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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How can people get away with this?

56 replies

KateyCuckoo · 03/07/2023 15:27

We've had a holiday booked for about 6 months, a cottage in UK with my parents. Today they cancelled and the booking agent has offered a refund or rebook somewhere else.

Where are we going to find somewhere else big enough/nice enough with only 3 weeks to go? Certainly not without paying about triple the price which we can't afford.

I'm devastated. This was our only holiday and now we have nothing.

How can people do this?

OP posts:
AromanticSpices · 03/07/2023 15:29

Ahhh that's awful! I assume you didn't have travel insurance at all? (I don't normally think of it for UK holiday).
Did they give a reason?

PJ04JCW · 03/07/2023 15:29

We've got availability at our holiday let near Skegness 24-28 July if that helps? Pool, hot tub, sleeps 10.

Fiddlesticks82 · 03/07/2023 15:30

Because it’s their property!

Sorry Op. Very disappointing but seeing as they would have lost a shed load of money from yours and any other bookings - likely been a change in their circumstances to warrant

Blossomtoes · 03/07/2023 15:30

They offered you a rebook so get them to find a suitable property. There’s much less pressure on UK holiday lets this year.

Fightyouforthatpie · 03/07/2023 15:30

AromanticSpices · 03/07/2023 15:29

Ahhh that's awful! I assume you didn't have travel insurance at all? (I don't normally think of it for UK holiday).
Did they give a reason?

Travel insurance wouldn't help in this situation.

Fiddlesticks82 · 03/07/2023 15:31

AromanticSpices · 03/07/2023 15:29

Ahhh that's awful! I assume you didn't have travel insurance at all? (I don't normally think of it for UK holiday).
Did they give a reason?

Travel insurance is irrelevant They are being fully refunded

Unananana · 03/07/2023 15:31

I had this exact situation with Air BnB. They just shrugged and refunded. We had no holiday that year as prices had tripled.

The host had their 'Superhost' status removed. Big fucking whoop. They do it because they have no conscience. Keep an eye out for the same dates/location being advertised elsewhere for more money. Its another stunt some of the greedy fuckers pull.

Fiddlesticks82 · 03/07/2023 15:32

Take the option for them to rebook

meanwhile you look around. Can always go back to them and say no rebooking - just the money if you find somewhere before they do

Original poster
KateyCuckoo · 03/07/2023 15:33

We have asked them to look for rebook options but I can't see how we can manage the increase.

OP posts:
PyjamasToMyLeft · 03/07/2023 15:33

Why don’t you put your requirements on here and we can help you find somewhere better than you originally booked. Unlike last year it’s not all booked up this summer in the U.K. and likely there will be some price reductions too. We stayed somewhere amazing two years in a row and I was surprised how much availability they have over the summer, just because one person wrote a bad review.

Blossomtoes · 03/07/2023 15:36

KateyCuckoo · 03/07/2023 15:33

We have asked them to look for rebook options but I can't see how we can manage the increase.

Why are you assuming another place will be more than your original booking? You’re more likely to get a good deal now as someone with a spare week at this short notice will be keen to fill it.

redskytwonight · 03/07/2023 15:39

KateyCuckoo · 03/07/2023 15:33

We have asked them to look for rebook options but I can't see how we can manage the increase.

Don't hold out too much hope.

We had the same thing happen to us and all they did was put our dates and location into their own search engine and tell us there was nothing available.

You'd be better off getting the refund (which you annoyingly will have to wait for) and rebooking with someone else (or at least giving yourself the option of doing so).

Fiddlesticks82 · 03/07/2023 15:46

Why did you start a thread last week about desperately hoping your child’s passport arrives In time if this is your “only holiday”?! 😂

TheChosenTwo · 03/07/2023 15:49

Was it with Air B&B? I’ve heard many of these horror stories from people using them, my sil flew to Greece only to check her emails on landing for the address and find they had cancelled their booking 😳

Original poster
KateyCuckoo · 03/07/2023 15:49

Fiddlesticks82 · 03/07/2023 15:46

Why did you start a thread last week about desperately hoping your child’s passport arrives In time if this is your “only holiday”?! 😂

Erm I didn't post saying I hoped it desperately came?

OP posts:
Original poster
KateyCuckoo · 03/07/2023 15:50

No it's cottages.com

OP posts:
outdooryone · 03/07/2023 15:52

I have endured this now three times - all with AirBnB.
One seemed genunine - a flood in the house, and it was a month before the trip. Two just seemed to be 'last minute' - I do wonder if my early booking in winter was trumped by double the rate as a last minute...
I have given up with AirBnB for this reason.

I ended up hunting in new areas and places - one replacement was a less than great house, but two ended up being lovely in nice areas, albeit more expensive :(

GabriellaMontez · 03/07/2023 15:59

I've heard of this a few times. It's outrageous. Hanging on to a large sum of money for over 6 months then cancelling.

Norfolkungood · 03/07/2023 16:05

We book through Sykes Cottages. They may have availability if you don't mind what part of the UK you visit. Hope you manage to find somewhere

Dilbertian · 03/07/2023 16:05

This happened to us two weeks before our trip. The basement of the property has flooded. Nothing they could do about it. The agency offered us any other cottages on their books in that location, but there was nothing left by then that was big enough for a group of 6. In the end we found somewhere suitable through a different agency, but at a much higher price. Although the original agency refunded us in full, they would not compensate us for the extra cost of the new property because it was not on their books.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 03/07/2023 16:08

What are your requirements op?

I love looking for holidays!

AromanticSpices · 03/07/2023 16:16

I don't go away often but this has happened to us with air bnb. They said the last guests caused too much damage. I have no idea if it's true or not but it was quite annoying as had to house our family at last minute.

Itsgottobebetter · 03/07/2023 16:22

There’s loads of availability and price reductions for holiday lets this year. Where do you want to go?

Wallywobbles · 03/07/2023 16:29

Booking.com makes the owner find and pay for the rebook. Are you sure this is not the case here.

Thosesummernights · 03/07/2023 16:36

Cottages.com have history for this.

Yes, sometimes it’s the circumstances of the owner but usually owners are good and won’t cancel. The only time this has happened in my experience has been due to the death of a previous guest (very rare), issues with utilities/boilers etc.

The likely situation is Cottages.com have double booked you. They have done this so many times. Once we turned up at the house the same time as another family and they couldn’t have cared less. We had a refund but it was summer and we’d travelled three hours for our holiday.

I hope you manage to find something else.