Holiday disaster

[Citygirl007]

We booked a last minute holiday in UK for £450 a night for three nights. Arranged via agent, owner is abroad, property managed by agent. We had three young kids with us. Property was a victorian house.
We arrived just as cold spell hit a few days ago.
On arrival the temperature was 12 degrees and heating turned to that temperature.
managed to get heating as far as 16 degrees for the first night and it was still that temperature on first morning. To be clear, the radiators were fully working once we turned them on and heating was on non-stop. Problem we think was that property wasn't heated for a while and it took ages to warm.
Spent all first day dealing with the issues (there were few others, loo not flushimg etc).
By evening of second night, the house was at 20.5 degrees so decided to stay.
In the morning, upstairs is lovely warm, downstairs back to freezing. The massive extension has only underfloor heating so back to 16 degrees.
Kids in coats etc.
So we left 24 hrs early after spending most of the time there dealing with issues.
I obviously have documented all this via emails.
Just about to write a complaint.
AIBU -we should have sucked it up?

We have stayed in lots of period properties and never had any issue like this 🙈

I don’t book a bnbs because I just don’t trust them not to have issues - of one kind or another. Or ridiculous stipulations re cleaning etc.

I wouldn’t fine it that cold at these temperatures but everyone is different. I think it’s wrong if you couldn’t get it up to a temperature that is ok for you - and 20 degrees isn’t an unreasonable ask.

£450 a night?!! You can get a week abroad for that!

That's not a view I take.
It's not like I booked somewhere via third rate agency. They claim to inspect properties and have 5500 houses on their books.
I normally don't leave reviews on airbnb. Doesn't mean I'm unhappy, just lack of time.
And even if the holiday house turned out to have been less than perfect, I would expect basics.. heat and plumbing. It's something that's so basic to me I don't even think about it (lucky, I know). It just doesn't occur to me that someone would rent house and keep it cold/broken.

Our heating is perpetually at 16-18 and I'm typing in a t-shirt. We'd get too hot if it was higher.

I have my heating at 18.5 mostly due to fuel prices and at that I am under a blanket and wearing a fleece dressing gown over a thick cardigan! You're made of sterner stuff than me 😂

I think go to hotels in future.

For a 3 day break, when such limited time, I want to be sure that there’s dozens of reviews, and many during the season i’m booking for. It would be a risk for me to book a short break on the basis of 3 air bnib reviews none of which in 8 months, irrespective of booking through a third part but one you’re comfortable with 🤷‍♀️

The failing is that the heating wasn’t turned on (because hadn’t been used by any guests!) and that meant cold and took time to heat up. A failing on the part of customer service but… air bnib is gone away from home and unless they actually stipulate nest heating / heating will be turned on… i doubt you have grounds for refund

but nothing to lose so why not drop them a line. tonight!

They had guests there last week. But it wasn't a cold snap and upon their arrival the house would probably be 18 degrees already.
Housekeeper was there in the morning of the arrival, noticed cold but didn't put the heating on.

Crikey some posts are like the Spanish Inquisition

When I'm a mini break I for one enjoy as part of the break some decent time actually enjoying the lovely living space we've paid a small fortune to rent. It's lovely to have a bit of time out but to come home to a cosy and warm cottage, to scoff snacks together and just veg.

I would be highly pissed off to be paying to stay somewhere that was cold.

Competitive under heaters

Also love the word "dischuffed"

Oooh that sounds like heaven

NHS advice for health is to heat your home at 18 degrees as a minimum. Can’t believe people are posting 16 is fine as if they’re the normal ones.

I expect the property to be warm and ready for me when I arrive, all these places have an arrival slot i.e. from 4pm

I expect to be able to heat the house to the warmth I want / need.

It is up to the owner to figure out the costs of hire to include use of heating etc.

I keep my main room/s at 21 at the lowest, bedrooms are 20 at the lowest through the day/evening.
From about midnight-5pm the heating is set to come on if it should drop below 18 anywhere

If I am feeling cold, and yes I am wearing suitable clothing for the time of year, then I will turn it up to 23-25.

I don't like being cold, and as I am paying then I shall pay to keep warm.

I would expect the home owner charging that price to have quality curtains etc. to help keep the heat in the property, esp in an older property

is this uk? because last week (and i’m in kent!?) was bloomin cold!

We were in Kent 😂
Cold in Surrey too though!

so the weak link is the housekeeper

presuming of course that the owner had told her to put on hearing prior to arrival when below x temp

so… are you going to drop them an email or just mumsnet about it?! 😂

not a chance that a property would be 18 degrees upon arrival in Kent last week.

im in kent, and not a chance!

Of course I'm going to email and if they don't play the ball, do section 75 or small claims.
I normally win too 😮.
Just wanted to make sure I'm not overreacting before I did that.

Sorry I meant that withlast week weather 10 plus), the house would probably be ok and 18 degrees without much heating.

go for it

have you submitted to small claims a few times before then in the past?

doubt it
last week in kent averaged highs of 4/5 and lows of -1

Yup. Broken down washing machine within 3 months with zero response to emails or calls from certain expensive brand.
LA I live in to claim back costs they were responsible for for education my child wasn't receiving.
Tribunal x 5, arguing LA for correct school type and provision for SEN child (one even went on in Royal Court of Justice). Won them all.
Etc, etc.
Yawn.

flippin heck!

We’ve got a holiday home, albeit fully managed on a site, and when we or any guests turn up the cleaners have set the heating to 20 in every room, and turned the outside lights on, so you can see the path and door, and some inside lights on. It’s the least anyone would expect, particularly when turning up in winter.

No trampolines though, I can’t begin to imagine what sort of insurance headaches that could cause ;) . Did they have you sign a disclaimer for that when you booked?

As ours is on a site, any issues and maintenance turn up within 10-15 mins to sort it out. Or help move you to another house if it cannot be fixed.

Shocking behaviour from both your host and their agency

Thanks.
No insurance paperwork. All the airbnb I stayed in had trampoline.
I wouldn't be litigating in circumstances where trampoline is there and no problems with it, but me being daft parent.
I always check for issues before using.
Kids favourite so far was this house! So much danger 😂

https://www.norfolkholidayproperties.co.uk/accommodation/bressingham-lodge/