Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Dirty holiday cottage - what would you do?

28 replies

Holidaynamechanger · 13/08/2018 16:16

We are on holiday, on arrival the cottage was not very clean, late on Friday night, bathroom was the worst, manky, hair, pubic hair 🤮, grime, new soap placed on a dirty soap dish, toothbrush holder disgusting.

Tried phoning the office but they had gone home, so I took photos, emailed them, bought some bleach and cleaning products and cleaned! Fab (not) but I wasn’t prepared to live in the grime and DC didn’t want to take a shower.

Fast forward to today, no response by noon so I went into the office where I was advised that it wasn’t the woman’s department and someone from x department would be in touch.

They have been in touch to offer a deep clean, I don’t really want my holiday disrupted by a deep clean tomorrow and at that point I only have two days left.

I have said that I would like the money I paid for an end of let clean returned to me at the very least. No response.

What would you do? I don’t want someone in this very tiny cottage cleaning. I don’t want to have to go out if we fancy a lazy morning tomorrow and it is raining.

Not sure what I want really but I am still slightly pissed off. Example of dirt attached.

Dirty holiday cottage - what would you do?
OP posts:
MrsJonesAndMe · 13/08/2018 16:24

Urgh! We had a dirty cottage, but cleaned and let the LL know as they had cleaners who came in. Not at that level, but felt they should know that they weren't getting what they were paying for.

I'd definitely want a refund for the time and money spent. Was it booked through some sort of agency you can appeal/complain to?

OlennasWimple · 13/08/2018 16:29

If you're happy that the cottage won't be cleaned while you are there, then ask for money back as recompense for the situation you are in

Let's be honest, that place hasn't been cleaned properly for weeks and weeks

Amber0685 · 13/08/2018 16:32

Wow OK that's pretty grim. If I was the letting agent I would be giving you a full refund. No way is that a weeks missed cleaning.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Holidays
Original poster
Holidaynamechanger · 13/08/2018 16:35

Yes, Norfolk Cottages! Of course this is not up to their usual standards, etc., etc..

I have pointed out that this is not just one or two weeks of poor cleaning, it is cumulative, months I reckon, and I bet the owner would be very disappointed, I know I would be.

The shower was absolutely vile and is now gleaming, thanks to me, I have a cleaner at home!!

OP posts:
origamiwarrior · 13/08/2018 17:12

I would expect that end of clean money you've paid for returned and at least a £150 goodwill voucher from the cottage company.

I totally see why you wouldn't want a deep clean at this stage, so don't feel pressurised into accepting it in lieu of refunds.

Original poster
Holidaynamechanger · 13/08/2018 17:27

Thanks Origami. I will stick to no to a deep clean, I am here alone with DC after a completely hectic few months at work and before I have surgery in September. I just don’t want to worry about going out/getting up, etc., etc.. I just want us to do whatever we want but I didn’t know if that was slightly unreasonable after complaining.

A few more photos, obvs the last one is after I have dealt with the manky shower!

Dirty holiday cottage - what would you do?
Dirty holiday cottage - what would you do?
Dirty holiday cottage - what would you do?
OP posts:
EvaHarknessRose · 13/08/2018 17:56

Well it is a bit unreasonable to refuse the clean, though I understand your thought process. Fair enough to say ‘its too late, I’ve had to do it myself, please resolve this by refunding my cleaning fee and making a goodwill gesture.’ However, they know you’re going to give them a bad review now, so what’s in it for them...

NynaeveSedai · 13/08/2018 18:02

Jesus that's gross!!

I would expect refund of the cleaning fee plus 50% refund of the booking fee for the fact that it was so dirty and you had to clean it yourself!

Eva what would have been the point of disrupting their holiday to facilitate a deep clean when the OP had already cleaned? Ship, sailed.

Original poster
Holidaynamechanger · 13/08/2018 18:02

Their reputation perhaps? Change in process to make sure it doesn’t happen again? Supervision of cleaning staff until everyone understands what an acceptable level of cleanliness is?

Quite a lot in it for them I would say.

OP posts:
agedknees · 13/08/2018 18:07

That is disgusting. Who wants to spend their hols cleaning? You should be refunded your cleaning fee.

origamiwarrior · 13/08/2018 18:11

OMFG, your before and after of that shower is incredible. That's is appalling! (although is it a bit weird of me to think that transformation must have been very satisfying?!). I revise my opinion, you need a lot more than a goodwill voucher given the state of that house. I'd be looking for a substantial discount. I let out my cottage through an agency like the one you've booked through, and the agency are always impressing upon us owners the importance of cleanliness, and how it is the number one complaint they have to deal with. The state of that shower!

PieceOfPaper · 13/08/2018 18:35

We had a dirty holiday home last year with Cumbrian Cottages, who look to be part of the same group as Norfolk Cottages. Like you, I didn't want a cleaner coming in, and by the time they'd answered our phone call I'd already cleaned the place anyway. It clearly hadn't been cleaned properly in a while - the banisters were so dirty and sticky that they were a completely different colour by the time I'd finished! The kitchen was the dirtiest room I think, with crumbs on the surfaces, and sticky knobs on the oven. It wasn't a particularly pleasant place even once it had been cleaned, either. I can't remember all of the issues now but the shower floor was stained, some of the window frames were mouldy and, worst of all, the cupboard under the kitchen sink had a large mouldy patch - presumably from a leak that had been there for a while. You could smell it throughout the kitchen so I don't know why no one had noticed it or done anything about it.

Anyway, as we'd refused the cleaner and we had no proof of how dirty the place had been (I didn't think to take photos until it was too late), all we were offered was £50 'as a goodwill gesture'. The other issues - like the stained shower - they just said was acceptable for a property in that price bracket. They offered to send someone in the remove the mould but we just wanted to get on with our holiday, not be waiting around to let people in. Fortunately, the weather was very good so we were able to spend very little time inside.

Sorry, this has turned into an essay! I hope you get some money back so please update us!

Mishappening · 13/08/2018 18:40

Been there, done that. It was vile. We found a static caravan site and moved out; after ringing the owners to tell them what we thought of them.

It was a cottage advertised in our local parish mag - I cannot imagine how they could show their faces in the village!

He was a solicitor, so I made no attempt to get the money back - I knew he would take me to the cleaners. Bastard!

origamiwarrior · 13/08/2018 18:46

The only thing i would say is that I expect your booking terms state that in order to receive any compensation you need to report the problem immediately and give them the chance to put things right. Was the office the designated contact for the property, or is there a caretaker you should have called? (perhaps the caretaker might have arranged a deep clean sooner). If you reported it through the correct channels and they didn't respond until you chased today, I don't think they can claim you haven't given them a chance to put things right, as there is no way you could use that shower as it was; you had to clean it, and therefore should be compensated for that.

Original poster
Holidaynamechanger · 13/08/2018 20:01

Not sure Origami - I will check my paperwork but there is nothing in the guest book here.

Anyway it is done now, the bathroom is clean, the rest of it liveable and I have got three days to go. Shame though.

We are all asthmatic so an inch of grotty dust round the edge of the rooms isn’t great for any of us.

We will survive, not sure I can recommend the agent or would book with them again at this stage of the week though!

OP posts:
Effluvian · 13/08/2018 20:27

That shower is properly disgusting. You are absolutely within reason to except not to pay end of stay clean, and I'd be looking next for a refund of some of the cost too.

Violetroselily · 13/08/2018 20:35

That is utterly foul. You've done an excellent job.

KeithLeMonde · 13/08/2018 20:41

The before pictures of the shower are shocking.

Sorry to go a bit O/T but how did you get it so clean? We have a shower room which needs some TLC and whatever I try doesn't work.

Original poster
Holidaynamechanger · 13/08/2018 21:13

That was just domestos spray cleaner. I condemned an ensuite in our new house but then used HG mould and mildew remover and their professional limescale remover four times each over a weekend and it looks like new. Nasty chemicals but do the trick Keith. I would try those on tough jobs ... with a face mask and gloves as they are truly strong and noxious.

OP posts:
KeithLeMonde · 13/08/2018 21:17

Thank you for the tip! Will give it a go.

Really hope you get some joy on the refund - the state of that bathroom is dreadful. I would push hard on it not being fit for purpose.

huggybear · 13/08/2018 21:32

Ah this is crap! Will be avoiding them.

I'd be furious and demand 50% back probably!!

inquiquotiokixul · 13/08/2018 23:36

Yanbu to decline the deep clean as effectively you have already done it and don't need more holiday days spoiled by this.

They need to refund you the cleaning fee you have paid, compensate you for your time, effort and cleaning materials at professional rates, refund you for 2/7ths of the holiday rental cost for spoiled time and add at least another £100 on top of that total by way of apology.

Katedotness1963 · 14/08/2018 02:11

BTDT. I went to the local supermarket, bought loads of cleaning stuff, and spent the first day of out holiday scrubbing the place. Dirty was just one of the things wrong with the place. We left it early. Owner said she couldn’t understand it, but no-one stayed the full week...

Original poster
Holidaynamechanger · 16/08/2018 09:42

Just to update, I received a refund of £100. I think it is an acknowledgment but I don’t think it particularly generous and have responded to that effect.

I am not sure how you can be guaranteed a nice clean holiday let to be honest!

OP posts:
Gromance02 · 16/08/2018 09:44

When I arrived somewhere like this I rang the owner and said we'd be staying somewhere else until it was resolved. Sorted within 12 hours funnily enough.