Standard Terms and Conditions for your booking

By booking with us you accept the following terms and conditions

General

1.   Your booking must be for holiday purposes only.  The property must not be used for gatherings, such as weddings or parties, or for business purposes.

2.  The number of people occupying the property and its grounds must not exceed four.

3.  Children under sixteen are not permitted, except by explicit, written, prior approval by the owner.

4.  The property will be available after 4pm on the first day of your booking and you must leave before 10 am on your last day.

5.  The cottage is no-smoking.  If you wish to smoke you may do so outside but you must ensure that any cigarette ends or other debris are removed.

6.  Juniper Cottage is adjacent to Sheppards Mill, which is occupied by the owners of the cottage.  The owners have their own dogs and cats and you must ensure that you, and your dogs where present, do not cause any nuisance to the owners or their pets. 

7.   There are public footpaths adjacent to the Mill and cottage, including the private road down to the properties.  You must take care when driving on this road as there may be walkers using it, often with families and dogs.

8.   You have use of the paddocks (which are privately owned by the owners) next to the Mill building, but the garden to the rear of the Mill is for the owners’ private use only.

9.   No fireworks shall be taken onto, or let off from, the property.

10. Whilst the information on our website is correct at the time of uploading to the internet, we reserve the right to change any of the prices, services, or other particulars contained in published information at any time before we enter into a contract with you.

Dogs

11.   You may bring well-behaved dogs, over which you have full control, to the property, by prior arrangement.  There is often livestock in the fields adjacent to the property and public footpaths nearby. You must ensure that your dogs do not worry other animals or are a danger to walkers.  You must advise us of the number and types (breed) at the time of booking. We retain the right to refuse permission to your bringing the dogs or to refuse the booking altogether if we consider that the number and/or types of dog are unsuitable.  Dogs must be kept off the furniture and must not damage any furniture, furnishings or fittings.  Dogs must not be left alone in the cottage at any time.  There are streams adjacent to the property which your dogs may like to paddle in; we recommend that you bring your own towels for towelling down dogs as our towels are not provided for this purpose.  We do not allow any other pets in the property. 

12.  It is your responsibility to ensure that the courtyard garden around the cottage is secure for your dog without it being on the lead.  We accept no responsibility for dogs that get out of this area for whatever reason.  We also accept no responsibility for dogs that get out of or escape from any of the land under our ownership.

Bookings

13.  A 'booking' takes place only when we confirm availability to you and advise you that the reservation is held for you.  Until then, it is an 'enquiry'. Once availability is confirmed, the booking is 'provisional' and only becomes 'firm' once we have received payment in full.

14.  Payment of the deposit must be received within seven days or before the start of the rental period, whichever is the sooner.  If not received, the reservation will lapse and the time made available for others.

15.  If your holiday starts within three months of the date you make your enquiry, you are required to pay the total price within seven days of us confirming availability and, in any event, prior to the commencement of your holiday if a booking is made less than seven days before the start date.

16.  If your holiday starts more than three months from the date you make the booking, you are required to pay a deposit of one third of the cost of your holiday (or £100 per booking if greater). 

17.  If you have paid a deposit, then three months prior to your holiday start you will be required to pay the balance of your booking price.  We will remind you when the balance is due and if we do not receive the balance within 10 days, we shall, with regret, cancel your booking and a charge may apply.

18.  In the case of bookings for more than one week, we can provide linen and towels for each successive full week, at your choice, but will only arrange to remake the beds if you ask for this  prior to your arrival.  The property will only be cleaned between separate ‘lets’ and not during longer bookings.

19.  If prices have not yet been fixed for the period booked then the deposit is one third (or £100 per booking, if greater) the current price for an equivalent period (not necessarily the same dates).

Payments

20.  We accept payment by cheque or direct bank transfer. We cannot take credit or debit cards.

21.   VAT is not payable under current HM Revenue & Customs regulations, but will be levied if Government rules are changed.

22.  Payment should be in UK Pounds. There will be a surcharge if you want to pay in a foreign currency or by direct bank transfer in UK Pounds from a foreign bank, to cover bank charges. Such payments should not be made without prior agreement between us. Cheques drawn on overseas banks are not accepted for payment

Contract and Warranties

23.  Once we have accepted your booking and payment, a contract has been entered into, which includes these conditions.  Payment of all required amounts when they are due, is of the essence of the contract.

24.  When you make a booking you warrant that you are over 18 years old, accept full responsibility for all persons and animals that will use the property during the period booked, and have read and understood these Terms and Conditions.  This contract is personal to you and may not be transferred or sub-let to another party.

25.  This contract shall be governed by the laws of England and subject solely to the jurisdiction of the courts of England.

Loss or Damage

26.  When you book, you agree to indemnify us against all loss and damage arising (including unreasonably large amounts of cleaning) directly or indirectly to the property and its contents from any deliberate or negligent act or omission by yourself, or any person or animal accompanying you, and, without limitation of the foregoing to pay us forthwith upon written demand our costs in making good any such loss and damage and cleaning.  We may also, at our discretion, charge you a deposit in advance to enable us to offset any costs arising from damage which you cause.  This deposit will be refunded, in whole or in part, if no damage or loss has been incurred.

27.  We shall not be responsible for any loss, or damage to any belongings, or injuries sustained by you, any member of your party or any of your animals.

28.  We shall not be responsible for any items which you leave behind when you have left the cottage at the end of your holiday. We shall hold any non-perishable items for two weeks after which we will dispose of them or give them to charity if appropriate.  We will dispose of any food and beverage items left at the end of your visit.  If you contact us within the two week holding period to request the return of your property, then this will be held for your collection at a mutually convenient time or returned to you at our sole discretion.  If items are to be sent to you, you agree to pay postage or courier cost(s) in advance of despatch. An administration cost may also be charged if appropriate.

Cancellation or amendment

29.  If you cancel a booking for any reason, you must notify us in writing by email or post.  Your deposit is non-refundable, except to the extent clause 30 may be applicable.  The following cancellation charges will apply:        

·      More than 90 days before start date: your deposit

·      Less than 90 days or early departure: 100% of the total rental.

30. If you cancel more than 21 days before your arrival date, at our sole discretion, we will use reasonable endeavours to try to re-let the property.  This may include marketing it as a ‘special offer’ for ‘late bookings’ if in our opinion this is appropriate.  If we do manage to re-let the property we will return the monies realised (which may be less than you had paid) less an administration charge.

31.  If because of weather or any other reason, your travel plans are disrupted or delayed, you remain liable for the full cost of your holiday and no refunds will be given for time not utilised.

32. We may cancel a booking at any time before the date on which it begins.  We would expect to do this only for essential maintenance work or for some other reason unforeseen by us at the time your booking was accepted.  In this unlikely event we shall refund in full all money received by us for the booking, but will not have any liability beyond this, and, without limitation of the foregoing, we will not have liability for travel costs incurred by you in relation to the booking.

33. We accept no liability arising out of any works or activity of any sort occurring on any premises adjoining or neighbouring the property cottage booked, nor shall we be responsible for making any enquiries about the likelihood of , or providing any information to you about, any such works or activity.

34. Changing your holiday dates. If you wish to modify the dates of your booking for any reason we will endeavour to accommodate the change.  Such a change will be treated as a cancellation of the original booking and a new booking for the new date (subject to availability).  Our cancellation charges as outlined in Clauses 29-33 will apply.

Access

 35.  Anyone with our authority may have access during your stay.  We may also institute checks on the property if we have concerns about potential misuse. 

 

rev  26  February, 2023