We have just spent a week in a friend's holiday caravan, we paid the going rate (not mates rates) and a £50 damages deposit.
The van is absolutely lovely, we stayed earlier this year for a weekend too. It's set up as "autism friendly" and as our son has autism, it has been a lovely calm week.
We left the van exactly as we found it, and stripped beds, made sure it was clean and tidy so they could check in the next family quickly.
While we were staying there however, we discovered an open box of toiletries under the bed in the children's room - it contained hair dyes, razor blades, hair straighteners etc. Luckily our son hadn't had these, so we put the box in the master bedroom wardrobe, and I intended to mention it to my friend when she's back from her holiday abroad.
I received this message, this evening from her family member who is meant to be cleaning and looking after the van while she is away:
"Hello, my name is xxx and I am xxx's (random family member). She is away right now so I am looking after the caravan while she is away.
Thank you for leaving money (we left the remaining balance in an envelope for her) but there has been some damage done, a tear in the kitchen vinyl and large stains on the living area carpet and stool. Xxx will contact you on Friday when she is home."
There were no stains, and there was definitely no tear in the vinyl while we were there. We left it absolutely as it was. So I have no idea what to say or do now really. I have written a reply, but I don't want to send it in case I'm being hot headed.
This is my reply so far:
"Hi, thank you for your message.
Do you have photos of this alleged damage, because when we checked our we saw nothing amiss, and as far as we could see it was as it had been when we arrived. We certainly would have noticed if we had ripped the vinyl.
Having discussed with my partner, we wholeheartedly dispute the claim of damage, and as this is our second stay in as many weeks, we actually take offence at it because for a second time we made sure that the beds were stripped, toilets bleached, carpets hoovered, plenty of loo roll left for future guests and the van left as we found it. Including our unused and undated entertainment passes for the next guests.
I will be speaking to xx when she is home anyway about the box containing razors, hair dye and other hazardous items that was left under the bed in the children's room. This potential danger was missed by whoever was cleaning the caravan. That box is in the master bedroom wardrobe now, out of harms way."
I haven't got anything else. Am at a bit of a loss.
AIBU to have no idea what to do now? I'm anxious anyway, so this has set me off worrying if I missed these things when we left. What should I do?