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!?

And for that matter why do you think the rental companies allow you to search specifically for pet free properties only?

I've always assumed that those searches are primarily so people who want to bring pets can look only at those properties. Airbnb, for instance, seems to allow you to look only at pets allowed properties but it doesn't have a button to only let you look at pets not allowed. I think there are probably lots of owners who (like the pp getting slated upthread) allow some people/people they know to bring what they know to be well-behaved animals but have a blanket 'no pets' rule so they don't have to let in all pets.

Call their bluff Op they have changed their terms and conditions. They cannot make you pay in full just cancel. I have severe allergies to dogs etc., and your DH will have a very unpleasant time and certainly not a great holiday. The posters saying take antihistermines obviously do not realise that they just take the edge of allergies and don’t stop them. I would not take a holiday cottage that accepted pets.

Sorry, it's the first one I looked at and the one I'm most familiar with (and the biggest!). I still don't think it can be taken for granted that a cottage that doesn't accept guests' pets is entirely pet hair free. As a pp said, we don't take our cats on holiday with us but we do inevitably take plenty of cat fur...

I mean, those websites also let you select features like 'pub within one mile' or 'romantic' and I think you'd struggle to hold them legally responsible if the pub is closed or its not sufficiently romantic. Similarly I think 'pet free' is a policy, not a guarantee for allergy sufferers.

My DH is asthmatic and allergic to dogs, too. It would really annoy us if we were told of such a change. DH has other allergies as well and we've had a few holidays where he's had streaming eyes and had to use anti histamines all week.

Fexifenadine doesn’t work for me. Nor do steroid nasal sprays.

I can't speak for all service dog owners but I don't know that my friend who has an assistance dog would specifically search for pets allowed because her dog is entitled to go anywhere and isn't just a pet and it's difficult enough for her to find a wheelchair accessible cottage(We have been discussing going away together) without further restricting her search.

I agree that the OP should receive a refund or alternative accommodation.

Allergies or not I would never knowingly book somewhere that welcomes dogs and I would be furious in your position OP

The cancellation issue makes no sense to me at all - we have just had to cancel a cottage booked for June, and bar losing the £25 deposit, have not had an issue.

I would be checking the t&c's re refunds, and definitely take it higher. Ask for the details of the MD and write to them? Or ask a travel and tourism ombidsmun to step in for you (ABTA?).

Good luck but you are definitely nbu.

"Pets not allowed" means guests can't bring their pets, not "No pets have ever been here". Last year we stayed in a B&B where they didn't allow pets, because the owners own dog didn't like other dogs! The hotel we are staying in with our dog this summer has 4 dog friendly rooms and 20 odd that aren't. Surely anyone with a serious allergy would contact an establishment to check out the situation first to make sure.

Ok so after being on hold for ages again I've been waiting for 'a manager' to call me back.

They closed at 5 so I guess it's not happening today.

Second person who promised the call back was much more helpful.

We once stayed in a holiday let that we'd been led to believe was no pets- but that didn't include the owner's dog and they stayed there quite a lot.
It was really and dog smell- like wet dog- and we only lasted 1 night as DH was wheezing like crazy. Luckily we were only on a short (pre-kids) trip.

Oh and I laid in full a couple of weeks ago as I like these things out of the way as am too organised.
Checked t&c and it says I only lose deposit if I cancel with x weeks to go so their attitude isn't great.

*paid

I've worked in care with plenty of people who use wheelchairs but my friend and a neighbour are the only two I've known who have mobility assistance dogs so I can't comment on anyone else. And I have no idea what my neighbour would do.

Out of curiosity do you consider it to be inconsiderate for people with service/assistance dogs to go to cafes/restaurants where dogs aren't allowed and people with allergies may be. That's a genuine question. I'm just wondering where you draw the line

How many weeks before the holiday does it state that you can cancel and only lose the deposit?

Speaking for myself here - annoying but non life threatening dog allergy- I think that dogs (service or otherwise) coming into shops/restaurants is different to in a holiday cottage because shops and eating places don’t tend to have carpets, soft furnishings, bedding etc, all the places that dog dander can get trapped and/or near which you might be lingering (particularly things like face against a cushion, arm on an arm rest etc) in a holiday cottage. They would usually also have better ventilation.
And re service dogs I’d never blame the premises owner for allowing one to be there- it’s 100% the law and for good reason. However I might have to move away from the dog, or possibly leave. That would be my problem, and just a bad luck coincidence, not the fault of the dog user or shop owner.

@Kennehora you can't be serious. What next, blind people not allowed to go to posh restaurants or cinemas or nice clothes shops or any other place regular dogs aren't allowed because it's "not considerate"?

If you agree that's unacceptable, then I hope you'd agree that expecting service dog users to regulate where they holiday is also unacceptable.

@notwoof I'm glad you're getting it sorted - it sounds like you might lose the deposit but at least you should get most(?) of your money back. Hopefully with this length of time to go til August the manager who calls you back will also be able to refund the deposit as goodwill.

@kennehora not necessarily- depends on what we're doing on the holiday whether or not dog will come or will stay at home with friends tbh. Toddler type holiday going to amusement parks, or activities such as riding - dog will be happier at home. Pre kids climbing or scrambling or skiing, again not dog friendly, so dog friendly accommodation not required! Cars/possessions/clothes have a decent amount of hair on them though.

Also, you can always just leave the dog in the car when you're in the accommodation- done that with hotels in the past if arriving after dark and leaving before it gets too hot (plus not too cold of course...)

Big difference between a a dog ina cafe or restaurant to taking one to a home to live for a week just because you can. Someone out for a meal can easily leave and forgo their one meal, arriving at a house that you’ve paid for, for a week and having to leave because on an entitlement meaning the previous doesn’t even bother looking for pet friendly is selfish.