Most holidaymakers have a great time and come home rested, relaxed and happy. But what if you have to complain, what if things go wrong – your hotel room overlooks a motorway, your escorted tour misses half of the promised visits, or, God forbid, the water in your villa’s swimming pool is bright green? Here is our guide to effective complaining, and, if that doesn’t work and given that there is no holiday ombudsman, other ways of taking things further to make sure you get proper compensation. Let the operator, agent, hotelier or villa owner know as soon as you become aware of a problem or have a complaint. They may not realise something has gone wrong, and if you don’t give them the chance to rectify it, you will be on weak ground if you decide to claim compensation later. Not only will you stand a better chance during a court or mediation process if you are perceived as having been calm and reasonable, but you are also much more likely to resolve the situation before it spoils your holiday. In the early stages of a dispute at least, confrontation is probably counterproductive. How bad is it really? Holidays...