We had to delay our Scottish get-together, then the property was withdrawn, but Unique Cottages kept the booking fee
Eighteen months ago, before Covid struck, I booked a large house in Scotland for a summer holiday for 17 friends and family. For obvious reasons it had to be postponed until this July. Unique Cottages, the lettings agent, rang me less than two weeks before the start date to inform us that the property had been withdrawn. I was offered an alternative booking at a later date or a full refund. I opted for the refund. However, the company has deducted £190 in booking fees and cancellation charges, and is refusing to repay them.
WR, Edinburgh
Unique Cottages prides itself on customer service. It certainly works hard at this – the contortions it has endured to avoid paying up are tireless. The first issue is why the booking was cancelled. At the time, you say you were told that the property had been withdrawn. Now Unique Cottages is blaming the size of your party, which exceeded the limits in place in Scotland at the time of your holiday in mid-July. Not that that had stopped it taking the balance for the reservation in June.
