more a wwyd - cutting holiday short

[Auntieobem]

Am on week long stay in rented house, with elderly mum, dp, dB and nephew and my 2 daughters. Last night was our second night here - first was uneventful. So, kitchen at back with big windows/ doors to garden which leads to public path and beach. Around midnight there's a very bright strobe light shone through kitchen. DB goes outside- its a group of kids. So we try to ignore. Goes on for about 20 minutes. Then there's knocking at front door - noone there. Light appears again and then we hear what we think are stones being thrown at back. Front door then gets kicked and windows knocked on. By now my youngest is terrified, as is my mum. DP and DB follow the kids at front and get abuse shouted at them. DP and DB stay at front door until after 1.30, when it all goes quiet.

We didn't call police, very rural here and assumed that by time they'd arrive it would be over, and that police would escalate

I messaged house owner last night to say we'd be leaving today. We don't feel safe.

This was first time I've spent time with DB and DM in years. So disappointed.

Would you leave? We spent over £1500 on house. What refund (if any?) would you expect?

Who on earth has reported this? Seems an odd thing for people to think a troll would make up!

👏Quite.

I'd expect them to take a description and take your video evidence and see if there is a pattern of similar activity. If you'd called them at the time I would have expected them to come out if the relative priority of other calls allowed. I'd expect them to either reassure you or let you know what precautions you might take/what do do if it happens again. They may have similar complaints from last night and be able to apply a dispersement order which would mean they have the power to move people on from an area even if they're doing nothing 'wrong'.

They have information you don't. It might be messing about, it might be known local menaces who are breaking terms and this is useful evidence of that.

This was kids messing about, as annoying and scary as it was, it's incredibly unlikely that they would be dangerous

Noone on this thread can know whether that's true or not.

OP. I'm sorry this is triggering for your mum but I'm afraid I agree that unless she already has an insured condition of anxiety or PTSD triggered by the break-in then I don't think you have any recourse to your insurers

@Auntieobem ignore the nasty knob posters.

Horrible situation. No advice other than if you do stay and if there is a repeat I would be inclined to stop DP and DB following again in case there is an escalation, anything physical happens by either party in the heat of moment and one of the brats gets grounds for case against you.

Did you leave a review?

😂

Reported? Wow.

No, we're not in a touristy area where locals have been priced out. We're in a house close enough to my mums so she can attend a hospital appointment, which was big enough for us all and allowed the 2 dogs.

I'd have called the police; IME rural police are more attentive/respond faster than urban, and a threat to tourism is taken seriously.

Only voted YABU for not calling the police in the first place! Lots of good advice on 1st page on what to do next, if you leave without trying any of it, you’ll just lose your money.

@Auntieobem have you left? Sorry, in a rush. If you haven't left please consider letting the owner sort it, and give it another night.

They will very likely know who this gang are and can speak to them. This is hardly likely to be the first time the kids have done this.

I agree with 2bazookas- we live rurally and police respond very quickly to calls for incidents in the villages.
I would let the LL look at your footage and decide if she knows them and speak to parents. I would report to police in case this is the start of an anti-tourist campaign.

Owner says no rush on deciding what to do. Going to have breakfast, trip out and then decide.

I’d have called police. I’d personally stay they are unlikely to come back. You are presumably safe and secure in house. I wouldn’t expect any refund it’s nothing to do with homeowners.

https://www.police.uk/
Look up area and some forces have online link for anti social behaviour reporting

No I wouldn't leave. I wouldn't have reacted at all. If it happened a second night I'd have contacted the homeowner and possibly police non-emergency.

Horrible little scroats, I bet they're feeling very proud of themselves for scaring some smaller children.

I'd have called the police. And asked DH or DB to tell the kids outside that the police are being/had been called - that's often enough to scare teens into scarpering.

Your poor mum, she must be so shaken.

How's your mum today @Auntieobem ?
If you can help her to feel safe and secure I'd probably stay. If she's in a reet state probably best to get her home.
I think it's really hard to know what to do in this kind of situation. How about ringing local police and see if there's a community policeman who'd chat to you? There usually is and he'd have the local knowledge.

Hope you have a pleasant day when everyone is awake. It might be that in the light of day it feels possible to put it behind you. Best of luck and let us know how it pans out.

Are you quite well @william2022 ?

It's oddly presumptious of you to try to preemptively dismiss the local police response. The property is on a path to the beach. It's the start of the summer holidays. Police in popular destinations will be devoting additional resources to smuggling, drugs, sexual assault, and all the usual loutish holiday behaviour from teenagers and tourists. If there's an ongoing problem the police may already be aware of it, and working out how to act on it. Keep them informed.

This is what I would do, failing a hose get some super soakers and they will soon clear off.

I think I would now stick it out another night, to see what happens, but try not to show you're bothered if they return. If they do, then phone the police. If owner is local, I'd also phone them to give them the chance to come over.

If possible I would stay. Call the police non emergency line and ask for some advice on what to do if it happens again and if it's an ongoing issue.
I'd be very cautious about potential to escalate the issue with super soakers and hoses, take advice from the professionals instead.