Family wins compensation after holiday 'nightmare'
The Spibey family, of Hough, near Crewe, took Thomson Holidays to court to recover the £1,400 cost of a week-long break in June at the Greek resort of Lefkas.
Parents Gill and Charles specified they needed a villa with no steps and a downstairs bedroom for their 11-year-old son James, who suffers severe learning and physical difficulties, when they booked the trip at Thomson's Crewe branch.
But when they arrived they were devastated to discover a steep, marble flight of stairs was their only access and there were no bed or bath facilities on the ground floor.
This meant James had to be watched every minute, could not walk around unaided and had to be gated into his bedroom to stop him falling down the stairs, making the family's holiday even more stressful than being at home.
Mrs Spibey, a 40-year-old part time personal assistant, who also has a six-year-old son Ben, said: "The steps had no handrail and it was terrifying for James and for us trying to get him up them.
"Some other villas in the brochure were described as having steps and being unsuitable for the disabled, so we eliminated them, but this one didn't.
"We were offered the option of going to a hotel but that would have been worse.
"We chose the villa because it is secure and James, who has no sense of danger, would be free to wander round in privacy.
"We wanted a relaxing family holiday but we were on edge all the time trying to watch James didn't fall down the stairs."
The family says the stress of the holiday was made worse on their return by Thomson's refusal to apologise or offer a refund.
In reply to their first letter of complaint the company offered a £110 Thomson voucher. When the family filed a claim at Crewe County Court on September 9 the firm tried to settle with an offer of half the holiday's cost.
Thomson officials sent a letter to the court defending the claim, admitting there was no downstairs bedroom, but stating: "It is not usual for tour operators to give such details as the layout of individual properties and it was the responsibility of the claimant, due to her specific requirements, to investigate its suitability further."
But the document arrived after the court's deadline and so the family were awarded the full amount of compensation on October 22.
When Mrs Spibey heard nothing about the payment from the company she started proceedings to apply for a warrant to send in bailiffs.
Mr Spibey, a 38-year-old HGV driver, said: "We were insulted at Thomson's offer of a voucher. We would have come home if we had been given the choice, and we're disgusted at the way Thomson has treated us since.
"We can't believe we even had to go as far as threatening them with bailiffs, and they still haven't changed the villa's description."
But now, in reply to The Sentinel's enquiries, Thomson has promised to put the cheque in the post.
A spokesman said: "Thomson is very sorry to hear of the Spibeys' dissatisfaction with their holiday and has taken the family's claim that it was not 'as advertised' very seriously.
"Before the recent court order, Thomson had taken the decision to award the family full compensation to the value of £1,425 and the procedure was under way for payment to be made to the family.
"A cheque has now been generated and is currently in the post."
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