Holiday in Uk

adying

I booked a holiday last year to stay in a cottage for a week in scotland on Aug 28th 2020 for a week as it coincided it with a family wedding on the 29th August.Due to the covid 19 the wedding has been cancelled so i enquired to the company as soon as we knew (May 31st ) could we transfer our booking over to another property with the company (deposit and final cost etc) due to the location to myself and my family to a property with easier travel access to us all as were based in the Midlands, London and Brighton.I was told that was fine so proceeded to get a date with would be agreeable to us all.We came up with Sept 19th so found a property in Devon and rang the company again and pre booked as they needed to inform the first property but there was no problems even finding out with Devon property we could take 3 dogs and not the stated 2 and also working out the cost of the change as only £5 difference.Since then I have rang twice as didnt want to put details in and pay deposit until first one was declared cancelled.For the last week I have tried to ring daily with only an automated message as a reply no matter when you ring.I emailed and have been told I can change dates but not properties that is the rule even though I have spoken to 4 different people with this never ever raised in conversation before.This is the stalemate now after replying and getting same reply back.I have rang sales team not open and even complaint team has same automated message which I find unbelievable.So i am left with no one to talk to about it from company and same email reply everytime.
Anybody who has views or advice would be much appreciated.

Thrugelmir

Is the company you are communicating with, the owner or the agent for the properties? 

adying

The agent they wont give me the owners details as I would try and explain to them.Im fuming that 4 different people via phone calls said I could moved my holiday to another property 

eskbanker

Never good to get conflicting verbal advice but what are the Ts & Cs for the booking regarding flexibility to change?  Feel free to name the company....

adying

The company is holidaycottages.co.uk.I wouldnt mind if when i queried they said im not sure you can do that i will ask.4 different advisor said the same to the point i have my 2nd property on my bookings so they must all have thought it within their remit to do it.Since then and 3 weeks after I asked a simple question on my booking they say my contract is with the cottage now not with then.I completely understand that but i have changed my holiday and all other 5 members of party theirs with there employees and cant change them back.Due to 4 members of staff saying its ok im now left in the lurch.They even worked out the difference of cost from transferring from one property to another fgs.

[Deleted User]

As your holiday date hasn't arrived yet and it looks more like everything will be going ahead at end of August I think you will be obliged to adhere to the terms and conditions you agreed to on booking?   Generally there is a rising scale depending on when you cancel?   Normally you would lose the booking fee at the very least?     Not sure why you were given the information you could cancel, transfer and not lose any money from four agents?    Can only think they had quickly recruited telephone staff who were not thoroughly trained?   Was this literally by mouth on phone or through an on-line chat?   If you can produce a copy of the chat it would help your case or if they say they record tell them to go back and listen to your conversations (probably won't or can't but they can't dispute you).    

How have you made a preliminary booking to another cottage?   Have you paid anything for that?   If they have a note of this then more evidence of your conversation.

So what do you do now?   No idea,  keep at them?   Only thing is IF you don't/can't do anything you may find you are going to Scotland after all?   

Searcher2

It doesn't sound right that your contract is with the cottage owner.  I am a cottage owner whose property is with Cottages.com.  The conditions with them look similar to holidaycottages.com in that bookings made for periods when the property is allowed to be open are subject to normal booking conditions e.g. you lose your deposit if you don't go.  Exceptions are made if guests who can't come e.g. vulnerable, self isolating, groups of more than 2 families sharing a property etc. but it's too early for your particular booking to claim any of that.

Looking at their website it looks like you shouldn't be entitled to move your booking.  It sounds like you have been advised incorrectly to me.

[Deleted User]

Searcher2 said:

 Exceptions are made if guests who can't come e.g. vulnerable, self isolating, groups of more than 2 families sharing a property etc. but it's too early for your particular booking to claim any of that.

.

Now THAT is really interesting Searcher2.   This has been discussed before and the general opinion was that IF the accommodation was available, the dynamics were not the concern of the agents or property owners?     Do you mean IF people are vulnerable or self isolating now or planning on being with multiple families, then cottages.com would refund for the holiday?  

Searcher2

Tedber said:

Searcher2 said:

 Exceptions are made if guests who can't come e.g. vulnerable, self isolating, groups of more than 2 families sharing a property etc. but it's too early for your particular booking to claim any of that.

.

Now THAT is really interesting Searcher2.   This has been discussed before and the general opinion was that IF the accommodation was available, the dynamics were not the concern of the agents or property owners?     Do you mean IF people are vulnerable or self isolating now or planning on being with multiple families, then cottages.com would refund for the holiday?  

I think Cottages.com are only considering this if it's within 3 weeks of the booking but this is what they say

"We still need to be mindful of guests who are considered vulnerable, shielding, have contracted COVID19, are contacted by "track & trace", would be in quarantine on arrival in this country if coming from abroad, as well as those who may have made bookings for multiple families to stay in one accommodation. in addition, any local or regional lockdowns which could prevent customers from being able to leave their homes or visit certain areas as we have seen in other countries, could also become reason to cancel.

 

In these cases, and as per the guidance issued by the Competition and Markets Authority on the 30th of April regarding consumers' right to a refund during the period of government-imposed public health measures, you, and therefore we, acting as your agent, are required to offer the option of a full cash refund in a timely manner (as well as being able to offer other options, such as a voucher or transfer of dates)."