Margaret Barry
Bad service

My husband and I rented the cottage for a two night stay in late July. The cottage web site misrepresented the fact that there is air-conditioning and central heat in the home (the owner placed a filthy unsafe faulty wired air conditioner in the home on the day of arrival). We stuffed paper towels inside the gaping holes of the kitchen window to keep the insects out and maintain privacy! The microwave and air conditioner were faulty wired together, and would kick out if one tried to use either. One had to turn the air conditioner on with the rusty pliers provided! We later noted both smoke detectors were disabled, including the bedroom where we slept! The bathroom and kitchen areas were filthy. Tissues/garbage left in bathroom bin. Disgusting! Food remnants in kitchen sink. Leftover food, uncovered watermelon was left in the fridge. Food caked on utensils. The high definition flat screen tv is the size of a laptop computer screen tv propped up on a bench. WIFI/internet was not hooked up (stated on the web site available). The chimenea (outdoor fireplace) is not on the premises. Nothing as pictured. The outside is filled with insects/flowers are artificial in window boxes! Property not maintained. The owner states that she accepts kids and dogs. However, she later claimed that our dogs scratched the door (which they did not do because they were crated and with us). She accused us of this and stopped payment on our security deposit a week after we left (others stayed immediately upon our departure day!). She based all accounts on heresay from an unannounced "friend" who came over and peered into the cottage window (which is missing blinds). The person was not inside to see my dogs claimed "scratching." I was with the dogs when the person approached the cottage. The dogs barked because someone strange appeared and my husband was not with me at the time. I want them to bark! The owner said the friend stated the dogs barked like crazy!

In addition, please note that the owner's rental agreement states the following about leaving dogs unattended/crated in the cottage under the Pets section; "... Dogs with separation anxiety tend to scratch the beautiful 1950s knotty pine walls." My question to the owner was, "How do you know that my dogs scratched the door?" I was with them, they were crated! I am not sure if other parties watched their dogs as closely. If the owner previously stated this in the agreement prior to our stay, it must have happened to her before. Why blame my dogs for something that I know that they did not do.

Company: Margaret Barry
Country: USA
State: Illinois
City: Chicago
Site: margaretabarry.com

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