“It was the first time I’ve used Sykes and I was very impressed with the emails and updates before the trip.”
However, I do think that you must keep on top of reviews for your properties as the last few for our property, the Old Sweet Shop at Foulsham, have all complained about the facilities and the cleanliness and yet nothing has been done. I’d booked it months ago so I had no choice but to go and hope it had been cleaned. We didn’t write in the guest book as it was all positive and most comments not dated, so I don’t know how old they are, but we will be writing an honest, blunt review on the feedback for the cottage and for trip advisor - the cottage wasn’t low priced - 1300 pound a week is a lot of money and I had been out of work for six months in both lockdowns. I would expect Sykes, as you do all the communicating with the owners, to now address these areas of concern as it’s selling a cottage that isn’t four star, and to tell the owners that we will be positing a review on their cottage, as I’d like to read honest reviews - that’s the entire way I book accommodation. Usually over the last fifteen years I have used hoseasons and holiday lettings. They then put you in touch with the owner directly to communicate. As I’ve no way of reaching the owner then Sykes will need to feedback. Here are just a few of our concerns:
1. There was absolutely no parking at the property and we had two cars, yet it said parking for one car, but it was a free for all for everyone - first in gets the spot!
2. The stair rail was loose.
3. The kettle was full of limescale.
4. The cooker good was absolutely filthy.
5. The microwave hardly worked as it didn’t heat up food and it was full of rust - we have all the photos of these concerns.
6.The fridge was too small for six people.
7. The garden furniture was very uncomfortable with dirty cushions, I missed a day of using it as they were all sopping wet as they hadn’t been stored anywhere and the gutters were all full of plants, so the water ran onto the cushions. This was not a good sight!
8. The garden was very overgrown and I had to go round pulling up massive weeds, of one metre, so the children didn’t get nettled.
9. The flags in the back garden were a trip hazard.
10. The living room couch was so flat that you couldn’t get up off it!
11. The grey throws were musty, crusty and full of dog hairs!!!! I daren’t put these on my children’s beds.
12. The children complained that their beds were camp beds and cried to come home to their own beds! So were the three bedrooms correctly listed if the third bedroom has camp beds?
13. The carpet is hanging up over all the door walkways and one of our elderly family members stumbled on this, at least once, at the top of the stairs.
14. The carpets were patched together in the second bedroom, which was not what we expected for what we paid!
I look forward to hearing back from Sykes as I know you care very much about the customer but I feel that the property let our holiday down sadly.
Mrs Owens, thanks for your detailed feedback , and I am sorry we did not meet your expectations. The majority of the feedback we are seeing for the first time in several years of operation. We do take guest comments onboard and are dealing with your points via the owner and customer relations team.
For information, the camp beds to which you refer in the 3rd bedroom, is a John Lewis trundle bed set, and transforms from a single, to two singles via a trundle bed, or as a zipped queen bed, which gives guests various configuration options. They have proper mattresses with high user ratings.
Property Owner
