Sykes Cottages Reviews

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

1.2 Rating 1,493 Reviews

4 %

of reviewers recommend Sykes Cottages

Company Reviews

Questions

Metrics

1.2

Based on 1,493 reviews

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

Phone:

0124 435 2059

Location:

Sykes Holiday Cottages Lime Tree House Hoole Lane
Chester
CH2 3EG

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Sykes Cottages 4 star review on 6th January 2025

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Sykes Cottages 1 star review on 17th November 2024

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Sykes Cottages 1 star review on 8th November 2024

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Sykes Cottages 1 star review on 2nd November 2024

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Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Sort by: Most Recent Most Recent Highest Rated Filter: None None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“I have been shocked by Sykes treatment of me. They wrote to me on 7th May and told me my holiday was going ahead and that financial penalties of at least the full deposit and up to the whole cost of the holiday would be payable if I cancelled. Then on 8th May they requested the money from my account. On 11th May in the morning the money cleared my account. That SAME afternoon the wrote to me again to inform me my holiday had been cancelled! Sykes suggested I booked the same cottage for 1 years’ time, with no offer of a refund. They would hold onto my money until then. Obviously, the same cottage for the same week would now cost an additional £136. I believe Sykes are actively trying to get customers to book as early as possible, knowing full well that the holidays will probably be cancelled. They offer a low deposit option, however as soon as you pay the low deposit you become liable for the full amount if you cancel. Also, when you pay for the holiday in full and they then cancel, you will not be offered a refund. Instead they will hold onto your money for over a year. Some companies seem to be using Covid-19 as an excuse to treat their customers badly, to take as much money as possible from them and to hold onto it for as long as possible. I hope we will remember those companies and individuals who rose to the challenge of COVID-19 and did all they could to help and serve one another. I also hope we will no longer use those companies that took advantage of the situation and treated people poorly.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I’m the same as everyone else on here. They’ll only let me change the dates. I can’t do any other week than the one I’ve booked. I’ll never ever use them again. Can’t believe they won’t speak to anyone!! Can we not club together somehow and take them to court? I genuinely hope they go bust. Horrible company. I’ve spent thousands of pounds with them in the past. I’ve used them for years. Never ever again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Owed £529.00, Never book with the company again, completely disgusting behaviour totally rip off. sykes made us book a new date due to covid 19 the new date will cost £1272.00. Won't refund, won't let us book a different cottage and have said we have to loose the £529.00 we have paid. No way forward given. Currentlu going to complain then may have to go down the small claims route as won't let them get away with this blackmail behaviour.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“It would't let me give zero stars but I would if I could have. Simply disgusting from removing contact information, not responding, stealing money, forcing rebookings, refusing cancellations and squeezing owners. A one time experience I hope never to repeat. Still trying to recover £1300 they stole from me. Avoid.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Vile company ripping customers off during the Covid-19 pandemic, refusing to give refunds, lying to both owners and customers and charging hundreds of pounds in cancellation fees, be warned do not use this company.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Shocking company, unable to move my booking as the owner no longer rents out the property. Not a penny refunded of a £700 , 2 night break. Do not ever use this company they are appalling in their customer service.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“There should be a review score panel with minus scores. However, as so many people know, Sykes are criminals. They have been taking money during lockdown, the end of which was not specified and when holiday business was brought to a halt. They are obviously willing to fight for the money in court against families who have been hit so hard by the pandemic that they are impoverished.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Rubbish company charged me £260 to cancel my holiday in Wales, there was no compassion or care in fact they where rude on the phone and was not interested in the fact my son who is35yrs old and severely mentally disabled. Will never use them again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“My holiday was booked for the end of April, and the owners are hi risk and asked us not to travel before the lockdown. Sykes refused to speak with me and refused a refund. After heavy pressure by myself and hundreds of other unhappy customers I have finnaly received a partial refund of the cottage owners money, but despite the government saying I am legally entitled to a full refund, Sykes have only given me a credit note for their commission and fees and are refusing to refund me. Additionally, I have another holiday booked with them in June, and this week I have received an email saying I am not able to go on this holiday due to travel restrictions, and another email saying they will take the £600+ balance this week for the holiday they cannot supply me, and their cancelation insurance doesn't cover me either. Despicable company, with appalling customer services. They only care about their profits. I will never use them again and urge people to avoid them and their associated companies.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Sykes THE CARING COMPANY. Tried so many times to contact them by phone as instructed, from15th March to 18th March with no success.My holiday cottage was due to be occupied on 18th March so wanted to cancel as soon as possible due to Coroavirus conditions. Phoning was a waste of time. Panic struck decided to email on 18th march to explain situation and get some sort of help and response. Response from SYKES 22/3/2020 15:56 :- Dear Mr David Perkins, Booking PBN : 9U6X4-19-SA I hope you are well? Please be advised that we cannot refund you or give you a change of dates. This is because your holiday has already started and we can only do a change of dates if you are at least 48 hours outside of the booking. I am very sorry to say but there is nothing we can do for you at this time. Take care and stay safe. Kind regards, Mark The Customer Relations Team Sykes Cottages That is one hell of a response, in other words:- who cares,hard luck”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“My family and I booked Bay View cottage, Moelfre, Anglesey for my mothers 70th birthday for a week - it cost us £1,270. We have contacted Sykes who we booked it with, to request a refund and they are refusing to refund us due to Covid, stating that the owner has spent the money on the property and is not in a position to refund us. They are offering only a change of date, which is not suitable for us. My mother has had a kidney transplant so we cannot re-arrange until Covid has completely been eradicated. This is completely out of order not to refund our money during these unprecedented times. My family and I are now out of pocket, this is causing a considerable amount of stress for me, so I have no alternative but to take legal action against the property owner and Sykes as no-one is prepared to be reasonable or have the decency to refund our money. My advice to anyone thinking of booking this - don't - as if it has to be cancelled for any reason - you won't get your money back, and Sykes are not helpful.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Holiday 21/06 Devon. Money taken no refund if cancel. If cottage owner agrees possibility to rebook. Extra costs will be charged!! Has the holiday travel ban In UK been lifted?? If still in place we might get fined by the police if we go. Catch 22 and stressful!! Hopefully get this sorted out soon. Customer, Cottage owners and Devon residents safety FIRST.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Nil stars for this company, they are a disgrace. They took the balance of monies for our holiday, knowing that it could not go ahead because of current circumstances. They ignore your emails, and after a very long wait on the phone, we were advised that we could not have a refund but could change our dates. We do not want to change our dates, as this holiday was a one off, so a refund is what we are asking for. They are not in the least bit interested in their customers or their rights.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“In the 'Mirror Online' a Sykes spokesperson stated they had given thousands of refunds where property owners agreed to a refund. If you go onto the Trustpilot site there are numerous fake 5 star reviews, all delighted at the service and delighted to rebook. There was NOT one 5 star review from any of the thousands who got a refund. I went to the trouble of reading forty 5 star reviews and all were delighted to rebook. If you ask 40 genuine Sykes customers what they would prefer refund or rebook 40 would choose rebook. It's important such appalling conduct is reported to the CMA. They will take action if enough people complain.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“All the one-star reviews are pretty much on the button - Sykes have failed in their handling of the cv-19 issues and their policy (well...if you count ignoring your customers as a policy!) should see them closed after the dust has settled. See DEAN DUNHAM SYKES REFUNDS on google search to try and get your cash back.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Booked with Sykes Cottages and paid deposit for a holiday during May half-term week. Covid 19 lockdown was announced and Sykes said all holidays up to 4th June would be cancelled but only offered me a chance to re-book my holiday at a later date. Was not happy with this and refused to pay the balance of holiday. They are now demanding a cancellation fee of £297 for a holiday i could not go on, disgraceful company who are now trying to fleece thousands of customers experiencing similar problems in getting holidays refunded or cancelled due to commence during lockdown. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Never seen such shameless behaviour, taking money out of people’s accounts when it is for food and provisions during lockdown. Disgraceful 😡”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I booked a flat in N Wales through their subsidiary, Menai Holidays. When I emailed them to ask about my booking, which cannot go ahead, they gave me two options. One was to cancel and lose my deposit and the other was to pay the full amount and go. I can’t go because of the situation. We booked a holiday in Greece and that company not only replied to us promptly but made a booking for the same time next year at the same cost. Why can’t Sykes do that? I will lose the £425 deposit and have no other option. I will NEVER use them again unless they change their business practice. I used to rate them highly - not any more.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Sykes have NOT made me happy.i have tried to rebook ( Coronavirus halting the possibility of meeting my bookin) and wrote explaining,even offering to postpone for 12 months. Told I could do this through my account . I tried but it was not possible. The site blocked the ability to amend holiday dates. I had checked their site and ghe cottage we had booked was free for the weeks wanted in 2021. They seem to be willing go.take new bookings but curiously unable to.amend , as they suggest we do, any live bookings. I wrote and explained and again suggested 2021 dates. Again told to use my account but no access to that function was allowed. They are now insistent that I pay the full deposit despite the fact that I will not be able to fulfil the booking due to Lockdown. I then tried to cancel and as always the only way to cancel was to tick the box which "confirmed to collection of the full deposit" total lack of integrity in my view. Sykes ate manipulating dates under the terms of their punitive deposit scheme in line and contrary to their contentions, are certainky NOT acting on behalf of their clients best interests. I hope that clients both renters and holiday makers take full note of their dishonourable approach and guess they will.soon cease trading.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I have used them in the past, but NEVER again. I bet they rebrand under a new name,so keep a lookout, broadcast it if you find it.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

Sykes Cottages is rated 1.2 based on 1,493 reviews