Holiday Cottage Nightmare

[AuntySandrasDauphinois]

Please can someone tell me what you would do in this situation?

We arrived at our (much anticipated) holiday cottage yesterday to find that it absolutely stinks. I have febreezed every surface so many times and it still stinks. It's worse downstairs but still absolutely awful upstairs, so bad that I struggled to get to sleep last night. We have been out all day today and just got back and honestly I want to cry. More than £1000 we've paid for the week!

I spoke to the woman in the local shop (when I was buying the febreeze!) and she told us some of the local lads had been putting fish through the letterboxes of any known holiday lets. There was nothing to suggest that's what it was but the smell is very fishy/putrid. The village doesn't feel very welcoming to visitors- she also said last year someone had the wing mirrors broken off their car outside overnight!

The Cornish cottage company have been no help whatsoever- the woman laughed down the phone and told us the fish were an urban legend. There's no way to take a photo of the smell to try to claim a reduction. I don't even know if I can last the week. Currently sat in the garden having a glass of wine but I'm dreading having to go inside.

If anyone has any suggestions bar more febreeze please please let me know. I'm trying to be lighthearted about it but I'm devastated. We drove for 6 hours to get here, I'm so exhausted with it.

That is definitely a breach of contract. Be very firm with the letting agent and tell them they have to come to the cottage tomorrow.

You need to insist someone from the company you rented from come to smell it for themselves and demand a refund.

I would leave.

I'd get back on the phone to the company first thing in the morning, this is clearly not an acceptable situation.

I’d say keeping the windows and any doors open as much as possible, and lighting some candles when you’re in it

Did you pay by credit card, can you tell them you will open a dispute ? Tricky as you can't take a photo can you?

Omg that's awful.for you. I'd be devastated too. She laughed at you? Get onto the managing director tomorrow and if they are registered with any official body, tourist board etc.

Oh yeah and I'd leave too.

Oh don't be so ridiculous 🙄

This is awful - I'm sorry.

Get to a supermarket, get a bunch of neutrobombs and a load of plug-in air fresheners and those really cheap plastic air fresheners too. Put them absolutely everywhere. Open every window and door and air the place out as best you can. Grab any soft furnishings (cushions etc) and lay them outside on the washing line or over garden furniture. Give it until you go to bed tonight and hopefully it'll be substantially better.

I'd also recommend getting a small laundry bag or something similar and filling it with pot pouri (I cannot spell, I'm sorry) and keeping that by your face tonight.

Complain the the holiday let and demand they, at an absolute minimum, refund the cost of the air fresheners. If they refuse then go through your bank.

So just because not everyone gets a holiday she has to put up with sub standard accommodation! Get real, jealousy isn't a nice trait.
I would definitely put in a formal complaint but tbh if you are wanting a refund you will most probably have to leave. Sorry this has happened enjoy your wine.

How rude, op has paid for a holiday and she deserves it to be perfect for her. You have no idea of her financial circumstances, if she saved for a long time and it doesn't matter. Your jealousy is tangible. Get over yourself.

I don't know anyone who pays for a holiday let and doesn't get to go... Or do you mean people who don't pay for a holiday? Because obviously you can't possibly think that's a reasonable comparison to make, right? Right? 🙄

Oh, come on. Really?

Many of us save all year for a precious week somewhere; to have it spoiled by something like this is very upsetting.

A self-catering cottage in the UK is hardly wild holiday extravagance.

Wtf!?

@heymammmmmaasas
What a stupid comment.

This is hilarious 🤣

cut an onion and leave it out. Sounds weird but it absorbs smells. Good when painting too. Plus bicarbonate of soda.

@heymammmmmaasas nothing better to do on your Sunday night than troll Mumsnet threads? How sad for you.
OP is tell the cottage company they have to come tomorrow and investigate the smell. You can't stay somewhere where it smells awful.

She kind of snorted when I said what the lady in the shop had said. I don't know if she will have a manager to complain to- I think they're a relatively small set up with just a few places locally. I'll call again tomorrow I suppose, she was so dismissive though. I felt like she was looking down on me a little. I suppose once they have your money they no longer need to be as polite as when you're making the booking!

Thanks for the suggestion of candles whoever that was, I will see if there are any in the shop. Drive to supermarket tomorrow and see about plug ins etc.

And to whoever made the mean comment you should know that this is the only break we'll get together as a family this summer as DH can't take any more time off from work.

I've had a look to see if there's anything affordable available local to here and there really isn't. Not without being sure we would get the money back for this place. There's camping but obviously we have no equipment with us.

Get in touch with owner or letting company! We have to go in as soon as any complaints/issues are raised! Most times it can be sorted quickly! Be firm! If they have good housekeepers or maintenance people it will be sorted fast! Hope it gets sorted soon x

First port of call is to insist someone from the agency come down. Failing that is there a way of getting an independent witness?
Have they got social media pages you can complain on?

I’d be fuming, this isn’t acceptable in the slightest. Don’t be afraid to make as much fuss as possible.

I've had a look to see if there's anything affordable available local to here and there really isn't. Not without being sure we would get the money back for this place. There's camping but obviously we have no equipment with us.

Have you looked at static caravans - they are often quite cheap?

Bicarbonate of soda in a bowl will also absorb smells.

the reality is the letting agents wont care- they can charge what they like at present and keep the place occupied as demand is so high. So don’t expect much. I would leave reviews though.

can you trace the source of the smell OP? Eg if it’s a fish through the letterbox, is there a particularly stinky patch of carpet? Or could there still be fish rotting somewhere? Then I’d blitz it with bicarb.

I’d be inclined to email this evening as well as call tomorrow. If you end up leaving early and trying to recover some cash then a message trail will help.

It’s absolutely rubbish.