Further to earlier similar thread re Coast and Country we're now having comparable problems with Salcombe Holiday Homes -despite verbal assurance from them in June that they would (when property availability confirmed with owner) transfer our booking/ deposit to 2021, and confirm a revised booking in due course (ie not yet).
 
Yesterday we got an aggressive 'final payment overdue' email requiring full payment by 19 June for 2020 Merlin Week dates by tomorrow.  The associated info says that only if government action precludes taking up this years booking will they allow a transfer to revised date or e-voucher for same. 
Obviously paying the balance with a fair chance of losing the full amount doesn't seem a good idea.
 
Repeated calls to the (premium rate) phone number for the parent company result in being told there is a 90min wait for calls to be answered, and none of the old local numbers we have from previous bookings have been answered either. No response yet to emails explaining their previous local verbal assurance.
 
Anyone else in the same position or can anyone local suggest a way to talk again to the local office who've always been helpful in the past?  
 
 

Yes, we are having the same problem. We had a call back, and they said they would speak to the owners. Didn't;t hear anything despite chasing. On the umpteenth call, told that the owner would change the dates.
 
 

Yes we are having same problem
 
did get a reply when I said we wanted to rollover to next year
 
BUT
 
the reply simply said they were passing details onto the booking office ( I thought they were the booking office)
 
then the aggressive email saying they would charge me automatically   There was a button to click cancelling the holiday but guessing that’s goodbye to the deposit
 
i suppose they are within their legal ( not moral rights ). Will never ever use them again 
 
 

Good news we have now had a response to our emails addressed to Salcombe Holiday Homes. The customer care team at Awaze Uk (parent co I assume) has explained the final demand is an automated email  and reconfirm previous verbal advice that they will transfer the booking to 2021 (when owner confirms) for a £35 admin fee.  No hope of getting through on the phone but at least they do respond (eventually) to emails.

Yes we won't use them again, even if it makes it more difficult going to Salcombe again.

We managed to rebook for a different property in Salcombe for a week in 2021. I never succeeded in talking to anyone and did it all over email - which meant it took several exchanges. We did get a good outcome in the end though and we're not out of pocket.
 
As mentioned above, that reminder email was most likely automated - I'm sure they can edit the wording though under the current circumstances, the machines haven't taken over yet! It wasn't particularly helpful from a customer perspective.

Sorry, just realised I didn't get my post right. The owners refused to change the date. So are faced with having to waste £1,500 as we no longer want to go on holiday.

Sorry 1 more, my issue was with Coast and Country, not Salcombe Homes

On 15 May, SHH/Hoseasons booking department agreed to transfer my booking to 2021 but said the transfer could not be completed without a price for 2021.

On 17 June, I received an automated email requesting the final balance or cancellation of the booking.  Eventually I got through on the phone this morning to be told the owner still had not confirmed a price for 2021 so the booking transfer had not been completed.  So it seems I will forfeit my deposit of £656.  

I’m sure there will be others in the same position.  Individually, we will get no satisfaction but perhaps collectively we will have enough clout to negotiate a pragmatic outcome in these unprecedented times 

Any thoughts on how we can get collective action  
 
 
 Dealing with them is like nailing jelly to a ceiling   Wondering if the club could help as there is a local office I think 

Whilst not impacted by this particular problem I have recently struggled to get a refund from a holiday provider. It is not commonly known that IF part of any payment is at least £100 on your credit card ie 
£100 deposit on credit card then £1200 cash 
Under section 75 consumer credit act the credit card provider is bound by law to be responsible for refunding the WHOLE  balance. This will apply assuming the lockdown restrictions still apply come what would have been salcombe week. So if the terms are met namely minimum £100 of the total was on your credit card AND you are unable to use accommodation due to lockdown restrictions at least you can get you money back from your credit card provider. 

Trouble is as I understand the restrictions only go to 4 th July 

BBC are saying today there will be a shortage of holiday cottages. Maybe it's time to advertise and sell those bokings to get your money back?? Shortage of holiday cottages.
 

I think the first step is to establish how many bookings linked to Merlin Week have forfeited deposits.  It would be useful to collate the details in some form of online spreadsheet so we gather for each booking the following information:
 
Name; booking reference; property address; amount of deposit forfeited 
 
I'm afraid my own IT skills are not up to setting this up.
 
Once everyone's details have been gathered, a collective approach is made to Salcombe Holiday Homes, urging their owners to reconsider refunding our deposits and threatening Salcombe Holiday Homes with a blanket ban by the entire Merlin fleet in 2021 and beyond.
 

Our Tenby cottage refunded after first refusing on the basis that we were 7 people and could not co habit. But happy to give info to whoever can set up

For the record, my booking for 2020 has now been transferred to 2021.