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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

HAVEN cancelled children’s holiday

154 replies

HavenAreHeartless · 04/05/2024 10:44

My lovely husband died suddenly leaving me widowed with two young children, understandably this has been an awful time for me and my family.

Before he died he had booked a half term holiday with Haven which was fully paid for. As my husband was the lead guest, I called Haven to amend the booking and their representative told me I was not able to do this and the holiday would have to be cancelled, despite questioning this she was absolutely adamant that the holiday could not go ahead. I was shocked that they thought cancelling my children’s holiday after the death of their Daddy was in any way acceptable, to me it was completely heartless.

After coming off the call I sought advice and called them back a couple of hours later, this time Haven admitted that they could easily amend the booking on seeing the death certificate. I was then informed that the holiday had already been cancelled, I assume by the first representative I spoke to, despite not having gone through any security checks or sending the documentation yet. They then told me that our accommodation had already been resold and therefore they could not reinstate it.

They’ve now spent the past couple of days faffing around and temporarily rebooking us on to a downgraded caravan whilst they try and resolve their error. This has caused me to feel very anxious and distressed so I’ve decided to no longer go and I am looking at booking another holiday far, far away from Haven.

So, am I unreasonable for expecting better from a company aimed at families? And what type of resolution would you be happy with?

Thank-you x

OP posts:
outlandishly · 04/05/2024 12:22

Oh this is awful!!!
Please other holiday companies get in touch with this family!
I bet Center Parcs or Bluestone would sort you something out. Utterly disgraceful and I wouldn't want a Haven holiday after the way you've been treated!

madnessitellyou · 04/05/2024 12:28

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Could you maybe jump on one of Haven's posts on FB? I've noticed that people are doing that and they are replying.

JSMill · 04/05/2024 12:47

How they have handled it was already appalling but to then send the refund to your late dh's bank account is disgusting! If you have the energy, I would consider contacting the money or consumer columnists in newspapers or even Martin Lewis's team.

GinandGingerBeer · 04/05/2024 12:57

What an absolute shower of shits these lot are.
I can kind of understand re the refund going back to the original bank as there are regulations around it. I'm not sure if there are flexibilities re this though or if you could scan them a copy of the death certificate (I know- more stress on your side Sad)
I'm very sorry for your loss Flowers
If the CEO doesn't offer you and your little ones a free holiday for causing you all this stress then they really shouldn't have a job.
Shame on you Haven Holidays.

StormingNorman · 04/05/2024 13:04

HavenAreHeartless · 04/05/2024 11:03

I’m in two minds, radio might be a good call as I don’t want my ‘sad face’ plastered all over the media! I just want Haven to realise they can’t treat people this way

LBC do a legal hour at 9pm tonight. Daniel Barnett is the barrister and he’s top notch on consumer law. Takes a lot of questions about holiday companies.

I’m really sorry for your loss. I hope you and DC are able to sort something x

MiserableMarch · 04/05/2024 13:09

How utterly callous.
This should have never been dealt with at basic customer service level at all.
A manager or higher should have taken this on.

I'd be tweeting, writing to owner etc..

MiserableMarch · 04/05/2024 13:10

@HavenAreHeartless lbc sounds like a very good call

HcbSS · 04/05/2024 13:42

So Sorry for your loss
Please get a refund and take the kids somewhere nicer than Haven

moose62 · 04/05/2024 13:46

So sorry for you and the kids.
Go onto trustpilot and leave a really poor review. I have done that a few times as well as twitter and it has at least got their attention.
Perhaps if you let us know which Haven, we can all start tweeting!

PinkFrogss · 04/05/2024 13:49

I’m so sorry for your loss OP Flowers

Absolutely shocking behaviour from Haven. I’d be expecting a free upgrade, if not a free holiday tbh.

MsCheeryble · 04/05/2024 13:56

Point out to them that they are in breach of contract, and that means that either they refund everything plus pay damages for disappointment and inconvenience, or they book you in somewhere else that is at least equivalent or better. After that sort of mess-up, they should be offering you a luxury hotel, FFS.

SadCelticBunny · 04/05/2024 13:57

I am so sorry for your loss.
You and your family have been treated appallingly by Haven.

No wonder they don't have X/Twitter, there would be nothing but complaints.

OfDragonsDeep · 04/05/2024 13:59

Write to the CEO and explain everything you’ve written here. I’ve always done this when I’ve had unsatisfactory service from companies (never anything bad as this though!).

Mumsgirls · 04/05/2024 14:03

Sorry for your loss op and for the children too.
Too late now, but I would have just turned up for the holiday armed with the dc.
Also on the day I would have demanded to speak to the boss of the idiot and made a formal complaint, escalating u til it was resolved. I worked in management for a big bank for years and know how to handle jobsworths even in my own job.
It just feels wrong, when you are at your lowest that you were under such stress and they took advantage of your loss. One avenue might be your MP, some are excellent at making these fools jump. My own employer always acted like a scalded cat when we got an mp’s complaint.
Either that or let the poster who offered shame them on x, they deserve it and believe me they will be able to sort you out . Just make enough noise, newspapers would love your story, no sad phot needed. Have have spare vans that they can use, friend had one on loan when waiting for her new one to be delivered, bit like curtesy cars.
Good luck op, mumsnet terms are angry on your behalf and this will have cost them a lot of goodwill

ManagedMove · 04/05/2024 14:04

Does not surprise me. Years ago my four year old went missing at a haven disco after the rep told the children all to grab a stranger to dance with! It was pandemonium and then my child was gone. They would not help, they insisted she must be there and wouldn't even turn down the music to make an announcement. They also insisted she couldn't have left the facility so I searched myself, as no one would help, everywhere and after the longest hour of my life my husband called to say he had found her at our tent, it was a good fifteen minute walk away. Even now it still makes me feel sick thinking about it, and the way none of the Haven staff would help at all! I'd never go again.

User1979289 · 04/05/2024 14:05

Haven are absolute arseholes, no empathy at all. I am sorry this has happened to you OP. I vowed never again when metal strip fell of the caravan and damaged my car and they lied and lied and lied and refused to give my insurers the cctv until they were taken to court.

wompwomp · 04/05/2024 14:11

I'm so sorry for your loss.
In the haven front, I'm amazed that they cancelled with no details. You could have been literally anyone. You could have been a disgruntled work colleagues or ex. They should be cancelling on a vague conversation

pocketaces · 04/05/2024 14:15

What a sad story. Definitely do not let this one go. Aside from the insensitivity in the circumstances the original person you spoke to had no authority to cancel as they weren't speaking to the lead booker, obviously, just as that was the reason they couldn't amend it. Make a formal complaint about them.

I don't see the issue in the refund going to the original account though as that's procedure and forms part of the estate you will get anyway under probate.

socialdilemmawhattodo · 04/05/2024 14:24

If you were looking at other holidays - I can really recommend this place. It was super when I used to take my DC when younger. https://www.manorandashburyresorts.co.uk/

I haven't been since before COVID, but rooms were basic but clean (I know they have been refurbishing), food was plentiful and a good choice, staff friendly, loads of activities.

Hope you get somewhere with Haven - even if it is a full refund and some comp.

Jimmyneutronsforehead · 04/05/2024 14:41

I'm sorry OP 😞

We own a caravan on a haven site because we always wanted somewhere we could go on short breaks while the kids are young and in the past 10 years of owning haven have gone down hill in terms of their service on site and over the phone since Bourne leisure took over.

It's so bad we're thinking of selling up. It's not a place where it's geared towards making memories any more and it's just a really sad cash cow.

It's awful to read that their telephone customer services are just as poor for customers as they are for owners, and they had so many opportunities there to redeem some good customer service and they haven't.

Silvers11 · 04/05/2024 14:48

[email protected] is the email address for the Group CEO of Bourne leisure

[email protected] appears to be the email address of the CEO of Haven holidays

rwalker · 04/05/2024 14:56

Putting everything aside haven sites are the majority of the time full to capacity in holiday season
focus on rebooking then sort the rest later

you need to go to the top with this

worrieddaughter97 · 04/05/2024 15:02

OP I don't think this will be popular, but you need to take this to the media. It is completely unacceptable. Your poor kids, and poor you. Their last treat from their dad and Haven took it away, without any thought.

Contact the radio, your local news channel, hell even the DM or somebody would take this story. You'll find that Haven will refund you a lot faster, to your own bank account, and you'll probably find you'll be contacted by holiday companies who offer you a free stay somewhere.

I'm sorry for your loss.

ginasevern · 04/05/2024 15:04

Write to the CEO, post on social media and get this story in the press. If you don't want your face in the press, would your sister oblige?

This is beyond disgusting and I feel so angry on your behalf. There was a big thing about the way companies handle bereavement a while ago and I thought this had led to change, instead of the "computer says no" attitude.

You should get a free holiday (if you can stomach it) and compensation and heads should roll.

vincettenoir · 04/05/2024 15:06

Sorry for your loss. This is stress you don’t need right now. If I was you I would ask a family member to take this on for you. A significant discount would be good but I would mainly focus getting the holiday booked in your location of choice.

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