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Hi, just after a bit advice where/what to do now...
Booked a 4 night stay at Havens Marton Mere caravan park in August. Place was OK, been to a few Havens, quite happy with it. However, on our last night we were woken up at 4am by 2 men digging outside. Spoke to them and they said they were from United Utilities and had to do some non-emergency work, but the only time they could do it was at 4am as it involved turning the water off on the site. they stayed until 5:30, sleep was impossible due to the noise they were making. little un (5) couldn't get back to sleep, neither could we - we had a day at Southport Flower show planned and then the long drive back home - we were all quite irritable with each other all day, clearly due to the lack of sleep!.
Wife went to managers office at 9am to complain - was told by the duty manager he would look into it. get a phone call later to say it was United Utilities who had come on site to do the work and he will chase it up further (the workmen had already confirmed they were United Utilities when we spoke to them - must say at this point if it was emergency work I would not have been so bothered, but as I say they stated it wasn't).
This is where it gets weird tho...cutting a long story short - United Utilities have confirmed they had no men in the area at the time, had no work planned, and would not have gone on site at 4am. They also stated that all their workmen travel in liveried vans with the logo on, the two on site were in a bog standard Transit with no markings.
We rang again on the Monday and told them what United Utilities had said, was told they will reply within 14 days. Received a reply last Friday (21 days later, timed at 17:00 just as they go home for the weekend) offering us £64 refund (half a days holiday) and are not prepared to disclose anything else !
Not happy with this - seems to me something is going on, who were the workmen?? And to take 3 weeks to investigate it then tell us they are not prepared to talk about it is poor.
Rang them first thing Monday and was told someone will ring me back that day...here we are 6 days later with no phone call.
I'm just wondering where I can go with this - its not the money, I just want to get to the bottom of who was outside our caravan at 4 in the morning and why we seem to have been lied to by the manger at the site (who said they were Untied Utilities workers)...trying not to think too conspiracy theories etc but it is weird.
There does not seem to be any ombudsman that overlook Haven, if the company continue to just ignore our phone calls is there anywhere else we can go?
Appreciate any comments/help, or even suggestions as to what may have gone on !
Cheers
It was contractors on behalf of United Utilities .
It's probably become a popular park with travellers, and they just don't want to tell you that.
2 blokes stealing the cables/pipe work etc probably.
As for the refund, i think I'd be asking for the full day, equally I'm really not a "give me a (huge) refund" type so I'd be happy at the day.
I’d just forget about it to be honest. No harm done, just a night without as much sleep as usual.
So, to sum up, some blokes spent the night digging a portal to hell next to your caravan?
I think you're over analysing; who they were/what they were doing...and i suspect rene59 has hit the nail on the head ...they'll not admit it and does it really matter? Crap to have a disturbed night of sleep if the work wasnt essential emergency work...that's not right/fair as you were on holiday so take their compo and move on. IMO
we had a day at Southport Flower show planned
What, a whole day looking at flowers, with a 5 year old?
I have no sympathy. 😉
That's near Blackpool, right? Surprised they didn't try to steal your kidneys.
All I can say is the Op must have no other superceding priorities to me this such an important issue😂
All I can say is the Op must have no other superceding priorities to me this such an important issu
I would assume they havent put everything else on hold whilst dealing with this.
I would be rather pissed off if some idiot woke me up at 4am to do some work which isnt urgent whilst on holiday. If its planned for then dont let the room/caravan or whatever.
I personally would be pissed because Mrs ws is an absolute pain in the arse if she gets disturbed sleep, however for one night on holiday even she would just chalk it up.
Would you have complained more if you'd arrived the day after proposed works and you had no water available in your caravan due to an unrepaired main....
It was contractors on behalf of United Utilities .
It may or may not have been aliens, but United Utilities have many suppliers, most of who will sub contract to others who in turn may also sub contract. You likely encountered Big Tam's Midnight Civils Ltd who instead of explaining who they were just said United Utilities as that's who the work was ultimately on behalf of. If you expect to phone up United Utilities and for them to know where all their sub contractor's sub contractors are working at any given date and time you are delusional. You were disturbed for 90mins on holiday, you were made an offer to compensate you for that. It's not really worth anyone's time doing more than they have already done. You have probably wasted more time on this than the 90mins you were disturbed for.
TL;DR Get a grip FFS!
And to add, I've just re-read your op, the title is perhaps a little over dramatic too!
And if Haven stated that it would be ok, at least an explanation. But instead they offer me a refund and say nope, not going to tell you anything more about why you were disturbed at 4am. This is the point I dont get - fair enough, work needs doing, may have been sub contractors mates mate etc, but all I am after is an explanation...why the " Cannot disclose circumstances"...this is what makes it just sound weird IMO
Added: Yes, the title is way overdramtic, but alliteration is great 🙂
The explanation is in your OP!
Bloody hell this really is a post about absolutely nothing. Id be quite happy with the £63 you got refunded and think twice about posting something so trivial on a mountain bike forum to be honest. :/
Should have gone to Centreparcs instead - you know why.
Have Holiday Hell describes every Haven venue I've been to, kids and adults screaming on in the early hours of the morning. You got a refund I'd invest that into a nice break.