Ask them what scale their resort staff have allocated to the "building work". I think they used to grade from 1 to 5 with the highest number being the most intrusive.

Had another call from First Choice yesterday and after speaking to their people on the ground in Jamaica they have realised the error of their ways and admitted that the work wont be finished at the end of April and will escalate in May, and it's apparently going on one way or another until the end of the year. Of course, being a tour company the options are limited once they have your money although I've only paid the first deposit and not paid in full yet. They don't think there would be enough disruption to effect our holiday (it's a 2 on their scale of 1 to 3, 1 being very minor and not worth letting holiday makers even know about it in advance and 3 being move everybody out of resort) but they can't guarantee that and we'll only know once we get in resort!

Once there, if it transpires that we feel that any disruption is severe, there would be options to swap resorts. So they say. They wont put that bit in writing though...

Personally, I would press them NOW for a move to an equivalent -having experienced "building works"( that we weren't told about in advance!!), the local Thomson reps. were conspicuous by their absence when we arrived in resort - we found that the builders were working right outside the block we were in from 7:30am til 5 pm (dumper trucks,concrete mixers and jackhammers !!!) and there were a lot of very annoyed people looking for changes of accommodation - you may be allright -but do you want to risk it with a holiday that costs ££s ????

Just politely request that you would like to amend your holiday without charge. It would have to be to one of the same or lower Thomsons rating and broadly similar cost wise, but they might do it. I certainly wouldn't demand or get stroppy, just polite and assertive. If you put their backs up it will get you nowhere with them. I used to deal with travel complaints at retail level, and now what Thomson customer service department can be like.

It sounds like they are letting you know as per Abta's Code of Conduct. If they envisage that it will cause major problems they are obliged to give you options. One would be as above, one would be change to a more expensive property but pay the dfference, or the other would be cancel with your deposit refunded. As they're not doing this it sounds like they are telling you the truth as the situation is now. Of course, that may change in the future. The problem is the TO doesn't always get full info back from resort - and that doesn't just apply to building works!

The big problem I have is that 'er indoors really likes this hotel. The only other alternative she likes the look of from Thomson/First Choice (in Jamaica) is about £2000 more! As we've been to this hotel before (and this will be out 7th visit overall to a Bahia) and know "our spot" on the beach or pool is as far away as you can get from the building work I'm not that worried about what happens close the the room between 9:00am and 5:00pm.

Any disturbances outside those times would result in a meeting with the local rep.

If you go and there are any problems see the rep and fill in a complaints form. Make sure you both sign it and you keep a copy. Follow it up when you get home as a formal complaint.

As you're going at the very end of April the high season is ending so if you have a 'noisy' room you may be able to move rooms if necessary.