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Original poster

Sykes Cottages Cancellation

32 replies

Doidontimmm · 29/05/2019 16:46

Anyone got experience with Sykes cottages. We booked a cottage for 7 nights in December over Christmas in January. It was £20 deposit. The full amount payable in November. The t&c do say if we cancel we have to pay a third £345.

We can no longer go :( My Son has a new job with no time off at Christmas & my Gran is now unable to travel.

I feel they are being awkward as I’ve asked to change dates - they will only allow earlier dates & must be 7 days. I can only do dates next year and only 3/4 nights.

My argument is there is plenty time to resell it. It’s booked solid most of the year so doubtful it won’t be. If we cancel & they rebook they get my deposit plus the new customers full amount. If they would let me change the dates they would have 2 bookings!

Am I being unreasonable?

We have travel insurance but not covered for this.

OP posts:
Chartreuser · 29/05/2019 16:49

I believe that they can only cover reasonable costs if they can't resell. There is a v high chance they could sell a Christmas holiday given that it's only May so I think they are being unreasonable.

I'll see if I can find link to guidance

GiantKitten · 29/05/2019 16:59

They are being awkward, aren’t they? Even if technically in the right it’s unhelpful & greedy.

Have you tried putting it on twitter? Public shaming often helps.

mobile.twitter.com/sykescottages

ErrantTesselation · 29/05/2019 17:08

Seems really cheeky to take a deposit and then say if you cancel you have to pay several hundred £! To my mind a deposit is what you'd lose if you cancelled before paying the rest. Otherwise your first payment is only really an installment of a deposit. (Obviously this isn't technically the case, hence this situation, but they were misleading.) Also, your deposit would easily cover any of their costs at this stage (basically just changing the website to reflect it's now available again for your dates!).

Original poster
Doidontimmm · 29/05/2019 17:12

Thank you that’s really helpful. I think it’s fair we pay the fee if they don’t rebook but it’s pretty booked all of this year (hence us not being able to go as dates are so limited) so I’m 99% sure it will!

OP posts:
Original poster
Doidontimmm · 29/05/2019 17:15

Errant to be fair the deposit situation is clear on their site, we paid £20! I’d happily pay an admin charge but not £345! I looked & it said you can change dates but did not realise how limited that was.

OP posts:
GiantKitten · 29/05/2019 17:31

The £20 deposit is an early booking concession; they do make it clear that if you don’t pay the full balance, you’re liable for the rest of what the normal deposit would be (I’ve got one due this week). Cottages4you used to do the same.

However when it’s for Christmas at a popular cottage, & it’s 7 months away so there’s a strong chance they can rebook at full price, there should be some scope for a reduction.

Also very inflexible that it can’t be moved to next year.

giddyyup · 29/05/2019 20:28

It's clear when booking you have to pay the amount the original deposit would be. I've booked on this deal several times.

Chartreuser · 29/05/2019 20:43

It might be clear but it's not legal, being in the terms doesn't make it ok. They are only allowed to charge a fee commensurate with their losses such this would not be (but the initial £20 would be).

TeaForDad · 29/05/2019 20:44

I've had trouble with Sykes before

GiantKitten · 29/05/2019 21:23

The T&C say you agree to their terms though. Is that not legal?

Sykes Cottages Cancellation
Original poster
Doidontimmm · 29/05/2019 21:30

I do admit yes I signed up to this but I feel it’s unreasonable they don’t relist and then charge me if it doesn’t sell. The cost is £1098 and if rebooked the owners would get that again PLUS my £345! Surely that’s not right?

OP posts:
Teachermaths · 29/05/2019 21:35

I'd book it for a week at some point.... Even if you can only do a few days. It's unreasonable that they won't transfer the booking to next year if there aren't many dates this year.

Or book a week and sell the holiday on to someone?

GiantKitten · 29/05/2019 21:42

Doidontimmm

Yes, I agree it’s unreasonable for them to insist you pay it upfront.

Under normal conditions you’d be paying the full amount 6 weeks before arrival (in November), so I don’t see why you should have to pay anything right now, & they’ll probably have rebooked it by then!

Original poster
Doidontimmm · 29/05/2019 21:59

I think if they won’t budge I will refuse to cancel until last minute meaning less chance of them resisting. Very unfair on owner I know but I shall contact owner and explain. They can’t charge my card as the card I originally paid with was cancelled by the bank due to an upgrade so no longer exists!

OP posts:
Chartreuser · 30/05/2019 19:47

They can't break the law, their terms don't override the law which states they can only cover losses.

I think leaving it til last minute means you would be liable for full amount and even if that card was cancelled the details from it would be enough for the bank to agree the payment (happened to me).

I would write to them cancelling and pointing out you will not be paying anything else as they have plenty of time to relet and thus there is no legal basis for extra costs

Walkingthedog46 · 30/05/2019 20:15

My friend booked a cottage and paid a deposit to hold the dates. She also had to pay an upfront deposit against damages. She had to cancel the booking (very shortly after booking) and was fully prepared to lose the deposit, but the owner also refused to refund the upfront money held against damages. She quoted her T&C which which said deposits would not be refunded and argued that the damages money was also a deposit. My friend argued that how could she be charged for damage when they had never occupied the cottage. She didn’t get her money back.

Butterymuffin · 30/05/2019 20:20

They can’t charge my card as the card I originally paid with was cancelled by the bank due to an upgrade so no longer exists!

In that case I'd try to make them see reason, and if they really wouldn't, I'd let them attempt to take payment from the non existent card and ignore all further communications when that failed.

TheresWaldo · 30/05/2019 20:28

But that is the normal deposit, which you forfeit if you cancel according the t&cs. The £20 is a sales pitch. You have to sign that you agree to the T&Cs when you book. However, it IS a bit mean that won't let change the dates.

Chartreuser · 30/05/2019 20:31

Again though the ts&C's are meaningless in the light of the law, the law says they are not entitled to that much

Original poster
Doidontimmm · 31/05/2019 06:44

I’ve emailed them quoting unfair contract and reasonable loss and will see what they say.

There is no penalty to cancel as late at Nov so if they going to charge me £344 they can wait until then!

OP posts:
Original poster
Doidontimmm · 31/05/2019 07:12

Does this sound ok to owner?

Sykes Cottages Cancellation
Sykes Cottages Cancellation
OP posts:
Saucery · 31/05/2019 07:21

I wouldn’t put your plans to wait until Nov as it sounds like a threat. I’d still do it, but not tell them.
Personally, I’d make it much shorter and keep to the fact that the property can be let again for that popular and busy period and that Sykes taking deposit and another full rental is dishonest. The cottage owner will know they get deposit and full rental in these circumstances and obviously approves as they have their property with the company.

Drogosnextwife · 31/05/2019 07:27

As much as I think you read the terms and conditions and technically should pay, just don't pay it, what can they do? I think it's unlikely they would take you to court.
Emailing the owner is probably a good idea, sounds good.

GiantKitten · 31/05/2019 12:51

@Doidontimmm

I used to work at cottages4you years ago when it was still mostly phone bookings. Properties that had very late cancellations, after full payment, would be relisted at a massive discount. (We always had to ring the owner before taking the booking as it was possible that, having received payment, they would bugger off somewhere themselves for that week Grin)

I’m pretty sure that in those circumstances the owner got the original full payment, but that cottages4you retained most/all of the discounted payment Hmm

I realise this is not exactly the same situation, but did Sykes actually say that it’s the owner who gets the full deposit on an early cancellation, plus the full amount of the rebooking?

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