Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Holiday From Hell - Live

359 replies

Bartlebum · 15/03/2024 17:30

Please help!

It's my nan's 80th birthday and we have arranged for 29 of us to come to North Devon for a weekend to celebrate. Arrived at 3pm to boiler faults in our cottage, no heating and no hot water. Immediately reported and the owner did not reply.

We have seven cottages in total and as everyone arrived we realised all of them are out, so we checked the gas tanks for the whole property and they are empty.

I have been calling the booking agent we went through who said they won't deal with this guy anymore as he has had nothing but complaints, so have terminated the contract.

As we paid them I have asked them to sort it so they said they will do what they can to get in touch with him.

It's been 2.5 hours and no progress. 29 people, two elderly, 7 children and one with a disability. I have asked them to find alternative accomodation but they said its not on them, it's on the owner of the property who is not contactable.

I don't know what to do. There is no one on site as it was all done via key codes. The owner lives several hours away in London, we are freezing and can't begin celebrating my nan turning 80 on what should have been an amazing occasion. We literally stayed here two years ago and had the most amazing time but it's changed hands and not been maintained to any standard.

Anyone been in a similar situation? I've been nice to the agents and I don't want to kick off but I can't believe they won't help me.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
14
StarlightLady · 18/03/2024 18:56

RecklessGoddess · 18/03/2024 18:39

So sorry that you're all in such a crappy situation, I have been listening to the JVS show on Three Counties radio long enough to know, that if you booked through an agent, your contract is with them, not the owner. Therefore it is THEIR responsibility to sort out replacement accommodation, ESPECIALLY since they let it out to you knowing full well that they have had nothing but complaints. If you are from the Three Counties, try giving JVS a ring and he will help you sort it out, even if it's just a full refund.

Contract law is not that straightforward. It depends on the status of the agent and the wording of the contract between all parties, which may specify responsibilities. There is no “standard” agent contract.

The OP is back now, so maybe we will hear how she gets on.

RecklessGoddess · 18/03/2024 18:39

So sorry that you're all in such a crappy situation, I have been listening to the JVS show on Three Counties radio long enough to know, that if you booked through an agent, your contract is with them, not the owner. Therefore it is THEIR responsibility to sort out replacement accommodation, ESPECIALLY since they let it out to you knowing full well that they have had nothing but complaints. If you are from the Three Counties, try giving JVS a ring and he will help you sort it out, even if it's just a full refund.

WorkingFromHomeShite · 18/03/2024 18:06

MrsMikeHeck · 18/03/2024 16:25

Im not proud of the fact that I’m still in this rabbit hole.

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/north-devon-families-forced-out-6763549

That was two years ago, is that when he bought the ten cottages too? Did he suddenly buy all these properties? What was he doing before that? How come he has so many properties if he’s so rubbish at managing them?

I have so many questions.

CrashyTime · 18/03/2024 17:22

Nily4567 · 18/03/2024 10:20

My to add insult to injury but Londoners, out of area air b&b owners etc are a blight on Devon - absolute parasites

A lot of overleveraged AirBnb will likely go bust as the era of cheap money draws to a close, good news all round really, anyone with the money for a weekend piss up can just stay at Travelodge, at least the staff there will tell them to shut up when they start disturbing other people?

HowDoWeDoThisPlease · 18/03/2024 17:18

MrsMikeHeck · 18/03/2024 16:25

Im not proud of the fact that I’m still in this rabbit hole.

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/north-devon-families-forced-out-6763549

Oh my god. He just goes around ruining peoples holidays, lives, anything, while giving zero fucks and apparently doing no work at all. How isn’t he being investigated? Unbelievable.

MrsMikeHeck · 18/03/2024 16:37

A few of the flats in this building were listed on holiday cottage sites, but are not currently taking bookings. It’s possible that those holiday rentals were from previous owners.

Anyway, it’s currently up for sale

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/143696375

Check out this 15 bedroom character property for sale on Rightmove

15 bedroom character property for sale in Borough Road, Combe Martin, EX34 for £1,650,000. Marketed by Phillips, Smith and Dunn, Braunton

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/143696375

Nily4567 · 18/03/2024 11:47

EveryDayIsASchoolDayOnMN · 18/03/2024 11:02

Bet their money isn't a blight though... I wonder if Devonians ever say no to that?

Shops/ restaurants/ cafes/ arcades/ tourist attractions all happy to take the money, and then complain

some do, a lot don’t - rock up in their w*nker wagons stuffed with food bought back at home… contribute very little, but cause a lot of issues …

EveryDayIsASchoolDayOnMN · 18/03/2024 11:02

Nily4567 · 18/03/2024 10:20

My to add insult to injury but Londoners, out of area air b&b owners etc are a blight on Devon - absolute parasites

Bet their money isn't a blight though... I wonder if Devonians ever say no to that?

Shops/ restaurants/ cafes/ arcades/ tourist attractions all happy to take the money, and then complain

Nily4567 · 18/03/2024 10:20

Bartlebum · 15/03/2024 17:30

Please help!

It's my nan's 80th birthday and we have arranged for 29 of us to come to North Devon for a weekend to celebrate. Arrived at 3pm to boiler faults in our cottage, no heating and no hot water. Immediately reported and the owner did not reply.

We have seven cottages in total and as everyone arrived we realised all of them are out, so we checked the gas tanks for the whole property and they are empty.

I have been calling the booking agent we went through who said they won't deal with this guy anymore as he has had nothing but complaints, so have terminated the contract.

As we paid them I have asked them to sort it so they said they will do what they can to get in touch with him.

It's been 2.5 hours and no progress. 29 people, two elderly, 7 children and one with a disability. I have asked them to find alternative accomodation but they said its not on them, it's on the owner of the property who is not contactable.

I don't know what to do. There is no one on site as it was all done via key codes. The owner lives several hours away in London, we are freezing and can't begin celebrating my nan turning 80 on what should have been an amazing occasion. We literally stayed here two years ago and had the most amazing time but it's changed hands and not been maintained to any standard.

Anyone been in a similar situation? I've been nice to the agents and I don't want to kick off but I can't believe they won't help me.

My to add insult to injury but Londoners, out of area air b&b owners etc are a blight on Devon - absolute parasites

Trapunt0 · 18/03/2024 09:40

My understanding is it's "on" whoever you paid money to as that forms your contract.
There must be a legal person on here who can verify this.
Good luck

OhcantthInkofaname · 18/03/2024 03:54

I hope Bartlebum comes back and tells us what a great time they had.

Bartlebum · 18/03/2024 00:03

Sorry the image dropped off!

Holiday From Hell - Live
OP posts:
Bartlebum · 18/03/2024 00:02

@MrsMikeHeck you reminded me of this review I found for our agents. In the sea of mostly positive experiences I sorted by lowest and lo and behold who appears...

The other low reviews were those that had stayed at... You guessed it!

OP posts:
MrsMikeHeck · 17/03/2024 22:33

Owners reply on Trip Advisor to a bad review last year.

edit - sorry, I uploaded in wrong order

Holiday From Hell - Live
Holiday From Hell - Live
Holiday From Hell - Live
MrsMikeHeck · 17/03/2024 22:23

I just took a closer look around that second property’s review and was pleased to see it is near Frensham Ponds - a place I had only heard of on the fantastic Balonz baby name thread here.

WorkingFromHomeShite · 17/03/2024 20:00

MrsMikeHeck · 17/03/2024 18:19

Amazing. He could make a fortune of this and the other ones presumably. Or sell them and have less of a headache. Weird.

Speckybecky123 · 17/03/2024 19:39

Think there probably home now so not sure why people are still commenting 😂

Crispypops · 17/03/2024 19:11

Yet, he brags about taking tenants to court for unpaid rent. I can't imagine he's a great landlord!

ladycarlotta · 17/03/2024 18:46

MrsMikeHeck · 17/03/2024 18:19

this is WILD! How can it have all the same issues as the Devon cottages but in miniature?! I kind of thought with the place OP stayed it sounded like they'd bitten off more than they could chew and run out of money, but it sounds like this is just their MO. Broken dishwasher, rubbish and debris lying around inside and out, dog poo, dangerous play equipment, general dirty state etc etc... what is going on?!

Plus his ridiculous gaslighting replies re 'if you'd mentioned this during your stay we could have fixed it easily' erm, no, Colin, you clearly couldn't or wouldn't, given that every single other review mentions the same issue and you've done nothing about it.

SMH!!!!!

WorkingFromHomeShite · 17/03/2024 17:58

MrsMikeHeck · 17/03/2024 17:48

So I’m getting comfortable and climbing to the rabbit hole that is the owners other businesses.

Sharing is caring apparently.

MrsMikeHeck · 17/03/2024 17:48

So I’m getting comfortable and climbing to the rabbit hole that is the owners other businesses.

CrashyTime · 17/03/2024 17:17

Loved the line about starting to burn furniture if something didn"t start happening, that was fucking funny, LOL, still laughing now.

AnaMaeve · 17/03/2024 16:49

Oh I so wish there was a ‘OP turned off comments’ button, save this going round and round.

It is Sunday, the OP’s weekend is finished. She does not require advice as she was moved to a MANSION by the agent.

Read the thread - or at least click for the OP’s updates.

Swipe left for the next trending thread