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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Email from property owner - room cancelled for refugees

380 replies

DuvetHugger · 04/04/2022 16:03

I booked holiday accommodation last year for this coming June in Scotland. They allow pets so this was the main pull for us. We have booked tickets for a big gig taking place there and are travelling from south of the UK.

I just received this email from them:

"We have applied to use the barn for Ukranian refugees. if it's not a problem for you can you please cancel free of charge"

I replied saying we have booked some activities etc and is she sure the place wont be available at that time, we booked 8 months ago and her response was:

"No you need to book something else sorry".

AIBU in thinking this is rude?? Obviously, I have nothing against them housing refugees but I am a bit taken aback.

AIBU to be pissed off or AIBU for my first world problems when there are families to house?

Surely she would see a diary of full bookings and think "I am not yet in a position to use the barn to house others, but will stop taking bookings now to enable myself to do so at a later date"?

OP posts:
Sapphirejane · 04/04/2022 16:28

@NeverDropYourMooncup I didn’t know if it was £350 per person? It was just a thought and I am very happy to be proven wrong.

Horcruxe · 04/04/2022 16:28

It isnt refugees.

She just found someone who will pay more

girlmom21 · 04/04/2022 16:29

[quote Sapphirejane]@NeverDropYourMooncup I didn’t know if it was £350 per person? It was just a thought and I am very happy to be proven wrong.[/quote]
It's per family

BlooberryBiskits · 04/04/2022 16:30

Absolutely don’t cancel & contact the company you booked through

She accepted a booking & and should be honouring that. You were totally correct to bring up your costs etc : I would be extremely angry

BlooberryBiskits · 04/04/2022 16:31

@DuvetHugger

I will definitely not be cancelling. I will reply to her when I get home.

Urgh, I can't find anywhere else which will accommodate dogs too.

Good

Don’t rush to reply to her: just contact the main company instead

PegasusReturns · 04/04/2022 16:32

I’d suspect she’s found someone who will pay more.

Do not cancel, tell her you need her to cancel so that you can claim on your insurance.

Georgeskitchen · 04/04/2022 16:32

Not able to post a link but a hotel complex in Lancashire has cancelled all its bookings to house refugees. Several weddings have been cancelled. I suppose its a no win situation for those whose weddings have been cancelled as I am pretty sure if they complain they will be called all the usual names under the sun

Original poster
DuvetHugger · 04/04/2022 16:33

I paid £600 for 3 nights, which I suppose is quite cheap for a cottage?

OP posts:
Bootothegoose · 04/04/2022 16:34

@Georgeskitchen

Not able to post a link but a hotel complex in Lancashire has cancelled all its bookings to house refugees. Several weddings have been cancelled. I suppose its a no win situation for those whose weddings have been cancelled as I am pretty sure if they complain they will be called all the usual names under the sun
God that's awful.
TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 04/04/2022 16:35

She’s being unreasonable. Doing a good thing is great but not at someone else’s expense.
Good luck finding somewhere else op x

Ozanj · 04/04/2022 16:35

A lot of land /estate / farmland owners are keen to get in ‘Ukranian refugees’ who in reality are farmhands (and their friends / families) that worked for them before. There is a lot of abuse going on.

LardyDee · 04/04/2022 16:35

It's fine and laudable for her to offer the place for refugees. But she must take responsibility for and bear the consequences of that decision, not shuffle it off onto other people. And if you're out of pocket then she needs to compensate you.

Hillarious · 04/04/2022 16:36

Ours friends who used to run a B&B would find alternative accommodation for anyone they had taken a booking from, but subsequently couldn't accommodation. It didn't happen often but they made sure to do the legwork on re-booking.

LegMeChicken · 04/04/2022 16:36

@Georgeskitchen

Not able to post a link but a hotel complex in Lancashire has cancelled all its bookings to house refugees. Several weddings have been cancelled. I suppose its a no win situation for those whose weddings have been cancelled as I am pretty sure if they complain they will be called all the usual names under the sun
It's horrid, isn't it? If businesses REALLY wanted to help they wouldn't rob Peter to pay Paul. Yes, it's war, but people will have have saved up for weddings, it's a lot of money to lose!
notanothertakeaway · 04/04/2022 16:36

@DuvetHugger

I paid £600 for 3 nights, which I suppose is quite cheap for a cottage?
That's irrelevant. They should still honour the booking

I'd contact the agency and let them deal with it

Notanotherwindow · 04/04/2022 16:38

I'd ask her to compensate the deposits/costs of your activities too as you shouldn't be out of pocket because of this.

HolidayLetter · 04/04/2022 16:39

@DuvetHugger The owner wants you to cancel so it doesn't affect her rating (Premier Host/Superhost/Whateverhost, depending on where she advertises). Guests can mostly cancel penalty free, but owners are heavily penalised for cancelling. If the owner is choosing to cancel bookings, she has to take the penalties on the chin, not expect you to help her out (if you wanted to, and it made no difference to you, then it would be nice of you - but you absolutely don't owe it to her, and shouldn't feel bad about not agreeing).

BlueOverYellow · 04/04/2022 16:39

Make her do the cancelling.

Complain to the organisation through which you booked. Tell them what she's told you.

PurBal · 04/04/2022 16:40

If you haven’t booked separate travel insurance (I rarely do for UK holidays) you might get it through your bank and may be worth claiming through them.

LegMeChicken · 04/04/2022 16:41

@PurBal

If you haven’t booked separate travel insurance (I rarely do for UK holidays) you might get it through your bank and may be worth claiming through them.
You can't claim for a self-cancelled holiday?
HolidayLetter · 04/04/2022 16:42

@Bootothegoose

Hugely unreasonable and such a bad way to go about it.

Leave her a bad review and get your money back. Is it AirBnB? I may be wrong but I think you're entitled to compensation if the owner cancels without good cause. Double booking the holiday home you've paid for knowing that you have had it booked for over six months is not good cause.

You can't leave reviews until you have stayed in a property. However, the OP can very reasonably say no. If the owner cancels several bookings, Dog Friendly Cottages may well boot her off their site.
BlueLu · 04/04/2022 16:42

Taking in refugees is of course a fantastic thing but it is incredibly frustrating to have plans cancelled whatever the reason. DS yr6 residential trip has been cancelled for the same reason. According to their accomodation they have been asked by government to clear the diary.

NorthSouthcatlady · 04/04/2022 16:42

No way would l be cancelling. Her communication is rude and abrupt. Cynically l do not believe her explanation, l think she’s either bumping you to get more money out of someone else or wants it for friends / family

Lineofconcepcion · 04/04/2022 16:44

Its probably breach of contract. Check your terms and conditions.

sonjadog · 04/04/2022 16:44

I think YANBU. She wants to end the booking, so she can make the official cancellation.

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