Holiday From Hell - Live

[Bartlebum]

Please help!

It's my nan's 80th birthday and we have arranged for 29 of us to come to North Devon for a weekend to celebrate. Arrived at 3pm to boiler faults in our cottage, no heating and no hot water. Immediately reported and the owner did not reply.

We have seven cottages in total and as everyone arrived we realised all of them are out, so we checked the gas tanks for the whole property and they are empty.

I have been calling the booking agent we went through who said they won't deal with this guy anymore as he has had nothing but complaints, so have terminated the contract.

As we paid them I have asked them to sort it so they said they will do what they can to get in touch with him.

It's been 2.5 hours and no progress. 29 people, two elderly, 7 children and one with a disability. I have asked them to find alternative accomodation but they said its not on them, it's on the owner of the property who is not contactable.

I don't know what to do. There is no one on site as it was all done via key codes. The owner lives several hours away in London, we are freezing and can't begin celebrating my nan turning 80 on what should have been an amazing occasion. We literally stayed here two years ago and had the most amazing time but it's changed hands and not been maintained to any standard.

Anyone been in a similar situation? I've been nice to the agents and I don't want to kick off but I can't believe they won't help me.

Where abouts in Devon are you? I live in Devon so might be able to point you to supermarkets etc.

For tonight pop to a supermarket and get hot water bottles for the elderly in your group. Get all the kids (of suitable ages) and get them in one or two double beds and have a huge sleepover to keep them warm, all the adults will have to get jumpers on.

Tomorrow get on to the booking agent - no matter what they say, your contract is with them.

Yup, and have them on 24/7 to give him a nice bill surprise!

Surely just liberate the locked up wood?

I’d be smashing into the wood store for a start.

Same.

Oh god op im so sorry you’re all being faced with this shit on what should be a really happy lovely family occasion.
We’ve done many a family holiday with 25ish people and have had the very occasional niggle but absolutely nothing on this scale.
Make as much fuss as you can right now and encourage others in the group to do the same.

I don’t know why so many posters are saying the contract is with the agent. No one here can say that for sure, and actually it usually isn’t.

There’s lots of useful info here @Bartlebum https://www.schofields.ltd.uk/blog/3459/holiday-cottage-complaint/#:~:text=Is%20the%20contract%20with%20the,problems%20with%20the%20holiday%20accommodation.

I hope you paid by credit card!

I would break into the log store, get warm. And get onto Airbnb and local hotels and ask if anyone can do you a deal. Then I’d be going to small claims court for compensation as well as a refund.

I’m sorry you’re facing this. Often holiday nightmare posts seem a little OTT, but this is dreadful 😢

OP, l am sorry to hear this.

l suggest the following. First of all contact the agent and ask for a copy of their formal complaints procedure. It is important that you put your complaint in writing or email for the trail.

Secondly, check to see whether the agent is a member of a trade body, this should be shown on any letterhead/website/brochure and contact the trade body.

Send photos where possible and focus on what you were promised against what you have.

lf you paid by credit card, discuss with your bank.

Read through any agreement to try and ascertain exactly who you have contracted with.

Consider contacting a no claim/no fee travel law firm.

Now, my last suggestion is going to cost. If you are in a town which has a local solicitor’s office, pop in or call them and ask how much a one off consultation would cost. Just one solicitor’s letter could be enough to sort a refund.

Good luck OP.

Do you know who the supplier is? You can’t just order gas like you can oil. It’s on a contract if it’s LPG. Dependant on the supplier they normally top up once tank is it a certain percent volume, unless he’s on a contract whereby he orders a full tank when needed. But either way as the contract holder you’ll need account no’s etc

They deserve more than a refund!

I thought so, too.

Bloody awful thing to happen, especially on a Friday when you can't get on to consumer advice or anyone. I think your only options are trying to find a hotel that can accommodate you and start sorting out getting your money back first thing on Monday.

So sorry this has ruined your nan's birthday weekend.

Where in North Devon? Get on the local facebook group, someone might be able to help contact the owner or lend you some electric/gas heaters.

Break into the wood store no way would I be tolerating the treatment you are receiving.

With many agents they are literally just booking agents and your contract is with the owner and they will wash their hands of any complaint.

In order to get a chargeback claim you need to not stay for the duration you booked. So find somewhere else, document and photograph everything and go as soon as possible.

As others have said look on Air BnB, you probably won't be able to find anywhere to take you until at least tomorrow.

I don’t know why so many posters are saying the contract is with the agent. No one here can say that for sure, and actually it usually isn’t

This is true, Testina, but you'd hope they'd at least try to be a bit more helpful rather tthan washing their hands of it

OP said they've only gone for the weekend, so since it's effectively been made a write-off I agree about the hope they've paid with a credit card

And is there any chance you can link the property, @Bartlebum, so the rest of us can avoid it?

The local Facebook idea is good
It's worth a punt at least
People rally round in an emergency
( maybe contact the local radio too ?) just a thought..

Sadly you can’t just buy gas like you can oil. It’s under contract and no other supplier can supply, if you change suppliers you have to wait until existing contract runs out and your new supplier has to buy the tank and all safety certificates from the old supplier before they can fill. Sadly I know this from bitter experience when my gas company oversold and under delivered and we had no gas in January this year when it was freezing..

Awful. There must be someone local employed to do the changeovers, with access to wood-store etc. Are there any immersion heaters fir hot water at least?

@Movinghouseatlast ‘’In order to get a chargeback claim you need to not stay for the duration you booked. So find somewhere else, document and photograph everything and go as soon as possible.’’

This is interesting, I had no idea. So OP should really be looking to leave tomorrow?

I'd phone every contact I had numbers for, get photo evidence, and go home.

I would go and get some wood and electric heaters immediately. And then turn on all the cookers (hoping they're electric) and open the doors! Keep trying to contact the owner and holiday company and get everyone who is social media savvy to name and shame the owner and company you booked through online. On every social media platform you can think of. Really hope you get sorted. What an absolute nightmare for you all.

Don't break into the wood store or cause criminal damage! It's not -20 c and you'll just get in trouble

I concur!!

OP, l have responded up thread. This may also be helpful

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/my-self-catering-accommodation-isn-t-what-i-was-promised-what-can-i-do-abYCf6O8PIVb

When you've sorted out the immediate chaos (!), make sure you tell the local paper, and get the local authority to inspect the cottages. Make a fuss, a big one!