h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Holidays. I thought I'd share with you all my recent holiday, to Javea in Spain.

14 hours before I'm due at Birmingham Airport, my travel agent calls. Cosmos have rung to say that the 9 seater car that I ordered and paid for 4 months ago, they cannot provide. Instead they will provide 2, 5 seat cars.

This is the standard package for this holiday - were it acceptable I would not have paid £482 EXTRA to have a 9 seat vehicle. I am the only driver in the party, so a second car is worse than useless. I request a full refund to be immediately transferred to my bank account, so I can try to make alternative arrangements, and say I shall sue for loss of earnings for all my group.

It comes as no surprise they won't give me an immediate refund, eventually we compromise on a 7 seat vehicle, taxis to and from the airport, and a full refund (by cheque) of the extra I paid for a larger vehicle. I'm not happy, but given they've deliberately waited until the day before my departure its the best I can do.

We fly out and arrive in Spain, and I'm presented with free tickets to a theme park, as a gesture of goodwill. Its getting better.

Here are my car hire documents - wait a minute this says 'compact' - what does that mean ? The rep doesn't know I will have to talk to the car hire people. I talk to Europcar - its a hatchback - I say I'm expecting a 7 seat vehicle - they don't have one, and holiday autos have ordered this car. Holiday autos ? Who are they ? Oh - another middleman I'm paying. Seems I have no choice, pile family plus luggage into the taxi, and go to look for the car. Its so small I can't even get the buggy in the back - it has to sit upright between the children. It would be interesting to take my blood pressure right now.

So off we go for a chase across Spain at speeds in excess of 140 KPH, until we reach the letting agents in Javea - oh goody, another middleman.

Before I left England I was warned there was a breakage deposit I'd have to pay before I got the keys - 50 euros. No surprise then, actually its 200 euros. I actually have a choice here - I can pay it or sleep in the car. I pay.

We find our villa - well its not the gleaming white shown in the brochure - in fact its quite grubby looking. Never mind, we unlock the first door we come to, and step inside. The place is dank and musty, and smells like it hasn't been used in months. After some searching around I find the fuse box, we now have light, and can see that the shower curtain has mould on it, the base is filthy, and this is only a 2 bedroom accomodation.

It turns out that the Villa is split in two, 4 people downstairs, and 6 people upstairs, it doesn't say that in the brochure. Upstairs has at least been used recently, and the pool is lovely - apart from the broken tiles around the edge, and the broken pieces of mosaic in the bottom of the pool. My daughter calls me, downstairs is infested with s. Back to the letting agents.

The agents tell me the villa is fine - there was a family in it last week and they had no problems, there are no broken tiles on the terrace, and a few bits of mosaic missing is not a problem. Ants ? they are normal. Well I'm not happy; call Cosmos ! She chats on the phone to someone in Spanish and then says she will send round cleaners, and someone to check the pool, and to spray the s, and Brett will come and see me tomorrow or Monday - latest.

We go out to get something to eat, or rather, I drive half the family to the local town, then come back, pick up the rest of the family and go back again, and drop them off, then go to find somewhere to park. Eventually we all get to eat.

When we return home the Villa has been cleaned somewhat and the place has been sprayed. I sweep the terrace to remove the broken bits of tile.

I photograph the wires hanging out the wall, the broken terrace, the cigarrette holes in the furniture, the hole in the wall where the cooker hood used to be, the squashed bug on the wall, the dirty sheets, the undefined other hole in the kitchen wall, the missing mosaic tiles, and the broken ones in the pool.

Time for bed.

Next morning the kitchen is alive with s - luckily we've bought a spray, I photograph the dead s on the work surfaces and all over the floor. I dig out the cake that is under the kitchen cupboard, and attracting the s, and throw it away.

After we've done some food shopping I decide I will drive to the nearest Europcar and see if I can arrange another car. The night before has shown how useless this one will be. I notice that the advertised 'beach pack' is missing as well.

After a pleasant drive over the mountain, I find that Europcar is closed - I'll have to come back tomorrow. Never mind I drive back over the mountain, and we head for the beach.

Two drives to the beach later - we leave some stuff at home as I don't fancy making 3 trips - we have a nice afternoon on the beach, and a meal in a bar. I make two trips to the villa taking everyone home.

Next morning we spray the s that are now proceeding in column across the hall, before I drive over the mountain, with half the family to speak to Europcar. She will try to get a larger car, come back this afternoon. I drive back over the mountain, collect the rest of the family and return over the mountain, and we all meet up to look round Denia. I go back for the car, and all they can manage is an estate - well at least the buggy and beach junk will fit in that. I pay 160 euros and we go eat, then time to stroll round the little stalls that spring up along the quay in the evening. Well - it is for half the family, I have to drive over the mountain, back over the mountain, and then over the mountain again, so I don't have time.

Pretty tired when I fall into bed that night, after photographing the strange hole I've found in the bathroom wall, yet for some reason I awake at 3 AM.

I feel all itchy, and can't sleep. I toss I turn, I throw off blankets, I pull up blankets, but I feel all goose-pimply, and tickly. I trun on the light and the problem becomes clear. My side of the bed is covered in s - as am I - personally I don't consider this normal. I spray the bed, and brush myself off - lucky I'm not the sensitive kind really - it only takes me 2 hours to get back to sleep.

This sets the pattern for the holiday - we can't visit towns like Benidorm, it would take to long. The Roman sites in Valencia will remain unvisited. We won't be finding little beaches for us all to play on. And I'll be spending half my time going everywhere 4 times instead of twice.

I discover exciting new things to photograph each day - the stagnent water under the sink where the drain leaks, the cupboard downstairs filled with old furniture, and mould, and dripping water, the strange, hot device hanging out of the plug socket in my children's room. the views from the fantastic roof terrace. (this is fantastic as it non-existent) The barbecue ("perfect for al-fresco dining") which some people would describe as a rust pile of tin sitting on a heap of stones. And everyday we spray some more s.

Nobody from Cosmos ever came to see me - they don't provide reps for Villa holiday makers, they regard us as independant. I think this means they regard us a suckers who'll just hand over money and will accept nothing in return, so can be ignored.

We make do throughout the holiday, but just to round it off, the buggy is bent out of shape on the flight home. None of you will be surprised to hear that there was no refund of my car hire waiting when I got home either.

4 page letter of complaint, and 4 pages of photographs have been sent off - I now have to give them 2 weeks to acknowledge my complaint, and 4 weeks to respond.

Stay tuned.

Oh my gawd! Sounds like just about everything that could have gone wrong did. Well, at least nobody got sick .

I wish you lots of with getting some compensation. The photos were a good idea. Though it sounds like they are such a bunch of 'sin vergüenzas' that possibly nothing sort of a pending lawsuit will get them to respond.

Um, how was the weather?


az

How appalling! How can people propose such 'service' to a fellow human being, I wonder?

Best of luck with your complaints then. Have you considered writing your story to a local newspaper or, maybe more effectively, to what we call in france "une association de consommateurs" (consumer's union - I don't know how to say it in English)?

Or this place . . .

http://www.surinenglish.com/index.php


az

Or someone here might be able to help you - who knows, perhaps Cosmos is rather infamous down there . . .

http://www.costablancaexpats.net/


Actually, this newspaper link looks better than the last one I posted as it serves Alicante.

http://www.yourlocalnewspaper.info/

or

http://www.cbweeklypost.com/

In case you want to threaten Cosmos with writing an article for one of the local English newspapers . . .


az

Jeez

And you think *you're* disorganised?

I'll have to let you know how it all goes - if I wish to go through ABTA, which is the Association of British Travel Agents, then I have to give Cosmos a chance first, and generally speaking the first stage of anything is approaching the people you have a grievance with.

Toybox - in England we have a consumer advice group called Citizens Advice, but I can probably get a lawyer to take it up on a 'no win - no fee' basis - if it comes to that.

I'll keep the threat in the background for now Az, but if I'm dis-satisfied, I'll write it all up in full, with hyperbole, pathos, and drama, then see what I can do with it.

It sounds utterly disgraceful, I hope you get decent recompense.

You'll certainly remember that family holiday for years to come

Hello there Anything new? How are things going for you?

i wonder if in spain they have something like "gîtes de france"?

it's not a travel agency but an association that puts vacation home owners and renters in touch, formerly with catalogues, now through a website. i've been using it for years and years without a single false note.

I've had a letter from Cosmos acknowledging my complaint, and saying I'll hear again within 28 days.

There are several agencies like that, next year I'm probably trying James Villas, I forget who I went to France with, but that was a direct link owner to letter, and worked very well, but I was driving so it was bit simpler to arrange, all I needed was a ferry crossing.

Ah well - onward and upward.

So - exactly 28 days after the date of their last letter, I have a letter from Cosmos - they admit nothing, but because my holiday wasn't all it was meant to be, and I had so little success with their local agents, they are prepared to offer me £600 in compensation.

As I paid nearly £500 pounds for the upgraded motor they never gave me, plus £120 to hire a bigger car whilst I was out there, and then there is the ruined holiday, and ruined buggy. I have refused this offer and returned their cheque, accompanied by a strongly worded letter.

This letter features words like derisory, insult, simpleton, and solicitor. Apparently I now have to give them another 3 weeks, which I am sure they will use all of, before offering me something equally unacceptable.

I was wondering the other day if you'd had any news.

I think you're right not to accept the 600.

Well, it may take awhile but I really hope you get a satisfactory settlement.

How much would you settle for?


az

Hi there McKay.I am sorry to read about your holiday,i was pointed in your direction on the journal entry i made about ours.(thanks az..i think it was az)!
We booked through thomas cook,we booked flights ,a villa with pool,and a car,in florida.On our arrival(the flight was delayed for two hours,and someone nicked my cardigan when we went through the x-ray machine and forgot to pick it up with the bags)we colllected the key for the villa ,and then the car,which was fine.It was late,and we were very tired,and it took us ages to find the villa,but eventually we arrived.No outside light,so hubby had to use a lighter to see the box where the key is kept,andto put in the code.I was still in the car,complete with luggage,wheelchair etc.
Hubby came out to the car for me,and i couldn't believe my eyes when i saw the place.The beige carpet in the lounge was full of dirty stains,the only furniture was two cane (conservatory type) sofas,and two small armchairs.plus a couple of occasional tables,which were painted a bright turquoise colour to maych the front wall,and the table lamp bases(i think it was a job lot).The dining table had six chairs ,and there were two bar chairs,which were so dirty,and holey that i wouldn't have sat on them had i been able to.The kettle was peeling lumps of plastic inside on the base,and wouldn't turn off of it's own accord,and when i unplugged it to turn it off it was red hot.The telephone wouldn't work,unless we held it in to the socket,and even then it cut out,All the bedding was old and shabby,and the towels..someone hadnt heard of soap powder..there was a dirty tea towel in the kitchen drawer,and the crockery still had the remnants of the last meal on and in it!!The utility room had balls of fluff and dust all over the floor,and a thick wedge of sticky soap powder on the floor all across the front of the washer.Upstairs two of the bedroom lights didnt work at all.The pool was filthy,and the pool furniture wa disgusting,all dirty white plastic,with not a cushion in sight.
Wel,i suppose you've got the gist by now,without me going any further.
Like you we paid for the holiday,and after the first night we stayed in a hotel for two nights,and we went to see the rep the first morning.No luck there,they did however "clean" the place...not that it was any different.
The rep did tell us that if we stayed in a hotel he hoped we realised we wouldn't be compensated......so what's new there!!!!
So,the family back in england found us another villa,which was lovely,and cost another £600..but at least we were able to enjoy the rest of the holiday.The villa rental company told us that they had no more villas empty,so couldnt move us,which i found odd,as they had provided us with a booklet on arrival,and had villas on 70 other sites!!!
Thomas cook now cant tell me what they charged us for the villa,as it as inclusive with the flights,and the people that they booked the holiday through cant help either...odd considering that the agent they booked it through...after researching on the net...is ownedby thomas cook.
I am nw waiting for a reply to the e-mail i sent yesterday,which i am told could be 28 days.

I've been reading on a bit myself - having been strung out to the maximum time for every reply I'm waiting for their latest derisory offer, and reading up on the ABTA site.

They do everything they can to suggest you won't get your money back.

You have to pay them to investigate your claim.

The payouts I can find out about don't look very good.

I think I'm going to sue - I think I'll get more money, and I'll be more likely to win I think - I'm going to ring an ambulance chaser on Tuesday, and we'll see.

Hi there againI found a site,although i'm not sure if they'd be of any help to you,but they look .
,but i don't know how to do links...i'm a bit illiterate when it comes down to using computers,but it's
www.holidaytravelwatch.org/Resolve
They have specialist solicitors,but i haven't approached them ,because i'm still waiting for the next reply from the holiday company.The one they sent after five days(the maximum time they're allowed if responding to e-mail)just asked for more details,I'm assuming a time delaying tacticI hope you'll keep us informed,and with your next step.

I've just sent an e-mail to that site Smurfles, they certainly sound a lot more like they mean business than ABTA do. I'm sure ABTA are great if your holiday firm goes bust, but I'm starting to have my doubts about them otherwise.

My chat with the ambulance chaser (no win - no fee) worried me a little, basically it was based around, "because they've offered me compensation, they've admitted fault - lets ramp this up to the maximum we can." Which is all well and good, but I can see two lawyers in front of a judge, one making out the company are reasonable and I'm a money grabber, the other saying his client's holiday was ruined, and my compensation being decided by the judge's opinion of the firm and what he thinks the lawyers will charge.

Well, I'm very pleased to see that suggesting that smurfles come here to chat with you about her experience has also given you some help and helpful information.

Kind of what hootoo is all about, isn't it?


az

Hello agai MCkay.i hope you get some help from the site,it looked quite good,but as i'm very cautious about anything that starts suggesting specialist solicitors(i get the same mental pictures as you do) i didn't read that far.I have all my dates down in my journal so i don't forget them,and so that if anyone wants to read they might think twice before booking with the company i used.Thanks az,i feel as though i'm not alone when it comes to complaining since you pointed me to this space
I shall look forward to hearing from you again soon McKay,and hope you have some good news !!

Well - they haven't replied to my e-mail yet......

I think I'll contact my usual solicitors for advice because I haven't heard from Cosmos again either.