Caitríona Redmond: Here's why complaining is so valuable for consumers

If you don’t speak up or out, bad practices will continue

Moral of the story? Complain if you’re not happy.

This time last year I was looking forward to a family holiday abroad. 

The package holiday had been bought and paid for months previously. 

I’d even paid for an all-inclusive trip in advance, thinking that I could insulate my poor bank account from the perils of feeding teenagers with an endless appetite.

I’d meticulously researched the location, and while the hotel itself wasn’t new, it had three stars and looked beautiful with spectacular views. 

It seemed like the ideal spot to head to for some rest and relaxation.

Unfortunately, the reality was considerably poorer than the expectations: the two-bedroom apartment was in an extremely poor state of repair. 

There were LED lights exposed, dirt and mould in the bathrooms, showers that leaked, and the list goes on. 

Plus, it seemed that somebody had removed all the artwork from the walls along with the promised fans for the apartment. Only one safe was open but neither safe worked, so that wasn’t ideal either.

The first night in the apartment with no fans and no air conditioning was horrible. The apartment faced onto a pathway, and anybody could wander down from the street above. 

I couldn’t open the windows or patio door as I was concerned someone would just climb or walk in. The patio areas came with lockable gates, neither of which locked, so it could not be secured.

Speaking of the patio area, there were no chairs or sunbeds, something also promised on the hotel website.

The following day, the situation got worse when I discovered no allergen notices on any of the food. Dishes were left out in the sun with little chilling or temperature monitoring. I shudder at the memory.

I requested a mobile air conditioning unit at a cost of €78 for the week and a deposit of €23. For a room without air conditioning, it’s very interesting to me that the room is plumbed with an air conditioning vent. 

We were given a single portable unit for the entire two-bedroom apartment attached to said vent, and promised fans. Despite this, and reminding staff several times every day, the fans never materialised.

We had booked a two-bedroom apartment. For the air conditioning unit to chill the whole apartment, the doors to the bedrooms had to stay open. 

The door to one of the bedrooms had a handle only on one side; with no key provided, we couldn’t close the door for privacy at any time. It also presented a safety risk. We had to prop the door open with a chair.

After a heavy rainstorm one evening, the street lighting broke and was off for the final two nights of the holiday. The hotel erected ‘warning’ signs but put no replacement or temporary lighting in place. 

This made navigating the way back to the apartment in the dark on an uneven slope an adventure laced with danger.

I contacted the tour operator while I was on holiday, and there were little efforts to resolve my concerns. So, when I returned, I decided to write a formal complaint and put everything in writing. 

I’d paid for a package holiday that hadn’t lived up to its promise, and many of the issues were within the agent’s control.

After a lengthy back and forth, including some phone calls and emails, the operator offered me compensation. 

I could accept a small refund debited to my bank account, or a voucher for double the value, to use on a future trip. 

I used the small refund to pay towards my transition year student’s annual trip, having lost confidence in the travel company.

This is a textbook example of how to handle dissatisfaction with a holiday.

Your first step should be to contact the tour operator during your trip to raise any concerns. This gives them a chance to fix any issues that may have arisen, without you having to complain any further.

Next, take photographs and videos as evidence, making sure you accurately document any issues you have with any aspect of the package holiday you originally booked. That may include your accommodation or food, or even an extra day trip.

Once you get home, if you’re still not happy, you should follow up with a phone call or an email. Make the tour company aware that you have photographs and videos to back up your claim and ask them for a formal response.

If you’re not happy with the formal response you receive, you can then take your complaint to the Small Claims Court. There is also excellent advice on how to go through this process on the CCPC website.

This year, while I’ve decided not to travel abroad on holiday, I have checked to see if the hotel is still listed with the tour operator.

The good news is that the hotel has been downgraded from three-star accommodation to two-star, based upon guest feedback.

This star rating is a far more accurate listing for the hotel. I know that my feedback has been part of that process, and it’ll help other guests in the future.

Moral of the story? Complain if you’re not happy.