“Unfortunately the problem started before we even arrived.”
We were called en-route to say that the heating and hot water were not working, that they had left some portable heaters in the house and to leave the hot water immersion on during our stay. This was fine considering it was summer but would have been a problem in winter, and the water was so boiling because the immersion was constantly on that it actually became dangerous. Having looked back at previous reviews I can see that the heating has been an issue for well over a year. Why has this not been addressed? Additionally, the cleanliness of the property is poor. It was very dusty everywhere including areas like the top of picture frames and radiators and bedside tables etc. The major problem is the finish of the decor. There was mould on the bathroom ceiling and blinds, and actual moss growing on the inside of the conservatory windows. The sealant round the bath and kitchen sink was completely black with mould and we all avoided taking baths the whole week as it was really off putting The wallpaper in the kitchen ceiling was hanging off (again, mentioned in the reviews months ago) and in general, the house just needs re-decorated completely due to dirty walls and chipped paintwork etc. It is unfortunate that this review does not allow photographs because I documented all of these problems to show where work needs done. The house only has one lavatory, and there is no hand sink in the room with the toilet so you have to come out of the toilet to go into the other room to wash your hands, which is not really convenient. The other room only has a bath with shower attachment, and a sink, no toilet. While we knew there was only one bathroom, we did expect there to be a small sink to wash your hands in the room with the toilet. The kitchen is pretty well equipped, though tired, and there was everything we needed in there for the week. The beds are very comfortable which was a plus. The location of the cottage is nice but be aware that, even though it is described as being within "walking" distance to a lot of places, this is actually pretty impossible and dangerous as there are no pavements! We were unable to walk anywhere with our dog as there was no safe way to do this. The grounds of the cottage could be spectacular, but again, they have been left to go into disrepair and the garden needs a good overhaul and general tidy. There were two wasps nests (one at the garage and one under a tree as you enter the property) so we did not spend much time in the garden. If this cottage was redecorated and cleaned, and the grounds tidied up, it would be a really nice holiday home, but as is currently presented, we do not feel it is suitable for a future holiday. It really needs a lot of money spent on it, and considering it costs well in excess of £2K to rent in some summer months, this should be invested in bringing the home up to standard.
