Dear Which?,
When we entered our holiday apartment in Cornwall, my wife and I were greeted by a very musty smell. We then noticed filthy wooden blinds, a large build-up of cobwebs and dead flies, and a dirty bathroom with a hole under the bath.
We also discovered a rocking chair in the kitchen that had nails protruding from where one of its arms used to be.
We had booked the accommodation for three nights via Sykes Holiday Cottages, at a cost of £480. I immediately called Sykes and sent photos of the property. It told me it would contact the owner and get back in touch.
However, we quickly decided to rent a nearby Airbnb at an additional cost, as it was clear the cottage needed a deep clean which wouldn’t be able to be performed in time for us to have a comfortable stay.
Two weeks after returning home, we're still trying to get a full refund and apology from Sykes.
So far, we've been offered a partial refund of £75 from the owner of the property, and a further £75 from Sykes as a goodwill gesture.
I don’t think this is enough, can you help us?
Chris WardPut to Rights
Tali Ramsey, consumer rights expert at Which?, says:If you book a holiday rental in the UK, you are entitled under the Consumer Rights Act to accommodation that is fit for purpose, meaning it should be clean and safe.
It should also be presented as it was described to you, and if this isn’t the case, you are entitled to compensation.
From the photos you shared with us, it is clear that the apartment wasn't up to scratch. We contacted Sykes on your behalf.
A spokesperson told us: ‘We’re sorry to hear that Mr Ward’s experience fell short of our usual high standards and have provided him with a full refund while also taking steps to ensure future guests get the quality of service they can expect.’
If you encounter an issue with holiday accommodation, you should contact the company which you booked the accommodation with in writing, explaining the conditions you are unhappy with and provide photographic evidence if possible.
You can start your complaint while on your holiday and follow up when you get home.
If your complaint isn't resolved, you may be able to escalate it to a trade body if the holiday company is a member of one. If all else fails, you can consider taking legal advice.
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source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/your-rights-when-booking-holiday-accommodation-aXK4k1D1fKHx