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.

Didn’t explain very well but it was the pendant burning. Like this ok: www.diy.com/departments/mk-white-b22-pendant-set-l-0-23m/846903_BQ.prd

@AuntySandrasDauphinois No suggestions about how to get rid of the smell

But I would email them in the morning saying everything you've said here and then call to say you've put it all in writing. Then demand they come down to smell it themselves

If they continue to disengage I'd call your credit card company and I'd tell the letting company you will leave an honest review on the website. Its rubbish to have to threaten a bad review but that is your own only power in this situation

Good luck

You could also knock on a neighbours door and ask them to pop in and tell you what they think. That will help in your complaint to have an independent 2nd opinion

I've always found Cornwall very welcoming, too.

Was also going to suggest vicks.

So sorry this is happening, you deserve a lovely break. Agree with PP that it's not good enough. On the phone put the ball in their court i.e. this property isn't fit for purpose what are you going to do about it and then silence. If they say they need evidence of any problems - I will allow someone from your organisation to come into the property between x times if this isn't suitable then what is your solution. etc.

Also, big pan of water on the stove and lots of cut up oranges, vanilla essence and cinnamon sticks or whatever scent you like and boil the crap out of it. Best of luck!

Febreze 'anti-tobacco' air freshener is very effective on any lingering fishy smells after emptying cat trays - might be worth a try?

ELECTRICS! Get them out ASAP.

I’d be emailing a written complaint tonight and following it up in the morning saying you suspect electrical burning due to the smell and demand someone come do an inspection tomorrow or you’ll take legal action.

ps I’m really sorry it’s ruining your holiday.

Such a shame when you have paid so much and were looking forward to a break.
Is it the carpet that smells? Is their access to a vacuum cleaner? Bicarb or shake and vac may help. Candles that contain essential oils are often stronger than synthetic ones if you can get hope of any. But yes, as previously said get to company out to rule out any electrical problems.

When my father died, I read that leaving bowls of white vinegar worked for neutralising the smell of smoke - it did, really well, and the place didn't smell like a fish and chip shop instead, which had been my main worry.
Not sure how fast it works - the flat was probably empty for a few days between visits.
I'd definitely insist that the owner of someone form the management company visits.

Just a thought but might be worth checking the fridge. DD’s apartment smelt terrible - something rotting. Landlords went in loft in case something had got trapped couldn’t find the source. I flew over to try and help and within 10 mins we traced it to a blocked drain in the fridge where goodness know what had spilled and blocked the drainage hole then started to seep out. We had to flush it all with industrial cleaner to deal with it but smell went. Get the agent down there in the morning and demand it’s’ sorted. Unless advertised as “stinking cottage to rent” then they’re not providing what you’ve paid good money for.

But I would email them in the morning saying everything you've said here and then call to say you've put it all in writing. Then demand they come down to smell it themselves

Good idea but email them tonight detailing everything you've said here and call them first thing tomorrow morning and insist someone comes out to you immediately. Inform them they are in breach of contract and they either find you somewhere else to stay or refund you for the whole week. Also complain about their customer service.

You need to find the source of the smell or otherwise you’re going to end up ill from all the chemicals in the air. Could you shut all doors and open windows to help you work out where it’s coming from? Hopefully it’ll just be in one room.

Get on the phone again tomorrow morning OP and ask someone from the agency to come out to the property as it is not fit for purpose. Say that you have had windows open for 24hrs, spent £x money on air fresheners and their holiday home still smells so bad it is preventing you from inhabiting it for the week. They either fix it or find alternative accommodation / refund. It sounds not fit for purpose.

Put it in writing. And try and get someone else in to smell it - local environmental health or someone similar from the council. Is there are tourist info nearby? Ask them - it is bad for the whole area.

Tell them it has already been trending on Mumsnet that local shops think local lads uses fish to push holiday makers out! And do they want people to stay locally or not!

And I am really sorry. I hope you get different accomdation and a refund somehow.

I dont want to make it worse OP - but its worth considering this in case it helps you when talking to the holiday company.

A smell that is very difficult to get rid of, over rides everything and is putrid is the smell of decaying rats. ( mice too but they do not smell as bad)

It is often described as the smell of rotting cabbage, or open drains, and no candle or air freshner will help.

Its usually because the bodies are under the boards or in the cavities.

I experienced this in a hotel in London once - they had to close an entire floor for weeks.

I would call the company tomorrow and ask them to specifically clarify if there have been any rodent treatments in the house recently.

You are likely rural so it is a common issue in the country.

I hope this doesnt make it worse for you - but it could mean you have good grounds to demand compensation from the company.

Sometimes if the wrong wattage of lightbulb is used it can give off a sort of oily fishy smell, I've no idea why but I've experienced it a few times and it's very unpleasant and very pervasive. Is it worse when the lights are on OP?

Bicarbonate! Helps eliminate smells.

I am beginning to think you might be right. I have been down to the shop to see if they had candles and it really felt like the shop assistants stopped talking when I came in! One of them was the same lady as yesterday. In the end I asked her as I couldn't see any and she wordlessly pointed out some tealights. I can't say they've made much difference though.

I was going to suggest rats. As you don’t know what it is and it’s potentially an environmental health issue (or even an electrical one which I personally think is less likely) the company can’t brush it off.

This isn’t just a bit smelly it’s so bad you need to leave and they need to find you alternative accommodation or give you a refund.

Tell them they have to come out and sort out the smell or give you a refund. Most holiday lets are not like this though so you have been unlucky. We have done cottage holidays and never had such issues. I live in Cornwall and disagree that it is not welcoming to tourists. A lot of people rely on them for their livelihoods so they would be crazy to be putting the tourists off. Of course you will always get the odd individual though. I hope something is sorted out for you.

I also had a bad experience with Sykes. They removed my review and other poor ones so only the good remain. I never trust the reviews now.

I really hope you get some joy with them tomorrow. I’d ask to move properties. IME that gets them dealing with the problem in your let.

We are in the southwest whoever was asking, sorry I've lost your comment now :/

Thanks everyone for being so nice.

After paying £1000 for the week, the OP shouldn't be doing any of the things advised here - the rental company needs to deal with this.

Walking around with Vicks under their noses to block out the smell? I don't bloody think so!