“Shower heads in en suite and bathroom were MOULDY and hence unhealthy.”
Even after cleaning there remained a residue.
Damp/musty smell upstairs, especially in double room wardrobe. Clean clothes stored in wardrobe acquired the smell and had to be rewashed when we came home.
Items in first aid kit: up to 14 YEARS past expiry date.
Much crockery/glassware chipped/cracked.
Some cooking utensils very badly worn (non-stick surfaces so badly chipped and worn they were unusable).
Derisory amount of cleaning materials provided (e.g. thimbleful of washing up liquid, three dish washer tablets). Minimal amount of toilet roll provided. No change of towels/bed linen offered for a 2-week stay.
In this day and age it is unbelievable that there is no provision for recycling glassware, paper etc. in the cottage. Regarding refuse there was a hand-written note to take rubbish out daily and deposit in public bins, No mention of what should be done when said bins were overflowing.
The property and contents need a thorough overhaul, proper maintenance, and proper management. Given the cost, this was very poor value for money.
The “Customer Reviews Policy” states “If you have negative feedback about a property that you’d like Sykes to publish when you return home, please raise it with the Owner or the Owner’s representative when you are there and try to resolve it, rather than the feedback be the first time an Owner hears about it.” Given that this information was on a link from an email we received AFTER RETURNING HOME it is difficult to see how we can comply with this requirement.
This review is given in good faith and photographic evidence can be provided for some of the above comments.
Thank you for your feedback. We are really sorry to see that you experienced some issues whilst at the Book House. On your booking details there is information regarding how to get in touch should you experience any issues – as we endeavour to resolve any concerns quickly. The property is a unique place to stay in an old town and as such there is a requirement for us to do something creative when it comes to the bins – hence the request in asking guests to place these outside as that is the only way the council will come to collect. On inspection we didn’t find any evidence of broken crockery, however we have replaced the cooking utensils. Regarding the shower this is hard water residue however we are looking at getting this replaced. It is a self-catering property, therefore you do receive a pack to get you started for your stay which includes toilet rolls, washing up liquid and a few dishwasher tablets. Someone from the customer services team at NCCC is going to get in touch to establish what more we can do at the property.
Property Owner
