Sykes Holiday Cottages - refusing refunds

[inmylifeIlovedthemall]

I am wondering if anyone else is caught up in the ‘no refunds’ policy that Sykes Holiday cottages are adopting in relation to Coronavirus.

Despite Boris imploring us to stay at home and numerous representitives of the Travel Industry asking us not to travel to tourist hotspots, Sykes are refusing to allow cancellations and refund holiday payments. They are offering rebooking options, but at massively increased prices for the same period in 2021.

They have sold Insurance alongside their holidays, but those policies do not cover the current situation.

So for me the choice seems to be ‘do the right thing’ and stay home, losing the total cost of the holiday.

I was travelling to meet a group of friends & family and all have been able to cancel at no loss to themselves. It just appears to be Sykes taking this stance.

Is anyone else caught up in this? Are there other holiday companies taking the same stance?

I am not sure that cancelling your card will actually work.

I have had an experience where the payment was still processed because paying the deposit through the card months before was deemed prior authorisation.

Sykes are really bullying people into rearranging holidays by making that their only option.

They are neither answering their phones or replying to emails.

If you go into your booking online (your only option) it gives you the option of cancelling and losing your full 35% deposit + fees of approx £100 or rearranging.

If you do neither it tells you that they will automatically take the full balance on X date.

For me that would have been a payment of £1,600 2 days hence for a holiday that they can’t even deliver.

Rearranging for the same week 2 years hence (they had no availability on my cottage in 2021, was going to cost me a further £700 (£2,300 in total)

Facebook and Trustpilot is awash with people complaining about this.

Their response is to claim that they are only an agent and that our contract is with the Owner of the cottage. However, nowhere in the paperwork does it tell us who the Owner is?

Those people that have managed through FB to identify their Owner and contact them are frequently being told that Sykes are not allowing the Owners to refund the price of the holiday.

To top it all the Insurance Sykes sold is refusing to even consider covering holiday makers for cancellation unless they or one of the party have contracted Covid 19 and can prove it.

It is a total scam and one Sykes are profiting from twice over. Once when they take and refuse to refund money for a holiday that they cannot deliver and then a second time when people feel obliged to pay vastly inflated fees to rearrange rather than losing their original payments.

For anyone else in this position, I really feel for you, but would implore you to think carefully before rearranging. If Sykes fail because of the negative publicity this is causing, you do stand to lose any additional money you agree to when rearranging, as well as the money you have already lost.

There are FB sites full of unhappy Sykes customers, you can post Trust Pilot reviews if you are being shafted by this company, and many customers have written to their MP’s. Sykes were even mentioned in the House of Commons yesterday in relation to their current behaviour.

Sykes are the pits. We had a couple of years booking their cottages until 2018 when the person we rented a cottage from did not return our deposit in the stipulated time. The cottage itself was a filthy death trap- no smoke alarm etc. Sykes did not want to know and wiped their hands even when the local fire service got involved. I am not surprised and would never use them again!

Ohhh and now they have closed their call centre.

So the only way of contacting them is by emails which they do not respond to, or through your online account.

The latter forces you to either rearrange and pay a premium on your new booking or cancel and lose 35% Deposit + fees or if you have already paid the balance, all your money.

Quality Cottages have cancelled our booking, and waiting to hear whether they will refund.

Why don't these companies realise that if they do the right thing in these difficult times, it will be the best PR for years to come...

We are in the same boat, holiday booked for May but 2 of our party are over 70 with health problems so come under the 12 weeks isolation advice. Have a 4yo so booking for same dates next year wont work as she will have started school (but when i checked the same dates for next year they were massively increased anyway, way beyond inflation). Prices outside of term time are triple the prices so basically totally out of our budget.

I actually got through to them on the phone when the over 70s advice was announced and was told we would be called back, but never have been. No reply to emails. I also notices that it previously said on their website that because the government had only 'advised' not to travel but had not implemented travel restrictions, that they could not offer refunds - however now there is a travel ban they have removed that from the site!

What was said about them in the HoC?

If you cancel the card report it as stolen not lost
You get a complete new number exp date 3 digit number on the back
In 2018 I booked to go to Florida with Walt Disney. In August 2019 Paid about £500

Circumstances changed and I we couldn’t go
So I didn’t pay any more
They sent one letter when the payment was due and one shitty letters but that was it
I reported my card as stolen when I decided that we couldn’t go
I’m supposed to fly with British Airways in June on a package deal I’ve paid £150 deposit I won’t be going and I’ve already reported my card as stolen and got a new card

TalkingIntoTheEther

I really feel for you. Their behaviour is appalling.

This is what was said by Wes Streeting in the HOC.

Problem is, if they all start dishing out refunds, people will lose their jobs and companies will go under.

My sister works in the travel industry and they are moving dates for people for free, but they are close to folding.

Airlines are the same, and no rescue plans to bail any of these companies out. The worlds in a mess.

But there are Govt plans, both for businesses and for employees. We're all in the same boat and seemingly everyone has to cope, apart from the cottage companies? They're not special.

Re Twitter trending, I called out the cottage company we had a booking with on Twitter and was verbally attacked by some randomers from Cornwall because they didn't like the fact I criticised the greed of the holiday let companies "when people in Cornwall are dying". People are dying everywhere, the situation is particularly risky in Cornwall due to the lack of beds/staff. No one says otherwise and that's the reason why we didn't go there. But of course the locals didn't like the criticism and the fact that the immoral behaviour of their own buddies has become public knowledge.

I am completely done with cottage holidays in Cornwall, too many people there that I don't want to waste my time on ever again.

You're right @LegoBloodyHurts, finances of many holiday related businesses (well actually many businesses of all kinds) are so precarious, even in the best of times, that they actually don't have the money to refund people because it's already spent. It's not like they put your money aside ready to refund if something goes wrong.

However, full sympathies OP.

I think it is good that Travel Companies are offering to move dates for free.

I have several friends who have done just that, wanting to ensure that travel companies survive.

It is the approach that Sykes are taking which is different. They won’t answer their phones or reply to emails. You have only two options online. Cancel and lose everything you have paid, or move the dates and pay a massive premium for dates far into the future. For some people the extra costs for future dates are several £hundreds.

They are bullying their customers and profiteering from the current lockdown situation.

yes its almost £300 extra for our cottage on the same dates next year!

and I checked the arrival day was the same, so it wasnt related to switching from midweek to weekend.

I know nothing about Sykes, but I'm guessing from what you say that they're a small business without the infrastructure to have staff working at home to answer emails and phones. Maybe they've laid off their staff and can't pay them. I have a holiday booked with one if the giants and can't get through so what hope for small firms?

I was booked on £20 deposit scheme. Tried to get Sykes on phone and online chat no joy. Went on to their website and cancelled. Did not amend booking as can't go until next year and their prices were ridiculously increased for same time next year. Had no option but to cancel and straight away got an email saying they had taken the balance of the deposit from my credit card. Am trying both credit card and my own travel insurance to get this refunded but not holding my breath. Had been kicking myself as did not take Sykes own insurance but they are only refunding if you can prove you have a confirmed case of the virus. They are not taking any new bookings until into June which would imply to me that they know it is not safe to travel. Could not find an email address on their website but [email protected] is the email address for their Chief Operating Officer. Now have the email address [email protected]. Very disappointed by their attitude. Held on phone one day when they said it would be an hour wait and got cut off about 10 minutes in. Online chat has not been working for days. See they have now closed their call centre!!! Nightmare. Would advise everyone to steer well clear of this company.

The property we have booked is £1000 cheaper for the same week next year but, according to reviews people have posted, there would be no reduction for us so Sykes profit both ways.

Same for Hoburne!!! We paid a fortune for a 3 day holiday and although the sites are all closed

They will not refund. But will exchange. If we pay another £1-200 on top!

I just managed to get a full refund!!!

I started spouting profiteering and solicitors.

They rang me and tried to get me to change the date. By paying more!!! I said no way. She said come a year later. I said I'd rather not deal with your company again. She said I can cancel it. But you'd lose your deposit. I said no. I want a full refund. She said she couldn't do that no said fine. Put me through to someone who could

I got a phone call saying they are offering me a full refund.

Keep fighting guys!

wahey! Well done hoggle and thanks for updating us.

@hoggle - great. Did they cancel you or did you cancel them?

Wow Hoggle

How much had you already paid? Just the deposit or the full amount?

Had you already cancelled?

Having this problem with Hemera holidays. Their T&Cs say if cancelling 8 weeks ahead they just keep £35, but they are refusing to refund, just rebook.
Solicitors letter is £270.

PS Hoggle

I don’t mean how much in £ had you paid. That would be rude . I am just wondering where you were in the process?

I spent this morning talking to my Credit Card company and Solicitor.

He is so incensed that he will take on the case on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis. (He is a family friend)

Email your MP and ask them to raise it at parliamentary questions.

We'd paid the full amount (actually a mistake on my part. First time I'd tried to put it through and ticked the deposit only box. It got stuck. Did it again. Forgot to retick that box and paid in one go!! I remember thinking oh well. At least it's paid. Now is a big lesson is always paying with a CC and always only paying the deposit!)

No. They refused to cancel. Kept saying that they would be open. The holiday was 1st may. Their parks closed till April 30th! He said they were one of the first to close. Which is total bollocks. They closed on Tuesday.....

I can put down my email? If anyone wants to copy?