Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Holiday cottage cancelled, no refund, no option to reschedule

57 replies

Whereareyourshoes · 31/05/2020 11:23

We had booked a week at a cottage at a site in Northumberland for the end of June and had paid in full. As they will still be closed due to restrictions at that time we asked to reschedule to a date when they are open. They have refused to allow us to reschedule saying we need to claim on travel insurance for any refund.

We had another booking at Easter time for a cottage in North Yorkshire and were able to reschedule to next year no problem.

Am interested in people’s experiences when they have booked cottages directly with owners. Has anyone else with a booking while restrictions are in place had a request to reschedule refused?

Thank you!

OP posts:
RandomMess · 31/05/2020 11:28

Presumably you could take them to small claims court for that as they are not allowing you to go?

Thecatisboss · 31/05/2020 11:35

We were meant to go on holiday last week but obviously couldn't. DH works in travel insurance and was saying that companies have been asked not to redirect to insurance as it isn't covered by that (by their trade body I think?)

I saw this article relating to it:
theconsumerlawyer.blog/2020/04/30/the-competition-markets-authority-confirms-its-view-of-the-law-relating-to-cancelled-bookings/

We threated the small claims court to our company and they are reluctantly giving a refund.

DownToTheSeaAgain · 31/05/2020 11:45

Who buys travel insurance for a uk holiday?

AllsortsofAwkward · 31/05/2020 11:48

They are pulling a fast one. I would threaten to take them to small claims.

Moondust001 · 31/05/2020 11:52

Most travel insurance I have ever had doesn't cover UK holidays. You need to make a claim. Tell them (in writing) they have 14 days to refund you in full, and if they don't you will take legal action without further notice, which will result in their debt to you increasing with costs.

Clymene · 31/05/2020 11:58

I have annual travel insurance which put a statement on their page saying that they would not provide cover for any Covid related cancellations. So basically useless.

ScarletFever · 31/05/2020 12:01

@DownToTheSeaAgain

Who buys travel insurance for a uk holiday?
You should have insurance for all trips, what happens if you need to get home? And you need medical assistance all sorts of stuff

Or your trip has to be cancelled due to illness all sort of things

ScarletFever · 31/05/2020 12:02

@Moondust001

Most travel insurance I have ever had doesn't cover UK holidays. You need to make a claim. Tell them (in writing) they have 14 days to refund you in full, and if they don't you will take legal action without further notice, which will result in their debt to you increasing with costs.
mine does, I have annual travel insurance and am covered for 2 nights or more in the uk
CaptainMyCaptain · 31/05/2020 12:03

@DownToTheSeaAgain

Who buys travel insurance for a uk holiday?
Some people, like us, have a annual travel insurance that also covers UK travel.
Clymene · 31/05/2020 12:10

I would look at that other thread OP. Ph47Bridge (or similar!) is a lawyer and I would follow his advice.

Travel insurance is useless so you will have to threaten with legal action.

Original poster
Whereareyourshoes · 31/05/2020 12:11

Thank you all, that's helpful.

OP posts:
CherrySpritz · 31/05/2020 12:22

Who buys travel insurance for a uk holiday?

I do. Why wouldn’t I? If I, or someone I was going with became too ill to travel then insurance would cover the expense. My UK holidays aren’t cheap so, without insurance, I’d lose a lot of money if I couldn’t go.

notheragain4 · 31/05/2020 12:31

I have travel insurance through my bank account, it covers UK trips so long as at least 2 days nights.

Did you pay by credit card? Is S75 a possibility?

If you have insurance it may be worth going to them because if they say it's the suppliers responsibility (which I suspect they would) you can take that back to them?

Sewingbea · 31/05/2020 12:32

I would suggest letting them know that you will be using the small claims court too, it may give them pause to think and reconsider. If they don't then I'd fill in the online forms and carry out my promised action.

BettyFilous · 31/05/2020 12:35

@Moondust001

Most travel insurance I have ever had doesn't cover UK holidays. You need to make a claim. Tell them (in writing) they have 14 days to refund you in full, and if they don't you will take legal action without further notice, which will result in their debt to you increasing with costs.
Not true. It depends on your policy. We have an annual travel insurance policy with HSBC. It covers UK trips if there is a min 2 night stay and the accommodation is booked in advance. I was able to claim for a 5 night trip earlier this year that I couldn’t take due to emergency medical treatment. A lot of UK providers encourage you to take out insurance when booking.
Sewingbea · 31/05/2020 12:35

There's an excellent pro forma letter on the other thread that you could cut and paste.

GabsAlot · 31/05/2020 12:43

just threaten small claims court-they either shoujld move it for you or a refund

SeriouslyRetro · 31/05/2020 12:46

Have they actually cancelled the booking?

rwalker · 31/05/2020 12:52

There taking the piss it's down to them and tell them to claim on there business insurance .

SwedishK · 31/05/2020 13:07

If they haven't cancelled your booking, it sounds like you cancelled because the amenities on the site won't be open, then I don't think you can demand a refund nor on your insurance. It would be up to them and their good will in that case.

The cottage is still available and accessible, just not everything around it.

Having said that, if you were my guests, I would have let you reschedule.

MrsWooster · 31/05/2020 13:19

swedishk we’re not allowed to travel to stay away, at the moment. It was confirmed on shitshowbriefing the other day.

SwedishK · 31/05/2020 13:47

@MrsWooster

swedishk we’re not allowed to travel to stay away, at the moment. It was confirmed on shitshowbriefing the other day.
That's true, but the trip is in a months time. That may well change by then.
dalrympy · 31/05/2020 13:54

Is it direct with the owner? Sykes Cottages have apparently acted really badly regarding refunds

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.