Holiday cottage - right to feel annoyed

[Liciaflorrick]

We like lots of people have not had a holiday for 3 years. Booked a holiday cottage (through big company). Am disappointed but am not sure if I need to simply get a grip over the following. We haven’t done a cottage holiday before but even though it was £2000 for a week it was actually cheaper than our normal Haven type holiday (school hols, decent lodge etc)

• arrived and key box instructions not correct (wrong key code) meaning out of hours call to holiday company to sort- took half an hour to fix with hungry kids etc


• House was reasonably clean but not spotless, crumbs underneath sofa and dust in corners, chopping boards with crumbs on, cutlery drawer dirty. I am not a clean freak so for me to notice must in the words of my teen mean it’s quite bad.


• one toilet out of three not working (but town house so means where floor with kids bedrooms don’t have a working toilet. To be fair cottage company tried to sort this but couldn’t and it will have to wait until changeover.


• Clothes left in a drawer with unmarked tablets in one of the children bedroom’s drawers

I don’t know if it is reasonable to be irritated about these small things but have never had the dirt issue etc with other holidays mainly mobile homes etc) . I do feel let down, that having spent £2k (saved hard all year) that it isn’t perfect. Is this simply not possible within this budget?

I would be very piss*d off ! The key code would annoy me to start with and the rest is totally unacceptable ! Particularly the tablets . Probably like most mums ( and dads ) the family holiday is a short period in a hectic year where l hope NOT to have to deal with problems where l have to be in the phone. I just want to arrive settle in and enjoy the holiday. An odd thing going wrong is inevitable but stuff being left in drawers and bad cleaning is just shoddy

With 2 other working lavatories would you rather I rang you on the morning of your departure and cancelled your holiday?

That would be the reality of the situation. Holiday cottage owners perform miracles every changeover but some things really are beyond our control

no they could have got a plumber out not ignored it and then said we cant do anything till you leave

I had a cottage let cancel on me the morning of arrival this year. I also had one where the bannister came away from the wall... We reported it on arrival and they were able to organise a repair. If we hadn't mentioned it, they would've found out at lunchtime the day we departed. I suspect they've clearly had masses of problems with the let just before yours and decided to let you stay rather than cancelling the booking. If the people left late and left it dirty with a broken toilet, they only have a couple of hours to fix everything. It's disappointing but having had to find accommodation in Brighton on arrival, I'm now in the minority that would be grateful they didn't cancel and are trying to fix things. They are minor things so let them go.

I would be asking for a partial refund tbh. Especially as there was medication left in a drawer and a toilet not working. Not really acceptable for 2k.

Our self catering cottage holiday was £1500 and the house was pristine. Teams of cleaners employed by owners to ensure this! I would be super upset, especially about personal belongings left and random medication especially. Get off MN, and make a list of every single thing thats upsetting you about the accommodation. As other pp have suggested, take pictures. Contact them and tell them very firmly that you require a partial refund at least. Then break out a nice bottle and enjoy the rest of your stay!!

Wow that’s shocking! Sounds like it hasn’t been cleaned at all which is not acceptable.
I would definite email the company and let them know the details.

• definitely

We usually pay around £2000 for a 3 bedroom house/cottage in the west country. On every occasion the accommodation has been spotless and, apart from a sticking patio door, there have been no faults that needed rectifying. I would expect some sort of compensation - around £150-£200 - but good luck trying to get it!