Cottages.com refund?

pete1412009

Hi all,

Some friends from the US were planning to visit over Easter so I booked a holiday apartment through cottages.com in their home town in Yorkshire so we could meet up. Unfortunately I have just found out that they have been unable to make it due to illness. This is one day before our stay.

I suspect the answer is 0%, but is there any chance of getting a refund for this? My family and I have no reason to visit if our friends are not there.

The booking was only made a week ago and was paid in full so I assume I will lose it all. Just seems so unfair.

cymruchris

Did they take out any travel insurance cover? They might have a claim on it if they did - but I imagine the water might be muddied if you made the booking.

You could approach cottages.com to see what the options are - they might allow you to reschedule. (I haven't seen their terms and conditions)

cymruchris

I've just had a quick look at their website - and they offer cancellation insurance at the time of purchase - did you purchase this? If not it would seem from the terms and conditions - depending on how long it is until your break starts that you'd lose 95 percent of your full payment.

pete1412009

Sorry I wasn’t clear - the apartment was for my family to stay in and not my friends. They were staying with one of their parents. As we are not now able to meet up, there is no reason for me and my family to make the trip.

I have contacted the owner of the apartment but no response yet.  Want to avoid being £450 out of pocket if at all possible.

Hoenir

Unfortunately disinclination to travel isn't something your own travel insurance will cover. Might as well make use of the property and have a break. 

cymruchris

pete1412009 said:

Sorry I wasn’t clear - the apartment was for my family to stay in and not my friends. They were staying with one of their parents. As we are not now able to meet up, there is no reason for me and my family to make the trip.

I have contacted the owner of the apartment but no response yet.  Want to avoid being £450 out of pocket if at all possible.

The issue with your friends isn't the owner of the cottages issue though sadly. By you booking it - they haven't booked it to anyone else. The reasons you do or don't want to make the trip aren't relevant. You booked it - someone else couldn't book it - the owner shouldn't lose out for your change of mind. (Probably not what you want to hear). So no, in this case, either take the trip and get what you paid for (friends there or not) - or stay home and lose the money.

Placitasgirl

With just one day before your stay it's highly unlikely the owners of the property would be able to relet it, so they would be £450 out of pocket if they refunded you. 

Even with insurance I'm not sure you'd be able to claim as it's not one of your party that has been taken ill. Why not travel anyway and make the best of the break? 

pete1412009

cymruchris said:

pete1412009 said:

Sorry I wasn’t clear - the apartment was for my family to stay in and not my friends. They were staying with one of their parents. As we are not now able to meet up, there is no reason for me and my family to make the trip.

I have contacted the owner of the apartment but no response yet.  Want to avoid being £450 out of pocket if at all possible.

The issue with your friends isn't the owner of the cottages issue though sadly. By you booking it - they haven't booked it to anyone else. The reasons you do or don't want to make the trip aren't relevant. You booked it - someone else couldn't book it - the owner shouldn't lose out for your change of mind. (Probably not what you want to hear). So no, in this case, either take the trip and get what you paid for (friends there or not) - or stay home and lose the money.

Yes I thought this might be the case. Don’t have a leg to stand on here.

cymruchris

pete1412009 said:

cymruchris said:

pete1412009 said:

Sorry I wasn’t clear - the apartment was for my family to stay in and not my friends. They were staying with one of their parents. As we are not now able to meet up, there is no reason for me and my family to make the trip.

I have contacted the owner of the apartment but no response yet.  Want to avoid being £450 out of pocket if at all possible.

The issue with your friends isn't the owner of the cottages issue though sadly. By you booking it - they haven't booked it to anyone else. The reasons you do or don't want to make the trip aren't relevant. You booked it - someone else couldn't book it - the owner shouldn't lose out for your change of mind. (Probably not what you want to hear). So no, in this case, either take the trip and get what you paid for (friends there or not) - or stay home and lose the money.

Yes I thought this might be the case. Don’t have a leg to stand on here.

Why not go for the trip anyway and enjoy a few days somewhere else and make the most of it? Might be a change from the four walls at home, and you were planning on going anyway.

Hoenir

pete1412009 said:

I have contacted the owner of the apartment but no response yet.  Want to avoid being £450 out of pocket if at all possible.

The apartment owner will be out of pocket. You've provided no notice of cancellation. Not enough time to try and relet the property. 

pete1412009

The owner doesn’t seem so bothered. They said that all of their bookings activity is managed via cottages.com, and I would need to contact them for a refund. However I will be outside of the cancellation period in their Ts and Cs now.