Holiday cottage changing rules to allow pets

[notwoof]

I've got a holiday place booked for August. I always book places that don't allow pets as DH is allergic to dogs.

Email today from holiday lettings place 'good news you cottage now allows pets'!

I don't care how well they clean it if a dog has been in there before us DH will have streaming eyes all week.

So now I don't want to stay there. Rang them and they basically said tough shit, if you cancel you lose all your money.

AIBU they changed the rules therefore they should let me cancel!?

countrybump, your relatives' management of their cottage is very irresponsible.

Never mind 'someone with a severe allergy would probably know there had been a dog there.'; it could cause them serious medical problems.

Yes my 14 year old son has fexofenadine for severe hay fever, it's the only one that's helped.

I definitely think you're entitled to a refund or alternative accomodation OP. I don't mind dogs, but wouldn't want to stay somewhere pet friendly because of the potential flea issue.

can a 9 year old take fexofenadine? DD has been struggling for over a month already, and the plane tress haven't even dumped their payload yet.

(apologies for hijack, OP)

I'd assume as it's still 5 months till August that you have not paid upfront in full yet?

Most cottages want a deposit and the rest 6 weeks before arrival.

I'd refuse to pay the balance and if they refuse to refund your deposit or whatever you have paid, you tell them you are going to the small claims court and that ought to shut them up- oh, and say you will take to social media- Twitter, FBook, Radio 4 You and Yours prog, everything- to name and shame.

The house is always thoroughly cleaned after every visit, but someone with a severe allergy would probably know there had been a dog there.

Yes, perhaps by having a fatal asthma attack.

Countrybump, how selfish and stupid are you??

YANBU at all.

I hope you get it sorted out and manage to book a suitable pet free cottage. How annoying.

Can’t believe so many posters think your DH should just suck it up and take meds, if that was an option you would not have booked a pet free cottage in the first place.

It’s such a major change in the description, I can’t see how the company/cottage owner can hold you to the booking.

Good luck.

@WeepingWillowWeepingWino

I don't know. It is worth asking! Maybe he could take a half dose or something. Honestly, it is like MAGIC.

If you are unable to resolve this any other way.....

First off, I'm in the US but I assume the following is available in the UK.

I have severe hay fever & cat allergy with asthma. Antihistamines really don't touch the allergy. But what does work is Flonase (Fluticasone). It is not an antihistamine, it is a mast cell blocker. It stops the allergen from reaching the cells that trigger the allergic response. AntiHs just treat the symptoms but don't stop the allergen from getting to the mast cells. You have to start using it at least two weeks ahead of exposure and you must be absolutely faithful to the dosing schedule. It's been a real life-changer. A dear friend has a very long haired cat and it used to be that I couldn't be in her house for more than half hour before I began sneezing and wheezing. Now, I've been able to stay with her for 10 days with no problem.

For the asthma, Advair (fluticasone & salmeterol) works wonders. It has literally changed my life.

I work for a holiday cottage company (possibly the one it sounds like you’ve booked with- sounds like something they’d do )

You should be able to change to another cottage of your choice, though you would be expected to find any difference. You will also be able to cancel free of charge, as the change is not suitable to your party.

The problem with saying that someone with a severe allergy will react is you can't guarantee no dog hair in a non pet friendly cottage. We recently stayed in one. We have a dog and our clothes, coats etc have dog hairs on them. We might also visit friends with dogs and bring hairs back to a cottage.

thanks, Epanoui - listening to her struggling to breathe at bedtime is heartbreaking.

Countrybump isn’t being ignorant, but merely highlighting the fact that just because a property is advertised as not being pet friendly it doesn’t mean that no pet has ever set foot in the building.

If it was my property then I’d give you a full refund.

We rent out a property and it is properly pet free due to allergies in our family. As others have said, you should be offered a refund or an alternative as allergies can ruin a holiday.

I've seen too many places in the same location as ours where people have said they're bringing a small and well behaved dog which they then allow to sleep in the bedding and/or sofas. Even deep cleaning will never get rid of traces of animal hair or dander. I think it's gross and very unfair to do this but people unfortunately often have a very casual attitude to other people's property.

Surely they've changed the contract and you're entitled to cancel I.e. you agreed to no pets, and so did they. If you brought a pet they'd have recourse, so why don't you?

Are people really saying that they think ‘pets not allowed’ is the same as ‘guaranteed to be free of pet hair’ when they book a hotel or cottage..?

I certainly think that - why wouldn't I?

Are people really saying that they think ‘pets not allowed’ is the same as ‘guaranteed to be free of pet hair’ when they book a hotel or cottage..?

how do YOU translate a "no smoking allowed" room?

I don't think that it's ok to take pets to a holiday cottage that doesn't allow them but service dogs are exempted by law so I can see why companies may be reluctant to guarantee that a cottage is pet free as a service dog may have stayed there with its owner(s).

The other reason to avoid guaranteeing pet free is a lot of people do "animal" type things on holiday - e.g. pony trek, llama walk, farm park or whatever, or will meet up with people with dogs. The people's car boot might well be full of dog hair, and it doesn't completely wash out if they have pets at home. Nowhere would be guaranteed per hair free because you can't control where people have been. A cottage set up for a good clean after a pet might be better than somewhere pet hair should not be expected...

as a service dog may have stayed there with its owner(s).

which is fair enough, but the next renters must be able to cancel the transaction if that happens. Anyone with severe allergy normally checks beforehand, but shouldn't be liable if a pet has been there.

When the property suddenly changes advertising to welcome pets, it's ridiculous not to offer alternatives and a refund if they are not suitable.

But the owner might not even know that a service dog was going to be in attendance, and how long after it’s visit are you going to inform subsequent customers?
Being able to sub categorise ‘no pets allowed’ is not the same as the guarantee on food labels regarding allergens.
When I pick ‘no pets’ I’m thinking ‘this place won’t stink or be full of animal hair’, I’m not taking it as a guarantee though regarding my health and how i’ll react once I’m there. But I’m just as likely to start wheezing if the cleaner has used pledge, or if the property has wool carpets, or if the pillows aren’t synthetic etc so the pet thing isn’t my only concern. Basically, I’ll Medicare myself before arriving and will continue until I’m home again.
But, regarding the original post, I don’t think it’s unreasonable for the OP to get a full refund (especially considering there may not be anywhere else suitable which is vacant depending when the booking is)