ABTA Anmeldelser 

ABTA ref 306811.

I contacted ABTA following a failed stay at a cottages.com holiday cottage - Gardener's Cottage, The Garth, in the Lake District (14/11/2025 - 21/11/2025).

Upon arrival at the cottage I found there was no heating on, it was cold, very damp, and very musty smelling. The shower room was dirty and I didn't know if blinds were mouldy or just dirty. The white light switches were brown with dirt. I phoned cottages.com Windermere office, as the instructions gave their number if there was a problem. I was greeted with the message 'all our agents are unavailable' and the line went dead. Not wanting to stay in such poor conditions, I drove back home. The next working day, I contacted cottages.com by Chat and email. They didn't respond for 4 days saying as I hadn't contacted within the holiday period (which hadn't ended at this stage) they wouldn't refund my payment. Several emails later, after a fortnight, they said they could have put me up in a hotel while they cleaned the cottage. If they had offered this during the holiday I would have accepted. I have since found many reviews where others staying at the same cottage had found it cold, damp, smelly and dirty over many years! Despite my actions, my contact following cottages.com booking conditions, and the history of cleanliness issues.

ABTA have sided with cottages.com and haven't offered any real support.

I have stopped the payment through my credit card, but cottages.com are challenging this.

Having been a loyal customer of cottages.com for 8 years, I am very disappointed with their conduct, and the lack of support by ABTA.

Although there were a small number of reviews on the cottages.com website, none described the cottage. There are however, many reviews highlighting the cold, damp, smelly and dirty conditions, over many years at Gardener's Cottage.

I appreciate cottages.com wouldn't want negative feedback and unlike my many other stays prevented me from leaving feedback on this occasion.

Perhaps ABTA should try offering support to the customer rather than covering up for an uncaring company only interested in the money and not offering service.

I suppose, I should have checked other reviews rather than the ones cottages.com allow on their website!

I am writing this review following an exhausting deeply frustrating complaints process with easyJet Holidays After raising a legitimate issue, I expected both parties to follow their own stated procedures and legal obligations. Unfortunately, that did not happen.

easyJet Holidays maintained an unreasonable position throughout my complaint, offering £30 compensation for the nightmare holiday!! When I escalated the matter to ABTA on instructions from easyJet! This organisation supposedly in place to protect consumersI was shocked at how ineffective and unhelpful the process was. Despite their legal responsibilities to conduct a fair and independent assessment, ABTA did nothing more than say they have no authority to give compensation! So really just collude with their mates in easyJet! Absolute shambles of a organisation
Their response is for ME to pay for some independent ADR pish to act as a go between! Absolute disgrace and if anyone believes they are ABTA propaganda protected think again! Waste of time and energy!

Very easy process, highly recommend.

They called on time, had obviously read the 'story the so far' and was polite, well spoken and knowledgeable about the process.

A government review is needed
With so much bias towards travel companies and not there customers it's disgraceful these people are allowed to operate with the board and panels full of directors from travel agents and tour operators how are they independent with this setup they'll always back the travel sector they aren't likely to commit industrial suicide are they the scales are unbalanced and so biased it's corrupt that given there isnt a ombudsman body for the travel industry they and there partners travel agents and tour operators act with impunity and breaking the law daily the package travel regulations 2018 are undeniably not tight enough and a independent review is needed abta need to be disbanded and a independent ombudsman put in place to stop the illegal practices allowed to happen breaching consumer rights and laws many times Dailey the corruption is of the highest order and requires immediate action by the police and the goverments

Always been very helpful and fair

I am writing this review following an exhausting and deeply frustrating complaints process with easyJet Holidays and ABTA. After raising a legitimate issue, I expected both parties to follow their own stated procedures and legal obligations. Unfortunately, that did not happen.

easyJet Holidays maintained an unreasonable position throughout my complaint, offering no meaningful resolution. When I escalated the matter to ABTA—an organisation supposedly in place to protect consumers—I was shocked at how ineffective and unhelpful the process was. Despite their legal responsibilities to conduct a fair and independent assessment, ABTA did nothing more than repeat easyJet Holidays’ stance. Their involvement felt completely pointless.

Stage 1 of the ADR process concluded with ABTA telling me to contact easyJet Holidays directly if I wished to accept the same unsatisfactory offer I had rejected in the first place. What is the purpose of a dispute-resolution scheme that simply mirrors the company’s view without any genuine investigation or intervention?

In my experience, ABTA has been useless and non-functional when it comes to supporting customers or ensuring companies meet their obligations. The whole process left me feeling completely unprotected and unheard.

If you are considering booking with easyJet Holidays under the belief that ABTA will help if something goes wrong—think twice. My case shows that even with a clear, valid complaint, the system fails consumers.

Very easy to deal with and the process explained clearly.

Kept up to date at every stage.

Quick, efficient and got me an acceptable outcome that Jet2 previously offered much lower

Would Definately recommend and appreciate

Thank you for your help and support

I had a dispute with Cunard which ABTA managed to resolve within a week. The outcome was favourable to me. I had sent several emails to Cunard without resolution and it was only the intervention of ABTA that this matter was brought to a satisfactory conclusion

ABTA achieved in a few days what I couldn't in months. EASYJET had refused to return my deposit after making "significant changes" to a booked holiday. I knew I was entitled to a refund, but they kept refusing it. ABTA sorted it. Refund arrived, but no communication from Easyjet.

ABTA provideda swift and effective response.
They upheld our complaint and effected a full resolution.

Telephoned on time very polite and professional.
Explained what was happening and what would happen next.
Mediated between myself and Tui until an agreement was reached.
Listened attentively resolved my dispute happy with the service Thank you Derek.

Good morning they made it easy to understand . how it works and each week they gave me a update. but if you have no computar? you would have no refund thank you

The complaints procedure is easy to follow, the outcome was fast.
Efficient service, the company contacted me the next day.
Thank you and I would highly recommend using this service.

My dispute with EASYJET had been dismissed by them with no more than a 'sorry'.
I sent the details to ABTA and low and behold EASYJET paid me out in full.
Well done ABTA and if ever the need arises I would certainly use your service again.

I spoke to Charles at ABTA, and he made the process streamlined and efficient. Happy with the outcome

I have called this organisation multiple times today. I spoke to 2 members of staff initially who were rude and unprofessional. I’ve called back several times since then to register a formal complaint about their conduct towards me on the phone today (they are only available to call between 10am and 3pm) and after waiting twice for 31 long minutes in their queue, the line cuts off. At the beginning of every call you are asked to enter your complaint reference number. I am convinced they can’t be bothered dealing with me and can see from me entering the reference number that I am trying to get through to speak to them and they are deliberately ignoring answering my call. A disgraceful state of affairs, they are acting more unprofessionally towards me than the travel insurance company I initially complained about!

Mediation through Charles. Very understanding and fair negotiations. He listened and made various comments that made sense. Accepted a revised offer

Very usefully service