Name: Sykes Cottages
Address: Sykes Holiday Cottages Lime Tree House Hoole Lane, Chester
Rating: 1.20

“After booking a few times with them previously - cottages were fine. Last year had a terrible experience with them - customer service is appalling or non-existent. Cottage in north Wales, lovely location but in a poor state of repair and dirty. There was a storm and the mains electricity failed. That's not the problem but the fact that there were no torches or some other form of emergency lighting was very poor. We made complaints immediately and asked for the cottage to be cleaned. Someone was sent during the period of our stay but we monitored and barely any cleaning was undertaken. We complained formally on our return and despite numerous emails and even a had copy letter containing photographic evidence of the poor state of the property (rotten window frames, etc.) sent to the CEO, no action from them. I say AVOID them at all costs. They are a bunch of crooks and liars. Once they have your money, they are not interested and don't take any responsibility by blaming the property owner. This is rubbish as a customer as the contract is with them. I could not face the stress of taking them to court so I cut my losses.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“We picked a cottage in Cornwall called the brambles . Looked very nice. When inside noticed all the windows where blown . Owner said condensation. Washing machine, microwave. Fridge freezer, filthy. Shower didn't work , bed very uncomfortable, and down the sides of the sofa full of crumbs and nasty bits . Sky cottages told us to send photos, we did and said they would get in contact with owner . The owner didn't for a week . When he did answer told sky cottages a Fridge had been replaced and the windows where OK. And sky cottages said the photos where bad . But next call off them said it was basically our fault for not reporting earlier.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“This company would allow their customers to suffer serious bodily harm and even die before offering alternative accommodation. I am staying in a holiday lodge and have 28 days booked. Property is pleasant enough and adequate for our needs but after a 5 day stay the CO2 alarm (as stated in the property details) started to go off continuously at 8.30am in the morning. I contacted Sykes at 9.30 who suggested the battery needed replacing. There were no spare batteries on the premises so they arranged for a maintenance person to come and replace the battery. We went out for the day but received phone calls to tell us the alarm battery had been replaced. When we returned we could hear the alarm from outside as we parked our car. The battery had been replaced and I was assured the alarm was working correctly so this indicated a real CO2 emission problem. I phoned Sykes again. They suggested the maintenance person hadn't correctly tested the battery and it was just resetting. I had a shower which meant the gas boiler was working and the alarm went off again. I phoned Sykes and told them the property was not safe. They told me they couldn't authorize alternative accommodation until they received permission from the owner who they were having difficulty contacting. They promised to phone me back as soon as they had managed to contact the owner. The phone calls went on throughout the afternoon until I was promised at 7pm that a manager would phone me back and make 'an immediate decision'. It is now 8.15pm. I have had no call back from Sykes and every hotel in the area is fully booked. We will be sleeping in our car rather than risk death in the holiday home we have paid £3,200+ for a 28 day duration. I am disgusted that Sykes have so little care for customers that they have no emergency process in place. I will certainly never use this disgusting company again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“had a booking 1 may 2020 move it to 7 may 2021 because of covid 19 I cancelled 2 weeks before holiday date we didn't feel safe to go the holiday let was fully rebooked so minimal loss to holiday let or agent but no sniff of a refund as a good will gesture”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Where to start.....suffice to say it was a little like dealing with a sharky estate agent. Issues with our booking were blamed on the property owner, well we got hold of the property owner (who was lovely) and who gave us a completely different story, Sykes were called out by us and the property owner and then immediately caved having been caught red-handed. Now owned by a PE firm so expect them to be putting profits over the customer every single time. If you're curious you can have a look at Sykes on companies house as they have open accounts, this will give you a view on revenue, profits and how much the directors earn if you have any lingering thoughts about them being a hard up mom and pop shop.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Stay away... will take your holiday booking and their fee but that is the end of their customer service. My family and I where unable to travel to the holiday cottage booked via Sykes for June this year due to a positive covid test . Informed Sykes immediately (4 days before travel date) but they did not inform the cottage owner until the day before we where supposed to travel . Have been refused a full refund or a change of dates by both Sykes and the property owner but they wanted a review off me.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“All these negative reviews don’t fit with our experience of eighteen different Sykes Cottages in four years. (eg, how can Sykes be criticised for a poor phone signal?). We had a prompt covid refund from Feb 21. I find the App so quick and easy to personalise. We really study a cottages details and reviews, and have generally found them accurate. Also we find it and the surroundings on Google Earth and Street View where possible. Haven’t had any problems with cleanliness … though we always tap ‘no pets’ in the options.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“All these negative reviews don’t fit with our experience of eighteen different Sykes Cottages in four years. (eg, how can Sykes be criticised for a poor phone signal?). We had a prompt covid refund from Feb 21. I find the App so quick and easy to personalise. We really study a cottages details and reviews, and have generally found them accurate. Also we find it and the surroundings on Google Earth and Street View where possible. Haven’t had any problems with cleanliness … though we always tap ‘no pets’ in the options.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Never had a problem”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“We booked a week at Ivy Cottage in Beguildy Mid Wales. We only stayed 2 nights. The property was filthy and in need of some serious maintenance and cleaning. The pictures on Sykes website were clearly taken a few years ago, and no further work had been taken to maintain the standard required. When we complained about the damp and general disrepair of the property, the owner admitted that the property needed some maintenance. When we complained to Sykes they basically dismissed us. I was completely shocked as we have been loyal customers for over 15 years, booking 2 or 3 Holidays per year. Needless to say we will never book with Sykes cottages again. Phone calls and emails unanswered, calls back promised failed to materialise. Totally disgusted with the awful customer service. Please avoid Sykes cottages at all costs.”

Sykes Cottages 1 star review on 15th June 2021

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“. Despite indicating on their website that they would treat customers reasonably in respect of any booking affected by COVID Sykes failed to show any reasonable treatment or contemplation to my situation which was a booking for accomadation in Ireland which based on both UK and Eire government/HSE advice my family and I were unable to proceed with. 2. I requested that date balance of payment was due be put back so that appropriate assessment of safety, my family's welfare, adherence to both Government's advice and Covid situation could be better assessed. My request here was denied by Sykes despite Sykes having ample capacity to support this request with no negative effect on their business. 3. In view of above refusal my subsequent request that the deposit I paid in good faith (and based on Sykes web site assurances re COVID) was refused for no apparent reasonable reason other than this being justified via booking terms. 4. When I advised I could not proceed with booking due to health and safety concerns Sykes advised I would loose my deposit AND attempted to charge me another £165 for charges due despite the due date for balance being, as per booking paperwork, at least 3 working days away. 5. The only option Sykes were willing to offer me was for me to pay the balance (over £600) but without any assurances as to any refund if we were unable to travel due to COVID. This was I felt unreasonable and an attempt to extort monies from me and seek to take advantage from my family and taking advantage of an international pandemic. 6. Sykes appear to have misslead me to believe that if my booking were to be affected by COVID then a full refund would be given - my request here was refused so I believe I have been misled and/or that the advertising on Sykes website was false and/or misleading. 7. I believe Sykes have sought to gain financially and/or extort monies from me and/or victimise my family and I during a pandemic because we sought to adhere to the mandatory safety advice from the UK and Eire. 8. I believe Sykes are in breach of the terms, spirit and or reasonable belief/expectations of the contract I entered into in good faith by retaining my deposit despite my inability to proceed with the booking being wholly outwith my control and the circumstances being wholly foreseeable. 9. I believe other customers in broadly similar circumstances may have been given refunds. If this is the case as an Irish national seeking to visit my home I may have been treated differently here - if yes why? 10. Sykes both refused my initial requests regarding a refund request AND/OR that the balance due date be delayed on the same call AND stated this was their final decision on same call without any due consideration, additional time and/or any other persons being consulted or any additional time or additional consideration being given. Such actions do not appear to be consistent with a business who truly gives customer concerns reasonable and object considerations and is both contradictory to web site assurances and the government guidance that organisations should not unfairly penalise or detrimtalky treat anyone related to or because of COVID. 11. How many other 'customers' have been negatively, unreasobly and/or disproportionately treated as my family and I have been resulting in monetary gain towards or extortion by Sykes? 12. I believe there to be a wider public interest here which the general public need to be made aware about”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Up to now I have no qualms with sykes. My husband and I stayed in a chalet in Bridlington. The three piece looked ok until you say on it couldn't get up as it was that low. Living area had far to much furniture in it. Sliding door entrance is far to high it needs a proper step.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“No email address. No-one seems to be monitoring web chat and phone calls will cost a minimum of £5.00 before anyone answers. Good properties etc. when there are no problems, but if you have a query, forget it. Once you have booked they don't seem to want to know you.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“You just cannot get through by phone. You've removed the e mail option. Just how are people supposed to contact you??Such poor customer service, really. It would put me off recommending you or indeed using you again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Originally booked Wharfe Lodge in 2019 but due to Covid 19 we were not able to take the holiday until 2021 having changed the date to the following year. Even this was not a satisfactory decision as we thought that we were being cajoled to do this but that has gone now. Our holiday for the 21st may 2021 has been a complete disaster. I will not go into all that has happened it would take too long. Two days before we were due to go contacted by Sykes to say that there was an issue with two of the doors in the lodge but it would be rectified before our arrival. On arrival at the property two doors jammed, the one to the kitchen area was moveable with a lot of force. The door to the bathroom was jammed solid half open and could not be moved and so no privacy in the bathroom. Access and points of escape were a joke. Sykes contacted on two occasions and each time we were told that you would contact the owner and get it sorted out and that you would either ring us back or email to say what was happening .STILL WAITING even though we are now back at home. That property had a springy floor like a trampoline, a large hoover stored in the bathroom preventing access to the shower, means of escape not acceptable and areas behind the sofa which were dusty and covered in cobwebs. To think that I have paid hundreds of pounds for this is beyond belief. Then comes the icing on the cake an email from sykes hoping we had a fantastic holiday is someone having a laugh”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Sykes will categorically take your money (as with a housekeeping bond) without warning, or at least on the day its stolen from your account without giving you recourse, or chance to defend yourself or disagree. Our rich cottage land owner decided to blame a number of things already wrong in the cottage on us and then charge us £141 for them. Did Sykes defend us? No. There was me being kind about all the dirt i already found in the cottage, the filthy windows, the stove that didnt work, the broken blinds and bad lighting, and not mentioing it because the landowner was old, and seemingly 'nice' and this is what i got in return from both Sykes and landowner. Thievery basically. Congratulations to both of you. You just made an already difficult world that bit more cut-throat. Don't trust Sykes and don't trust the cottage owners. Take pictures of everything that is wrong in the cottage when you get there and prepare for your money to be stolen from your card details without warning for issues that you are never given a right to defend yourself for. This was the 1st time i have ever booked with Sykes. Poor poor poor and while many of you might never come across a problem, because your cottage owners are decent unlike mine was, remember they will not defend you or give you a chance to defend yourself if something goes wrong. So i would say they aren't a holiday cottage company worth taking the risk with. I will never use them again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Poor customer service”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“I'm an owner of a property which I have been letting out through Sykes. This company is a complete rip off. They rip off owners and customers alike . I've now had the good sense to rid myself of them which, you've probably guessed, was a very expensive experience. There are plenty of other companies out there, please don't make the same mistake I did........”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Awful customer service!!.. emailed Sykes (as property owner) with some very important information regarding our property availability and some other concerns for future guests. Message was sent to at least five different email address' to ensure that someone at Sykes received this message? After 4 weeks have still not received a reply!!!??? If a company offers an email address as a contact option, they need to ensure that these correspondence as dealt with efficiently. So due to a number issues with Sykes over the past 2 years, we now have decided to remove our property from Sykes. As their commission/booking percentage does not justify their very, very poor level of customer service!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Have had a really bad break in duckling lodge on south coast holiday village. We booked threw sykes and told on arrival they have nothing to do with booking as private rental. Had serious issues one being the on site shower was boiling hot and I was burnt on first night. Many other issues which we reported to sykes to be offered 10% compensation. This lodge had not had a safty check done since 2019. AVOID SYKES AT ALL COST. There on the owners side not interested we are taking our complaint with trading standards now s bodell”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Own Driver
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Over A Week
Customer Service	1.1 out of 5
Returns & Refunds
Refunds Process	Difficult
Returns Process	Could Be Better

Sykes Cottages Reviews