Holiday Information
Reservations of all Southwold holiday homes, whether made by telephone, in person, in writing or from the Internet are accepted by Southwold Lettings hereinafter referred to as SL on the following conditions.
Cancellation Protection Scheme
1. CONTRACT OF HIRE
SL act only as Agents for owners, and are not Principals in the matter and so the hiring contract will be between you the Hirer and the Owner of the property for which the booking is made and shall be deemed to be made subject to these Conditions of Hire. The Contract of Hire is governed by English law and jurisdiction and is not effective until SL dispatch to the Hirer written confirmation of the holiday booking. The contract is for the hire of the property for holiday purposes only. We do not accept bookings from Hirers under 18 years of age.
2. INITIAL PAYMENT
Bookings will be confirmed upon receipt by SL of the required deposit payment (which includes our Cancellation Protection Scheme). However, if the booking is made within eight weeks of the Southwold holiday commencement date, the full accommodation rental will be required.
3. BOOKING FEE
SL charges a fee of £25 per booking, payable at the time of booking. Additional bookings with the same customer reference where the Southwold cottage hire period starts in the same calendar year will not attract a booking fee. A calendar year is defined as 1st January to 31st December.
4. BALANCE PAYMENT
The Balance of the Hire will be due for payment eight weeks before the cottage holiday commencement date. The Owner/SL reserve the right to cancel a Southwold cottage holiday where full payment has not been received less than 21 days before the holiday commencement date. The deposit paid on such bookings is non-returnable.
5. CREDIT CARDS
We reserve the right to make a charge of 2% if customers wish to pay their deposit, balance or full cost of the holiday property by Credit Card. There is no charge for debit card payments. All bookings paid for by Credit/Debit Cards are subject to these booking conditions.
6. VALUE ADDED TAX
Where VAT applies to the property rental, it is included in the quoted price at the prevailing rate. All VAT inclusive rentals are subject to change if the rate changes. SL Confirmation of Booking is not a VAT invoice. All SL charges include VAT at the prevailing rate and are subject to change if the rate changes.
7. CONFIRMATION OF BOOKING
Once SL has issued a Confirmation of Booking, you are responsible for the total published price of the Southwold holiday let and extras as shown on the confirmation.
8. BOOKING CANCELLATION
If you are forced to cancel your holiday in Southwold you must inform SL immediately – see Cancellation/Curtailment scheme for details of how to make a claim. In all cases of cancellation where the reason for cancellation is not covered by the Cancellation Protection Scheme, the deposit is forfeited. The Cancellation Protection Scheme is automatically arranged for you and is included in the cost of your holiday. This protects you for all or part of your responsibility for the balance of hire terms if you cancel for one of the qualifying reasons. Cancellation made for reasons outside those listed are not protected in this way, and you will remain liable for full payment unless we are able to re-let all or part of the period booked.
9: PETS
Many of our cottages in Southwold will accept pets and these will be displayed with a Paw symbol in our brochure or details will be stated on the individual property page on our website. More details are given in the property description. Bookings that include pets are taken on the understanding that all flea and worming treatments are up to date. Please remember that they should not be left unattended in properties and that some homeowners insist on pets remaining downstairs and off furniture at all times. You, as pet owner, will be responsible for removing any evidence left by your pet and reimbursing the owner for any damage caused. Please show consideration for guests visiting after you have gone home and bear in mind that some popular beaches do not permit dogs during the summer months. For most properties a charge of £20 per pet per week or £15 per pet per short break will be made.
10. AMENITIES
The use of accommodation and amenities, where offered, such as swimming pools, rowing boats, beach huts etc. is entirely at the user's risk, and no responsibility can be accepted for injury, or loss or damage to user's or visitor's belongings. However, The Owner/SL do not seek to exclude or limit legal liability for the negligence of their servants or agents.
11. PARTY NUMBERS
In no circumstances may more than the maximum numbers of persons, as stated in the brochure occupy a property. The Owner/SL reserve the right to refuse admittance if this condition is not observed. In addition, The Owner/SL reserve the right to refuse or revoke any bookings from parties that may in their opinion (and at their discretion) be unsuitable for the Southwold holiday cottages concerned.
12. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
For the whole of the period included within your booking, you will be responsible for the Southwold holiday cottage and will be expected to take all reasonable care of it. The property and all equipment and utensils must be left clean and tidy at the end of the hire period.
13. DAMAGE
All damages and breakages are the legal responsibility of the Hirer, and their cost shall be refundable on demand. However, minor damage or breakages will not normally be charged but in circumstances where extra cleaning is required or damage beyond what is reasonably to be expected, The Owner/SL reserve the right to charge you for any additional costs incurred as a consequence and may at their discretion refuse future bookings. The Owner/SL reserves the right to repossess the Southwold holiday home at any time, where you or any member of your party has caused damage. The Owner/SL shall not be liable to make a refund of any remaining portion of the hire terms paid.
Any damages/security deposits charged and administered by the Owner themselves or SL will be cashed before the holiday and reimbursed promptly after the holiday (less any penalties which may be incurred)
14. CUSTOMER SERVICE
If you are dissatisfied with the service you received, you should contact us as soon as possible.
15. LITERATURE
The Owner/SL take every care to ensure the accuracy of the property descriptions. All information in this brochure and on the SL website is given in good faith and is believed to be correct at the time of going to press, but the Owner/SL cannot be held responsible for changes beyond their control, which may become known after publication of this literature. In addition, whilst properties may be described as non-smoking or no pets, this cannot be guaranteed. Please be aware that if a property is advertised as having an enclosed garden, this does not necessarily mean a secure garden. It may be enclosed by hedging or open style fencing. The Owner/SL’s description of a cottage shows what amenities that property has but generally does not state what is not in the Southwold self catering property. Further, the Owner/SL will not be liable to you, any member of your party or person visiting the property during the period of your hire of it for happenings outside its reasonable control, such as breakdown of domestic appliances, plumbing, wiring, temporary invasion of pests, damage resulting from exceptional weather conditions or other unforeseeable circumstance. You also accept that SL in acting as agent for the owner will not be liable for any negligence on the part of the Owner resulting in loss, injury or accident.
16. LEGAL
In the event of any dispute between parties it shall be referred to the jurisdiction of the English courts only and any actions shall be heard in the court for the area in which the property is situated. Any contract between the parties shall be governed by English law and jurisdiction. Any disputes arising between you and the Owner/SL, if not mutually resolved, shall be referred to a single arbitrator agreed, or in the default of such agreement, to the President for the time being of the Law Society or Institute of Arbitrators. In either case, such arbitration would be subject to the provisions of the Arbitration Act of 1996 or any statutory modification thereof for the time being in force. All parties will contribute equally to the cost of Arbitration.
17. AVAILABILITY
The Hiring Contract is made on the understanding that the holiday home in Southwold and its facilities as published will be available for the dates stated. In the unlikely event that a property is not available through events arising outside the control of the Owner/SL then the Owner/SL may be forced to cancel the booking. You will be advised as early as possible. Where possible, you will be offered suitable alternative accommodation, which, if not acceptable, will entitle you to a refund of all monies due. You will not as a result have any further claims against SL or the owner. Please note that reservation requests taken via our website are not confirmed bookings until we have contacted you and accepted a deposit. These Booking Conditions supersede any previous issues.