Booking Terms & Conditions
1. Booking contract
1.1 The availability page on our website gives an indication of the current booking position but it is not a guarantee of availability.
1.2 When you submit a booking via our online reservation system an automatically generated booking summary will be sent to you by email. This does not form a contract between us. A contract shall only arise when we have received your deposit and you receive a further email directly from us confirming your booking (the Contract).
1.3 The Contract for the provision by us of your short-term holiday rental accommodation (the Cottage) for the dates of your booking (the Stay) will be between the owners of the Cottage – (Diane and Terry Knight) (we or us) and the person making the booking party (you) under the following booking conditions. These booking conditions shall apply to and form part of the Contract
and the Contract shall be governed by English law. These terms and conditions do not affect your statutory rights.
1.4 When making a booking you must provide a list of the names of all adults staying in the Cottage plus the names and ages of any children or infants also staying. You are entitled to change members of your party prior to arrival provided that you do not exceed the maximum occupancy of the Cottage or reduced occupancy (agreed at the time of booking) if lower.
1.5 It is your responsibility to ensure that you have adequate insurance in place to cover any loss or damage that you may suffer as a result of any cancellation of your stay. We strongly recommend that you arrange suitable insurance following the confirmation of your booking.
2. Deposit
2.1 A booking for a holiday becomes firm when we receive a deposit of 30% of the price of your Stay (the Deposit). Until that time your reservation is provisional and will be held for a maximum of seven days.
2.2 If there are fewer than 90 days before the start of your Stay the reservation will be held for a maximum of 48 hours unless agreed otherwise. Remittances must be made in pounds sterling. The Deposit will be returned if the booking is not accepted.
3. Final payment
3.1 The full balance of the total holiday cost is payable no later than 60 days before your holiday commences. We will send a reminder when the balance is due. If the full balance is not paid on time and we have been unable to contact you by telephone or email, we reserve the right to cancel the booking, in which case the deposit will be forfeited.
4. Your obligations
4.1 The Cottage is for holiday use only and you must not engage in anything dangerous inside the Cottage or around the grounds.
4.2 You are responsible for ensuring that all members of your party comply with our terms of use and take all reasonable care of the Cottage and its furniture, soft furnishings and fixtures and fittings during your stay.
4.3 Please report any damage as soon as it happens to enable us to replace or repair the item.
4.4 We realise that accidents can and do happen. Any breakage, loss or damage must be reported before departure. Incidental damage such as broken crockery or glasses is non chargeable. Any other damage must be paid for. We therefore recommend that you arrange suitable damage insurance.
4.5 Smoking or vaping is not permitted inside the Cottage or in the doorways under any circumstances.
4.6 All damage caused by dogs is chargeable and they are not permitted on the furniture, especially the beds.
4.7 The Cottage must be left as you found it in a clean and tidy condition and any furnishings that you have moved replaced in their original position.
4.8 The Cottage is let under a ‘licence to occupy’. This means that you undertake to permit us reasonable access to the Cottage which we will endeavour to do only if essential and convenient to you.
4.9 The Cottage sleeps up to six plus an infant and is for the sole use of the members of your party listed on the booking form. No persons other than those listed on the booking form may use the Cottage facilities. No extra persons may stay on site in a mobile home or tent.
4.10 Due to fire risk, candles and nightlights are prohibited on the premises.
4.11 Drones, fireworks, helium balloons and Chinese Lanterns are strictly prohibited.
4.12 If, in our opinion, any member of your party is not suitable to remain in the Cottage because of unreasonable behaviour or damage, your party may be asked to leave the Cottage and no refund will be due.
5. Two person discount
5.1 A two person discount only applies if a maximum of two people are resident in the Cottage at all times during your stay and that a maximum of two bedrooms and two bathrooms are used throughout the Stay. In the event more people stay or all the bedrooms and / or bathrooms are used the full amount is payable before departure.
6. Covid Lockdown cancellation refund guarantee
6.1 We will provide a full refund if you, or we, need to cancel your entire holiday due to a full national UK Lockdown or the address on your Booking Form is placed into a Tier by your Government that has a Do Not Travel restriction in place throughout your holiday.
6.2 If during your holiday there is a Lockdown announcement that requires you to curtail your Stay we will provide you with a partial refund calculated as to the difference between the full price of your holiday and the (short break) price for the number of nights that you have stayed.
6.3 The No Travel guarantee covers the address on the Booking Form only. It does not provide cover for another member of your party being unable to travel.
6.4 This refund guarantee does NOT provide cover for you falling ill with Covid (or any other illness), for a requirement to self-isolate or quarantine, or for a Track & Trace alert preventing you from travelling. Those situations can all be covered by you taking out suitable travel insurance.
6.5 There are several suitable options which include cover for COVID-related cancellation (see below), or you can look for suitable cover on comparison sites such as www.gocompare.com. We are not selling, promoting, endorsing or recommending any particular product, and we do not benefit financially from, or have any formal relationship with any of these providers. Trailfinders – https://www.trailfinders.com/insurance#/step1 PJ Hayman – https://www.pjhayman.com/travel-insurance/staycationplan/
6.6 If the cancellation of your holiday is not due to a full national UK Lockdown or to the address on your Booking Form being placed into a Tier by your Government that has a Do Not Travel restriction in place at the time of your holiday, the terms
and conditions applicable to cancellations will be as set out in clauses seven and eight below.
7. Cancellation by you
7.1 If you need or wish to cancel your booking, please confirm your intention to cancel in writing to us as soon as possible. Please note that any refund given to you when cancelling your booking may be subject to deductions, as set out in these terms.
7.2 If there are fewer than 60 days before the start of your Stay, any refund we give you will be subject to:
7.2.1 an administration fee of £75 to cover our costs and third party costs related to your booking and subsequent cancellation (such costs include, for example, bank fees and re-advertising costs);
7.2.2 any costs we have incurred in making any specific arrangements for you (for example, where you have requested certain activities or additional facilities); and,
7.2.3 our ability to find an alternative booking. If we are unable to find an alternative guest for the period of your Stay, we will not offer you a refund. If we are able to find an alternative guest for the period of your Stay, you will be entitled to a refund equal to the lesser of:
(a) the full cost of your booking, less our administration fee described above; and,
(b) the amount paid by the alternative guest for the accommodation (which may be less than you paid), less our administration fee described above, and
any refund under this clause will be made when we receive payment in full
from the alternative guest.
7.3 If there are more than 60 days before the start of your Stay, we will offer you a full refund on cancellation, subject to:
7.3.1 an administration fee of £50 to cover our costs in administering your booking and cancellation; and,
7.3.2 any costs we have incurred in making any specific arrangements for you (for example, where you have requested certain activities or additional facilities).
Any such refund will be made within 14 days of us receiving your written confirmation of your cancellation.
7.4 Once a booking is confirmed it is not transferable other than by us in the limited circumstances caused by clause eight below following a Force Majeure Event.
7.5 Bookings placed up to and including 31 August 2023 are covered for flexible refunds by our Cancel Cover policy. If you need a copy of the cancellation Terms & Conditions in place at that time these can be provided.
7.6 For bookings placed after 31 August 2023 we strongly recommend that you arrange your own travel insurance which covers booking cancellations for UK holidays. This is available at very affordable rates, and gives you the peace of mind that you will get your money back if you need to cancel your holiday. If you choose not to take out your own holiday insurance then you accept responsibility for any loss that you may incur due to your cancellation not falling within the terms of our cover. You can look for suitable cover on comparison sites such as www.gocompare.com.
8. Cancellation by us
8.1 If we are unable to provide your holiday we will provide you with a full refund
unless the cancellation is due to an unforeseen event e.g. a Force Majeure Event which may hinder or prevent us from providing your holiday. In this event we will, at our sole discretion, offer you one of the following:
8.1.1 a full or partial refund; or,
8.1.2 alternative holiday dates; or,
8.1.3 such other remedy that we consider appropriate (acting reasonably) under the circumstances.
8.2 In this Contract, a Force Majeure Event includes, but is not limited to, any of the following circumstances which may hinder or prevent the performance by us of
the Contract:
8.2.1 acts of God, flood, drought, earthquake or other natural disaster;
8.2.2 epidemic or pandemic (unless there is a full national UK Lockdown in place or the address on your Booking Form has been placed into a Tier by your Government that has a Do Not Travel restriction in place);
8.2.3 terrorist attack, civil war, civil commotion or riots, war, threat or preparation for war, armed conflict, imposition of sanctions, embargo or break up of diplomatic relations;
8.2.4 nuclear, chemical or biological contamination or sonic boom;
8.2.5 any law or any action taken by a government or public authority, including without limitation imposing a restriction, prohibition, or failing to grant necessary licence or consent;
8.2.6 any labour or trade dispute, strikes, industrial action or lockouts;
8.2.7 non-performance by suppliers and sub-contractors; and,
8.2.8 interruption or failure of a utility service.
9. Right to refuse
9.1 We reserve the right to refuse any booking and, in exceptional circumstances, to cancel or alter arrangements made for you. If we should need to cancel the booking due to circumstances beyond our control we will refund all monies paid by you in full.
10. Arrival and departure
10.1 The Cottage will be available to you from 4.00 pm on your arrival day. (If it is likely to be available beforehand we will advise you accordingly).The Cottage will be unlocked prior to your arrival and the keys will be inside (if this is not possible, alternative arrangements will be communicated to you prior to your arrival). We will call to see you after you have had the opportunity to settle in.
10.2 The Cottage must be vacated by 9.30 am on the day of departure in order that cleaning can take place in preparation for the arrival of the next guest.
11. Parking
11.1 There are parking spaces for three cars in front of the Cottage.
12. Liability
12.1 We are not responsible for the loss of any valuables left in or around the
Cottage.
12.2 We are not responsible or liable for any damage, expense, accident, injury or Inconvenience, whether to person or property, which may be sustained in or around the Cottage unless caused by our negligence or wilful misconduct.
12.3 You are not permitted to engage any third party to provide services at the Cottage or in the grounds without our prior written consent. In the event you require permission to engage a third party provider, we require written evidence of the third party provider’s Public Liability insurance and other relevant insurance. Consent will only be given where the third party has the appropriate insurance cover and has provided the information to us. A risk assessment plan may also be requested from the third party service provider.
12.4 We will not accept liability for the activities of any third party suppliers. Where we make a suggestion, or recommendation, of a particular third party supplier, it is based on our genuine belief and experience of and /or feedback received by us from other guests using the service. We shall not be liable for the failure of a particular service provider to perform the relevant service properly, this being a matter between the third party and the guest.
13. Safety
13.1 You must accept responsibility for the safety of your party, including any pets, inside the Cottage and when outside, including the surrounding fields and woodland area. Children are welcome to play in the garden of the Cottage but they are not permitted to enter our garden or any of the outbuildings without permission and a responsible adult being present.
14. Wi-fi
14.1 You agree not to engage in any unlawful activity when accessing the internet available in the Cottage and to abide by the terms of use provided in the Guest Planner.
15. Data collection
15.1 We treat any data collected during the course of making bookings or dealing with enquiries in strict confidence. Your data will never be sold. However, we may contact you from time to time by post or e-mail in respect of the Cottage. By accepting these terms and conditions you are indicating your consent to receiving these communications from us unless you inform us otherwise by
emailing [email protected].
16. Complaints
16.1 We try to take every care to prepare our accommodation to a high standard. If a problem arises, please let us know immediately so that it can be rectified.
17. Pets
17.1 Dogs are not permitted on the beds under any circumstances
17.2 We accept two well-behaved dogs over the age of two provided that they are not permitted on any furniture or in the bedrooms (unless a service dog). If you wish to bring a dog under the age of two please contact us before making a reservation. All pet damage is chargeable and you must remove all dog mess from the garden before departure.
17.3 The garden is fenced and gated but we accept no liability if your dog escapes. It is your responsibility to ensure that your pet is kept under control at all times.
18. Electric vehicle (EV) charging policy
18.1 This policy sets out how EVs should be recharged while at the Property and the responsibilities of EV owners in respect of safe charging.
18.2 Any reference to “Property” in this policy is a reference to the cottage including any garden, grounds, outbuildings, garages or communal spaces.
18.3 This policy forms part of our contract with you. A breach of this policy will constitute a breach of the contract between us.
18.4 This policy applies to all members of the Booking Party and such other visitors to the Property. It shall be the responsibility of the Lead Guest to inform all members of the Booking Party and any visitors of this policy.
18.5 For the purpose of this policy an EV is any vehicle that uses electric motors, either fully or partially, to drive its wheels. It will derive some or all its power from rechargeable batteries which requires connection to the electricity grid (plug-in). This includes fully chargeable and plug-in hybrid cars, motorbikes, buggies, scooters, mopeds, bicycles, utility vehicles and tracked vehicles.
18.6 Most EVs are supplied with a domestic charger, commonly known as a ‘granny charger’ or a ‘trickle charger’. These cables recharge the EV using a domestic power source via a 3-pin wall socket.
18.7 Domestic chargers are not suitable for use in the Property and will create a fire hazard. The use of domestic chargers at the Property is strictly forbidden.
18.8 We reserve the right to carry out reasonable inspection, on a without notice basis, to ensure that granny chargers are not in use in the Property.
18.9 You are solely liable for any damage or loss suffered by us as a result of your unauthorised use of domestic chargers. Dedicated charging point (DCP)
18.10 The Property has a Roles (EV) 7kw Type 2 charging point (DCP) located outside.
18.11 The DCP is exclusively for the use of the Booking Party, ourselves and any approved contractors. Visitors to the Property who do not comprise the Booking Party are not permitted to use the DCP without our express permission.
18.12 Your usage of the DCP is charged at £40 per week but you must not:
(a) use the DCP if you are not authorised to do so; or,
(b) use any splitting cables or modify the DCP in any way; or,
(c) smoke in the vicinity of the DCP.
18.13 We do not guarantee the availability of a DCP and unavailability of the DCP shall not constitute a breach of our Guest Terms.
18.14 Authorisation for the use of the DCP during your Stay must be made prior to Booking. We reserve the right to withdraw this authority at any time and for any reason.
18.15 Use of the DCP is at the owner’s own risk and we do not accept any liability for loss or damage sustained by you or your EV as a result of using the DCP unless the damage was caused directly by our negligence.
18.16 You shall be responsible to us for any damage to the DCP or loss suffered by us caused by your use of the DCP.
19. Electrical appliances
19.1 Under no circumstances are you to bring electrical appliances to the Cottage other than laptops and telephone chargers without explicit written permission. Plug-in electrical items such as air conditioning units or any other heavy use electrical equipment is not permitted without explicit written permission. Guest electrical appliances that have not been PAT tested could invalidate our insurance.
20. Privacy notice
20.1 Sara’s Cottage is a member of Premier Cottages Limited, a professional collective of independent luxury cottage owners. Premier Cottages promotes our property on our behalf as well as other luxury cottages. As members of Premier Cottages we would like to give them your information so that they can contact you about quality properties that you might like. You may unsubscribe from this service at any time as detailed in our Privacy & Cookie Policy.
1 September 2023