“We booked a week at the Carolina Cellar cottage in Port Quin but unfortunately due to heavy rain the approach road to Port Quin became so flooded that we only just managed to get into the hamlet and park in the designated car space for the cottage.
Things became very dangerous that evening and overnight as the car space became flooded with fast moving water and soil, flowing into the harbour. It was too dangerous to attempt to move the vehicle in the dark and there was nowhere safer to put it anyway. In the morning we found our car flooded with muddy water and abandoned our holiday.
We raised a claim for a refund with the NT who promised to respond within 10 days but we have still not been contacted except to say they will respond by several NT staff who have passed us from one team to another and then to their headquarters.
We have no faith that the NT will compensate us in any way. Port Quin itself represents a risk to life and property at times and it is questionable whether the NT should be leasing cottages in such poorly maintained places. As a result we have cancelled future planned holidays with the NT.
After 45 days, we have been contacted by the NT’s insurance company, but from the content of their email we can see that they will claim that the NT cannot be responsible for damaging our vehicle even though we parked it exactly where we were told to - right in front of the Carolina Cellar cottage parking sign, which didn’t say “in heavy rain you are best to not park here but perhaps go home””
“It seems all this organization does is get seniors on its mailing list, sells the names to anyone, and it is then impossible to be removed from its mailing lists. Somehow my mother got on its list with my home address. My Mother passed away in 2014 and I have received so many junk mailings from this organization since then. It is disconcerting to constantly receive junk mail addressed to a deceased parent. I decided to try to stop it by contacting the organization. A person who has identified himself/herself as its Director (although I suspect that is an alias and is a lie like everything else he/she has stated in emails sent by him/her since September of 2023) told me the mailings would stop, but I continue to get their junk mail addressed to my deceased mother. I have the emails sent to me which are a pack of lies.
I think substantially all their income is derived from just selling names and addresses to whoever and whatever will pay them. Stay away from this organization. You can't TRUST it.”
“Went to Oxburgh Hall today, We were very disappointed with the services in the tea rooms. We waited appx. 15 minutes to be served, only one colleague serving, and then to be told that no jacket potatoes were available, no cornish pasty or Hog rolls also not available, which were all available on the menu board. The lady that served us apologised and said she could offer Chilli which we do not like. She also said we cheese or ham sandwich were available, which we ordered only to then have to wait another 30 minutes for them to arrive. The bread was stale and we could not eat the sandwichs. We will not be visiting again.”
“Dreadful customer service. I have spoken to four customer service representatives and emailed 8 times regarding an issue with payment, and still I have no joy in getting anything resolved. I have cancelled my direct debit and until I get a response saying they have received my cheque, they will not be getting the final payment. In the meantime, because they don't seem to understand that their accounts department deal with cheques, and continue to harass me for payment, I will ignore them, and gladly wait for their debt collectors to write to me so that I can send them all the emails that they have ignored, and proved that they are incompetent.”
“Poor selection of food in cafe, it’s just after midday and all they can offer is a cheese sandwich ( it’s the only one they have ) or a microwaved pasty ( two remaining) it’s a Friday and a big queue behind, hoping for lunch.”
“Wanted to cancel a membership that I'd purchased for my mother in law for Mother's Day. Unknown to us, she had already purchased it. I tried phoning multiple times to get a refund or another later years membership. It took multiple attempts to get through. Holding on the line for at least half hour. I got through at one point after waiting ages to get cut off. I got through and they said would give me a refund. It could take 3 weeks for a cheque. Not heard anything since. No refund, no cheque. I emailed on April 6th and no response again. Absolutely ridiculous. Customer service doesn't exist.”
“You're not sorry at all, you are liars and thieves,we have been waiting nearly 5 months for our membership cards, have phoned your office 6 times and each time I was told our cards would be sent within 2 weeks. How do you people sleep at night knowing that you are robbing honest people, isn't there any decency in the national Fraud staff”
“I activated my membership in January 2023. Given 1 month temporary green membership and 1 month car park pass. Now it's after Easter (April) and I would like to use the membership card that I have never received nor been emailed my membership. I have tried to call the helpline on 3 occasions but waited 20 minutes each time. Also emailed and never heard back. I have rung the head office to have a voicemail saying there is no one to answer as there is HYBRID DESKING/HOT DESKING. Lord help them. No doubt working from home because of Covid but still going to shopping centre's and the pub mixing with thousands of people. I'd like a full refund please.”
“Our Son bought us yearly membership as a Christmas present in December 2022. We have still not received them nearly 4months later, have rang customer services on 4 occasions(waiting over 1hour each time) each time I have spoken with N.T staff I have been told that the tickets would be with us in 2weeks, we still haven't got them. We are no longer interested in joining The National Fraud, I would strongly advise people to read the Trust Pilot reviews before thinking of joining”
“Be aware that from January this year, new Life Membership does not include being able to bring a guest free of charge as previously. So, in exchange for the very large Life Membership fee you now only get half the benefit. NT should make clear this very important change under Benefits of Life Membership on their website.”
“Visited Culzean castle and were horrified at the charge to the grounds - nearly £10 per person. A car parking charge is reasonable but this was an entry charge. We have National Trust membership but our family travelling in a separate car had to pay. Even the lady at the entrance was embarrassed at the cost. At this time of year there was little to see. The woodland paths were muddy and rutted making them difficult for a mobility trike. The café was dreary and run down. Very disappointing.”
“The National Trust have provided a very mixed experience in their rather pricey holiday accommodation. Their star rating appears to be based upon the offer of Wi-Fi and or amenities such as a dishwasher. However, on our recent visits to two adjacent properties at Trelissick, Feock near Cornwall, the less pricey accommodation was superior to the pricey top rated one. Each was designed for 4 persons, each offered ‘dog friendly’ status. The pricey one stank owing to lack of cleaning after renters had dried their wet animals on the carpet before the fire. The less luxurious one was far cleaner (despite the damp on the rear wall of the chimney wall, which can be expected in older cottages in winter!) The trust has taken the trouble to ring us to apologise, which is appreciated, but the stinking doggy smell could have been avoided had the carpets been cleaned in between lets. Caveat emptor! Buyer beware! The Trust want your money and know how to over charge for an inferior offering. There’s no inspectorate and self monitoring isn’t good enough.”
“Had a guided tour by Carol & Diane about the conservation work ongoing at Kingston Lacey this lunch time. They were both friendly and knowledgable. We will certainly be back to see the house again, when all the rooms are back to normal settings, as everything is covered up at this time.”
“Shame on the National Trust for destroying Middle Beach Cafe in Studland Dorset due to supposed ‘erosion’. Not enough money in it for you you money grabbing tossers? I’d planned to leave my house to the National Trust but not now.”
“The more I learn about the National Trust, the more I realise that their very Core Values are destroying this "Green and Pleasant Land!" The main Core Value is "Love Everyone and Everything". The trouble is the National Trust is so rigid in the belief in itself that it is blind to what is really happening.
Headley Down, on Boxhill, Surrey used to be a lovely sandy area covered in bracken, where kids could happily play all day - well it was when I played there in the 1960s. Now 2022 there is no bracken left as the entire area is covered in the invasive plant, Gorse.
That's bad enough, but when I worked at Polesden Lacey an Asian Hornet invaded one of the offices and I was tasked with moving it on. I was going to kill it, but was forbidden from doing so because, as I was told "the National Trust was about loving everything and not changing nature!! The result of this could well be the total destruction of our honey bee population in this Country!!! Wake up National Trust and pull your heads out of your backsides!!!”
“Visited Charlecote today as members with our two very old dogs. The place is a mass of No Entry signs and lists of things that are ‘strictly’ or ‘absolutely’ forbidden. We were very rudely challenged by a volunteer/staff member in a high viz vest for walking along a path forbidden to dog owners and made to walk instead along the public footpath which runs parallel and only about 20 yards away from the forbidden route. What irked us most was the superior attitude of the woman towards what she clearly regarded as riff raff. No hospitality business would run a venue like this.”
“Turned away from St Michael's Mount, Cornwall.
Visited St Michael's Mount, Cornwall in May. Visit was part of a long coastal walk. Tide was out so able to walk across causeway to the Mount. On arrival, told we couldn't get in as we hadn't booked online. Dejected, walked back to Marazion. Checked NT website for St Michael's Mount and found there were places available for visiting at the time we were turned away. Booked tickets online and returned to the Mount where we were greeted by another member of staff who told us staff have a contingency for visitors turning up without tickets - if there are places available, they check you in then and there. Was asked if I wanted to speak to a 'manager' and was taken into an office and spoke to someone who didn't introduce herself or explain her role. I shared my annoyance at being turned away and said I would complain to HQ and share my experience online at which point I was asked to leave.
I used NT's complaint procedure and got a reply saying my complaint had been directed to staff at St Michael's Mount. Guess what? Nothing from St Michael's Mount.
It seems to me the National Trust has lost its way. My membership card boasts, 'for everyone, for ever' which seems hollow given my experience.”
“Rude and patronising staff at Knole Gatebox
I'm very disappointed with the rude treatment I received last Sunday afternoon as an NT Member when I came to Knole. I didn't feel well enough to drive and so my son and his heavily pregnant wife kindly offered to drive me in my car to the car park. Unfortunately, one of the staff would not allow us into the car park and rudely said I would have to drive, however I felt, and my son and his obviously pregnant wife would have to get out of the car and make the long walk to the house in the rain. We were greatly upset by his behaviour and in the end, by the time we got to the house, my daughter-in-law was so exhausted that she could only sit down in the café, at which point we abandoned our visit to the house, ruining our family day.
I really feel that the staff should be trained to be considerate to their visitors, including a senior NT member and a heavily pregnant woman. The car park was less than half full and I fail to understand why the driver of my car could not park me there since it is provided for NT members' cars.
We will not be renewing our NT memberships and my son and his wife have changed their minds about becoming members.
I hope the staff will be trained to be more sympathetic in future so that no-one else will have to suffer this rude behaviour.”
