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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:
mouldyhousemouldylife · 29/04/2019 19:27

This is shocking! Yanbu. Hope you get a refund easily. You should be entitled to one either way. I'd fight it.

Movinghouseatlast · 29/04/2019 19:29

I'm pretty sure they wont be members of ABTA...

Anyhow, Yes they should offer you a refund. Or make sure the building work doesn't happen at all while you are there. Both of which will cost them.

I have a cottage next to my house and we don't even mow the lawn when people are there!

Where are you going? Is it just for 2? We are empty next week (from Monday) so I reckon lots of other cottages will be empty too. Put your dates into Air BnB if they give the money back.

woolduvet · 29/04/2019 19:30

Try to ring using a different number. See if they're dodging your call.

Disfordarkchocolate · 29/04/2019 19:41

Good idea woolduvet try acting like a new booking is a different number, email address and see if they reply.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 29/04/2019 19:48

Another vote for woolduvet's idea ...

TheTrollFairy · 29/04/2019 19:53

I would be majorly ducked off if this happened.
Totally unacceptable for you to have to put up with this. You’re going on holiday, there is no guarantee that you’ll be out between 10-4 to avoid the noise and the owners should know if

CaptainBrickbeard · 29/04/2019 20:01

No one could think it’s reasonable to have building work going on in a holiday property during a holiday. No way!

Elphame · 29/04/2019 20:11

I have a holiday cottage and in this circumstance I would offer the option to cancel with a full refund. You'd have known about it long before now though.

6 days notice is appalling.

JonSlow · 29/04/2019 20:14

Or name and shame them on here, and let the wonders of mumsnet do its worst

cushioncovers · 29/04/2019 20:17

Is it emergency work that absolutely needs to be carried out?? If not then they are being CF's. I would insist that all work stops for the time that you are in the cottage.

Flowerplower · 29/04/2019 20:18

I would be furious, if you booked through a holiday cottages website I would contact the website and let them know what's going on. Hopefully they will put pressure on the owners as it won't be good for their reputations either.

Original poster
Idolikeanicepieceofcake · 29/04/2019 20:20

Thank you all! Gave me the confidence to ask for a full refund, told them it was unacceptable. And they eventually rang me back and have offered a full refund.

OP posts:
BaaBaaBaaMoo · 29/04/2019 20:22

Well done! Hope you find a lovely alternative.

TheCouncilDestroyedMyWall · 29/04/2019 20:22

I'm glad they're refunding you, what cheeky mares!

cushioncovers · 29/04/2019 20:22

Well done op.

dreamingofsun · 29/04/2019 20:24

good glad its worked out but sad its been a bit stressful. I was going to say its not just about noise - you presumably would have builders going in and out of the house - so there would be security implications too - what would happen if you valuables got nicked.

SihtricsHorseWitnere · 29/04/2019 20:29

So, so very glad you got a refund! Hope you can find another place to stay. They were really chancing their arm. What a pair of twats.

specterlitt · 29/04/2019 20:31

You would not be unreasonable at all to cancel and ask for your money back. The conditions under which you booked your break have now changed and it is because of them. I would explain this and ask them to refund your money and that you are of course disappointed but it is the right thing for you and your family.

There is no reason they would not offer a refund as mentioned above, they're the ones who have made changes that you have only now been told.

Good luck with this, I hope it works out for you and that you do manage a peaceful break eventually.

WordInYourShellLike · 29/04/2019 20:32

As it's not school holidays at the moment, you might be able to find some lovely places at short notice. I really hope you do and have a lovely restful holiday. Well done on getting your refund!

specterlitt · 29/04/2019 20:32

Ah, I missed your update. I'm so glad you got the refund! Now here's hoping you have a wonderful break that you can enjoy fully.

MotherOfGodFella · 29/04/2019 20:33

Phew well done op. Hope you find somewhere else that’s suitable.

IncrediblySadToo · 29/04/2019 20:35

I hope they actually refund you the money today...have you asked them to?

I hope you can find somewhere else to go that you like the look of.

I cannot believe that they did this! Unreal. Fecking idiots.

Talkingfrog · 29/04/2019 20:44

Glad you are getting a refund. I would still be tempted to put a review on their Facebook page or trip advisor as it may warn others due after you they may not have told yet.
To he doing an extension would have taken planning so they would have known for a whilw. I think they waited in purpose in the hop you would think it too late to book elsewhere and do still go.
Where were you looking to go as someone may be able to suggest somewhere else.

Drochaid · 29/04/2019 20:47

Well done, hope you get something else booked

HolidayLetter · 29/04/2019 20:53

@idolikeanicepieceofcake Holiday lettings are my job, as the username suggests.

It is interesting to read all the responses to this, not least as there is clear hostility to people who let out properties.

I, however, can see it from both sides. It is absolutely wrong for posters to be saying that people who let holiday properties are CFs for having work done. If work needs doing, I am absolutely not a CF for going ahead and having it done. However, it's also absolutely wrong for guests to have to deal with the disturbance of these works, if that doens't suit them. For some guests, it's fine as they don't have to deal with this stuff at home and are out during the day. But others might find it more difficult. There is no way for the owner to know which camp their guests fall into, if their guests don't tell them (rather than putting it on MN).

OP, my advice is to contact the owners and explain your situation. If someone explained to me that their main aim was to get away from builders and sent me a kind message to this effect, I'd postpone the builders. I know, from the other side, that builders are buggers and come when they choose - but if you have holiday let properties, that's part of the deal, and you have to negotiate your own needs with those of your guests. Please don't throw in the towel without giving the owner a chance to make it right. If the owner ignores you and turns out to be a CF, that is of course a completely different matter!

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