Terms & Conditions

Holiday Rental Terms & Conditions (2020)

(Please read before signing the booking form – click here to download a copy)

(Please read before signing this form)

1. The property known as Le Guet de Chouette (“the Property”) is offered for holiday rental subject to confirmation by Sally Smith (“the Owners”) to the renter/hirer (“the Client”).

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2. To reserve the Property, email confirmation is required from the Client and once confirmed as received by the owners the client should complete and sign the booking form and acceptance of terms and conditions. Signed contract to be returned together with payment of the initial non-refundable deposit (25% of the total rent due). Following receipt of the contract and 25% non-refundable deposit, the Owners will send a confirmation statement. This is the formal acceptance of the booking.

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3. Six months prior to arrival, a further 25% non-refundable payment is required.
The balance of the rent (50%) together with the security deposit (see clause 5) is payable not less than 8 weeks before the start of the rental period. If payment is not received by the due date, the Owners reserve the right to give notice in writing that the reservation is cancelled. The Client will remain liable to pay the balance of the rent unless the owners are able to re-let the property (deposit remains non-refundable). In this event clause 4 of these booking conditions will apply. Reservations made within 8 weeks of the start of the rental period require full payment at the time of the booking.

If payment is not received by the due date, the Owners reserve the right to give notice in writing that the reservation/booking of venue is cancelled. The Client will remain liable to pay the balance of the rent. In this event, Clause 4 of these booking conditions will apply.

(Any chargeable expenses during the rental period should be settled locally with the Owners prior to departure.)

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4. Subject to clauses 2 and 3 above, in the event of a cancellation, refunds of amount paid will be made only if the Owners are able to re-let the property, and any expenses or losses incurred in so doing will be deducted from the refunded amount (deposit remains non-refundable). The Client is strongly recommended to arrange a comprehensive travel insurance policy (including cancellation cover) and to have full cover for the party’s personal belongings, public liability etc., since these are not covered by the Owners insurance. Cancellation is valid only upon written acknowledgement by the Owners.

In the event of cancellation by the Client, the Owners reserve the right to claim for lost revenue and apply the following cancellation charges:

(Please bear in mind that the deposit is non-refundable):

Cancellation between 52 to 24 weeks: 20% of the total quoted cost.

Cancellation between 24 weeks to 10 weeks: 50% of the total quoted cost.

Any cancellation by the Client must be made formally in writing except in the case of non-payment of the total rental cost by the due date, which will be taken, as a formal notice of cancellation by the Client and written notice will not be required.

In the unlikely event that the Owners are forced to cancel your booking due to serious sickness or there are major changes to it due to matters beyond the Owner’s control, the Owners will advise the Client as soon as possible and will endeavour to offer the Client suitable alternative accommodation. If this is not possible, the Owners will give the Client a complete refund of all monies paid by the Client and the Owners will have no further liability

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5. A security deposit of €500 - is required in case of damage to the property or of its contents, however the sum reserved by this clause shall not limit the Client’s liability to the Owners. The security deposit held by the Owners will be applied against repair or replacement caused by means other than usual wear and tear during the rental period. Pending a satisfactory inspection, the security deposit will be returned within 30 days after departure date although in general this is returned within 10 days after Client’s departure and a full inventory has been completed

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6. The rental period shall commence at a time agreed between the client and the owners which is usually at 5.00 pm on the first day and finishes at 10.00 am on the last day.

The Owners shall not be obliged to offer accommodation before the time stated and the Client shall not be entitled to remain in occupation after the time stated (unless agreed with the owners).

If the rental period is to be shortened by the Client for any reason, the rental fee will not changed and there will be no refund. In the case of late arrival (after 8 pm), the Client is advised notify the Owners in advance by telephone/SMS or email.

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7. The maximum number to reside in the Property is 4 persons and this include adults and/or children (babies in cots not included in this head-count. One cot can be made available if required). Facilities open only to residential guests. Please seek prior approval from Owners should you expect external guests.

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8. The Client is responsible for all members of their guests and party residing and/or using the facilities of the Property. The Client agrees to be considerate tenant and to take good care of the Property and to leave it in the same condition as they received it at the end of the rental period. All the accommodation is cleaned and checked before any Client’s arrival and we do expect the Client to leave the property as found. The Owners also reserve the right to make retention from the Security Deposit, to cover additional cleaning cost if the Client leaves the Property in an unacceptable condition or damage is discovered. Kindly note that all the above charges does not invalidate the damage clause (point 5) and does not limit the Client’s liability to the Owners should there be any damage to the Property, fixtures or fittings.

The Client agrees not to act in a way, which would cause disturbance to neighbouring properties as the Property is situated in a peaceful and tranquil neighbourhood. Any Client or their guests deemed to be acting in a consistently unreasonable manner will be asked to leave the Property.

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9. The Client shall report to the Owners, without delay, any defects in the property, or breakdown in the equipment, plant machinery or appliances in the Property or garden and arrangements for repair and/or replacement will be made as soon as possible. (A charge is not always levied, but the Owners would rather be notified than to find out for themselves after the Client’s departure.) The Client undertakes to allow maintenance personnel, cleaning staff and the Owners reasonable access to the Property rented for the purpose of repair and maintenance.

Complaints cannot be accepted upon or after the Client’s departure.

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10. The Client and their guests/party use the facilities provided at the Property including all of its surrounding area entirely at their own risk and the Owners shall not be responsible for any loss, damage, injury or death.

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11. Use of the accommodation and all amenities is entirely at the Client’s own risk. Client’s personal belongings (including motor vehicles) left in or around the Property are entirely at Client’s own risk, and no responsibility will be accepted for loss or damage thereto.

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12. Linen for 4 persons will be provided during the rental period (a supplementary charge will be imposed for additional request). Neither linen nor fixture and furnishing from the Property are to be taken off the property. Following our inventory, any shortfall of linen/towels, etc… following client’s departure will be invoiced accordingly.

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13. The Owners will make every reasonable effort to ensure the safety of the Client but please be aware that this property is on a high escarpment with steps and uneven ground throughout the Property and that no liability can be attached to the Owners for unsupervised children or adults being injured or hurt as a result.. The Client is responsible to ensure that that all minors are supervised at all times and not allowed to wander unaccompanied in the grounds outside the secure terrace garden of the Property.

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15. The Owners shall not be liable for any personal injury, loss or damage whatsoever caused as a result of the use of any children’s equipment, toys, balls, barbeque or other equipment left at the Property for use by the Client and their guests during the rental period.

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16. Smoking is not permitted within any rooms of the house In other areas, please dispose of cigarette ends in a clean and responsible manner.

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17. Up to two house trained dogs are welcome free of charge. A bin and appropriate bags are provided for you to clean up after your dog in the garden or surrounding areas, including the meadow garden. Dogs are not allowed onto sofas and armchairs unless you have completely covered them with throws provided. Please be mindful of the next visitor who may not have dogs and of the cleaners who have to clean up after they have shed or left muddy paws all over the soft furnishings.

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18. Dog Daycare is offered at an additional cost and should be booked as soon as possible to ensure the owner is available to offer the service on that day.

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19. Winter letting rates will include water charges plus enough wood to run the wood burner for the length of the stay, additional wood can be purchased from the owner.. The Gite also has electricity radiators and will be charged based on consumption (meter reading).

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20. The Property is on mains drainage however. Please do not flush any sanitary napkins, tampax, tampons, baby’s nappies/wipes or thick wads of toilet papers down the toilets. Also French drainage can’t handle British toilet paper either, which is thicker than the French equivalent so only French toilet paper is to be used.

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21. The Client and their guests/party at the Property must not do anything or permit anything to be done that would or may result in the insurance of the Property becoming void or voidable or the premium being increased. The right to use the Property may be revoked with immediate effect by the Owners before the end of the rental period by the Owners giving the Client notice in the event of the Client being in serious breach of the terms of this agreement.

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22. The Owners shall not be liable to the Client for

– Any temporary defect or stoppage in the supply of public services to the Property, nor in respect of any equipment, plant, machinery appliance in the property or garden

– Any loss, damage, injury or death that is the result of adverse weather conditions, riot, strikes, war or other matters that are beyond the control of the Owners.

– Any loss, damage or inconvenience caused or suffered by the Client if the Property shall be destroyed or substantially damaged before the start of the rental period. In any such event, the Owners shall refund, within two working weeks of notification to the Client, all sums previously paid to the Owners for the rental period. In the event of the booking being cancelled or altered by reason of force majeure (which includes floods, storms, riots, strikes, wars, and Acts of God) or other events outside the Owners’ control, the Owners cannot accept any liability.

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23. Computers, Servers, Routers, VOIP, Wireless, Electronic equipment :

Wi-Fi is provided free of charge and very occasionally the ADSL connection is reset by the provider and can be down for some time as it is the case in the countryside and this is beyond the Owner’s control.

The Owners cannot accept any responsibility for loss or lack of a stable internet connection. Wifi coverage extend within the confines of the house.

The equipment must not be altered, adjusted or interfered with in any way and if any of the computer hardware is found to have been tampered with causing a malfunction or interruption to the system or internet services the Security Deposit will be retained in full. The Owners cannot be held liable for any loss of service including the inability to dial the emergency services due to loss of service. Any loss of electronic services is outside of the Owners’ control. However every effort will be made to ensure full services are maintained. Please also be aware that the Property is 400+ years old with meter thick stone walls which will disrupt the signal to the garden.

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24. Modification of a substantive element of the contract

If, before the declared date of commencement of the stay, the Owners find itself obliged to change one or more of the key elements in the contract, the Client may, after receiving notification from the Owners by registered letter:

– Terminate his or her contract and receive, without deduction, an immediate refund of all sums paid or accept the change or substitution offered, in which case an amendment to the contract detailing any changes shall be signed by both parties.

– Any resulting reduction in costs shall be in the form of a deduction from payments due from the Client, and in the event of payments already made by the latter exceeding the cost of the revised booking the surplus shall be returned to the Client prior to the commencement of the stay.

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25. The Owners reserve the right to make changes to the interior and/or exterior of the venue between the time we accept your booking and the date of your rental. For example, the Owners may make changes to the décor and colour schemes of our rooms, and the Owners cannot guarantee that the venue and its surrounds will be free from additional structures (such as additional pergola or shelter). The Owners will use all reasonable endeavours to ensure that no components of your holiday package have to be altered. However, as holiday rental is normally put together a long time before your scheduled arrival, the Owners reserve the right to make changes to certain components if this is necessary to comply with safety requirements or other changes in law or relevant codes of practice, or to make other minor changes which we believe will not be to the detriment of your overall holiday experience and which will not increase the price.

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26. From time to time the Owners would like to publish the Client’s comments on their websites and advertisement, so unless otherwise requested, the Owners will assume that the Client has no objection.

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27. Under no circumstances shall the Owner’s liability to the Client exceed the amount paid for the rental period.

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28. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the description of the Property and nearby facilities are as accurate as possible, the Owners cannot accept any liabilities for any changes beyond the Owners’ control.

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29. This contract has been freely negotiated and shall be recognised as the entirety of the agreement. Only those changes or modifications specifically placed in writing, attached, dated and signed by the Client and the Owners will be accepted. No person who is not a party to this Contract shall have any rights under or in connection with it.

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30. This contract shall be governed by English law in every particular including formation and interpretation and shall be deemed to have been made in England. Any proceedings arising out or in connection with this contract may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in England.

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31. Please note that these conditions will constitute part of the Owners’ confirmation letter and the Client is deemed to have read and accept these terms and conditions once the deposit has been paid to the Owners.

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I/We (on behalf of all my/our guests and party) duly read, acknowledged, accept and agreed to the terms and conditions as laid out above (please also initialised all pages) :

Name :_____________________________ Signature : __________________________

Date: ______________________________