Redress for holiday cottage renters after false bike storage promise
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Linda Walsh and husband Robin own valuable bikes and keeping them secure during their £585 week’s stay in north Yorkshire, was – understandably – a priority.
“Bike storage was highlighted in the cottage’s description, but there was nothing we could actually see,” they told Crusader.
++ If you’ve been affected by this issue or feel you’ve been a victim of injustice, please contact consumer champion Maisha Frost on [email protected]
“We contacted the owner and she offered no explanation, then asked a neighbour to offer us space for one bike in a shed, but that depended on him being there so it wasn’t suitable.
“The other garden shed alternatives she came up with were also far too small. The next suggestion was a locked garden accessed via another neighbour. We were also offered a small tarpaulin cover that was pretty dirty.”
The pair ended up having to store one bike outside and the other in the cottage’s narrow hallway. “It was a tight squeeze getting by,” they add.
When they complained on the grounds the cottage description did not match what they were led to expect and paid for, their request for a part refund, made through the letting agent Sykes Holiday Cottages, was refused.
In her rejection message the owner then mentioned there was a porch available for the bikes and in rather tortuous reasoning argued: “There was no explanation provided regarding ‘no bike storage’ because there is bike storage available.”
“But that entrance lobby was tiny, impossible to fit two bikes in, you would have to remove them to get in or out,” responded Linda.
While Sykes is the one the couple paid, it is the agent in the middle with the owner the one responsible. However descriptions, one of the fundamentals visitors agree to in a rental contract, must be accurate.
Crusader supported the couple’s view that they deserved some recognition for the lesser value and hassle they experienced – no one wants that when they go on holiday and it’s no way to treat customers who paid in good faith.
We asked for Sykes’ help and for the decision to be reviewed. In the meantime, the reference to bike storage disappeared from the cottage’s advert.
Fairness has now triumphed with Linda and Robin accepting the offer of a 30 per cent (around £175) refund.
A Sykes Holiday Cottages spokesperson said: “We’re sorry that there wasn’t the bike storage [they] were expecting. We have since arranged a partial refund as a gesture of goodwill and have been in contact with the property owner to update the description on the website.”
Double check before booking about arrangements for your sports equipment
If you combine a holiday let with a sporty pastime, such as cycling or canoeing and have a big, expensive kit, double check the storage space and security offered ahead of booking.
Hiring a property should not be a lottery, so pin down owners on space sizes and locations. Honourable, caring ones will provide them.
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