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.

slice a few onions into halves or quarters and leave them lying around when you go out

I was not rude.
I spoke of my experience.

Maireas - You posted laughing emojis in response to a statement that another member wrote "The Cornish hate everyone equally." That is rude. If the poster had chosen another ethnic minority or race would you find that funny as well? Do you feel the Welsh hate everyone too? I'm sorry you had a bad holiday 5 years ago but you cant tar everyone with the same brush!

In response to the boycott Cornwall idea - Head to Northumberland. People are super friendly and most will go out of their way to help anyone who needs it. The beaches are brilliant - long and empty and sandy with free parking. Just a shame about the weather! But, July is generally a good time - so if you are able to travel in July…!

Ok. My apologies to the good people of Cornwall. I'm sure that me an my family were just a bit unlucky.
You are quite right to point out my rude emojis. 😂😂

sounds like we were a few years back - where in cornwal
are you

I hate all the blatant stereotyping and offensive comments, post all that about Asian people it's racism yet we're supposed to put up with it.

The reality of “Growing up black in one of England’s whitest counties”:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-52981934

Anyway, I wonder where OP has got to with the stink.

Fair points on here - there shouldn't be stereotyping of any group.
What a shame, though that tourism and holiday making can have such a negative impact on a community.
Very sad. I hope you get all fixed up, OP.

Stereotyping people from Cornwall is not at all the same as Asian people experiencing racism

Stereotyping people from Cornwall is not at all the same as Asian people experiencing racism

We had a similar situation in Centre Parcs and they sent the cleaners back in - they did a deep clean and changed the rugs and the curtains in the room most affected. I understand that this may not be possible for you but someone definitely needs to come in and smell for themselves.

🤦‍♀️🙄

Did you find out what caused the smell?

We can talk all we want about the ungrateful Cornish but honestly I just read this article after reading the thread earlier. This is where we will end up if we don't sort out the housing crisis.

jezebel.com/the-hamptons-now-has-its-own-homeless-encampment-1849164417

Any update op?

if it is A small company then threaten to blacklist them all over social media ..
mention what happened on Instagram FB etc etc
they will soon sort it out !!!

The op probably doesn't want to waste more of her holiday scrolling through pages.

Racism
Homeless
2nd homes wtf!!

Can't you start your own thread?

We stayed in a cottage a few years ago, that smelt of fish. There was a problem with the electrics

Saying Cornwall locals are unfriendly is like racism.

WTAF 🙄 do you know how ignorant that statement makes you come across?

I run holiday lets. I would ring the letting agent back and tell her that you have been informed that the fish odour is a sign of an electrical fault in the property. Like others here have said it is an important sign. I have renovated old houses and it is a sign of overheating electrics in a property. I renovated one that smelt like rotted kippers, and we traced it back to defective wiring and very hot old points with worn connections in a terrible condition. You should insist upon knowing when the property was last tested for wiring, and take a photo of the consumer unit (esp. if its an old wylex board with wired fuses). I would check if the consumer unit (fuse board) has RCB circuit breakers. Take a photo. PAT is something many landlords do as well, but not a legal requirement. Take a good look at appliances like kettles and see if they appear in good condition. You can tell the letting agent that you are reporting the property to the local environmental health department. If the agent sees you are going to complain formally, then a deal maybe done. I would report the property anyway if you have concerns.

I can't believe I just wasted soooo much time reading these posts! 'something something baking soda' 'something something onion' 'something something racist comment' 'somethingsomething electrics' 'something something coffee' 'something something you're going to hell if you holiday anywhere but your garden shed'

And I STILL don't know what died to make this place stink so much or how it got there! C'mon OP put us out our misery or we'll never sleep 🤣

In Wales you can phone the fire service they'll send someone round smartish it's a fire hazard. Tell agent you're doing this. The fear of a condemn notice should put a rocket up their arse

Re the locals frothing at tourists, I live near Southwold in Suffolk and it’s just as bad. Tourist city in the summer, dead in the winter. Locals complaining about people buying up second homes without giving much though to who’s selling them. Local councillors raging about taxes and clauses on new houses. The locals still won’t be able to afford them. I always want to ask them if they every go on holiday. Surely everyone’s a tourist at some point? Unless you’ve never been on holiday.