Self - catering complaint - where do I go?

dazag

Evening all,

I stayed in a self catering house for couple of weeks and I was very disappointed with the standard. The house cost €600 per week. Some issues included: dirty linen, tv wires hanging out, damp walls and water dripping in windows, false advertising of distance from Kilkenny town (said it was a 5 minute walk, it was 10 on a power walk), back garden was a disgrace, broken microwave, no bulbs in lights, some lights no working.

I paid upfront and now want a part of full refund.

Where do I go to register a complaint ?

Small claims maybe.

Thanks

Susan

dudara

What steps have you taken to try to resolve the issue with the owner/person who rented to you?

lulu1

HI did you bring this to the attention of the owner when you first moved in Not really sure if there is much you can do about it now

_Brian

But you stayed in the house for the full duration...

Its the same as ordering a meal, licking the plate clean and then complaining that it was of a poor standard !!

dazag

Thanks for replies.

Ok so, yes I did stay in the house as there were no other houses in the area to rent. I was doing a course and had to be within walking distance of a school. I looked for alternate accommodation over the 3 weeks but everything was either gone or crazy expensive. So if I moved out I had no where to go.

During the stay I sent 16 texts to the property manager about different issues. The caretaker of the property was at the house 4 times, fixing washing machine, microwave etc. A builder arrived at the house in the last week to fix the windows and actually said the house was unfit for letting and advised that he had told the landlord that the previous week.

I contacted the property manger who said he would pass on my complaint. I requested a partial refund of one weeks rent. Conveniently the owner is away. So I'm waiting for a response.

Thanks for advice.

S

Bepolite

The complaint can probably be registered with the PRTB. The Accommodation forum would be a better place tbh.

dudara

Did you sign any kind of tenancy agreement? I don't think the PRTB can get involved otherwise. Did you sign any kind of agreement, or was this stay treated like a "hotel"?

Plek Trum

Where did you find / hear about the house to rent in the first place? Online? Word of mouth etc?

Friends had a similar issue with a self catering holiday let last summer in Ireland, owner refused to discuss or refund even partial monies paid. My friends got onto Bord Failte and Tourism Ireland (Both had ads for the property) - a few phonecalls later and a refund was issued. Dont be afraid of contacting the tourist board in Kilkenny and / or Bord Failte. Explain calmly what has happened and the lack of co-operation or acknowledgement from the owner. This might help get the ball rolling.

ben.schlomo

Plek Trum wrote: »

Where did you find / hear about the house to rent in the first place? Online? Word of mouth etc?

Friends had a similar issue with a self catering holiday let last summer in Ireland, owner refused to discuss or refund even partial monies paid. My friends got onto Bord Failte and Tourism Ireland (Both had ads for the property) - a few phonecalls later and a refund was issued. Dont be afraid of contacting the tourist board in Kilkenny and / or Bord Failte. Explain calmly what has happened and the lack of co-operation or acknowledgement from the owner. This might help get the ball rolling.

Tourism Ireland is concerned with promoting Ireland as a destination abroad and has no jurisdiction in this area. Failte Ireland also has no self catering accommodation these days, they got out of it a number of years ago so theres no use contacting them. If the property was listed in one of the guides such as Self Catering/Camping guide then maybe contacting through that may be of use.

Plek Trum

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Tourism Ireland is concerned with promoting Ireland as a destination abroad and has no jurisdiction in this area. Failte Ireland also has no self catering accommodation these days, they got out of it a number of years ago so theres no use contacting them. If the property was listed in one of the guides such as Self Catering/Camping guide then maybe contacting through that may be of use.

Aplogies - it was www.discoverireland.ie :rolleyes:

goz83

€600 a week in Kilkenny? Someone was seen from a mile away. A hotel would have been cheaper. A phone call is all it would have taken

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

goz83 wrote: »

€600 a week in Kilkenny? Someone was seen from a mile away. A hotel would have been cheaper. A phone call is all it would have taken

Not quite! I paid €1345 for 2 people for a week in a Kilkenny hotel earlier in July for B&B only.

2 nights in Kildare last week was just over 300 b&b, so 600 for a week is OK if you have a few people in the property.

goz83

Vera Wet Turbine wrote: »

Not quite! I paid €1345 for 2 people for a week in a Kilkenny hotel earlier in July for B&B only.

2 nights in Kildare last week was just over 300 b&b, so 600 for a week is OK if you have a few people in the property.

Sure whatever happened to a bit of haggling? :pac:

I reckon ringing around a couple of hotels would have yielded results. But thats OT anyway

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Worth every cent!

dazag

Thanks for replies. There was couple of us in the house so it was spread out amount set us.

Latest is: manager says owner won't budge and has apologised for inconvenience caused and that we were the guinea pigs. House has been cleaned up somewhat since our rental. The original house we were supposed to be in wasn't available so after abit of juggling around we ended up at this house. The manager guy says he hasn't been in the house for a while but I think now he is the actual owner and fobbing me off with this other guy to hide.

I found the house on rent.ie and made contact through the site, emails, calls and texts thereafter.

I contacted citizens info and they said it's definitely a case for small claims court so I will proceed there.