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Original poster

Holiday cottage just cancelled last minute

52 replies

FloofCloud · 12/08/2023 23:02

Anyone got any experience?
We booked via VRBO and the host has pulled out literally last minute - they're going to see if they have anything else available. We leave tomorrow!
The only two properties still available for the week that I can find on VRBO in a reasonable drive from where we were meant to be is double and triple to price because they're much larger.
VRBO said they'd not charge us extra --- awaiting a call / email from their team who
Deals with rebooking in such circumstances ... any thoughts/ experience if a similar thing?
TIA

OP posts:
crew2022 · 15/08/2023 05:45

It happened to me on booking.com and the host offered us a larger property for more money and there were fewer bathrooms . I suspect it was because we were going for three nights and they had a request for a full week. It was the host contacting us directly and booking.com didn't get involved.
As it was still about a fortnight before and in the UK i cancelled and booked a different property for a different date (luckily all of us were flexible.
At first I got an email saying I had lost my deposit by cancelling but this was sorted eventually.
I visit the same area regularly (relative in a care home) so book properties for myself and family members often but I've avoided the original one. I was also thinking of trying VRBO ....

User63847484848 · 15/08/2023 05:59

Hope you get it sorted
i had similar with air bnb (apart from host had no good reason) and sounds like vrbo have been much more helpful than they were

footballmom43 · 15/08/2023 07:10

Lots of luck @FloofCloud - just keep phoning and eventually you'll get through to someone helpful. We had so many conversations with people who just seemed completely powerless and were following a script and then eventually did get someone who seemed able to make decisions and understood our position. Hope you have a lovely holiday!

Dontjudgeme101 · 15/08/2023 07:42

Good luck and l hope that it gets quickly sorted op. 💐💐

Original poster
FloofCloud · 16/08/2023 07:05

We're here! Bloody VRBO though, we were half way to Le Shuttle and they phoned. I'd got the grump the day before because we found out that our booking would still be the same dates so we had 1 day less of a 6 day rental now because we were meant to be on the train 12 noon Monday, but because they didn't actually cal us til 11am Monday, even though we'd be calling, emailing and chatting to push all of Sunday as we heard nothing, we couldn't leave as we didn't know if we had any accommodation. I was really cross as their delay cost us a day of holiday, but of course this wasn't explained to us over the weeekend when people were saying 'yes we've elevated it to its highest priority someone will be in touch, we're open 24 hours a day' ... nope! So Monday they secured the property and we rebooked Eurostar and said we'd leave Tuesday Morning. I'd said I wanted a call from a manager as was pissed off about that lost day, so en route they called and offered us an increase in what they'd pay towards the new property (bigger and more expensive but that's because there was only 1 choice now) so 250% of the first property cost to pay towards the second (in reality there was only that 1 property in the country which had our needs for our Disabled child, otherwise it would have been a much longer journey, which she couldn't manage anyway). We agreed to this 250% which left a balance of approx £550. We checked the balance and they were trying to charge the full amount! So sent a
Message and they said no it's just £1350.... we sent them our calculations and said no way it's £550. By that time the lady who gave us the offer had gone for the day. The other bloke said no we don't offer that amount and insisted, by this time we were half hour away from the destination, and he said basically pay or you don't get to stay. I told them we we're being held hostage financially speaking, the promise made to us a few hours before wasn't being honoured and it wasn't acceptable. I said you know we have our dog and a disabled child who is autistic and won't cope in a hotel as we'd said to them before (when they suggested we go to the continent and stay in a hotel til they sort the issue out - had to decline because my child can't tolerate hotels or the uncertainty of not knowing where we were going, after spending 8 months talking about the original property she was already in a panic about a new place that looked 'too big with no bedrooms like her own'.
I told them we have no option but to pay because our child, who was in the car and could hear what was going on was freaking out we were going to have to stay in the car overnight. So we'd pay but wanted a copy of the phone call from the original person (which they said they needed to review themselves) and expected a breakdown of their calculations as so far they'd been wrong, and we expected a refund of what was owed back to us.
So that's really marred our holiday! DD arrived at the gite and hates it because she's been overwhelmed. There are doors we can't unlock and she things there are people living in different parts of the house and I've had to sleep in with her all night as she's beyond it 😓 - she's asleep now after trying to get her to sleep til gone 2am so now I'm wired on coffee and watching telly - great! The dog is padding around because she doesn't seem to be settling either ... quite pleased to be leaving on Sunday now to be honest.
What an omnishambles!

OP posts:
footballmom43 · 16/08/2023 07:22

Oh my god @FloofCloud I'm so sorry to hear all of this - I hope today is a better day and your daughter feels happier about it when she wakes up.

PragmaticWench · 16/08/2023 07:35

Hopefully the water in the pool will help your DD to regulate, I always find it helps my DD. What a mess, sorry you've had such a stressful time with it all.

SummerCycling322 · 16/08/2023 07:42

We too have a dog & a ASD child so big sympathies as planning around unknowns is utterly exhausting. I really hope a day of calm today can reset some of the whole family stress from the last few days and you can enjoy some of your holiday.

MadeForThis · 16/08/2023 07:44

Hopefully things calm down today.

gogomoto · 16/08/2023 08:04

Unfortunately this is too common. We booked an Airbnb last year who cancelled on us and we found it relisted for 4 x the price! There was an event in hence us booking an apartment in a town not really a holiday destination. Complained to Airbnb who did nothing at all. At least it wasn't short notice so I managed to get a nice place but another town along meaning having to drive to the event daily and no drinking! (Liver thanked us!)

I usually stick to hotels for this reason

RatSalad · 16/08/2023 08:11

That’s awful of V, I hope things turn around today and you can at least enjoy what you have.

We had that with the other big online rental company this year. UK host cancelled as they’d sold the £££ big beautiful feature property we’d paid for (surely they had some inkling this was happening?!) and as an alternative we were offered a shepherd’s hut in a field with one bed (there are three of us) and an outside tap and bucket sink for a “kitchen”. They failed to see any issue with that and were an absolute nightmare to deal with.

ScarlettDarling · 16/08/2023 08:11

What a bloody shame. And they say holidays are meant to be relaxing!!
Get in that very expensive pool today and try to chill a bit. Forget the money/ hassle etc until you’re home and then go after them.
Hope the sun is shining for you.

Original poster
FloofCloud · 16/08/2023 08:17

Thanks everyone! Il be buying some nice French wine and cheeses today and enjoy the sunshine and nice food 🤩🥳 with my lovely family 💕❤️🐾

OP posts:
NCTDN · 16/08/2023 08:21

Hope your dd settles in x

FairAcre · 16/08/2023 08:27

If they have an Instagram account then comment on there. They really won’t like that and are more likely to sort things.

ChatBFP · 16/08/2023 08:27

Enjoy your trip! Park the stress for now. When you get back, I'd write to the times or telegraph travel section - you'll get an even nicer discount that way!

Katrinawaves · 16/08/2023 08:39

What a nightmare!

@FloofCloud if you have paid any part of the holiday by credit card (not debit card or direct bank transfer) you should be covered for all your extra costs under s75 Consumer Credit Act. So let your credit card company know what has happened and put in a claim when you get home.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday despite the ropey start.

BitOutOfPractice · 16/08/2023 08:45

God that sounds so stressful! I’m hoping you can have a lovely week and get everything sorted when you return. Happy holidays!

Eddyraisins · 16/08/2023 08:51

vbro sound absolutely ridiculous. I will never use them now.
Hope you get a refund op.

Sundaefraise · 16/08/2023 08:59

Oh my god - they messed up and you’ve ended up paying an extra £1350?! Unbelievable - what a rubbish company. Also have an asd dd and can completely imagine how badly she would cope with this. Hope you all manage to relax now you are there.

Original poster
FloofCloud · 16/08/2023 09:07

Katrinawaves · 16/08/2023 08:39

What a nightmare!

@FloofCloud if you have paid any part of the holiday by credit card (not debit card or direct bank transfer) you should be covered for all your extra costs under s75 Consumer Credit Act. So let your credit card company know what has happened and put in a claim when you get home.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday despite the ropey start.

Great point! Thank you ☺️

OP posts:
Original poster
FloofCloud · 16/08/2023 09:10

Sundaefraise · 16/08/2023 08:59

Oh my god - they messed up and you’ve ended up paying an extra £1350?! Unbelievable - what a rubbish company. Also have an asd dd and can completely imagine how badly she would cope with this. Hope you all manage to relax now you are there.

Thank you - they did refund us the original amount, but what we're paying is quite a bit more expensive as it's huge in comparison (5 beds, 3 bathrooms, original was quite dinky but lovely!

OP posts:
Justrolledmyeyesoutloud · 16/08/2023 09:20

I had this happen to me a while ago...wasn't vrbo but that company have lost my custom.
Am using vrbo next week gosh l hope they don't cancel. It shouldn't be allowed.

Teapleasebobb · 16/08/2023 09:24

Definitely fight it when you get back
Op, just try and enjoy your holiday now.
Never used VRBO and never will now!

PatTesting · 16/08/2023 09:33

Justrolledmyeyesoutloud · 16/08/2023 09:20

I had this happen to me a while ago...wasn't vrbo but that company have lost my custom.
Am using vrbo next week gosh l hope they don't cancel. It shouldn't be allowed.

Unfortunately, sometimes cancellations are unavoidable. I manage a holiday let and if there was a show-stopping problem such as a flood, fire, damage etc, I wouldn’t dream of letting the next guests come in.

If it was something like a broken oven or dishwasher I’d offer them the opportunity to cancel or offer a discount if they wanted to go ahead. Either way, it’s about how you deal with it following the cancellation rather than the cancellation itself.