already paid as a good will gesture towards them. But that's it. 
At no point in time have they contacted me personally, it has always been via automated e-mails, that kept repeating themselves.

So they want you pay £165 for them to cancel your stay!!!!!
I've seen a lot on here, but never a company trying to charge in that way.

This ^^^^ exactly regarding my brother only he had paid the full deposit.
They (Booking .com and Sykes Cottages) said he should pay the balance and if the government (or NZ government) said he couldn't travel he could claim on his insurance. He didn't want to risk that as after all the insurance company say he should 'mitigate his loses' which paying the balance knowing he would claim goes against this. 

sharpe106

Life__Goes__On said:

So they want you pay £165 for them to cancel your stay!!!!!
I've seen a lot on here, but never a company trying to charge in that way.

Sykes gives you the option to either pay all the deposit or £20 when you make the booking, but make it clear if you cancel it the deposit owned is not the £20 but whatever they stated the deposit was at time of booking. Obviously that was in normal times. 

Life__Goes__On

sharpe106 said:

Life__Goes__On said:

So they want you pay £165 for them to cancel your stay!!!!!
I've seen a lot on here, but never a company trying to charge in that way.

Sykes gives you the option to either pay all the deposit or £20 when you make the booking, but make it clear if you cancel it the deposit owned is not the £20 but whatever they stated the deposit was at time of booking. Obviously that was in normal times. 

Sykes would certainly have grounds to chase the extra money if a person cancelled,  but chasing that money when they have cancelled!!

sharpe106

Life__Goes__On said:

sharpe106 said:

Life__Goes__On said:

So they want you pay £165 for them to cancel your stay!!!!!
I've seen a lot on here, but never a company trying to charge in that way.

Sykes gives you the option to either pay all the deposit or £20 when you make the booking, but make it clear if you cancel it the deposit owned is not the £20 but whatever they stated the deposit was at time of booking. Obviously that was in normal times. 

Sykes would certainly have grounds to chase the extra money if a person cancelled,  but chasing that money when they have cancelled!!

The OP stated that Sykes are claiming the OP cancelled the holiday not them, so they are chasing the money. So it be a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing, the payment department have probably not been told that Sykes cancelled it so are chasing the money as normal. So they need to get in touch and correct it. 

Life__Goes__On

sharpe106 said:

Life__Goes__On said:

sharpe106 said:

Life__Goes__On said:

So they want you pay £165 for them to cancel your stay!!!!!
I've seen a lot on here, but never a company trying to charge in that way.

Sykes gives you the option to either pay all the deposit or £20 when you make the booking, but make it clear if you cancel it the deposit owned is not the £20 but whatever they stated the deposit was at time of booking. Obviously that was in normal times. 

Sykes would certainly have grounds to chase the extra money if a person cancelled,  but chasing that money when they have cancelled!!

The OP stated that Sykes are claiming the OP cancelled the holiday not them, so they are chasing the money. So it be a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing, the payment department have probably not been told that Sykes cancelled it so are chasing the money as normal. So they need to get in touch and correct it. 

I never replied to the OP,  I replied to Kevthegas 

Kevthegas

With reference to  Life goes on comment.
I was supposed to pay the balance for my holiday on the 2nd April. I stopped the payment to Sykes on the basis that to the best of my knowledge, I was not going. It turned out to be totally true.
I was offered 2021 booking at no loss of money. But as I pointed out to sykes on several occasions, " I dont want to go there next year" I want to go somewhere else. They said its not transferable to another property. I did also point out to them that I did not wish to cancel the holiday, but circumstances were stopping me from going . The property owner has not lost money due to me not turning up, as they would not have been able to let it to anyone else. There standard letter to me now is that "they will actively persue payment from me within 7 days for cancelling the holiday. Via legal means if required, which could result in me incurring extra costs.    The big give away there is "ME CANCELLING THE HOLIDAY" there not listening still