“I just want to say before I start that I have never had to leave a negative review in my life and the owners will respond with their side but I want to share my experience.”
Before we arrived I received a voicemail asking if we could delay our arrival as the previous guests had gone home with the key so the cleaner was behind. When we got in the caravan we noticed the following issues: poo stains in the en suite toilet, malteasers under the couch, sand on the floor and shells with sand in them on the shelves in the dining area, bugs in the bottom kitchen cupboard drawer and in the coming days the following: most of the blind ropes were broken which i think could be ...
Before we arrived I received a voicemail asking if we could delay our arrival as the previous guests had gone home with the key so the cleaner was behind. When we got in the caravan we noticed the following issues: poo stains in the en suite toilet, malteasers under the couch, sand on the floor and shells with sand in them on the shelves in the dining area, bugs in the bottom kitchen cupboard drawer and in the coming days the following: most of the blind ropes were broken which i think could be a choking hazard for young children, bulbs not working, towel rail hanging off and one off completely in the en suite, hoover didn't seem to have ever been emptied and smelt like wet dog when we used it, stains on chairs, radiator in bathroom full of yellow gunk at the bottom, kids toys scattered under the bed in one of the twin rooms, plug not working in kitchen, on/off button missing on kettle. I just want to list these to show it isnt a perfect caravan and i understand they have wear and tear but i have paid the price for this. The owner said that I should have contacted him and he would have rectified immediately which maybe I should have but I didn't want to seem petty and just cleaned it ourselves as I wouldn't expect him to come out to do some cleaning and repairs as that would impact our holiday by having to wait in with our belongings. The reason I made a complaint against the owner and am leaving this review is when we got back I was notified that our security deposit was being claimed, £100. I was shocked and wanted to genuinely know why. I was sent pictures of some mattress protectors that had stains on them, a pillow case with what seemed to be some mascara and a short dark hair and either a pillow case or sheet with a hole in it. I was accused of having a dog that's where the 1 hair came from and the holes. So with regards to the mattress protectors they were already stained and I stripped all the beds before we left and recall thinking they were flat and dirty and didn't seem to have been changed in a while yet there were no stains what so ever on the fitted sheets which there would have been going off the stains on the protectors. My mum also checked the pillows before sleeping on them and hers was yellow so she put her dressing gown over it to sleep on. I asked for before pictures and surley the cleaner would have taken pictures of the fitted sheets if she has taken pictures of the pillow cases from the pile we left as they were all together, i havent recieved any. Also my husband is the only guest with short dark hair and he had a navy pillow and doesnt wear mascara... we never used the 2 pillow cases in question and there were lots of spare bedding on the shelves in the main bedroom where the pictures were taken. He has stated that his cleaner is 10 out of 10 and has never had a complaint but I assure you she wasn't 10 out of 10 that day and just because you have only ever received good reviews doesn't mean I dont have the right to leave a negative one. Also even if the cleaner admits that it wasnt us then they wouldnt backtrack and would side with her. I just wanted to make people aware to take pictures before and after because even though Caravans 4 Hire were very apologetic they have no say over the deposit and once the owner has it they can keep it. The caravan was a good size and in a great spot but in all years I have been renting caravans I have never been accused of this. Also he can check the cctv to show we didn't have a dog and he said the new occupants said it was lovely and clean when they arrived so they are welcome as it was us that deep cleaned it before we left. We even put toilet duck in the toilets, cleaned the stains off the chairs, polished the shower screen and removed all the cobwebs from the decking because we treat places as if it was our own not like we are animals. I know it is only £100 but its not the point its that I am being made out to be dirty which I am not.
- Gemma Derbyshire, Aug 2025
We note our guests review and as highlighted to her we always receive 10/10 reviews. - we intend not to respond to the comments made, we are always available to our guests and details within the complaint were never detailed to us - we only started to receive negative comments once we requested a refund of the security deposit following damage within the lodge.
Property Owner
