(Before making a booking, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.)

1: GENERAL

Moroccan Villas Limited (a company registered in England and Wales under number 4334670, whose registered office is at 2 Villiers Court, 40 Upper Mulgrave road, Cheam, Surrey SM2 7AJ) (“we”) act as agents for the owners of the accommodation (“the Owner(s)”). We accept no liability in relation to any contract you enter into for the accommodation or for any services or arrangements you purchase (“arrangements”) or for the acts or omissions of any Owner or supplier(s) or other person(s) or party (ies) connected with any arrangements. For all arrangements, your contract will be with the Owner or the relevant third party provider with whom you book any such arrangements, including transport or other facilities. We are not a property management company. Our contract with you for the reservation and booking of your accommodation is governed by the terms set out in this ‘How to Book’ policy and the Booking Conditions set out below. You also agree to comply with the ‘Terms of Use’ and ‘Privacy Policy’ as set out on the website. If you proceed with enquiring about availability for properties and proceed with booking any accommodation through us of the properties with the Owners, then you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions set out in this ‘How to Book’ policy and the Booking Conditions.

We/the Owner reserve the right to refuse a booking without giving any reason.

2: HOW TO BOOK A PROPERTY

We act as booking agent for property owners whose properties are featured on our website. Although we are responsible for processing bookings made through us using the Booking Form, your contract for the letting of the property is with the Owner of the property and governed by the terms of the Rental Contract that will be forwarded to you upon checking of availability of the property, as set out below.

Once you have found the property that you like and wish to book, you will need to check the availability of the property for the period of time you wish to rent the property. We keep the availability chart of properties on the website up-to-date on a daily basis, but you must contact us before making a booking to obtain confirmation of availability, either on 0871 7113372 in the UK or outside the UK on +33 467 360 554. Subject to availability, and upon your request either by telephone or email, a provisional reservation will then be made with the Owner of your requested property on your behalf. If there are any specific questions about the property that you wish to ask and that are important to you, eg. suitability for the elderly or very young children, allergies, whether or not a late arrival time can be arranged at your property of choice, etc, then you must let us know when you check availability so that we can raise these enquiries with the Owners and so you can make an informed decision on whether to continue with your booking with us prior to entering into the contract with the Owner for the letting of the property. By making a reservation of a property with an Owner, this does not constitute a binding contract and no party will be bound by a contract for a booking until after a Booking Form and Rental Contract has been completed and signed by you and the Owner in accordance with these Booking Conditions.

By email, we will confirm whether the dates you want are available within 48 hours of receipt of your booking request. If you decide not to proceed with a booking, then please notify us by telephone or email. If you decide to proceed with your booking, then you must follow the procedure outlined in the Booking Conditions detailed below.

3: BOOKING CONDITIONS

A summary: we will send you, at the time you confirm you wish to proceed with a booking, the Rental Contract with the Owner for your reserved property, which will be the conditions specific to the property you will be renting from the Owner, including provisions such as any applicable breakages deposit, any other charges, telephone and electricity points, together with a Booking Form for your completion and signature and full payment details for your booking. You must then send a signed copy of the Rental Contract to us, together with your deposit as set out below. The Rental Contract will then be sent to the Owner to sign and we will send you a copy of the signed Rental Contract together with confirmation of your booking and receipt your deposit monies.

Full details: the following must be sent to us within 7 days from the date of receiving confirmation from you, either by telephone or email, that you wish to proceed with your booking:

  1. The completed and signed Booking Form confirming details of your booking and details of all relevant parties included in the booking who will be staying at the property, together with a signed copy of the Rental Contract and a 30% non-refundable deposit payable to us towards payment of the price of the booking, as notified to you with confirmation of the availability of the property requested. This constitutes an offer to the Owner for the rental of the property, as detailed in the Rental Contract and Booking Form. The person who signs the Booking Form certifies that he/she is authorised to agree these Booking Conditions, the Rental Contract and those terms and conditions specific to the property, on behalf of all persons included on the Booking Form, including those substituted/added at a later date. The signatory must be a member of the party occupying the property and must be 18 years or over. Bookings cannot be accepted from parties of young people less than 18 years of age.
  2. Please follow these steps in order to complete your booking:
    1. Print out the Booking Form and Rental Contract forwarded to you by email and sign both documents. Submitting a completed Booking Form and Rental Contract will be taken as acceptance of these Booking Conditions and those specific to the property, and confirmation that you will abide by them. You should also confirm your booking request by email.
    2. Post the signed documents to us at the address provided, together with your 30% deposit monies, either by cheque (UK residents only) or you can make the payment by bank-to-bank transfer, or by counter-credit, or you can make payment by credit card (although please note that payment by credit card incurs a 2.5% service charge on your booking price). (NB: If you are booking less than 8 weeks before arrival and you want to secure the property you can pay by credit/debit card within 24 hours of the provisional reservation being made.). Once we receive payment for the deposit in cleared funds from you, we will forward the deposit (less our commission) to the Owner of the property being rented to you.
    3. We will 'hold' a property for you for 7 days from the day you confirm your request to proceed with a booking by email. If your deposit payment does not arrive within the 7 days, we cannot guarantee that your booking will be accepted. When we receive your signed Booking Form and Rental Contract and your deposit payment, we will acknowledge receipt by email.
    4. We will forward your deposit payment and the signed Rental Contract to the Owner, who will counter-sign the Rental Contract and return a copy to us. At this moment a binding contract between you and the Owner comes into existence and we will send you a Booking Confirmation, together with a copy of the Rental Contract signed by both you and the Owner, to confirm all the details of your booking.

4: PAYMENT

  1. A non-refundable deposit of 30% of the booking price as notified to you in writing by us at the time of forwarding the Booking Form and Rental Contract, must be paid to us within 7 days of making your provisional reservation. The deposit (less our commission) will then be forwarded by us to the Owner.
  2. The remaining 70% balance of the booking price is due 8 weeks before the date of arrival at the property and payable to us. Once the remaining balance monies have been paid in cleared funds, we will then forward the remaining balance payment to the Owner. In the event of non-payment on time, your Rental Contract could be cancelled, with no refund of the deposit. 
  3. We and the Owner are entitled to treat your booking as cancelled if you fail to pay the balance on time.
  4. Some properties have different arrangements for payment of the deposit and balance. If applicable, this will be explained to you at the time of booking.
  5. For bookings made less than 56 days (8 weeks) before the arrival date at the property, the whole rental sum must be paid at the time of booking.
  6. We accept payment from Non-UK residents in € euros by bank-to-bank transfer. (We cannot accept cheques from non-UK banks, nor can we accept payments in $ USA Dollars). UK residents can pay by £GB cheque or £GB bank-to-bank transfer, or by "cheque counter-credit" at any UK branch of Barclays Bank. We can also accept the deposit payment by credit or debit card in GB pounds sterling, however this method carries a service charge of 2.5% of the booking price. Please let us know if you would prefer this method and we will arrange a convenient time to obtain your card details.

5: PRICES

All prices are quoted in € euros per week and are exclusive of any applicable Value Added Tax, or any other levy or charge that may be applicable. Our price is for accommodation only, with some inclusive services connected to the property (if applicable) which are noted on each property and in the additional terms and conditions sent through with the Booking Form and the Rental Contract. The prices are for one week, for the whole villa (not price per person), as notified to you in writing by us at the time of forwarding the Booking Form and Rental Contract. Telephone, electricity, heating, bedlinen, and housework, may not be included in the rental price and details of this will be set out in the Booking Form and in the Rental Contract. Any additional charges must be paid directly to the Owner or his representative in cash upon arrival unless otherwise stated in the Rental Contract.

The Owner or his representative will also ask for the breakages deposit upon your arrival at the property. The method of payment (cash or cheque) is detailed in the Rental Contract. Any breakages deposit required is generally returned to you within 10 working days following your departure (unless the terms & conditions state that it is to be returned on the day of your departure), less any reductions for breakages or damage, or extra cleaning costs as assessed by the Owner upon your departure.

There is no telephone (or land-line for internet) provided unless otherwise stated. For properties with "telephone available on request" an additional cash deposit will be required upon arrival, as set out in the Rental Contract.

 

6: CANCELLATION BY YOU:

  1. In the event of cancellation by you, the 30% deposit is not refundable. It is therefore important that you take out adequate holiday insurance so that if you should have to cancel your holiday you can seek to claim the amount of your deposit from your insurance company.
  2. Any cancellation by you (for whatever reason) must be in writing (including email or fax). The effective date of cancellation is the date we receive written notification, which we will then forward to the Owner directly. If you cancel 8 weeks or more prior to the date of your anticipated arrival at the property, you will only lose your deposit. If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim the loss of your deposit from your insurance company, however such claims must be made direct to the insurance company concerned and do not affect the terms of these Booking Conditions. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the requisite insurance policies in place.
  3. In the event of a cancellation being made after the full amount of the rental cost has been paid, the Owner (to whom payment will have been made to it by us following receipt of the balance from you in accordance with clause 4b) will refund you directly in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Rental Contract. The amount to be refunded will be in accordance with the following sliding scale

    No. of days before start of holiday that written
    notice of cancellation is received by us.
    Amount forfeited as % of total rent
    Before 56 days/ 8 weeks the 30% deposit
    42 to 56 days (6 to 8 weeks) 30% deposit + 35% = 65%
    28 to 42 days (4 to 6 weeks) 30% deposit + 50% = 80%
    less than 28 days (4 weeks) 100 %


  4. We will endeavour to obtain a replacement customer for the Owner if a cancellation of a booking is made. If a replacement customer is obtained, we and the Owner will then refund all monies (less 150 euros administrative fee), paid by you in respect of that booking, less any difference between the price you paid for the property and the price paid by the replacement customer for the letting of the property.

7: ALTERATIONS BY YOU

If after we have issued a Booking Confirmation to you, you wish to alter your booking, please let us know immediately. We will endeavour to accommodate your wishes, however you acknowledge that this may not be possible. This service may incur an administration charge of €75 euros, depending on the changes requested by you. We will notify you of any proposed administration charge at the time you request the required changes to your booking.

8: CANCELLATION BY THE OWNER

In the unlikely event that a significant change or cancellation of your booking by the Owner has to be made, or there are major changes to your booking required to be made by us or the Owner due to matters beyond our or the Owner’s reasonable control which are not covered under 'Force Majeure' (see below), we will advise you as soon as possible and will endeavour to offer you suitable alternative accommodation. If this is not possible, or you do not wish to accept the alternatives offered, we will give you a complete refund of all monies paid by you to us.

9: RENTAL

  1. Many Owners will only accept bookings for a minimum of two weeks (especially in July and August). A supplement may be added for bookings of single or an odd number of weeks. Any such additional supplements will be detailed in the Booking Form and Rental Contract and additional information relating to the property.
  2. Properties are let fully furnished and equipped. Additional services are clearly stated in the individual property description attached to the Rental Contract.
  3. We and/or the Owner reserve the right to make changes to and correct errors in advertised prices for the rental of the property at any time before your holiday booking is confirmed. We will advise you of any error of which we are aware of at the time of booking.
     

10: ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE

  1. Change-over days for properties are on a Saturday unless otherwise stated.
  2. The property you have booked will be available to you no later than 5pm on your proposed day of arrival and until 10am on the day of your departure, unless otherwise stated. If you are unable to arrive by 5pm or wish to arrive early and drop-off baggage while you go out until 5pm, please notify the Owner beforehand. If you are delayed en route, you must telephone the owner or keyholder noted on the directions sheet that you will receive upon payment and with your Booking Confirmation, to let them know your expected time of arrival. If you arrive at an unreasonable hour without notification and are unable to gain access to the property, neither we nor the property Owner can be held responsible for any cost incurred for alternative overnight accommodation.
  3. For some properties, a very late arrival time (ie. later than 7pm) will never be possible to arrange even if the Owners or keyholders are given warning. (One property, for example, the keyholder is an estate agent, whose offices close at 7pm). In some cases, the keyholder does not live close to the property, and if they need to come out to welcome you after a certain time (eg. 8pm) there will be a supplementary charge to pay them. This will be notified to you at the time of booking.
  4. If the only available flights to you mean that you can not arrive at a reasonable time, you must tell us this at the time of booking and we will then advise you which properties it is possible to arrange for a very late arrival and for which it is not. If late arrivals are not possible at your chosen property, you will have to arrange stay at a hotel or B&B for your first night at your expense, and arrive at the property the following morning at an agreed time.

11: BREAKAGES DEPOSIT

  1. You will need to pay any extra charges (eg. for bedlinen if not included) and for breakages deposit, upon arrival, as stated in the Rental Contract with the Owner. A breakages deposit is required to cover the cost of any damages or breakages to, or at the property, and the cost of any additional cleaning, the cost of telephone and/or other services/utilities that are not included in the rental price. Some properties may have inventories of furniture, etc, therefore you should check this at the beginning of your stay at the property and you should check this again before you leave at the end of your stay to ensure that all things on the inventory at the beginning of your stay are left as described in the inventory at the end of your stay.
  2. It may take up to 8 weeks after your departure from the property to return any breakages deposit to you. Delays can be caused whilst waiting for utility bills or proof of damage. No calls will be made to the Owner to speed up the receipt of utility bills until 4 weeks after the date of your return from the property.
  3. The cost of utilities and/or other services used by you or any damage caused by you will be deducted from the breakages deposit and the remaining balance will be returned to you. If the breakages or breakages deposit paid by you is not sufficient to cover the cost of such utilities and/or services or damage, the Owner is entitled to recover any additional costs from you.
  4. Some damages may not be immediately obvious to the Owner upon your departure. The Owner reserves the right to charge you for any damage noted in the property after your departure.
  5. The Owners reserve the right to hold the breakages deposit for longer than 8 weeks if there is a dispute over damage, or if they are awaiting bills/proof of damage.

12: PAYMENT OF ANY EXTRA CHARGES

  1. Please also notify the Owner or keyholder if you want to leave before 10am on the scheduled day of departure, so they can return your breakages deposit if it was taken in cash and is to be returned the day of departure. If you leave early without giving notification at least 3 days in advance any banking charges incurred by the Owner when returning your deposit will be deducted from it.
  2. "Taxe de séjour" - This "Tax" is a local government tax imposed on all tourists (including French ones) levied by the local 'mairie' to help fund tourist information leaflets, publicity for local fêtes and so on. The tax can vary from €2 per person per week to €1 per person per day depending on the area. All owners are obliged to comply with this law. Further information concerning the exact amounts to pay is available on request.

13. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES: PERSONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE

  1. You must keep the property and all furniture, fittings, facilities, equipment and grounds in the same state of repair and condition as at the commencement of your stay at the property, and in the same state of cleanliness and general order in which it was found. You will be responsible for the payment for any breakages, loss or damage to the property caused by you.
  2. It is a condition of your booking that you take out adequate insurance cover to cover any such losses as set out in clause 12a. The Owner reserves the right to make deductions from the security deposit for any extra cleaning, over the number of hours committed to departure cleaning, and to claim against you for damage or loss, the cost of which exceeds the breakages deposit.
  3. Should you or other members of your party or guests cause any damage to the property, its contents, grounds, or any third party, then you will be deemed responsible for such damage. In addition to paying a breakages deposit, you must also have adequate third-party insurance to cover such an eventuality. Please check that your travel insurance gives you adequate personal public liability cover (ie. at least €3 million or GB£2 million). You must take a copy of your insurance certificate with you, as the Owner or their representative is entitled to see the certificate before allowing you possession of the property. Residents of some countries (eg. Germany and the Netherlands), may already have third-party liability cover as part of their own home insurance policy. In other countries, such as the UK, this is not usually the case, so UK residents will almost certainly require a comprehensive travel insurance policy.
  4. Non EU residents (eg. USA) should check with their own home insurer to see if they are covered for personal liability when they are travelling abroad.
  5. Only the signatory of the Rental Contract needs to be covered for personal liability so long as they accept responsibility for the actions of all other members of the party. We would still advise all members of the party to have travel insurance to cover them for baggage loss, health & emergency repatriation, cancellation through ill-health or bereavement in any event.
  6. All the properties are cleaned before letting, however you are responsible for keeping and leaving the property, including the grounds, in a tidy condition. You are not expected to hoover and/or mop everywhere, but as a minimum you are expected to leave bathroom appliances and the kitchen (all tableware, utensils and appliances like the oven and fridge) completely clean, and not to leave litter in the garden.
  7. Some Owners include an 'end-of-stay' cleaning by a professional cleaner in the rent, but most ask for a fee in cash. If the house is left in an unacceptable condition (eg. dirty kitchen appliances and crockery), the owner may withhold further monies from your breakages deposit (based on a guide figure of €10 per hour extra cleaning) over and above the normal 'end-of-stay' cleaning fee. Maid service during your stay is often available at extra charge - please see the Rental Contract and additional information for each property.
  8. You are responsible at all times for the safety and behaviour of your children, especially with regard to swimming pool safety. Even if the pool area is fenced or has an alarm, accidents can and do happen. For information about additional safety devices available on the market eg. "Turtle armbands", which sound an alarm the second they get wet, please visit: www.Saferpools.com.

14. NUMBER OF PEOPLE USING THE PROPERTY

  1. The maximum number of occupants for each property is indicated in the additional property description and Rental Contract and must not be exceeded under any circumstances. In the event of failure to comply with this provision, the Owner shall be entitled to ask you to leave the property without refund of monies paid or any other liability to you. This applies to the number of day-time occupants as well as to the number of people sleeping there: While it is of course fine to invite a couple of friends over occasionally, it is not acceptable to have more people coming regularly to use the property. A pro rata sum will automatically be deducted from your security deposit for any additional adults/children.
  2. The parking of caravans/pitching of tents at the property is strictly forbidden.

15. BEHAVIOUR

  1. The person signing the Rental Contract is responsible for the correct and decent behaviour of each member of the party and will indemnify us and the Owner against any loss or damage caused by you or any member of your party.. Should you or a member of the party not behave in such a manner, the Owner may use their absolute discretion to terminate the holiday of the person(s) concerned and/or the Rental Contract applicable to the property. In this situation, the person(s) concerned will be required to leave the accommodation. Neither we nor the Owner will have any further responsibility toward such person(s). No refunds will be made and neither we nor the Owner will pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination.
  2. The Owner is also entitled to ask you to leave the property without any refund if, in their reasonable opinion, your behaviour is unacceptable (ie. drunken or loutish behaviour).

16. ACCESS

The Owner or their representative shall be allowed access to inspect the property prior to your departure. They also have a right to access the property during your stay to carry out urgent maintenance. Gardeners and pool maintenance staff enter the grounds during your stay, normally very early in the morning.

17. ADDITIONAL SERVICES AT THE PROPERTY

Some additional at the property are included in the booking price. However, if they are not included and you would like us to book these services, please give us as much notice as possible. Please note however that we do not take any commission, nor do we act as agent in respect of these services. Any contract you enter into for these services is with the supplier of the services concerned. We cannot accept responsibility for these services. Payment for these services is normally made on location, although some suppliers may require a deposit to be paid prior to departure for items such as food. Where the supplier asks us to collect and pass on such deposits to them this does not give rise to any liability on our part for these services.

18. LINEN

  1. Linen is not always included. Linen is not automatically changed once a week. If you require linen changes you should request this at the time of booking or your arrival. Please note that there is usually an additional cost for this.
  2. Beach and pool towels are never provided and therefore you should take these towels with you.
  3. We recommend that you take your own cot linen and cot for your baby’s comfort. If you do not wish to take your own, please check that cot and cot linen is provided prior to booking.

19. SWIMMING POOLS AND GYMS

  1. Swimming pools are not normally open all year round. If your rental period is outside July & August, please check with us that the pool is open, filled and ready for use for the period that you wish to stay at the property. We cannot be responsible for low water temperatures or any problems with any swimming pools and gyms at any period.
  2. If pool heating is required this may be possible, depending on the pool itself at the property. If applicable, there will be an extra charge, which will be deducted from the security deposit or charged on departure.
  3. Please note that swimming pools carry their own inherent risks. Upon arrival at the property you and all members of your party must take time to familiarise yourselves with the location, layout, and depths of any swimming pool(s) at the property. Please take note of any pool warning signs, depth markings and other instructions for use, which may be displayed. Young children must not be allowed to wander unaccompanied in the grounds of any property where there is a swimming pool.
  4. You must ensure that all members of the party are familiar with any pool protection in place. You are fully responsible for ensuring that the alarm/fence or cover is in place at all times when the pool is not in use.
  5. Any gyms are used at the sole discretion of the party. Children under 16 are forbidden to enter and use a gym.

20. SOCIAL EVENTS AND OTHER FUNCTIONS

We act as an agent for the Owner for the private rental of the property. If you intend to organise a function (e.g. party, wedding, cocktail party) at the property, you must seek prior written permission from us and the Owner. Additional charges and/or an increased security deposit may be sought from you if you wish to organise such a function, at the Owner’s discretion.

21. SECURITY AND VALUABLES

Any valuables left at the property are left at your own risk. Neither we nor the Owner are responsible for any loss. When provided, burglar alarms must be activated, safely used and proper care be taken against theft and burglary. It is essential and your responsibility to ensure all doors, shutters, windows are closed and locked when leaving the property, or when by the poolside/in the grounds. No refund can be given should you decide to vacate the property as a consequence of a burglary; unless it can be proven that the Owner has failed to inform you of anti-burglary systems in the property.

22. TRANSPORT SUPPLIERS

  1. You are responsible for arranging your transport to and from the property. We can assist in notifying you of companies who can organise car hire, euro tunnel and ferry crossings. (We do not work with flight companies). Payment and contracts for these services are paid directly to the provider and do not form any part of your agreement with us under these Booking Conditions or with the Owner under the Rental Contract. We are not liable for any services provided by a third party.
  2. We do not take a commission for notifying you of such companies nor do we act as agent on their behalf. We cannot accept any responsibility for any problems arising out of any transport services. Any contract you enter into for transport services is with the supplier of the services concerned. Notifying you of any transport suppliers by us or other service you book does not mean however that we have sold you a “package” or that we are an “organiser” of packages as defined by the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations.

23. DESCRIPTIONS AND INFORMATION

  1. While we make every effort to ensure the descriptions and photographs of properties supplied by Owners are accurately reproduced on our website, we cannot accept responsibility for any descriptions or photographs which contain inaccurate, incomplete or misleading information or errors and which have been supplied by the Owner.
  2. We do not accept responsibility for any descriptions which contain inaccurate, incomplete or misleading information or contain errors and which have been supplied by us (as opposed to the Owner), except where this arises out of our negligence, or by any fraudulent misrepresentations, or that of any of our employees (providing they were at the time acting within the course of their employment). You must accept that minor differences between the photographs/text used and the actual property may arise. Where we state that we have personally inspected the property(ies), this is to ensure that they are of the general standard of property we wish to include on our website and should not be relied upon by you as an indication that the property is suitable in all respects for your needs or those of your party’s.
  3. Owners reserve the right to make modifications to the property specification and the visual aspects of the property. This may include any aspects of change, including the continual improvement of the property by Owners and the alteration of furniture, amenities, facilities, or any part of any activities, either advertised or previously available, without any prior notice.
  4. If we become aware of material changes after your booking has been confirmed we will advise you of these as soon as practicable prior to your departure.
  5. Distances given on the website relating to properties are approximate. Times for travelling given on the website are also approximate and are based on driving, not walking.

24. PETS

  1. Pets are not allowed on properties, unless stated in the details of the properties and with the explicit written permission of the Owner. The Owner reserves the right to charge a supplement, and/or increase the security deposit for the property is it sees fit. The number of any allowed pets must be agreed prior to your booking.
  2. If you do not inform us of any pets, the Owner reserves the absolute right to request either the pet is placed in kennels in France for the duration of your stay, or your removal from the property without refund or compensation.

25. COMPLAINTS

  1. On arrival, should you find any fundamental discrepancy between the description provided on the website and the property itself, or that any of the amenities listed in the property description are damaged or broken, or if you have any other cause for concern (eg. issues of safety) please bring it to the Owner's attention immediately so that they can resolve the problem, but also so that you are not blamed for any damage that may have been caused by previous tenants.
  2. If you are unable to contact the Owner or his representative, please contact us.  You must give the Owner the opportunity to try to resolve any problems or complaints you may have whilst you are at the property. Any refusal of this or of reasonable rectification may prejudice your rights to compensation or repayment. The owners may need time to make arrangements.
  3. Owners/keyholders/repair people must be given access to the property if you have a problem. We reserve the right to contact the Owner/keyholder/other supplier at any time during this process, and you must agree to meet with the Owner/keyholder directly to discuss any situation which may arise. All complaints must be made to the Owner in writing, as well as verbally, with a copy to us.
  4. Complaints received at the end of the holiday will be processed, but there is no guarantee that your complaint will be upheld if there has been no attempt by you to try and resolve any issues which you wish to complain about whilst you are at the property and in accordance with this clause 25.
  5. We will not become directly involved in any disputes between the property Owner and you, but may be called upon as an independent arbiter if necessary. We do not want to have dissatisfied customers and consider it part of our service to try to put right any complaints you may have. We will endeavour to act as intermediary in the case of disputes, but we do not accept any responsibility for them or the outcome of them.
  6. If the problem was not resolved to your reasonable satisfaction during your holiday, you should put your comments in writing to us within 7 days of your return. We will forward your written complaint to the Owner and will, within reason, liaise with the Owner to assist in reaching a satisfactory settlement for all justifiable complaints regarding the property you may have. However, it is your responsibility to take the complaint up with the Owner directly if no satisfactory settlement can be reached.

26. OUR LIABILITY AND THAT OF THE OWNER

  1. As we act only as agent for the Owner we cannot accept any liability for any act(s) or omission(s) of the Owner or anyone representing, or employed by, the Owner. Further, we cannot accept any liability for any shortcomings or defects with or in any property as all properties are within the sole control of the Owners. If you have any complaints regarding any services we provide (as opposed to any provided by the Owner), you must inform us immediately in writing and in any event within 7 days of the end of any arrangements booked through us. We regret we cannot accept any liability if we are not so notified. Our maximum liability to you if we are found to be at fault in relation to any service we provide (as opposed to any service provided by any third party such as an Owner for whom we are not responsible) is limited to the commission we have earned or are due to earn in relation to the booking in question.
  2. Nothing in these Booking Conditions excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury which arises as a result of our negligence or that of our employees whilst acting in the course of their employment, or for fraudulent misrepresentation.
  3. The description of the rental property and facilities at a property are based on the information provided to us by the Owner, who certifies that the information provided is correct. We may not be held liable for any fault on the part of the Owner in this regard, or for any changes effecting the rental property or its surroundings which have not been brought to our attention by the Owner before you occupy the property. Our role is limited to acting as a bookings agent and we shall not be liable as a result of any act by the Owner or you in this regard.
  4. Neither we nor the Owner can be held responsible for noise or disturbance originating beyond the boundaries of the property or which is beyond the Owner’s control. In the event that a source of reasonably obvious noise has been in existence prior to your arrival and we are informed of this, we will contact you to inform you of the disturbance.
  5. We cannot be held responsible for the breakdown of mechanical equipment such as pumps, boilers, swimming pool filtration systems, nor for the failure of public utilities such as water, gas and electricity. If you encounter problems with such equipment whilst you are at the property, then you should contact the Owner once you encounter such problems in order to provide the Owner with the opportunity to try and rectify and faults.
  6. Neither we nor the Owner can be held responsible for disruption of local services beyond our of their control, for example water supply, electricity and telephone, nor for temporary noise nuisance such as road works. These problems affect all residents, irrespective of whether they are holiday-makers or not.
  7. ‘FORCE MAJEURE’: Neither we nor the Owner can accept liability in any circumstances where performance of the contract is prevented by reason of circumstances beyond our or their reasonable control, including but not limited to War or threat of war, riots, civil strife, terrorist activities, industrial disputes, natural or nuclear disasters, fire, flood or adverse or bad weather conditions, acts of God, closure of ports or airports, epidemics, delay caused by a carrier company, breakdown of domestic equipment, government action or any similar events outside our control.
  8. Swimming pools and gardens do have to be maintained and this may occur during your stay without notice. Notice of fêtes, festivals and local celebrations or events is not automatically given and may result in increased levels of traffic and subsequent noise. We cannot be held responsible for any seasonal increase in traffic levels, noise or disturbance. Building or road works may take place in the vicinity of the property. We cannot accept responsibility for noise or disruption caused by any of these events.
    26i. In the event of our being liable under these Booking Conditions (except for liability for death, personal injury or fraud), such liability shall be limited to the return of the sums paid to us.
  9. The Owners have house insurance, but under French Law the tenant shares a measure of responsibility for the property and its contents during the rental period. You must ensure that your personal insurance offers a high degree of personal liability (typically up to €3,000,000 (GB approximately £2,000,000) or equivalent). Please check all details of your Booking Form and Booking Confirmation carefully. A submitted Booking Form is taken as proof that you have read, understood and agree with the terms set out in these Booking Conditions and the Rental Contract, and those that apply to the property you are renting, and that you will abide by them. Under no circumstances shall we nor the Owner's liability to you exceed the amount paid to us or the Owner for the rental period.

27. INSURANCE

  1. It is a condition of booking that all members of the party have comprehensive travel insurance. Proof may be required.
  2. We cannot be held responsible for any problems arising out of the organisation of insurance.

28: LOW SLUNG CARS

People taking low/sports cars are advised to check at the time of booking that the access to the property is suitable.

29. DATA PROTECTION

  1. In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, we will ensure that the collection of personal information is fair and lawful. We take responsibility for all personal information held and used and that appropriate security measures are in place to protect this information. Some personal information may need to be passed on to third parties. This will only apply to instances where you have requested additional services e.g. chefs require dietary information. We also request full details of all party members prior to departure as a safety measure whilst you are on vacation.
  2. By requesting details of availability of properties you provide us with your consent to process your personal data, and that of the persons detailed in your enquiry form, in order to provide you with details of the proposed booking of properties. You agree to the terms of our ‘Privacy Policy’ [link]. By signing the Booking Form, you provide us with your consent for us to use your personal data, and that of the persons detailed in your Booking Form, in order for us to process the booking. You also consent for us to pass this personal data to the Owners in order to process your booking and for the Owner to provide you with the rental services in connection with the property. You acknowledge that we or the Owner may also transfer your personal data, and that of those contained in your group, to other third party providers where you have requested services to be provided by those third parties.
  3. Please let us know if you would like your personal details to be removed from our database after your holiday. If you personal data remains on our database as you have not asked us to remove it, we may use this data to update you on products which may be of interest to you.

30. PASSPORTS, VISAS, DOCUMENTATION, HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

You are responsible for all members of your party’s travel and health documentation (passports, driving licences, vehicle registration documents, green card, motor insurance etc). Neither we nor the Owner can accept liabilities if you or any members of your party are refused entry onto any transport or any country due to failure on your part to carry correct documentation. If you or any member of your party is not a British citizen, you must check passport and visa requirements with the embassy of consulate of France or any country you intend to travel through.

31. THIRD PARTY RIGHTS

The parties confirm their intent not to confer any rights on any third parties by virtue of these Booking Conditions and accordingly the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 shall not apply to these Booking Conditions.

32. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

These Booking Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and the parties agree to submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts over any claim or matter arising in connection with these Booking Conditions.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW....

MAID SERVICE - when a maid service is provided, the service provided will ensure that all surfaces and floors in the house are cleaned. The maid is not responsible for bed making and personal cleaning. If you would like this service, please let us or the Owner know so that the Owner can try and put these arrangements in place for you.

A HOUSE CAN ONLY SLEEP - the maximum numbers noted on each property’s details. This cannot be exceeded. You may notice that some houses can actually sleep more people than the Owner allows, however a maximum number is set for your own comfort. It is also the express decision by the Owners that they will never accept any increase in party numbers, unless by prior written arrangement.

You are of course entitled to sleep up to the maximum number of people; however we need to know who is at the property each night for your own safety. It also allows us to be 100% sure that the property is prepared for your exact party size and make up. We ask for this information on the Booking Form. If any details change after you have booked, you will need to contact the Owner or us and we will update our details.

A BREAKAGES DEPOSIT - is cashed to cover any extra charges, for example pool heating. Extra costs are detailed on each property description sent with the Rental Contract. We naturally expect all clients to treat each of these privately owned properties as their own home, however if there is any damage it will also be deducted from the breakages deposit.

The breakages deposit amount is specific to each property and detailed in your Rental Contract with the Owners. It is paid either on arrival or in some cases at the point of balance payment to us for the booking price. When the breakages deposit is taken in cash it is normally returned to you on the day of departure once the owners have had a chance to look around the property, minus any breakages incurred during your stay.  Please also notify the Owner or keyholder if you want to leave before 10am on the scheduled day of departure, so they can return your breakages deposit if it was taken in cash and is to be returned the day of departure. If you leave early without giving notification at least 3 days in advance any banking charges incurred by the Owner when returning your deposit will be deducted from it.  If the breakages deposit is taken by cheque when you leave the property the Owners confirm damage/charges and deduct any sums from the breakages deposit. The balance is promptly returned to you. (Please remember that utility bills e.g. telephone, electricity can take up to 8 weeks)

PROTECT YOUR PARTY - with comprehensive travel insurance, which is a condition of your booking.

PROBLEMS DURING YOUR STAY - can occasionally arise. It is essential you contact the Owner or his representative and us during your stay if you encounter a problem, so that the Owner and/or we can negotiate on your behalf, as soon as a problem starts. We will endeavour to resolve the problem, leaving you free to continue a hassle free holiday.  For more information please also refer to our section on 'Complaints Procedure' in the Booking Conditions above.

THE DETAILS MATTER....

BEDLINEN AND PERSONAL TOWELS - are not always provided. (Never beach or pool towels can sometimes be hired). Cot linen is not always provided. We recommend you take your own for your baby’s comfort. Exceptions are always noted on each property page.

Beds are not always made up for your arrival. If you would like linen to be changed mid stay please let us know. (Some properties provide an extra set for you to change as you wish and some Owners provide the first set but charge extra for a change of sheets in mid stay)

GARDEN AND POOL MAINTENANCE - is included and frequently done very early in the morning to minimise disruption to you. (You may not even see these people!)

WATER, GAS AND ELECTRICITY - is normally included in July and August. Supplements apply where it is clearly stated on your Rental Contract with the Owner. Exceptions are also clearly stated.

POOLS - are normally open June – September. Water temperatures can be variable in the early and late periods.

POOL HEATING - (if applicable) is always an extra charge. Some pools are solar heated, therefore the temperature naturally depends on the amount of sunshine.

TENNIS COURTS - vary in standard. If this is important to you, please inform us on your Booking Form.

TELEPHONE - services may differ in each property. Some enable outgoing calls, but only when you purchase a telephone card at a local newsagent or supermarket.

Other properties have an open line, and payment is simply deducted from your breakages deposit. Please note this may delay the return of your deposit (phone bills may take up to 8 weeks). Where there is no telephone it is clearly marked.

Please note however that some of our properties are set in the heart of the country and may not have a good mobile phone signal.

PET FRIENDLY - properties are available. We represent private homes and therefore kindly ask that you consider the behaviour of your animal in an unknown house before booking. We insist that animals are never left alone in the house, do not rest on beds or soft furnishings, and never swim in the pool for hygiene reasons and for the protection of pool tiles or liners. Some properties require a pet supplement.

DISTANCES - are mainly given in kilometers or minutes to the nearest local villages, towns and other places of interest. All times given are for driving, not walking and can only be used as a rough guideline.

SATELLITE TELEVISION - is available at some of our properties. If you require specific channels please check when booking as English speaking channels can be restricted.

VIDEO - recorders may differ in France. If you intend to travel with UK/International cassettes, please check with us that the video is suitable.

BARBECUES - are available in most properties; however there may be restrictions on their use during the summer months, due to local fire restrictions. Please do not move any barbecues from the position they are left on your arrival, which may be the safest area.

THINGS AREN’T ALWAYS THE SAME:

Some helpful definitions

Bed sizes - can vary. Double beds range from 1.40m – 2m. A single bed in France can start at 0.70cm. We regard anything below 0.90cm as ideal for children, not adults.

Bath rooms - generally include a bath tub, washbasin & WC. Sometimes however there is a separate shower cubicle or no WC.

Shower rooms - generally include a shower room, washbasin and WC. No bath tub.

Baby cots and high chairs
Baby Cots & high chairs - are not automatically provided, but we may be able to hire them. It is essential that we know the age of your child to ensure the cot size is appropriate.

Different standards - Europeans have vastly different standards in terms of electrical fittings, plumbing, ventilation, decoration and building requirements, although properties conform to local building standards. Many properties have septic tanks and not mains sewerage, and occasionally an odour may be noticeable. Houses often have steep and open staircases and some do not have banisters. It is not unusual for there to be bare electrical wires and often lights do not have lampshades. Furniture may be old, the décor may not be to your taste and mattresses may not be as comfortable as your own. Many houses are shut up during the winter months and therefore may appear musty on arrival. If your property is particularly old or rustic be prepared for patches of damp or cracks in the plaster. Please note, it is the requirements and standards of the country in which any services which make up your holiday are provided which apply to those services and not those of the UK. The monitoring, enforcement and compliance with such regulations and standards is the responsibility of the specific authorities and the supplier of the services concerned. Clients must take all reasonable precautions to protect themselves whilst on holiday. In certain respects, a European countries’ safety standards may be lower than those of the UK.

Most properties do not provide welcome packs and you will be expected to provide basics such as toilet rolls, cleaning materials, cooking basics, bin liners, etc.

Please respect your neighbours and avoid causing noise and/or any nuisance. Some European countries have laws prohibiting noise and disturbance after 10pm.

Electric fences, which may adjoin the property must be accepted and treated with caution.

Take sensible security precautions and ensure all windows are closed and doors locked, and any alarm system where fitted is set when leaving the property.

Certain areas of Europe, especially France, Spain and Portugal are subject to forest fires, the use of barbeques may be restricted and incur heavy fines, even if our description shows a barbeque is available. Please ensure that you check before using one.

Conditions abroad - European customs, habits and lifestyles may be different. You may find domestic, farm and wild animals in the vicinity and associated noise, smell and droppings. Insects (including stinging/biting insects), spiders and rodents do find their way into properties. Spiders can produce webs within 12 hours, and this does not indicate poor cleanliness. These are local prevailing conditions totally outside our control for which we cannot accept any liability. Cuts in water and electricity supplies may occur at any time without warning. Electricity supplies cannot always support several appliances being used simultaneously, and may fail if overloaded. We cannot be held responsible for technical problems with the property/facilities or technical/chemical problems with pools, or any problems with any electrical appliance as a result of interruption to the electricity supply.

Swimming pools and gardens do have to be maintained and this may occur during your stay without notice. Notice of fêtes, festivals and local celebrations or events is not automatically given and may result in increased levels of traffic and subsequent noise. We cannot be held responsible for any seasonal increase in traffic levels, noise or disturbance. Building or road works may take place in the vicinity of the property. We cannot accept responsibility for noise or disruption caused by any of these events.

PASSPORTS, VISAS, HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

For the latest passport requirements for British citizens please call 0870 521 0410, view www.ukpa.gov.uk or collect information at your local post office. For non-UK clients please contact your national passport office and or/French embassy/consulate for latest information on entry requirements. Information on health is contained in the British Department of Health leaflet T6 (Health Advice for Travellers), available from your local Department of Health Office and most post offices, or view on www.doh.gov.uk/traveladvice. For travel to France you should obtain a completed Form E111 prior to your departure.

For non-UK clients, please contact your national Health Department.