Holiday cottage - Booting family out, AIBU?

[HolidayCottageAnnoyance]

I have a holiday cottage which does not allow children under 12. This is for health and safety reasons (think steep stairs, pond, open and functioning fireplace etc). It says on the listing at three different points on the listing page that children under 12 are not allowed. This includes babes in arms. It also makes it clear when you book (i.e. once you've selected dates and you get through to payment) that children are not allowed. There is literally no way this can be missed.

I had a phone call from a neighbour this morning as they had seen a toddler in the garden and had noticed that the car that the 'couple' arrived in has a baby-seat in it. I rang the cottage company before lunch and received a rather passive response that made it clear they didn't want the grief of turfing the family out. I was very firm and said I wanted them out by the end of the day. Long story short they are still there (I have texted said neighbour to check).

So here is my AIBU: would I be completely unreasonable to send a relative tomorrow to boot them out if they are still there? As it's all done through the cottage company I have no way of getting in touch with them myself, so either relying on the ineffectual cottage company or sending a relative are my only choices.

YABU: Let it go, the child hasn't been injured so far and it's only four more nights.
YANBU: They're cheeky fucks and you should boot them out even if the holiday cottage company isn't going to help. Then you should find a new holiday cottage company to list through.

I would be furious. Is the letting agent still refusing to act?

Not always well. And I say that as a person who grew up where we and everyone else had swimming pools and spent the weekend in the beach.

I do find this country very laid back about water safety. Or think that because their child can swim they are safe.

OP I think you're are very sensible.

God forbid the neighbour should be concerned for the child’s safety. The parents clearly bloody aren’t. The op has every right to get them kicked out preferably before a nasty accident happens.

Have you got cover or a deposit in place for any damage or breakages as well? The child may well be safe, but your next guests will be unimpressed if the toddler has caused damage to the carpets, walls or furniture.

If your contract the cottage company to sell your accom and its in the agreement then they are in breech and they shoud get rid of them. People put things like No hen or stag parties - Hotels sell as Adults only or promote tehmselves as family friendly - thsi one is not and it has been clearly stated - I would to be honest get them to sign a waiver statiing that if they stay they stay at their own risk and you do not and will not accept any reposnsibility if any accidents occur for points that you have advised against

@catownerofthenorth her property, her rules.
I had a holiday let and a rule of no children under 5. Partly for suitability/safety reasons but also because I found wear and tear and mess were much worse with young children. Airbnb won't even allow charging for under 2s so all the mess and sticky fingers everywhere for no revenue.
Pets ditto plus the allergy factor.
Horses for courses.

How do pond nets work? Are they very sturdy things? If it's just an actual net, wouldn't you risk somebody getting under the edge - or breaking it by jumping or falling through it - and then getting trapped underneath it?

Plus I presume they're removable - so what if the parents (who deliberately booked a place that they knew was dangerous for their child) just take it off and leave it off anyway? No safety device is worth a penny if it isn't actually used.

Which is absolutely fine.

I swear there was a near identical thread to this a few months ago. I read it presuming it was an update.

That doesn't really change the liability issue -- if she's provided safety equipment and then the guests go out of their way to remove it, she's still done her legal duty in setting up the equipment in the first place.

Otherwise we could all go around removing safety features and then suing.

Im again suprised by MN and how worried people are so worried about health and safety of things that don't even occur to me to worry about. Yesterday I was supriced about a topic where I felt MN were way too relaxed. Different cultures and likely different liability laws etc.

But I would not send a relative. Im imagining if i was a guest and a random person claiming to know the owner would not go down well. I would send an email to the agency to let them know you're demanding they leave since you do not accept under 12yo and they are liable if somwthing happens etc.

I was wondering about this. I've got a tiny bucket pond in my garden but children can drown in those and as my DIL is expecting and so I might have a small person visiting my house at some point in the future I thought about netting the pond. But I don't know how they work and surely the weight of a child who decides to jump onto them is just going to break them or pull them off and the child (who everyone assumes is safe because the pond is netted) is in the water?

We had a house with a pool abroad for 25 years. We had a rigid cover with remote control and strict instructions for parents of young children to keep the pool closed at all times unless in use. But ultimately it’s up to the parents to enforce that. Nobody drowned.

You can say she is as much as you like it doesn’t turn your opinion into fact. I’m horrified by the blase attitude towards child safety around water and I sincerely hope you don’t work in child care.

The number of children who die by drowning each year in the uk is tiny, let alone those who drown in ponds. It’s like less than 10. Does that sort of data usually present urgent risk to you?

apologies I say uk, but actually looked up data that covered England. Am sure the trend is no higher in wales Scotland north of Ireland though

I mean, it is unlikely really isn’t it? I’m sure the parents have seen the pond and are taking precautions.
However, they shouldn’t be there, they ignored the booking terms. The holiday company need to deal with it

2 issues -
1 is an under 12 in a property that isn't suitable
2 the couple hiring the cottage have been dishonest about who is in the property.
They need to leave with no refund.
You need to reaccess the holiday home company that are managing the property.

I think that is a good middle ground. As it seems like their contract is with the cottage company, and then the cottage company’s contract is with you, so it wouldn’t be appropriate for you to kick them out yourself (or a relative). It is up to the company to do that

Google says average of 5. Which is the same number of people killed by cows per year.

Absolute bollocks. And you have no bloody right to say the op just doesn’t want children in her house and is lying. I suggest you bloody well read the statistics on child drowning and ponds just because you survived one. I would never entrust a child to your care.

That's all very well and good, but statistics won't help the OP with a massive law suit if the shit hits the fan.

She would have the lawsuit either way though wouldn’t she?- if she hasn’t met health and safety laws or her insurers requirements (if any) to secure the pond she’ll be liable even if a kid breaks in and drowns

We did read the statistics, that’s the point 😭

So you'd be happy to take a chance then I presume. Is that what you mean? Good job you don't run any kind of hospitality venue then.

What you’ve written doesn’t make any sense