My complaint:
Sorry,the above should read Holiday.🥴
Parkdean Holiday Resorts, Sandford, Dorset.
To mention, we are both in our middle seventies and feel that we have been humiliated and discriminated against through no fault of our own. And although mobile am severely disabled internally. (Brittle Asthma Type Two and Spinal Rods.)
Please read our story and see what you think! This was sent to the name below but are still awaiting a reply!
Dear Customer relations team,
We booked a Poole lodge on Sandford Park from the 16th to the 19th June. Then a Stoborough lodge from the 19th to the 23rd June as the Poole lodge was supposedly not available for a longer period. A very nice lodge No.16 Willow Way and as I am quite seriously disabled, and with my wife’s recovering hip operation, the small amount of steps were just nicely manageable.
We were told that we could have access to our next lodge, No 4, Oak Avenue from 1 pm onwards of the 19th.
On arrival the outside of this Wooden Lodge was found to be covered in spider webs, general dust and mess, peeling paint that had obviously been like this for a very long time. In fact the unit must have been at least 50 years old or more at least and we were surprised that it was still being used! Looked like it had been in a ‘western’ shootout!
Incidentally, my wife was very loathe to stay as we had seen a similar unit on the park which had been completely burnt out.
We noted also that this was the only wooden lodge on the park apart from odd privately owned ones.
Also the photos on the internet website had no resemblance whatsoever to No 4 Oak Avenue, although the Poole lodge was exactly as pictured and described.
But the main problem here were the SEVEN STEPS up to the decking leading to the unit.
As our ages had to be specified on the booking form, surprisingly no one had asked if we would be able to manage these steps, especially with our luggage etc!
So, this was out of the question for me and could, if dewy or wet would become a serious slip hazard. To mention, the decking was green over in many parts, (photos taken )and would be extremely dangerous when wet! My wife was very concerned over this as she is still recovering from a hip replacement operation as mentioned above.
So we were now ‘lodge-less’ and reporting this to reception, were told the female manager would be back at 2pm. So a wait of approximately one hour!
After waiting in our car in the heat with our little dog as we had to vacate Willow Way lodge, we saw the Lady Manager heading back to reception. Five minutes later we returned to reception, and were told, (seemed like a ‘fob-off’) by the young lady receptionist that the female manager was in a meeting. Rather quickly we thought! When we demanded to see someone who could deal with our dilemma we were offered the maintenance manager but was nothing he could have done to rectify our problem. This was obviously of long standing and had not been dealt with. We were now both ‘stressed out’ again told by the young lady receptionist that all were still in a meeting and would be there for the rest of the afternoon!
In other words, no one could be bothered over our problem. Just a moaning old couple!! Seems the so-called excuse of a meeting was more important than paying guests in a predicament.
After another ten minutes of trying to reason we gave up and decided to travel the hundred miles back home.
To mention, the sale of goods act depicts that any item must be fit for the purpose of which it is intended. Well this lodge certainly is not. My wife noted that one of the doors was already open and was tired and dismal inside.
Instead of making extra money by still letting this old and worn out lodge, it should be demolished and replaced with a new one. I am sure that Parkdean could afford it!
Starting our journey home, my wife had a phone call from the Lady manager saying that they had received no complaints for this lodge. Really? (See reviews). We then asked if we returned would there be any alternative pet friendly accommodation and was told there was a full check in. But somewhat puzzling on returning home we looked on the internet and the original ‘pet friendly’ Poole lodge was still available at a reduced price! ( Screen shot taken).
So why could we have not stayed in it?? It seems that we have been humiliated and demeaned here just because we are elderly.
To finalise, a customer resolution policy was thrust across the counter to us and we were told to use this to make a complaint. She could not or did not want to address our problem any longer. Our allotted time had, obviously run out.
This policy states,
During your holiday we will do everything we can to make sure you enjoy your holiday with us.
We ask for the opportunity to put things right whilst you are on the park.
Well, not sure what happened with us as we were made to feel that this was our fault.
And also somewhat embarrassing for the people in the queue behind.
As with my problems, and not being on holiday for some years, this was as you can probably imagine, a seriously distressing episode for both of us, and felt like we were being discriminated against for being old and disabled!
So, as I am sure we are not the only ones on site who have encountered a problem, are you prepared to do something to appease our situation? I am loathe to let this problem lie as we have paid good money for this rather decrepit lodge which we could not use, or in my case access!
We look forward to any suggestions that you can give.
If not we would ask for a refund of our £505.00 that you are still
( could I say) illegally holding?
Suggested solution:
A refund of our monies (£505.00) would go some way of appeasing our ruined holiday.
