Holiday Cottage for 4 households

kirstyrusson

we have booked a holiday cottage through holidaycottages.co.uk. The cottage sleeps 14 and we have 4 different households going. The government guidelines state that only 2 households should stay overnight but the company is sticking to the fact that cottages are now open. We do not want to go against the government guidelines and so we stand to lose over £1000 on the deposit if we cancel. They will not move the booking unless we cancel and the cottage is re-let for our dates ( end of July). We have holiday insurance with HSBC. Any ideas on how to progress this? 

[Deleted User]

 Could be different instructions at end of July kirsty.  We have similar dilemma.  Our family (21 people, 5 households) go away every year to a farmhouse.   This year scheduled for 8th August and we are all hoping to go still, possibly making our own distancing rules.   I would think if Government advice stays same, holiday cottages should offer you the chance to rebook it?    But then again will it just be 'advice' and not enforceable?      They won't commit now to anything though so think you just have to wait and see what is happening in 4 weeks.

kirstyrusson

Thanks for the reply. They want the balance paid by 3rd of July. So it’s a bit of a risk to wait and see if the guidelines change.

sheramber

Phone the travel insurance and ask about claiming. If the policy is only for your family then any claim will only be for your share of the cost.Tho other families will have to claim on their insurance.

ratechaser

This will all be down to what your insurance will be prepared to cover - you have no recourse against the cottage company if the property is available because it's not their issue that you have multiple family groups intending to use it. 

[Deleted User]

kirstyrusson said:

Thanks for the reply. They want the balance paid by 3rd of July. So it’s a bit of a risk to wait and see if the guidelines change.

Oh I see so if you don't pay the balance then you are cancelling and will forefit whatever the t's and c's dictate?   Have you checked to see exactly what you will lose if you cancel now as could be more than just the deposit?

kirstyrusson

Just checked this and we’re fine up to 22 days before we are due to go. This is a special Covid 19 amendment.

kirstyrusson

Latest update: we decided to pay for the cottage and only take 2 households rather than take the risk of losing the deposit. However, when we logged on to pay, the booking had gone and the cottage is now available to rent over the week that we had booked. We had to pay before July the 3rd but this happened on July 1st. There was no communication from holidaycottages.co.uk and the live chat is now offline. They have not answered our emails for 2 days. Non of our emails told them to cancel, we only discussed how we were to get the deposit moved to a new date. They then told us that we would have to cancel and only if the cottage was re-let would we be able to move the deposit. If they have cancelled our booking without agreement from us what rights do I now have?

[Deleted User]

You'd have the right to get your money back.

[Deleted User]

Absolutely agree with previous.  Sounds like the agent got the wrong end of stick.   Asking what the penalties would be is not cancelling.  Keep trying to get in touch with them and then if you hear nothing within a reasonable time apply for a chargeback on the card you used.  You can send all the emails as proof that they acted without your instructions and made it impossible to get in touch with them to clarify it.