Holiday Cottage Booking Resold without my ok

[CoastalCalm]

Apologies if long will try to keep brief

In the last two weeks I have found out I have a large ovarian growth and also dye used in CT scan caused kidney damage so have been in hospital. On fast track and seeing gynae on Friday re surgery.

We have a holiday cottage booked in a couple of weeks which is paid for £700 plus.

Last Friday I messaged the cottage owner explaining situation re possible surgery and asked if option was available to find someone else to take cottage at reduced price from our friends or their contacts if unable to come

Reply came back saying they could ask contacts or we would substitute and to let them know what we wanted to do. That day I was admitted to hospital and emails were not loading in a&e so didn’t have chance to respond. The next morning another email came through which I received ok they had found someone to take the booking for £300 and they assumed I would be ok with that - well I wasn’t as I wanted to go on the trip still if possible and would be able to know more after appt this week. I said I was surprised they had ahead without my agreement and that I was in hospital and would speak to husband and get back to them. This was Saturday morning - At no point did I expect to be able to cancel the trip for a refund the financial risk was all mine.

Spoke to husband and agreed we would keep the booking in place til I knew plan re surgery and worst case was we would lose the full £700plus. So I sent an email on Monday when I was home and feeling better saying we were just going to see what Friday brings and if we couldn’t make it would see if family or friends could take it.

Today I get an email saying I have put them in a bad situation as the other party have booked annual leave and to give bank details for the £300.

I didn’t ask them to resell the trip , it was clear I was looking at options if I were unable to come due to surgery and I am not happy they went ahead and agreed a very low price with another party. I feel very uncomfortable now even if I am able to go , the owners live next door and the tone of the email was pretty nasty.

I have said that if they are effectively cancelling my booking I would expect a full refund , they are now saying we cannot substitute for family or friends either.

I have had no response to email earlier where I said they have acted without authority in reselling for £300 and they have created the issue - if I need to I will go to small claims.

Am I in the wrong here ? It’s the last thing I need at the moment tbh

But why should op who didn’t explicitly cancel be out her holiday or a full Refund?

The owners asked her to responded and let them know Friday night. Saturday morning they Told her they had rebooked it with no further coms from the op.

Also doesn’t sound like the new people
have even paid just been sent the bank details. It they accept payment knowing op still wants it they have cancelled her booking not her.

I would have taken that as a cancellation OP.

I assume you don’t have travel insurance as a back up?

I’m sorry you are unwell and I hope you are better soon.
I’m sorry both your post and copy of your email…I was confused to your intentions and it sounded like you wanted a solution especially the bit where you said they could offer to their friends - I guess they did!

Also doesn’t sound like the new people
have even paid just been sent the bank details. It they accept payment knowing op still wants it they have cancelled her booking not her.

I believe the bank details mentioned are those of the OP so they can send her the £300.

Think this thread is a good lesson to us all to ‘un-British’ our emails and take out all the unnecessary politeness that makes things confusing.

Pretty sure they cannot give out ops banking details without her consent.

Really sorry about your scare and hope all is okay.

I think the misunderstanding is totally understandable from your email and the owners have acted in good faith to try to mitigate your loss. You're within your rights to keep the booking but I wouldn't get annoyed with them.

Think this thread is a good lesson to us all to ‘un-British’ our emails and take out all the unnecessary politeness that makes things confusing.

Or even better, don't send unnecessary emails!

Pretty sure they cannot give out ops banking details without her consent.

No, I would assume that the new bookers have paid/ will pay the £300 to the host and the host will then pay the OP!

While I agree the OP's first email wasn't completely clear, I don't think the cottage owners have behaved fairly. They asked OP to let them know how she wanted to proceed and then pretty much instantly sold the cottage on without her reply. Why would she not try to sell it on to friends/family even if she ended up being unable to go herself? I think they acted hastily and are in the wrong.

Sound like you cancelled reading ‘unlikely you can now come’. I have a holiday cottage and people cancel via booking agent but are very apologetic and use ambiguous language as they seem to think you’ll be angry if they cancel. In hindsight you should have just contacted them nearer time and said. I’m ill so won’t make it but the rest of my holiday party will.

For the holiday home owners to send a refund...

Yes I’m changing my mind a bit, it does sound like they jumped the gun by not waiting for a reply. Hope you get it sorted OP!

My take is you instigated the confusion, you suggested they look to find someone else to take the booking, they have done that but only because you contacted them and included that in your email.

Sorry but opening post makes no sense at all. I get you'd paid £700 but then you mentioned finding someone else for £300??? Its no wonder the proprietor just took matters into their own hands.

The £300 is their response - they resold the cottage for that .i originally paid £715

Yes it was the talk of reduced price that wasnt clear. Perhaps they understood better than I did at your "reduced price" suggestion, meaning all you get by way of refund was the value of whatever they could sell it for which turned out to be £300. Its an awkward situation for them as it is you but they only re-booked the booking following your query then (understandable) lack of response. A breakdown in communication by the sounds of it and I agree with @Sotiredmjmmy 's response.

I don't think it was whatever they could sell it for though, it sounds like they picked a (low) price and probably advertised it on social media straight away then told OP the next morning the deal was done. The timeline doesn't suggest they tried to maximise the price they could achieve. Now, I'd argue there's no onus on them to put much work into selling it on, admittedly, but given they gave OP no time to respond AND did the deal in the space of an evening, I think they're in the wrong.

They needed to confirm the amount with you surely - what if they’d wanted to sell it for 50p? You could have had a friend willing to pay £500.

Sounds like they jumped at the chance to sort out a friend with an ultra cheap break

Is the intention that they are giving you the £300 that has been paid?

Hope you go on okay op healthwise.
If you didn't take out travel insurance, check to see if its included in your bank account - you never know!
I think it sounds as if you both panicked to be fair, you alluded to the possibility of having to cancel and then went uncontactable - its a shame your dh doesn't get your emails. They panicked thinking they had an empty house during peak season.