Copycat cottage name!

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
polkadot
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Post by polkadot »

Yes that's why I've done nothing yet. They are assumptions so I have to research thoroughly before letting them know my dissatisfaction with the situation.
AndrewH
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Re: Copycat cottage name!

Post by AndrewH »

polkadot wrote:The other cottage is next door to mine ...
I think that you should consider doing any of the things suggested here, which might help holidaymakers distinguish your letting property from your neighbours' when they are searching on the internet, or in some other way. BUT don't do anything which these neighbours might perceive as being deliberately antagonistic towards them and for no other purpose.

It seems that these people are in fact 'next door neighbours' and you are in a terraced row, so there is no clear space between you. With knowledge from the job I used to do, there might come a time when these neighbour' helpful cooperation could be very useful to you. Remember, you share a single roof, party walls, perhaps common drainage and maybe other things in common as well.
bessie
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Re: Copycat cottage name!

Post by bessie »

AndrewH wrote:
polkadot wrote:The other cottage is next door to mine ...
I think that you should consider doing any of the things suggested here, which might help holidaymakers distinguish your letting property from your neighbours' when they are searching on the internet, or in some other way. BUT don't do anything which these neighbours might perceive as being deliberately antagonistic towards them and for no other purpose.

It seems that these people are in fact 'next door neighbours' and you are in a terraced row, so there is no clear space between you. With knowledge from the job I used to do, there might come a time when these neighbour' helpful cooperation could be very useful to you. Remember, you share a single roof, party walls, perhaps common drainage and maybe other things in common as well.
I agree as my cottage is a terrace ,good neighbours are priceless .I did everything I could to let them know that I respected that their cottage was their home and my cottage would have different guests each time.They keep an eye on my cottage ,chat to guests and let me know if there is a problem.
It is upsetting when someone appears to use the same name but like others have said that's the name of the row of cottages.
If you cannot change the name completely (I did to avoid upset) put a lovely name plate up and use that on your advert .Very difficult situation but sadly lots of these old cottages were just given a group name.I put a wooden flower tub under the window as the other cottage owners don't ,I always tell guests to look for the flower tub.
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

Great advice and tips from Bessie!

(You could always get graded by Visit England and have your award sign right outside your front door, and therefore on all adverts and photos.
That would help you to stand out in more ways than one, particularly if you get something like a 4 star.)
akwe-xavante
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Post by akwe-xavante »

I firmly believe that in the situation your in it can only end in tears for someone either now within a few short weeks or at worst a couple of months or so if you pull your head up out of the sand and do something proactively about it or later on several months from now or next year even if you just dump along hoping the problem will go away on its own.

The owner of the property next door are not your neighbours, they live elsewhere and always have so you have no neighbours to upset.

I firmly believe that if you do nothing or little at best and just hope for some miracle you'll have no business left at the beginning of next season.

I think the problem should be sorted asap before you no longer have a business worth fighting for and saving.

Who cares if you upset the owners of the property involved, they are not your neighbours, there not family or friends and they have shown no sentiment for you, your existing business and its future, your future.

The whole thing will end in tears for someone sooner or later.

Putting "A Lovely" name plate or plaque on the wall or door is only of value when receiving "your Own" guests on arrival day and time. It would give you no other added value.

No mercy
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

Polkadot is neither burying their head in the sand nor 'dumping along'. S/he is very wisely taking time to become informed about the situation, checking out whether or not assumptions are being incorrectly made and thinking through the best course of action.

It is never wise, nor ever necessary, to deliberately upset people, especially those whose lives are intertwined with your own; that is the quickest way to set up a permanently antagonistic situation that serves no-one. Polkadot's neighbours may not live in their cottages but they do own them and therefore they are still neighbours and part of the local community, whatever you may think, akwe-xavante.
akwe-xavante
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Post by akwe-xavante »

If the owners of the property next door thought that they were a part of the local community and in some way intertwined with it they wouldn't of done what they have done.

I firmly believe that they simply do not care, if they did then they wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.

Yes research and explore all options and seek advice absolutely but at the end of the day I do firmly believe that firm and possibly legal action will end up being made here and I believe that it should happen sooner rather than later.

Just my own opinion. It may differ from other peoples.

It's also my own opinion that dressing the house up and its website and added advertising etc won't do it either. One of the properties must change its name asap by whatever means it takes. It's my opinion that this will probably get nasty too and I think it will be easier, less expensive and achieved a lot quicker if its done earlier rather than later on.

How can someone that lives elsewhere possibly be considered a neighbour, a part of the local community and intertwined with it. Just don't get it at all unless they spend some of the year actually living at the property actively getting involved with the local community and becoming intertwined with it! I believe the owners of the property next door consider the property to be an asset that has to give a return by way of an income and later by increased value at sale in the future.

It's my opinion that, that is all it is, an investment that demands a return by whatever means.

Where I live In a mid terrace I have rentals either side of me, the owners are not neighbours, the tenants are though, one owner lives over 200 miles away and has never even visited the property since he bought it over 12 years ago!

Just my opinion
akwe-xavante
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Post by akwe-xavante »

Just thought I would ask......

How have things progressed with this problem?

Hope that all's well and it worked out in your favour in some way.
Giraffe
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Post by Giraffe »

Suggest you get the name sorted. When we bought our holiday home we discovered that the neighbours along the lane had taken the name of our cottage. We renamed ours and we have had no trouble until now. I'm dealing with the council for planning permission and they insist on calling my property by the old name - after 30 years of change of name! It's causing a lot of difficulties. Heaven preserve us from beurocrats :(
The best things in life are free
polkadot
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Post by polkadot »

Hi, I haven't been here for a while and just read some of the comments. Thank you all so much for taking the time to respond. There's some useful info you've given me and I'm grateful for each and every suggestion.

To let you know what happened, I rang the owner and let him know that I wasn't happy with the situation and that it is causing confusion for guests. He was very understanding and agreed to change the name of his cottage. However his listing on Sykes said previously known as ............. the name he'd used which was my cottage name! I thought Sykes had wanted that mentioned but when I rang them they said that was his wish! So I rang him again and asked him to remove that as his was only known as that on Sykes for the first few months! He agreed to remove it.

He has definitely tried to ride on my coat tails! The quality of his cottage is inferior to mine, I know this as I've met many of his guests who haven't been impressed with the cottage though all love the location so I've had a few bookings from people who stayed there. Trouble is my prices are more than his and if people are shopping around they are likely to choose his because it's cheaper! There's a good reason for that which people don't realise until they get there! Basically he's just in it for the money (he probably imagined it's more lucrative than it is, especially as he has to pay an agent and a cleaner) and I want people to have a lovely experience in my part of the world!

Amongst other problems too numerous to mention there are no instructions in his cottage and no visitor book. I told Sykes that the cottage isn't up to standard but they didn't seem to care which I was surprised about as people trust Sykes.
akwe-xavante
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Post by akwe-xavante »

It's great that you have had an inexpensive and swift outcome.
polkadot
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Post by polkadot »

Yes, it could have been a lot worse! :D
Martha
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Post by Martha »

I have a similar problem having just found (today) another Chalet la Foret in the same village! I don't think they are trying to pretend to be us, I think it is just a mistake. They have only just started renting it (listed since oct 2017)

Unfortunately neither booking.com (nor the other site I found it on) allow questions before booking.
https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/chalet ... en-gb.html

I've managed to find the owner via the address and I think we have a mutual acquaintance so this is what I am planning to send. (He isn't French and is English speaking)

What do you think? Does this sound polite? I really think it is a mistake and I don't want to get anyone's back up...hoping to sort it amicably....


Hello there!
Firstly apologies for contacting you out of the blue.

I’m Martha and with my partner Nick we are your near neighbours, just the other side of Les Praz. I saw the ad for your lovely chalet on Booking.com when I was checking something on Google.

Our place is also called “Chalet la Foret” Of course there are several other businesses with this name in France :)
The reason I’m contacting you is that I am worried that having two “Chalet la Foret”s, both sleeping ten in five bedrooms, renting in the same way (as a single self-catered chalet) actually in the same village could easily result in confusion.

Someone could very easily turn up at the wrong chalet or think that they have booked one of us, when in fact they have booked the other.

With an increasing amount of scam problems in the holiday lettings business, two chalets which have a the same name and approximate location, but are obviously different could raise alarm bells, causing us both problems.

Also I have registered all the main social media accounts, google maps (which guests often use for directions) plus the .com domain in that name, so that would perhaps not be convenient for you and again could cause confusion. &#8232;&#8232;I already field regular enquiries from people who are confusing us with Chalet la Foret in La Plagne, which is a large residence and not remotely similar - so I’m really quite concerned that this could result in mix-ups between us.

I wondered if you would consider perhaps an alteration to the name of your chalet, in order to avoid potential confusion for guests? We have rented this chalet for twelve years with this name, so it would be very problematic for us to change now…&#8232;&#8232;Do let me know your thoughts, or you are welcome to come round for a visit sometime! It would be good to be in touch anyway, as sometimes I have enquiries I can’t accommodate, and having a similarly sized and very well located chalet as yours, that I could pass them on to, would be great!

Best regards,&#8232;&#8232;Nick and Martha

www.chaletlaforet.com
Last edited by Martha on Wed Jan 17, 2018 1:09 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Chalet la Foret, Chamonix
polkadot
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Post by polkadot »

I think that's very good and they should understand. I was able to explain to my neighbour and they changed their name with no fuss afterall they don't want any confusion either. Good Luck!
Martha
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Post by Martha »

Thanks! Yes I was glad to see you were able to resolve yours :)
Chalet la Foret, Chamonix
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