Holiday and stream in garden

[Vasilisa19]

Had a few days away very recently and we picked a cottage that had a huge garden so that the kids can play out. When we arrived the woman who owned the cottage (lived next door) was very irritated with us because we hadn't told them that we had a young child with us (age 3). The reason being the garden had a stream in it. When I say stream, it was a man-made trickle that went down the garden, like a water-feature/bamboo affair.

We said 'no problem, we will be very careful'. When we went out to play the little one had to hold our hand the whole time, but we did let him put his hand in the trickle (never without us holding his hand or body). On the second day the woman came rushing out of her house shouting at us for letting our 3 year old into the garden (even though I was holding his hand). When I explained to her that we would will always hold his hand whilst we were out there she insisted that we were not allowed to play in the garden.

I know it was for good reason, but there was no mention of the stream in the advertisement, and her response was almost hysterical and aggressive. Surely bathing, taking children swimming, water play is safe as long as you are very cautious to supervise young children. It kind of spoiled the holiday a little because they weren't allowed to go out and play on the slide and swing because of scary, shouty woman.

I am probably being totally unreasonable, and just getting it off my chest really, but why have a stream in a garden you are planning on renting out to families if you are so anxious about children and water??

I'd be asking for a refund since a key feature of the property, and one that was instrumental in your choice, was not available to you.

She's scared that you'd sue her. She should have had something in the advert that said "no under 5s" or "garden will not be available if there is an under 5 in the party" or whatever. Or at least get you to sign a disclaimer that the dangers had been pointed out to you and use of the garden would be at your own risk.

She sounds a bit bonkers, i wonder if she has had a bad experience herself?
It should be mentioned in the blurb though. It will be remembered as the holiday with the horrible shouty lady.

I always give 'Owners live next door/adjoining' properties the swerve though because I would feel I was being spied on.

In 1946 my mother booked a month in a bungalow in St. Mary's Bay. My brother was 3 and a half. At the bottom of the unfenced garden was a canal. It was a nightmare. In addition the barnacle encrusted anti-invasion structures were still in place all along the beach. The one bright spot was a lovely little tea-shop in Dymchurch, where we feasted on delicious home-made cakes.

Sounds strange on her part. When you booked the holiday was there not a form to fill in with names and ages of people staying there?

Why on earth was there a swing and slide in the garden if she didn’t want children playing there (even supervised)?

"Sounds strange on her part. When you booked the holiday was there not a form to fill in with names and ages of people staying there?"

Don't remember to be sure but think it was just number of children. She certainly didn't know that a little one would be coming and was put out from the start.

If she knew about paddling pool fun we have had over the summer I think she may have fainted. Saying that, I don't known what she has experienced and I certainly didn't take it personally, just a bit irritated as it seemed so unnecessary.

Why on earth was there a swing and slide in the garden if she didn’t want children playing there (even supervised)?

She was fine with the older ones, it was because LO was so young. But because we let him put his hand in the stream we were banned from the garden.

Really weird. We rented a house in the summer which was over 10s only - it had one of those sloping grass roofs which meant you could climb right up and sit on top of the roof to stargaze or just enjoy the view. But that also meant that at the edge of the roof there was a 10 foot drop to the ground. No barriers.

We knew this when we booked the cottage. Our children are older than the minimum (just) and the owner reiterated the risk when we got the keys.

She was definitely scared you'd sue her, but a small stream like that isn't necessarily dangerous under supervision. Did you book independently or through an agent like cottages4you or sykes?

Sounds like she is scared of anything happening and getting into bother because she should have found out the ages of the children and the stream should be fenced off, I would think.

I would complain hugely. But would have told her where to go at the time.

Is there an opportunity to leave feedback ? Because I'd be doing just that .

I'm sorry you had such a nightmare OP. However, as a cottage owner, I am fed up with some of my guests and the way they and their children behave.

Our garden is shared with the guests. Whilst it is enclosed, it is not dog, toddler or wildlife-proof. Sometimes there are dead creatures on the lawn that the local fox has caught. The back gate is a 5-bar one so it is possible to get over/under/through it, but it keeps the local cattle out.

We have had no end of issues, despite making it clear in our literature and in person when guests arrive. People have let their dogs run loose there, not picking up the mess and the dogs have terrorised my own kids when they were younger. We have had people swiping fruit from the trees - they are welcome to take windfalls but not pick them off the trees. We have had kids picking up apples from the ground and lobbing them at our greenhouse, and we have had kids running on our garage roof.

I'm afraid that we probably seem quite draconian now, but it is simply because we have had so many bad experiences that we have to spell it out VERY clearly. It may be that in your case, the woman was not used to careful and respectful parents (in our experience, they are not the norm).

Could you not just state 'No under 18s and no pets' Malbec? It would save the potential problems.

I wouldn't like to share a garden with the cottage owner though, not great for privacy & relaxation.