The details of a holiday accommodation are critical when it comes to making the right choice. A suitable property guarantees that at the very least you are satisfied with the accommodation. We cannot control the weather, how polite the local people are, or whether the local tourist attractions offer value for money, but we can try to make the right decisions about booking a holiday rental.

It may be wise to begin with considering what the usual complaints are when a cottage break goes wrong.

Make a list of questions to ask before committing to book a particular property. The following common complaints may help you.

1.    The heating does not perform as expected, the property is too cold or the heating switches off far too early for you. It is best when the heating controls are available to you. Ask where the controls are before booking, especially for a winter holiday.

2.    The accommodation is not at the expected standard of cleanliness. Complain immediately and take photographs as evidence. Send the photographs to the owner in an email unless they live on site.

3.    The beds are uncomfortable or just not suitable. Tall people should not book properties that have footrests at the end of the bed or they cannot stretch out and get comfortable. No one should book adult-sized bunk beds for any adult because they are rarely big enough; leave them for the children. Choose a bed that is at least the same size or bigger than your own bed at home. Large people who are accustomed to sleeping in super-king beds will struggle to get a good night’s sleep if they have anything less on holiday.

4.    Lacking storage space. Check that there is a wardrobe for hanging clothes in every bedroom otherwise you will be living out of a suitcase.  Photographs may show beautiful accommodation but a lack of wardrobe space can be frustrating.

5.    Hot tubs or other leisure facilities that are advertised are out of action. This tends to happen occasionally in all kinds of holiday accommodation and leads to disgruntled guests. These things can be break down and an independent owner has to rely on a fast repair otherwise the hot tub, pool or other item is no longer available.  You may be able to negotiate a discount if this happens to you.

6.    Missing or broken items in the holiday cottage. It is annoying to arrive and find that the television remote control does not work because the batteries have failed. Holiday cottage cleaners just clean so that this type of problem is not identified unless a holidaymaker complains. Guests should always report any such problems and breakages so that they can be swiftly replaced. Turnaround time between one set of holidaymakers leaving and another arriving is usually just six hours which is just long enough to clean and change the bedlinen.  Yes, this can be inconvenient but it isn’t critical. Inform the owner and the problem should be fairly quickly resolved.

7.    Insufficient hot water for all members of a group to bath and shower before bed. The capacity of the hot water tank is too low. Unfortunately, this type of problem is only ever picked up on before booking in reviews and yet it is quite common. The only practical way to deal with it if you encounter this during your holiday is to stagger baths and showers and inform the property owner. They will not solve the situation during your holiday but may be able to fix it for other guests at a later date.

It is always best to obtain answers to any pre-booking questions in writing so that you are aware of what has been agreed. Some people may phone around several holiday properties on a short list before making a decision which can result in some confusion several weeks later when you actually arrive for the holiday.

Other important details to consider

• Never ever book a pet-friendly holiday home if one of the people in your holiday group is allergic to dogs or cats. The allergens remain for a considerable time after pets have stayed and can ruin a holiday.
• Holiday cottages located beside busy and noisy roads or too close to a pub or nightclub. Book with caution unless you are prepared to wear ear plugs at night, but even then, they might not completely dull the noise.
• A lack of off-road parking. Try to book a holiday home that has its own private parking space, especially in national parks, towns and cities.