Mr Simms
August 2020
Ridge Hall Holiday
We booked Ridge Hall to enable our two families to get together for the first time since lock down started in March.. One member of our family was shielding due to a serious medical condition and two of us had been self-isolating due to age. It was important to find a place which would give us enough inside and outside space to isolate as a group without having to leave the property should we feel it necessary to do so. The description of the outside space on the web site and I quote “ Extensive lawned gardens including 6-acres of woodland, gravelled areas and furniture”, was exactly what we were looking for.
Firstly we would like to say that we found Ridge Hall to be a delightful place in a lovely location. There was plenty of space within the house to accommodate our two families. The layout was a little strange at first but we soon got our heads around it. All bedrooms were spacious with good access to bathrooms. We found the bunk beds would only really be suitable for younger children given the size, this was not too much of a problem for us as we had a choice of other beds so did not use the bunks. Living rooms were large and comfortable.
The kitchen area was rather strange at first but again we got used to it and it worked well for us. The AGA was something none of us had ever used before however, it worked well for us.
We could not find any clear access to the 6 acre woodland, so asked Mark the owner if we were missing something. Mark gave us directions and informed us that the woodland was not suitable for children due to there being steep drops of up to 10 metres. My son in law and myself went to investigate the access point.
We were told to go through the back paddock and into a gate to the right. Just in front of the gate there was the remains of a bonfire which contained broken bottles, bits of wire and metal. This was in an open area where the children and dogs had access to.( We discovered this on our first day so had to ensure they, children and dogs, were kept away from it.)
The paddock itself was roughly mown and full of thistle stalks and stinging nettles. It was not an area that could be used by either adults or children. The gate which led to the woodland access was extremely difficult to open. Inside the gate there were piles of loose rubble, some moss covered and slippery. This led up to the boundary wall . We managed to get to the wall and look over, trying to see if there was any access point to the woods. There was not. We were unable to investigate further, as the thistles and nettles were almost five feet in height and some eight to ten feet in depth.
The conclusion to our search was that the paddock and the woodland was not accessible to us in any way as an amenity space. So one of the main reasons we chose Ridge Hall, was not available to us. Six acres is a huge space , access would have made a huge difference to our holiday. We feel that the property description was very misleading.
The grounds and stable block were described as follows:- “The grounds impress equally with stables, lawns and extensive woodlands, and bikes and other equipment can be locked in the stables.” Difficult to find a space for bikes in the stables, lots of other stuff in there.
As a reputable holiday letting service we would like to know if your inspection of the property prior to putting it on your site led you to believe the 6 acres was in fact accessible in any way? We would also like to know if you make any further inspections, to ensure the product you are promoting is in fact accurately presented in a condition that is described on your site.
There were numerous other things which call into question the description by Sykes , “ No expense has been spared to create a stunningly beautiful residence very reminiscent of a five star stately country hotel” and your 5 Tick rating. We feel that whilst Ridge Hall is a lovely place, it is more faded elegance than 5 star country hotel. None of these were significant separately but cumulatively they made a difference. I list some of these things below:-
Food left in freezer. Given the issues with Covid 19 this was not acceptable.
Food left in cupboards. As above re Covid 19.
Taps in the cloakroom, one handle missing the other cracked and broken.
Cupboard doors missing in the kitchen which showed all the plastic drainage piping behind.
Trough on the patio which had been used as a communal ashtray and contained loads of cigarette ends. Again, given the Covid 19 situation this was not acceptable.
Loose stones on the edge of the patio. As these overhung the edge they tipped if stood on.
Toilet brushes in all bathrooms really should be replaced, they are without exception past their best , stained and just look awful.
Sky package. Clearly states in header review on your site “Having a full Sky package with sport and movies was a lovely surprise”. This was not available to us, just Freeview via a Sky box.
Hand rail on the back staircase. We had to clean this prior to use, very dirty.
Bedding. When stripping beds we discovered significant staining evident on some pillow covers, duvets etc. Not “5 star” in any way. Should have been replaced really.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. It is not meant to be. We are just trying to point out to you, the letting agent, our disappointment given the expectation we had from reading your description of the property. We have paid a significant sum of money for our weeks holiday, but feel rather let down.
We did email your customer service department nearly two weeks ago but sadly have not had a response. We are therefore left with no choice but to complete the feedback form.
We await your response.
Sincere regards,
Chris Simms