How to avoid problems with accommodation during your holiday?

Do you usually stay in flats during your holidays and when you arrive they are not what you imagined? Here are some tips to avoid problems!

Here are some of the advantages of staying in flats: they are usually cheaper than a hotel; they allow you to save on lunch and dinner in restaurants; you can invite friends or family; and they make you feel ‘at home’.

They can also have certain disadvantages that you are at risk of suffering from. You may find that the wonderful flat you saw in pictures on the website is nothing like the real thing, that cleanliness is lacking, or that there are problems with neighbours.

How you can prevent problems in holiday homes

1. In order to avoid these situations it is very important that you inform yourself well and make sure that the property is as promised. Ideally, you should visit the flat you want to rent beforehand. If this is not possible, ask the person renting the apartment for a list of photographs showing what you are most interested in: kitchen, rooms, views... It is also advisable to ask for a list of photographs showing all the appliances available in the property and their condition.

2. You need to look at the cancellation policies as each company or owner is free to set their own. For example, if you make a reservation months in advance, you should know until when you can cancel without being penalised.

3. Keep all pre-contractual and contractual documentation until the end of the stay, as well as what the landlord advertises. Advertising is just another contract and can be enforced at any time.

How you can complain about problems in holiday accommodations

You have two ways of complaining depending on who you have applied to for the rental.

1. If it is directly with an owner.

You will not be considered a consumer and you will have to file a complaint with the Court of First Instance in the town where the property is located. It is advisable to settle the problem amicably with the landlord through negotiations by means of a burofax.

2. If the rental has been contracted with a company.

You are considered a consumer and you should present a complaint form, which they are obliged to provide you with. If this does not resolve the problem, there is no other option but to go to court by means of a lawsuit.

If your holidays have been ruined by a situation of this type and you want to make a claim, contact us.