TRADING standards officers are sending a file to the Office of Fair Trading on a company which lets barn conversions to holidaymakers in North Craven.

The Holiday Barn Program, formerly known as Yorkshire Properties, has been the subject of a number of stories in this newspaper over the last four years, after families and groups booked into the barns arrived to find a catalogue of problems with the properties.

This week another group contacted the Herald, dissatisfied with their holiday accommodation in Studfold, near Horton-in-Ribblesdale.

The party, from a Dorset residential home, comprised four adults with learning disabilities and three carers.

They arrived to find the Studfold Superbarn, which was costing them £1,330 for a week, was dirty, damp, and smelly. A ceiling had fallen in, and they couldn't even lock the door.

The staff quickly decided they could not stay in the Superbarn, and set to work clearing up a smaller barn next door, also owned by the Holiday Barn Program, so they could stay there instead.

A family which was supposed to stay in the smaller barn had already gone home in disgust.

The group decided to stay in the smaller barn for the week, despite considerable difficulties, because they had travelled such a long way to get here. All the staff had to sleep in the lounge, while the others shared bedrooms.

Carer Dave Kitto said: "The barn we were supposed to stay in is uninhabitable. It is not suitable for what we need, and it is just not safe."

Fellow carer Beverley Smith added: "It is filthy, damp, there were empty beer bottles on the floor, dirty washing in the washing machine, the door catch on the drier does not work, one of the ceilings has fallen down, there are stains on the mattresses. It's awful. The worst thing is that those we are looking after have paid for this.

"This is supposed to be their holiday. It is just not fair."

Trading standards officer, Len Swift, is advising the group. He has dealt with complaints about the company in the past.

He told the Herald: "I have spoken to the Office of Fair Trading about it and a report has been compiled. If a company consistently pursues a course of action against consumers' interests, the Office of Fair Trading can call on the company to amend its trading practices and if they don't it can go before the High Court."

The Herald left a message on the Holiday Barn Program answerphone this week but nobody returned the call. It is understood those behind the company actually live in France.

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