When you pay over a grand to rent a 3 bed house, and you are told one of the beds has "stuff stored on it" how would you react?

[Belleende]

Leave tomorrow for a last minute seaside getaway. Booked a 3 bed house for me dp and 2dds. Owner is very odd, won't do anything over e mail, everything via long and rambly phone calls.
He seemed quite put out when I said I intended to use all the rooms, and has only yesterday mentioned that the top bunk (that my DD has her eye on) is not in action as he has "stuff stored on it".

I have a bad feeling about it, despite it saying child friendly, I don't think he wants small kids there, and I think if I object he could still cancel. But, I am a bit pissed off to not have free choice of what beds to use, especially as I had to pay £60 on top for bedding and towels. Am I being unreasonable?

Sounds like something out of broad church. He does sound odd but I would ask for a discount as your not getting what you paid for..

I stayed at a holiday cottage that was full of the owners possessions, apparently they move out every other weekend to make money. It felt very strange and the owner was a control freak, I would rather cancel than do that again.

Very strange.
I don't know why he'd have an issue with small kids being there.
If I was renting out a holiday home I'd be more worried about 3 couples coming along and turning it into a party house.
Adults are more likely to wreck the place than small kids are!

I've stayed in an AirBnB type thing where you have the option of paying a lower rate if you don't use the top floor (but can also choose to use the top floor rooms and pay more) and when we said we didn't need the top floor they said please don't attempt to as we keep bedding and other stuff stored in there. Possibly it's a similar thing just badly communicated....? (Trying to be optimistic!!)
It did have a lockable door between the top floor and the rest of the house!

How old are your kids OP? Some places say children under 6 or so shouldn't sleep on the top bunk.

Bookmarking my place to find out what's on the bed!

@WindFlower92

Bookmarking my place to find out what's on the bed!

Me too!

Dh and I rented a holiday apartment once. As we weren’t using both bedrooms, the owner locked one. I had wanted to store suitcases in there out of the way seeing as we’d paid the going rate for the place. I was pregnant at the time. What happened if I wanted separate space? Some owners are plain weird and act like you are doing them a favour.

I wouldn’t be happy with this response either. On arrival can you ask to look round with the owner then ask them to move the thing / dead body from the top bunk?

Please report back after your holiday @Belleende

@Belleende
No the house is spic and span. I will so report back. I have a horrible feeling this could turn into a saga, would be thrilled if it didn't, but bitching about it on mums net would be a bonus.

Is it wrong to say I love the OP already for this and I sort of secretly hope it's weird and the owner is all sorts of mentalist so she can report back??? (But obviously this does not include any harm to the OP's DD under the junk-bunk)

@Belleende

Also, as someone who couldn't find any available holiday houses to rent, I would prefer the reporting back be live if possible as opposed to after the event sits back and gets comfy with virtual holiday home entertainment

This sounds really odd, I'm totally here for this thread.

I’m just reading this from Surrey where I pay £950 for a one bedroom flat 😅

I’d just go, photo and move the stuff and claim that’s what I understand from the phone call, what else could he possibly have meant?! And photo whole house before touching anything. Sensible to write off the deposit though!

This is illegal if he has advertised full use of house then stated it after booking you have right to money back or him fulfilling advertisement.

@aprilfools19

I’m just reading this from Surrey where I pay £950 for a one bedroom flat 😅

Per month? I'm guessing the OP has it for a week or so?

That's such a weird place to store stuff isn't it? You'd think if there did need to be stuff stored then he'd just put it in the corner of one room or something?

Agree with the others who've said they would photo it then move it

Well the day has got off to a cracking start. Dd2 up 3 times in the night, Dd1 being a pain cue a screaming match with DP.
I have such a feeling of creeping dread about this much needed holiday.

How odd. I'm curious as to where you found this property?

@Belleende

Well the day has got off to a cracking start. Dd2 up 3 times in the night, Dd1 being a pain cue a screaming match with DP. I have such a feeling of creeping dread about this much needed holiday.

Everything crossed 🤞 @Belleende Do you have a long journey?

@Snarkastic

How old are your kids OP? Some places say children under 6 or so shouldn't sleep on the top bunk.

I was banned from sleeping on the top bunk until I was frighteningly old cos I had form for always falling out of them

Wanna know what’s on the bed too

When you arrive take a pic of stuff on bed, then move it to somewhere out of the way while you're there. Before you leave put it all back.

That would put me off. Did he not know children would be staying too?

When are you going and have you paid yet and why does it have to be the Kent coast and 3 grand isn't cheap .....

Can't imagine renting out a holiday home and thinking it was acceptable to have anything stored there, let alone on a bed!