Aunt won't refund money

[Casals07]

Aunt has a home abroad that myself, DH and kids go to every year. We go in August as it's too hot for Aunt to go. I pay to stay there and always take care of the place and top everything up before I leave. The house is now 20 years old and is definitely showing signs of wear and tear. Nothing has been replaced. This year I arrived to find black mould in the bedrooms, job had been started but won't be finished until November. My Aunt never informed me of this. My DD has now got pneumonia and we have had to move out at a considerable expense. My Aunt has refused to return any of my text messages. My DH rang her and asked for the money back we paid as the house is not habitable. She has point blank refused.

That's terrible OP, I'm sorry your dd is unwell and the lack of sympathy you are getting.
She should have refunded it as a goodwill gesture, it is not fit to rent out.
For now I'd cut contact unless she returns the money and see it as money paid to never stay in that accommodation again.

She is totally taking the piss.

Is she resident or have assets in the UK? Can you take her to a small claims court?

What written evidence do you have of the rental arrangement for this summer?

But your child has pneumonia

Surely you just sue via the Small Claims Court?

I honestly don't understand some of the comments. She is family and she should have considered the health risks of anyone living there with or without pneumonia. I would be horrified to stay at a place like that with mild asthma, and if someone paid for that without being a family member they would expect a full refund. Worse that she knew about it too. She should have wanted you to not stay there and helped you to find another place not ignore you and withhold money, thats not what a loved one does.

I would be so tempted to put those photos on a family whatsapp chat - just to make sure that anyone who has booked her house is fully aware of what they are in for - but then I am petty like that.

Apart from warning relatives of the potential to ruin their holiday you could also mention (in passing) that she charged you the full amount even though your child ended up in hospital etc.

Oh my goodness that is absolutely horrendous. And your poor daughter!

Why is your DH engaging with her when she is your Aunt? Surely your the person to do it?

Outrageous behaviour. No one should be staying there. Doesn’t sound like she cares so I doubt she’ll pay. Sad state of affairs.

Is the property in Turkey OP?

hope your dd is on the mend.

She should be reported as the place is not habitable

Of course they can't fly home yet if her daughter has pneumonia. Cabins are not pressurised to sea level. Meaning the risk of hypoxia, even if just coping in air on the ground.

You cannot get pneumonia from mould. You can very rarely get Aspergillosis but only if you’re severely immunocompromised.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/aspergillosis/

Send a formal letter with the confirmation from the hospital asking her to refund immediately and say you would also like your alternative accommodation, flights and damages paid if she refuses and you will be going the legal route.

Not sure what you can do about it now, but your aunt is a piece of work.

I mean there’s not a lot legally you can do.

do you have holiday insurance?

otherwise paying a family member really unless you want to pay a lot to take her to court there’s not a lot you can do

I do think it's a possibility. My dd got bronchiolitis when she was a baby from the black mould growing in the old damp house we were living in at the time.

A pink solution of potassium permanganate (possible spelling error) might sort this by applying it to the outside bricks

this is fungal pneumonia. Does this really sound plausibly like what your daughter has??!!?!

www.verywellhealth.com/fungal-pneumonia-5179190

If you’ve got 100% proof the mould caused the pneumonia

then take your aunt to court

you’ll win the money back

This is horrific! I would have walked out the moment we arrived and had to have stayed somewhere else, anywhere. I have seen what mold does. To those saying just sleep in the room, nope. Fungal pneuamonia is nothing to be sniffed at OP.

Thanks everyone. So to answer a few questions. Aunt knew how bad the situation is as she was there two weeks before I arrived. I initially flew over with my DD and my DH followed me with our DS. I stayed in the house for one week until DH arrived. There was no accommodation available locally and due to a health condition I'm unable to drive at the moment. When DH arrived we immediately looked for accommodation. We had already decided to move before DD became unwell. I text my Aunt three times regarding the state of the house and the fact my DD was in hospital. She didn't reply. She has form for being a bully and to be honest I was so hurt and upset that she didn't reply that I didn't want to engage with her anymore. She is my Dad's sister, my Dad died many years ago and my mother is not part of my life. I didn't fly home because the Doctors advised us that the climate here would help DD instead of going home to a rainy,damp country. I have told some family members whsts going on and they are disgusted with her.

How vile your aunt is
She knew the mould was there yet she didn't mention it and give you the chance to cancel and is ignoring your calls
It's irrelevant how much you paid.
I'm shocked that she risked your DD's health
I actually would take her to the small claims court and would tell her so, and I'm a very placid person, but I hate injustice.
I'm sorry your DD has been made unwell
That is unforgivable.

Aspergillosis?

I wouldn't be having anything to do with her again, what a horrible woman.

If she was there two weeks before, was she staying in the house and was it that bad then, did she not notice or has it got much worse since, is it just the master bedroom and how many more bedrooms are there? Are the workmen in the house fixing it or do they think the job is finished. Does your Aunt have an agent or anyone out there who is keeping a check on things. It all seems a bit dodgy and that she is getting ripped off by the builders.

I don't know how much you are paying, but unless you have lost a significant amount I would lay off the court action unless you want a huge family rift. And discuss it calmly when you are back and can talk face to face. How old is your Aunt, is she still fully with it? If she didn't think it was bad enough to comment on when she was there, two weeks prior, she may not fully understand the current situation.