To think that a 'bedroom' without a window cannot be legally described as one?

[ABedroomByAnyOtherName]

We've had a holiday booked since last year with a UK Holiday Cottage company. Lovely cottage, three bedrooms, great reviews on the website.

I paid the final balance this week and thought I'd have a look at the more recent reviews. Two new reviews point out that the third bedroom does not in fact have a window, it is just a windowless storage room with a bed inside.

This is ridiculous, surely? We need three bedrooms as there will be me and DH plus two teens who will definitely not share. We have paid a significant amount of money for three bedrooms - none of us will sleep in a windowless room, especially not in the summer!

After a quick check on the internet, most seem to agree that a room without a window cannot be legally described as a bedroom under UK law and can definitely not be advertised as one for renting out. This is due to fire safety regulations, as there needs to be at least two exits in the case of a fire.

I emailed the company saying this and have had a reply today to say it IS a bedroom and as such wasn't misdescribed, so they don't see an issue.
I'm so annoyed! We have paid a lot for what's basically a two bedroom cottage unsuitable for our needs, how on earth can they justify this?!

Can anyone help point me to the particular piece of legislation/building regs that confirm this? Obviously, lots of planning/building trade websites mentioned this, but I'd rather have a link to a government site to support this when I email back. I'd be so grateful for any help!

Ugh. I am so peeved. I'd rather they gave me a full refund now, as it's so dishonest that I resent giving them any of my money...any advice/pointers gratefully received!

There's lots I could book, some look beautiful...but if I cancel this myself, I forfeit the entire amount as per the booking conditions. So I need them to refund me, otherwise no money available for the holiday...and I can't afford to just chuck over a grand down the drain.

Let us know how you get on OP. I hope Sykes are reasonable.

We staying in an apartment in France a few years ago which was advertised as a two bed apartment but was clearly carved out of the attic of an old apartment block. It was basically a pretty large studio room with two sliding doors opening on to a roof terrace. There was kitchenette in the corner and then (only just) a double bedroom and a bath room had been carved out of either side of the room with partitioning. The bedroom had the tiniest window (literally a square porthole!).

As it was just Mr Monkey and I, we were happy with it but I would have been a bit pissed off if we were a family group or two couples sharing.

I thought it had to have a window to be a bedroom, it's the reason that some loft conversions cannot be called bedrooms, though they are being used as such.
Bathroom without a window doesn't bother me, our house in Germany didn't have one though it led to a problem. I friend advised me to leave our houseplants in the bathroom on damp towels when we were away for a week, sadly they died from lack of light!

I am a bit confused about this building regs stuff - I have stayed in quite a few hotels where my room had no windows - how did they get the OK for that?

Different types of buildings have very different regulations. The aim is the same, to ensure buildings are safe and meet standards, but the way they do that can be very different.

@ABedroomByAnyOtherName any response to your complaint yet?

Some hotel rooms in central London don’t have windows.

No, I'm afraid not. They did take a couple of days to reply to my initial email, so hopefully they'll reply soon.

It really is in their interests to refund me - if they don't, we can't afford to rebook anything else, so we would have to go and try and make the best of it, rather than lose the money AND holiday. But if we do, my review will be an honest one which will mention the lack of window and I imagine will put more people off booking it 🤷

Remember you’re not just reviewing the cottage, you’re also reviewing Sykes who behaved dishonestly.

Have you tried their Twitter or FB?

I’d be going for Twitter now, OP. Sykes are a big company. They should be doing all they can to help you.

I'd contact the fire service where the cottage is based. Ask them if it is legally allowed, perhaps ask if they can do a fire safety check before your holiday.

I wouldn't be able to sleep in a room without fresh air. We have windows open all year round just for that purpose. Seems like you're going to be sleeping in a cupboard.

Well...just received an email from Sykes Holiday Cottages as follows:

"We nor do any other leading competitive companies advertise information of properties windows as it is not what an average person looks for when searching a property.

* Cottage is priced as a 3 bedroom cottage which it has 3 rooms to sleep 5 people. It is not sold as a 3 bedroom property with or without windows as this has not impact of a property's pricing.

If you were to cancel your booking on this basis then you would forfeit your full payment of £1222.00.

We are the most senior team within the business and this decision cannot be changed.

I appreciate it is not the outcome you were looking for and would advise contacting before making a booking to ensure each property's room has a window in future for your needs."

So there you go everyone - an average person does not apparently search for properties that have bedrooms with windows...yes Customer service person, that's because we EXPECT that there will be a window, as standard!

I'm not completely surprised tbh, but it's extremely disappointing nonetheless.

And obviously, the lesson we should all take from this is to make sure to contact Sykes Holiday Cottages before we book any property to make sure each bedroom has a window.

I don't think I actually have words to describe Sykes right now.

Go straight to the press now!

Where's the daily Mail when you need it?

This is right up their alley, and for once ... I think we'd all like to see them go to town with a Mumsnet thread!

Habitable rooms, not kitchen or bathroom

I think the lesson is don’t use Sykes. I steer clear of them personally.

Information about windows is not the point, as they well know, it’s whether a box room can be justifiably described as a bedroom. It’s sharp practice.

The issue is whether the property is “as described” under selling regulations.

The next thing to do:

1. Put in a formal letter of complaint and notify them you are disputing the charge with your credit card company and contacting a media consumer champion (info below)
2. Contact your credit card company. They can decide whether the cottage is ‘not as described’.
3. Contact then one of the consumer champions below.
4. Kick up a stink on their Twitter or FB.

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• The Telegraph’s consumer champion on Twitter @KatieMorley_
• [email protected] (email with Consumer Fight Back in the subject line, write a short paragraph about the problem).
• Maisha Frost on [email protected]
• https://twitter.com/ComplainingCow/ Helen Dewdney, consumer champion, blogger and author.

Look up consumer law here:
The Consumer Rights Act 2015
Supply of Goods and Services Act

Omg what a rude reply! Can you email their ceo and ask if that is the way they would expect such a complaint to be dealt with.

thats a bit of a rubbish response from them. I’ve used Sykes before but I really don’t like how they’ve handled this, definitely wouldn’t look to use them again in future if this is their standard of customer service.

Good luck with the credit card route.

Poor response from Sykes and has certainly put me off using them, as I’m sure it has many people who have been reading this thread but not necessarily commented.

I have stayed in two hotels, the Scarlet in Singapore and the Z in central London, that didn't have windows. I managed to change rooms in the London one but the Scarlet didn't have availability at reasonable prices. I hated it.

Ask for full refund. Quote them The Misrepresentation Act 1967 as reason for refund together with Government safety guidelines for holiday accommodation as per previous post.
They said it was a 3 bed, its only a two.

But this puts all rooms in my flat as "inner rooms." I'm on the second floor. My flat exists and was sold, passing building survey checks. How does that work?