Our bad experience might be a one-off, but we feel compelled to report. The unsafe entry and Gen’s attitude were our main problems. As Gen’s mother let us in, a section of bricks broke away from the step up to the flat and my husband fell, scraping his leg so badly it bled. Gen and her family variously blamed my husband for hitting the step with his suitcase and for stepping on it while carrying two suitcases. Neither were the case. Gen’s sister said they would fix it but they didn’t, leaving our family with a dangerous broken step.
We documented the step at the beginning and end of our stay, as well as my husband’s injury. We told VRBO but asked them not to alert Gen while we were there because her family seemed so unhappy with us and we felt uncomfortable. We received our deposit despite being blamed, but my husband is left with a 2x2 scar.
Gen’s communication was slow. We assumed we could check in at 4pm, the advertised time. Two days before we arrived, she messaged, “the earliest for an evening check in will be 7.45pm.” We explained we had tix to an event that night and had a lot of luggage. The day before we arrived, Gen agreed to have her parents let us in earlier, but that 7:45 caused us worry.
Gen’s sister came round to go over the rules and facilities that Mon. We asked to check out late because we had an evening flight that Sat. She said that it should be ok, so I messaged Gen on Tues to confirm.
We hadn’t heard by Thurs, so my husband texted to make sure she’d seen my msg. She texted a late checkout wasn’t possible. My husband texted “Your sister said it would be ok for 4:30pm checkout on Mon and my wife messaged you through VRBO on Tues to confirm. By leaving it until 11pm on Thurs night to respond to us leaves us no time to make alternate arrangements.” She accused us of “insisting” on a late checkout, but all msgs show clearly that we were only trying to get confirmation after two days’ silence.
Gen’s msgs through the site were friendlier (at the last minute she offered us an extra hour in the flat) but by that time we already spent £70 to book a left luggage spot so that didn’t help.
It’s a pleasant space, conveniently located with shops nearby. We left an item in London and when I contacted Gen she helpfully responded that it wasn’t there. If Gen had shown a little concern for my husband’s injury, tried to fix the step or communicated promptly and politely, we could have written a positive review. Future guests—mind that step.