park dean ty mawr holiday from hell

Hi there, i have trying to chase a refund from park dean but keep getting fobbed off. has anyone else managed to get anything back from the robbing wotsits?! Any hints and tips?


if i draw a blank i will try and claim via the credit card i used, but i want to try and make progress first!


thanks!
Finally stopped lurking and took the MSE leap!
Always on the look out for a bargain and freebies!
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Comments

  • taz10
    taz10 Posts: 15 Forumite
    well so far they have tried to buy me off with a £100 refund on a £300 holiday... still pushing for more!
    Finally stopped lurking and took the MSE leap!
    Always on the look out for a bargain and freebies!
  • Vectis
    Vectis Posts: 692 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    It might help if you actually said what the problem was with Park Dean.
  • taz10
    taz10 Posts: 15 Forumite
    my review of the place:


    Where to start. Night 1 - angry drunk man threatened me and mine. Another pair of delightful "creatures" who were camping without permission or a booking in our corner decided to start threatening to go through everyone's tents. Security were too scared to do anything- and I can't blame them. None of "security" had started shaving yet, let alone be capable of dealing with drunk muppets like that. Instead we lay awake all night watching over our kids. Night 2... exhaustion won after the night before and we passed out. Night 3 and new neighbours arrived. We were a little concerned at the language and volume but ignored them. All seemed quiet so we decided to put the bank holiday madness behind us and enjoy the rest of our holiday. Night 4 and the new neighbours took things to a new level. Think the most over the top episode of shameless ever, times by 100 and add a few more 000's and you've got them nailed. Wow. Kids and adults swearing and singing, revving engines, blaring car horns and urinating on people's cars from 1.30am to 4am. We were all set to pack up and come home early. But luckily they were leaving so we tried to make the most of what was left of the least relaxing holiday ever. Where was security?!?! Apparently it is up to others to summon security if they are needed. Really?!?!?? I was too scared to even move at times, never mind put a light on to find the phone number. Our last night.... more new neighbours and more all night swearing and carrying-in only this time I lay there listening to kids being whalloped by drunk parents. I have never packed up a tent so fast as we did the next morning.

    So, the facilities. Most nights the toilets just didn't work, never any loo roll, overflowing rammed toilet bowls as the feral kids had put Christ knows what down them, only 5 showers which were filthy and 3 sinks for 400 tents to wash up in. The tents are rammed in far too close together which is a huge fire risk and the caravans are also on top of each other. We've camped many times and this was just so bad we just ended up laughing about it.

    We tried to complain and were told off for not calling security ourselves. This is the worst cop out ever and disgraceful. Park dean you should be ashamed of the way you run that place. It is a huge accident - or worse - waiting to happen.

    Now we are home I am an anxious, exhausted and emotional mess. Thanks for ruining our holiday with your ram-em-in-leaves-em-to-it attitude.
    Finally stopped lurking and took the MSE leap!
    Always on the look out for a bargain and freebies!
  • LadyDee
    LadyDee Posts: 4,293 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    There are some very similar remarks on Trip Advisor, and do mention the toilets and drunks. I'd have looked elsewhere. Have you actually told them how much you think you should receive as a refund.
  • TBagpuss
    TBagpuss Posts: 11,203 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Name Dropper
    What, specifically, have you asked for?
    I think it is unlikely that you would be entitled to a full refund, you did stay foe the full time, from your description.
    I can understand that you didn't feel able to call security at the time, but did you contact them the following morning to report what had happened? Did you contact anyone about the state of the facilities?
    After the first bad night, did you ask to be moved to a different pitch, away from the problem guests?

    In other words, what steps did you take to let the park know, while there was still time for them to address the issue, what was wrong?

    What have you said to them that you want them to do to address the situation?
    All posts are my personal opinion, not formal advice Always get proper, professional advice (particularly about anything legal!)
  • taz10
    taz10 Posts: 15 Forumite
    i did try to report the issue to park at the time, they simply told us to call security or get our own back by being noisy while they were sleeping! i want a full refund. i did check the reviews but when we booked they weren't as bad - it seems to have plummeted in the last 6 months. the park was that overcrowded there is no way we could have moved - it was rammed beyond full and our tent is not small....
    Finally stopped lurking and took the MSE leap!
    Always on the look out for a bargain and freebies!
  • Sounds like all you can do now is absolutely slate them on Trip Advisor and advise people generally not to go near them.

    I betcha they'll make a remark back on TA - to the effect of "We're wonderful and everybody else loves us so much. You're wrong" - but just ignore it if they do.
  • eamon
    eamon Posts: 2,319 Forumite
    Photogenic First Post First Anniversary
    Just skimmed some Trip Adviser reviews. Sounds like a site management & staffing issue. But in 2018 camping/caravan sites live and die by their facilities, there isn't really any excuse for getting this bit wrong. Many sites get it right.
  • LittleMax
    LittleMax Posts: 1,406 Forumite
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    I doubt you will get anything back. They know you won't come back and stay with them again, so no reason for them to offer you any discount. If you were to pursue a case through the courts they will blame everytjing you complain about on your fellow campers, they will say they did eveything they could to manage the situation. Doubt you will win any claim. Just chalk it down to experience, make sure you put reviews of the site on all the common review websites and check the same websites before you bookin future.
  • Enterprise_1701C
    Enterprise_1701C Posts: 23,409 Forumite
    Photogenic First Anniversary First Post Mortgage-free Glee!
    edited 21 June 2018 at 8:22AM
    Another one that thinks it is unlikely that you will get anything back, they will state that the drunkenness etc is not their fault.

    That said, the facilities are certainly worthy of complaint, along with the attitude of the staff.

    Try contacting the ceo: There is a website called www. ceoemail. com (without the spaces - for some reason seems to be banned on here, look up Park Dean and it will give you the information you need to contact the right people

    Send him a rational email with all the relevant details and see what happens.
    What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare
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