“Photos do not reflect current state of property
- The cistern in the twin room is broken and continuously tries to flush, wasting a lot of water and making a loud noise
- Mattresses feel thin and soft
- Furniture is very tired and much needs replacing.”
The sofas look dirty and are not comfortable. The table in twin bedroom has its leg blu-tacked on (the blu-tack also looks years old). The leather sofa in the kitchen has a large rip in the centre of one of the cushions
- Hob is very difficult to use (no instruction manual either) and is cracked in one corner
- Pans are very old and not non-stick. Food sticks to them even with lots of oil - very difficult to cook or wash anything
- The whole cottage needs a deep clean. There are cobwebs in corners and radiators. The tall ceiling above the back door has cobwebs, dead bugs and dark mould-type patches and looks like it hasn't been cleaned for years. There is an extendable duster in the cupboard so there is no excuse for this. The windows are filthy. The carpets are old, stained and dirty. The sealants and grouting in the bathrooms are brown and need replacing or bleaching
- The garden looks nothing like the photo. The lawn was overgrown and full of weeds
- There is no mop for the white kitchen tiles
- The bedding and towels did not smell or feel very clean
- The vacuum cleaner is difficult to use and the power head is taped on
When speaking to the owner about the hob and cistern problems, he didn't seem to care. His tone was impatient. He told me he lived 50 miles away and asked if it was worth him driving over if it was "a case of pressing the wrong button". He knew about the cistern and suggested I remove the top and adjust the ballcock. When I mentioned that the hob had no instruction manual he said "Yeah, that will be long gone".
I would not recommend this cottage. It looks good on the photos but they are not representative of its current condition. It is very disappointing and should not be on the holiday rental market until it has been deep cleaned. Sofas, carpets, furniture and mattresses need replacing. For the cost of the cottage, it is a big disappointment and Sykes should consider removing it from their portfolio.
