Very Disappointing Service – Far Below the Promised Standard
We booked this Airbnb for guests, and their stay was extremely disappointing and fell far below the standards advertised.
On arrival, our guests noticed an extremely strong smell of bleach throughout the property, yet the house was still visibly unclean. There were thick cobwebs throughout, dirty areas including the banister and cooker hood, and dirty mugs in the cupboards. The property was generally tired and appeared to be in need of significant maintenance and investment.
There were also numerous maintenance issues, including a badly yellowed and tired-looking power shower, old and difficult-to-operate door locks, a non-working lounge light and TV, and a back door that had dropped and was difficult to open.
The garden was scruffy and neglected, with a badly damaged and unsightly fence. Our guests did not feel comfortable sitting or spending time there. There was also a wasp nest directly outside one of the bedroom windows.
Following the stay, we contacted Nick, the property manager, and Cotswold Property Manager to raise these concerns. Nick responded once, explaining that some issues were due to the age of the property or had not previously been brought to their attention. Regarding the cleanliness, he stated that the property receives a surface and bedding clean between changeovers, as well as regular deep cleans, and acknowledged that they try to stay on top of cobwebs.
We do not feel guests should have to identify and report basic cleaning and maintenance issues during their holiday. The property should have been properly cleaned, inspected and checked before their arrival.
To be fair, responsibility for the condition of a property does not sit solely with the management company. The owners also have a responsibility to ensure their property is properly maintained and presented. However, a professional management company also has a responsibility to properly oversee the properties it manages.
What is particularly frustrating is that the company promotes “quality without compromise” on its website. Based on our experience, that claim did not reflect the standard of the property. There were significant issues with cleanliness, maintenance, presentation and customer service.
We subsequently requested a partial refund due to the number and nature of the issues, but despite further correspondence, this has not received a meaningful response.
We have photographs documenting the condition of the property and the issues raised.
Overall, we were extremely disappointed with both the standard of the property and the way our concerns were handled afterwards. Based on our experience and that of our guests, we would not recommend Cotswold Property Manager.
