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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Should they give a refund and let us cancel?

142 replies

Idolikeanicepieceofcake · 29/04/2019 16:08

I booked a holiday for next week a year in advance for a dog-friendly, quiet, rural cottage. It was meant to be a week of peace and quiet for us after enduring 7 months of building work from the house nextdoor. We are due to go this Saturday.
Yesterday the people who rent it emailed me to say that there would be building work going on during the time of our break, but they have asked the builders to refrain from doing their noisier work before 10am or after 4pm. That to me says that there will be noisy building work between 10am and 4pm, the time that we would have been enjoying the garden/having bbq/reading/sunbathing weather permitting.
I am really upset because it cost a lot of money, and I do not want to go on what should be a peaceful getaway and spend the whole time with building work in the background. They also have only given us 6 days notice that this will be happening!
Do you think that I would be unreasonable to ask for a complete refund so that I can try and salvage this one precious week of annual leave?

OP posts:
BumbleBeee69 · 29/04/2019 16:35

YADNBU OP... this is awful Flowers

NorthEndGal · 29/04/2019 16:36

Rotten luck OP, I hope they respond soon

Ellie56 · 29/04/2019 16:37

Yes totally unacceptable OP. Not only will it be noisy, but dirty and dusty and intrusive.

Did you pay by credit card?

ChandelierSail · 29/04/2019 16:39

Totally unacceptable. You should ask for a refund now. I hope you can find something else at such short notice.

outvoid · 29/04/2019 16:39

YANBU. Hopefully they respond soon and refund you.

JudgeRindersMinder · 29/04/2019 16:42

YANBU at all. I’ll bet they’re not returning your call because they know damn fine that what they’ve landed on you is unacceptable

Troels · 29/04/2019 16:42

I hope you paid with a credit card.
I'd email No this is not alright. I booked this due to having to endure building work next door. I will not listen to any building work at all when I'm trying to relax in a quiet place. I expect and immediate and full refund. Contact me right away.

Disfordarkchocolate · 29/04/2019 16:42

That sounds awful. If I was having an extension I'd want to be away from the noise not go on holiday to hear it all day. Cheeky buggers expecting you to pay to put up with the noise and mess!!

Cryalot2 · 29/04/2019 16:43

How awful, they are way out of order.
Send them a message on Facebook telling them unless they refund you immediately you will be forced to go to the media
Meanwhile I hope you get something else booked.

HollowTalk · 29/04/2019 16:43

They're completely in the wrong. You could try contacting them on their FB page rather than in a private message.

IrisAtwood · 29/04/2019 16:44

They’ve given you six days notice hoping to ‘bounce’ you into accepting this shoddy service.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 29/04/2019 16:45

Not even enough time to book and alternative airbnb or anything

That's doubtless why they left it so late to let you know and why they're not answering their phone - sheer greed I'm afraid, and CFs without a doubt

If it was a holiday company this would certainly count as a "major change" and spark a refund, but I'm not sure how it works with a private rental. Anyway I wouldn't be going - "noisier work" is subjective and there'd be little comeback unless you're prepared to spend a stressful week recording it. Just tell them that and be prepared to use the Small Claims route if they refuse to refund you

SimplyPut · 29/04/2019 16:47

YANBU at all!

HotSpotSpot · 29/04/2019 16:47

YANBU

NorthernRunner · 29/04/2019 16:47

They are probably ignoring for this reason.
Did you book on credit card?
I would be fitting tooth and nail to get my money back!

GoodbyePiccadilly · 29/04/2019 16:48

This happened to us regarding a stay in Aldeburgh. We booked via a company and got an alternative place because there would be road works outside. You absolutely can't stay in a house with building works going on. They are surely breaking the law at this point.

Honeyroar · 29/04/2019 16:50

Yanbu. They know that too. I hope you can sort it.

Ellie56 · 29/04/2019 16:50

I am outraged on your behalf OP. Who wants to be sitting in the garden listening to builders shouting, drilling and banging, and if you're really unlucky, seeing the flash of builders' bottoms? Bleurgh.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 29/04/2019 16:50

Oh, and be prepared for them to downplay the work that's being done as soon as you bring up a refund. "It's absolutely nothing really, but we just wanted to mention it" Hmm

All in all it's a good job they used that phrase about "noisier work" ... did the advert mention peace and quiet?

ShaggyRug · 29/04/2019 16:51

Not unreasonable. I work in travel and generally the rule for renovation work is to allow free cancellation or provide same standard alternative at no extra cost. In your case full refund. In addition we’d be expected to notify people as soon as building work is known about. Not 6 days before.

BrexitBirgit · 29/04/2019 17:01

YANBU!!
We had/have a similar issue. Booked autumn 18 for August 2019. Last week (mid April) they emailed me saying that the neighbours' building works might overrun into August (they were supposed to be long finished) and they could not be sure we would not be inconvenienced. So they offered us options:

  1. Full refund
  2. Rebooking to another of their cottages
  3. Keep the booking with a 10% (was it 20?)discount, however we would then not have any right to complain about normal building disturbance.

We didn't want to risk it and availability was good so we rebooked, though I'm gutted on missing out on that particular property.

sam221 · 29/04/2019 17:01

If you are unable to contact the host, then I would get in touch with booking platform. Most have help desks and phone numbers are available online. Keep all correspondence and check your initial booking details about cancellations policies in place. All the best.

downcasteyes · 29/04/2019 17:10

YADNBU. You can't expect to rent a cottage during building work! They are CF! Shock

TheInvestigator · 29/04/2019 17:11

If you had booked a package holiday through an ABTA member then you would be entitled to a full refund due to the work being an extension rather than simply repairs.

This is a different situation with them being (I assume) independent but I would send them an email explaining that you booked for the quiet enjoyment and their extension means you will no longer get that holiday. I would tell them that the industry standard in this situation is to offer a full refund and I would expect no less from them given that they advertise tranquil breaks in relaxing accommodation (use whatever similar words they use in their adversiting) which they are no longer providing.

soulrunner · 29/04/2019 17:18

Hang on! The building work is actually on the house you’re staying in? Or is it s neighbours building work? Bad either way but the first scenario beggars belief.

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