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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Hotel threatening to sue us for bad review

674 replies

Itsalongwayto · 08/09/2020 19:44

Unashamedly posting in AIBU for traffic. We stayed in a truly dreadful place over the August BH weekend. I wrote to the owner afterwards expressing our displeasure and with a long list of complaints including unsecure blind pulls, a trampoline with no safety net, water features with no warning, general filth and 1980s decor (I expect more at £300/night). Additionally one of the curtain poles fell down on my head. He wrote back ignoring most of my points but stating that he was disappointed that I hadn’t said thank you to them for fixing the curtain pole so quickly Shock. I submitted a review on reevoo and Tripadvisor, neither of which have been published yet......but he has emailed threatening to sue us if we don’t take our review down (I’m assuming he has been sent a preview). We have photographs of everything except the awful smell.
I’m assuming it’s safe to just ignore and block? I’m not taking my review down.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
20
alexdgr8 · 23/09/2020 17:24

it's not a HSE issue, they deal with workers' safety, although i guess it's not much fun for his workers either.
but very low priority, for a drastically cut service, see the leicester sweat shop scandal.
however you should report it to environmental health at the local council. emphasise the serious safety issues for users; crumbling ceilings, rampant mold, imposs to distance in gym.
they are also underfunded but its a start. good luck.

LolaSmiles · 23/09/2020 17:42

His reply is quite concerning given he's shared personal information about the OP.

It's really odd that someone who is keen to bully others into silence objects to people discussing information that's in the public arena seems to think nothing of trying to launch personal attacks on anyone who doesn't cower before his threats.

Reading his replies to negative reviews, seeing what the OP has received and seeing what is in the press and it doesn't take much to generate a rather negative impression of this business owner. Unfortunately, he seems to think people's opinions are formed by the OP of this thread when in reality it's his public conduct that is tarnishing his reputation.

rosiethehen · 23/09/2020 18:22

The responses he gives to people's criticisms are just off the scale of what would be considered normal.

MiddleClassProblem · 23/09/2020 18:28

He definitely breaks some of these TA guidelines.

www.tripadvisorsupport.com/hc/en-us/articles/200614337-Management-Response-Guidelines

rosiethehen · 23/09/2020 18:46

The man's just making an utter fool of himself. Trip Advisor don't allow reviews to be published if they breach their legal guidelines anyway.

Yogaroll · 23/09/2020 18:47

At least his reply will point everyone in the direction of these threads to learn what he is really like.

He should probably seek some professional help for his delusions.

enyemaka · 23/09/2020 18:51

He's published OP's city, first name and job. I've reported it to TA but he's trying to bully the OP and it might be worth looking into whether or not he's broken GDPR rules. He sounds obsessed and deranged.

Queenoftheashes · 23/09/2020 18:58

I wonder how he found out about this thread

Original poster
Itsalongwayto · 23/09/2020 20:14

@MiddleClassProblem. Yes I've read it....almost fell asleep before the end. What serious businessman has time to write that drivel.I think he has dug a HUGE hole for himself. Definitely broken GDPR, never mind TA rules (i have also reported it to them). Review isn't coming down. I don't break that easily.

OP posts:
SquirtleSquad · 23/09/2020 20:21

That reply was hilarious.. OP naughty you for not being grateful and jumping for joy over the kindness of them fixing the curtain pole that fell on you!! You bad girl.. Grin

MiddleClassProblem · 23/09/2020 20:24

Well done. I hope he can’t remove his either. Take screen shots just in case. It was very long and awful. Bringing Caroline Flack up as if he has any kind of comparison to himself (and completely ignoring his own witch hunt for guests as clearly this isn’t a one off) is disgusting. Really new lows.

fleurdeliz · 23/09/2020 20:35

Oh boy, he's in some BIG trouble!

He runs a Financial Advisory firm and he's just published OPs first name, home town and job on a public website alongside defamatory comments.

That's a massive violation of GDPR.

JMG1234 · 23/09/2020 20:53

Having read his reply, I genuinely cannot understand why owners think they come across well posting lengthy rants. It's far worse than any of the reviews and highly unprofessional. Much better to say sorry that guests didn't enjoy their stay, that you've taken on board their feedback and that they're always welcome to stay again.

The pedant in me also winced at his "taught" blind cords....

llm24 · 23/09/2020 20:56

Can I ask did you complain when you’ll were at the hotel about all the issues ?

Original poster
Itsalongwayto · 23/09/2020 21:20

@llm24 when the curtain pole fell on my head we went to reception to complain about that and at the same time I mentioned the lack of trampoline safety net, blind cords and the smell. He maintained in his email to me that they fixed the blind cords, but even in his reply on TA its obvious that he doesn't understand how they work i.e. they are fixed to the wall and you shouldn't be able to get the cords out of the fixing - that IS the whole point of choke safe cords. On the TA reply he goes on about how I wasn't grateful that they'd fixed the curtain pole! They said they had let the room air. No airing was ever going to get rid of the smell; new carpets, paint and furniture might, but not the doors and windows open for a few hours. As with other responses he says that we still 'chose' the stay. Trust me, we looked hard for somewhere else to go. Its obvious from his previous responses that he doesn't offer refunds to unhappy guests, and even if he had, there was literally nowhere else to go, except home.

OP posts:
mygenericusername · 23/09/2020 22:20

It’s like trying to read the ramblings of Mrs Dalloway. What is he actually talking about!

BabbleBee · 23/09/2020 22:39

Would someone please PM me the name?! I can’t get it at all.

Shizzlestix · 23/09/2020 22:53

It’s like trying to read the ramblings of Mrs Dalloway. What is he actually talking about!

Bloody stream of consciousness bollocks, same as Mrs Dalloway!

SquirtleSquad · 23/09/2020 22:56

@BabbleBee

Would someone please PM me the name?! I can’t get it at all.
Enjoy Wine
doopdeepduup · 23/09/2020 23:02

Ugh. What a twat.

mygenericusername · 23/09/2020 23:11
  • It’s like trying to read the ramblings of Mrs Dalloway. What is he actually talking about!

Bloody stream of consciousness bollocks, same as Mrs Dalloway!*

Can somebody PM me the cliff notes in the hope I can get a clueConfused

doopdeepduup · 23/09/2020 23:13

I have friends in the area, and they say the place is grim

Londonmummy66 · 23/09/2020 23:16

Well I for one am very glad to be a member of " a vipers’ brood of deluded and deranged tormentors straight out of Harry Potter".......

OpenlyGayExOlympicFencer · 23/09/2020 23:16

Have you complained to the ICO?

Aridane · 24/09/2020 06:22

I see now owner response - presumsbly now taken down