Terms & Conditions

Bookings Terms and Conditions for Stepps House Holiday Cottages
 
1. THE CONTRACT
The Contract for a short-term holiday rental will be between Stepps House Holiday Cottages (referred to as “us”, “we” or “our”) and the person making the booking and all members of the holiday party (referred to as “you” or “your”) in the following booking terms and conditions. As our properties are located in England, you and we agree that the laws of England will govern our contract with you (the “Contract”). If any individual term or clause stated in these terms and conditions held to be invalid, impermissible or unenforceable permissible by law, the remaining terms shall be unaffected and shall remain valid.
The Contract will not come into force until we have received the Deposit referred to in Clause 2 below. The Contract will be subject to these booking terms and conditions, and must be complied with. The party leader must be at least 18 years of age at the time of booking and prior to arrival we must be provided with a full list containing the names and ages and contact details of all guests (which we will hold subject to Clause 13 below).
2. DEPOSIT AND PAYMENT
A non-refundable 25% deposit is required to make a booking (or a full payment if bookending within 30 days of arrival)  You must also pay all applicable booking fees due to an advertiser or agency acting on behalf of Stepps House if your booking was made through a third party.
The balance of the rental will be due for payment forty two (42) days prior to your holiday commencement date (the “Holiday Commencement Date”).
If you paid the Deposit by credit or debit card, you authorise us to use the details of the same credit or debit card to settle the balance of the rental. We will only act on this authority if you have not contacted us prior to the Balance Due Date to arrange alternative payment of the balance.
If for any reason we are unable to take payment of the balance by the due date and you are unable to promptly rearrange payment (or we cannot get hold of you to arrange for payment to be made) we will be entitled to treat that as your intention to cancel the Booking.  If your Booking is made less than forty two (42) days prior to the Holiday Commencement Date then your Booking will only be confirmed and our Contract will only come into force once we have received payment in full for the Booking in cleared funds.
No entry to our properties will be allowed without payment, in full, being cleared beforehand.
3. CANCELLATION
Cancellations must be notified to and received by us in writing (preferably by email) and once received we will confirm and process your cancellation request.  
Providing your booking is made prior to 30 days before the date of arrival for the booking, you can cancel the booking withing 48hrs from the moment of placing it and the deposit will be refunded in full during this time.
Any cancellations made. Prior to 30 days before the date of arrival will incur a charge of 25% of the value of the booking i.e., the loss of the value of the non-refundable deposit and any payments made in addition to this relating to the booking of the accommodation will be refunded in full.
After 30 days prior to the date of arrival, cancellations incur the loss of 100% of the value of the booking and no payments will be refunded except in the circumstance that Stepps House is able to re-let the property.
We will do our best to resell any dates you have paid for.  In the event we are able to re-let a property over the dates of the booking you have paid for and subsequently cancelled we will refund the balance payment for any dates that overlap with the subsequent booking.  Please note, if we have only been able to sell those dates by offering a lower price than you had originally paid for them, we can only refund to you the value paid for them by the new guests. The non-refundable deposit remains non-refundable even in the event we are able to resell your dates.
For this reason, we strongly recommend you take out your own travel insurance for UK holidays which covers booking cancellations. This will give you the peace of mind that you will get your money back if you need to cancel your holiday at almost the last minute. If you choose not to then you accept responsibility for any loss that you may incur due to your cancellation.
4. CANCELLATION BY US FOR REASONS BEYOND OUR CONTROL (“FORCE MAJEURE”)
We won’t be deemed to be in breach of this Contract, or otherwise liable to you, by reason of any delay in performance or non-performance of any of our obligations in this Contract to the extent that such delay or non-performance is caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control (for example if access to and use of our property is prevented by fire, flood, exceptional weather conditions, epidemics, pandemics, destruction/damage, internet or other communications failure, blocked roads, war/terrorism, nuclear/radioactive disaster affecting us or our property) (these are sometimes referred to as “Force Majeure Events”)
If for any reason beyond our control we are forced to cancel your Booking (or bring it to an end early) due to a Force Majeure Event affecting us or our property we will refund you the full amount of your remaining lodging costs based on the time of your Booking remaining. This will be the full extent of our liability and no additional compensation, expenses or costs (such as travel or replacement lodging costs) will be payable. 
5. PERIOD AND OTHER TERMS OF HIRE
The period from the Holiday Commencement Date to the day of departure set out in the Booking (the “Holiday Departure Date”) is the “Holiday Period”. 
Unless expressly agreed by us in writing, you should not arrive before 4pm on the Holiday Commencement Date, and you must leave and vacate the property by 10am on the Holiday Departure Date. Failure to do so may result in you being charged a further day’s rental.  
You must not use the property except for the purpose of a holiday during the Holiday Period, and not for any other purpose or for a longer period except with our express written agreement.
The Contract to stay in the property for the holiday period, does not create the relationship of Landlord and Tenant between the parties.
This Contract relates to a “holiday let” the purpose of which is to confer on you as a holidaymaker the right to occupy our property for a holiday only.  You shall not be entitled to any private residential tenancy or other tenancy, assured short hold or assured tenancy, lease, licence or other right to occupy, nor shall you obtain any security of tenure under any applicable law.  You may not sub-let the property.
In the event that you are required, in accordance with guidelines imposed by the UK Governments in relation to the disease known as coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and the virus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)), to self-isolate at the property you will be responsible for the cost of (i) any additional nights out with the Holiday Period and (ii) rehousing any booked guests that are displaced as a result of the additional nights required by you in an equivalent property.
6.NUMBER OF PERSONS USING THE PROPERTY
 
It is a booking condition that the number of guests occupying the property may not exceed the advertised capacity without prior written consent.  We may terminate your booking. Without refund in the event you breach this condition.
 
7. OUR LIABILITY
We, our employees, contractors, cleaners and other representatives shall not be liable to you or your party for loss or damage to property howsoever arising. You must take all necessary steps to safeguard yourselves and your property.  Nothing in this clause shall exclude or limit any liability that we are unable to limit or exclude by applicable law, such as liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence.
8. CARE OF THE PROPERTY
You are responsible for the property and are expected to take all reasonable care of its furniture, pictures, fittings and effects, in or on the property. You must leave them in the same state of repair, and in a reasonable clean and tidy condition at the end of the rental period. You must not use the properties for any dangerous, offensive, noxious, noisy, illegal or immoral activities or carry on there any act that may be a nuisance or annoyance to the owner or other neighbouring properties.
Smoking is not allowed in any of our properties.
You must ensure the property is securely locked when not occupied by you.
9. DAMAGES & BREAKAGES
You are legally bound to reimburse us for replacement, repair or extra cleaning costs on demand. Any damages or breakages will have to be paid for in full on demand within seven (7) days of notification in writing (although we would not charge you for the odd glass or plate). We recommend that you have appropriate insurance in place to cover this.
If you lose a key we will replace it upon you paying for the cutting of a new one.
10. WIFI & INTERNET
Free Wi-Fi and broadband internet is provided for your reasonable use and may be subject to separate terms and conditions. You agree to reasonable and lawful usage of this service.  We will not be liable for slow connections or for any interruptions to or the failure of this service.
11. RIGHT OF ENTRY
We shall be allowed the right of entry to the property at all reasonable times for purposes of inspection or to carry out any necessary repairs or maintenance.
12. COMPLAINTS
Every effort has been made to ensure that you have an enjoyable stay. However, if you have any problem or cause for complaint, it is essential that you contact us immediately to give us the chance to resolve it. We value your custom and want you to return (and to recommend us to your friends!).  We live nearby, and will do our best to resolve any problem.
13. DATA PRIVACY STATEMENT
See our Privacy Policy
14. CANDLES, NIGHT LANTERNS AND FIREWORKS
Sadly for insurance purposes candles are not permitted to be used in any of our properties.
Fireworks are expressly forbidden as they are a fire hazard (thatched roof).
Night lanterns are expressly forbidden as they are a fire hazard (thatched. roof) and can cause death or injury to local livestock.
15. PETS
We welcome dogs in our properties providing they been booked in and paid for. (£25 per dog, per week or part week/per cottage entered). We allow a maximum of two (2) dogs per property. 
Dogs must be house-trained, kept under proper control and not allowed on the furniture, and especially the beds, nor left unattended in the property.
We request that dogs are kept off the furniture and cushions, and that they are kept downstairs only.  We reserve the right to charge an additional cleaning fee in the event we need to clean animal hair off the furniture, cushions or anywhere upstairs.
16. CARE OF YOUR PROPERTY
Your vehicles and their accessories and contents, and any property and valuables you bring with you are left entirely at your own risk.
If you leave any property behind we will use reasonable endeavours to return it to you, although we reserve the right to charge you in advance for any reasonable postal or courier costs.  We may dispose of any unclaimed property after six (6) months.
Stepps House Holiday Cottages