Important Information
Important information about your holiday
The following information has been provided for your assistance and safety and we recommend that you read this information in conjunction with our Terms and Conditions. Whether you’re planning a short break or a longer holiday, you’ll be looking forward to the experience. Here are the answers to many of the questions that are asked…everything from when to arrive to how to care for the environment when you’re there. We’ve tried to cover the most common questions however, you may have some questions which only the property’s owner can answer. If so, simply contact us on +44 (0)1962 820330.
Arriving & Departing
Except for short breaks, all bookings run weekly from the day of your choice, unless otherwise stated. When you have paid for your holiday in full, you will be sent details of how to find your property, where and how to collect the keys on arrival. Please advise us of your estimated arrival time, which should normally be after 15:30 (any variance to this will be advised at the time of booking). On your departure day, you are required to leave your property by 10:30. This is to allow our housekeepers sufficient time to prepare the property for the next guests.
Passports
If you are traveling from a destination outside of the UK, please ensure you familiarise yourself with the relevant passport and visa requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that all members of your party, including any children, have a valid passport and visa (where appropriate). Please also be aware that if you are flying within the UK or to the Republic of Ireland you will require photo identification.
Driving
Laws, licensing requirements and age limits vary overseas. Please make sure you are familiar with the driving requirements of the UK when you are visiting.
Damages Deposits
You are required to make a payment of a damages deposit prior to arrival at your accommodation. The amount (25% of rental) will be advised to you before you book and will be shown on your confirmation invoice.
Special requirements
We’ll do everything we can to help those guests in your party with special requirements by suggesting properties that are especially suitable - just let us have all relevant information at the time of booking. We offer cots and highchairs free of charge, but please note, not other infant equipment.
Easy walking access
A guest using a walking aid should have no difficulty in gaining access to the principal rooms (sitting room, dining room, kitchen, one of the bedrooms, a toilet and a bathroom or shower room) and the garden of a property described in this way. We feature a number of properties which have no internal stairs or steps or have at least one bedroom and one bathroom on the ground floor. Please ensure at the time of booking that the property matches your individual needs, particularly relating to access to the property and garden. Simply call us and we’ll be happy to give you further details.
The Visit Britain National Accessible Scheme, reflects the practical needs of wheelchair users, and are graded from levels 1 to 4.
Level 1 – typically suitable for a person with sufficient mobility to climb a flight of steps but would benefit from points of fixtures and fittings to aid balance.
Level 2 – typically suitable for a person with restricted walking ability and for those that may need to use a wheelchair some of the time.
Level 3 – typically suitable for a person who depends on the use of a wheelchair and transfers unaided to and from the wheelchair in a seated position.
Level 4 – typically suitable for a person who depends on the use of a wheelchair in a seated position. They can require personal/mechanical assistance to aid transfer (eg: carer, hoist).
Pets
Some properties featured on our website welcome pets. Take any other kind of holiday and it can cost you a small fortune paying others to look after your pets while you’re away. Why should you have to leave them behind when they’re part of the family? Some properties welcome pets for a small additional charge of just £20 per pet, per week or per short break. If you are taking your pet on holiday, you must respect these few simple, common sense requests:
• Please keep your pets off the furniture.
• Please exercise your pets outside of the garden.
• Please remove pet hairs from carpets before you leave.
• Please don’t leave your pets unattended in the property or garden.
• Please do not allow pets upstairs or in the bedrooms.
Where pets are not permitted at a property, this is clearly stated in the property description. However, registered guide and support dogs belonging to those with visual and hearing impairments are allowed in all properties featured on our website even where the property description states that pets are not allowed.
Guests with allergies should be aware that we cannot guarantee that a registered guide and/or support dog has not stayed in their chosen property, nor can we accept liability for any suffering which may occur as a result of such animals having been present.
If you are travelling from a destination outside the UK, it is your responsibility to ensure that, if you want to bring your pet with you, you familiarize yourself with the relevant information about Pet Passports, etc, and that you make all the necessary arrangements through your vet well before departure.
Protecting your Holiday Environment
The properties featured on our website are set in some of the loveliest parts of the city centre and the countryside, so naturally we are interested in anything we can do to help preserve our environment. You can help too, by respecting the area you visit and remember the following points:
Please:
Don’t litter
Don’t waste energy and water
Guard against fire
Respect the rights of land and property owners
Protect local wildlife
Follow the City and Country Codes
Gardens & Parking Facilities
Some of our properties have gardens where you can enjoy peace and privacy. Some properties also offer space for off-road parking; details are stated in each of the property descriptions. If a property has on-road parking, please note that we cannot guarantee availability of such parking. If you require an enclosed garden suitable for children and pets, please check with us when you book. You must not leave children or pets unsupervised in the garden.
Properties with Character
If you choose to holiday in an older property, remember that much of its character and charm is due to its age. Some of the properties featured are over 100 years old and were built before the days of damp-proof courses and cavity insulation. Bear this in mind if you’re planning to take an elderly person or very young children on your holiday, especially if it’s going to be between October and April. Also, please remember that should traditional cottage features (steep stairs or low beams, for example) be a problem for any guests in your party, you must mention this when you book. It’s also worth remembering that because all the properties on our web site are privately owned, they are decorated and furnished according to the individual owner’s tastes.
Sleeping Arrangements.
Property descriptions show the “ideal” number that a property will sleep, based on a maximum of one or two guests in a room. If a property also shows a higher capacity (shown by “4+2” or “4-6”), this means extra guests can be accommodated in additional sleeping arrangements (for example extra beds in a bedroom or sofa beds). Under no circumstances may more than the maximum number of guests indicated occupy a property.
Bed Linen & Towels
We provide linen, and this is stated in the property description. This does not include cot linen - you should bring linen for cots in all cases (including pillows and blankets or duvets).
If you require a linen change more frequently.
Bed linen can be hired at £5 per person per week. Towels can be hired at £5 per person per week. If bed linen and towels are hired together then a charge of £10 per guest per week will apply. If you want to hire extra bed linen or towels, you must remember to request this at the time of booking.
Take special note of the following:
Gas Appliances
Gas appliances in UK properties, by law, have to be installed and maintained by CORGI registered engineers, and the owner should be able to provide a copy of the service certificate on request.
If you have any doubts about the efficient operation of any gas appliance, particularly boilers or hot water heaters, in your property, alert the owner immediately.
Gas cookers and fires - as you would at home, ensure that gas cookers and fires are turned off after use, and in particular, check this before you go to bed.
When a gas fire is on, children should be supervised at all times.
If you have any concerns about the safety of your property, whether it be the garden, the equipment or the facilities, then please tell us immediately.
We want you to have a safe and happy holiday - a few minutes taking some simple precautions - could make the difference between a holiday enjoyed and a holiday spoiled.
Mains Electricity
The voltage of electricity in the UK differs from overseas, both the voltage and plugs may be different and you will require travel adapters, which are widely available.
Fuel and Water
In most cases, there is no additional charge for electricity, gas, heating, water or other fuels. Where charges are made this is detailed in the property description.
Televisions and Other Facilities
All properties (unless otherwise stated) have a cooker and a fridge. All properties (unless otherwise stated) have at least one television that receives terrestrial channels. Additional channels may be available where satellite, FreeView or cable television is listed in the property description.
Cleaning
All properties are cleaned between lets so all you have to do when you get there is unpack and put the kettle on. There is no extra charge for cleaning, unless extra, heavy cleaning is required after you leave, or you do not leave the property and it’s contents as you found them.
Caring for your safety
We manage on behalf of our clients, the properties shown on our website, as part of our Safety First Policy, we do our best to ensure that owners take the safety and well being of all our guests very seriously and that their properties are well maintained for your comfort and safety. Nevertheless, please remember that when you stay in unfamiliar surroundings, you must take special care of yourself and your family.
In particular:
Check the layout of your holiday property so that in an emergency you can get out quickly and easily. Check for a fire extinguisher and fire blanket, and read the instructions on their use. If the property has open fires or wood burning stoves, make sure you use the fireguard, keep children and pets under close supervision and ensure that the fire is safely out before you go to bed. If you are unsure of how to use any electrical appliances, please ask the owner or caretaker. If your property has night storage heaters or radiators, these must never be covered. Take special care when moving around the property at night. Cots and highchairs must conform to local national standards. If they are damaged or deficient in any way, then tell the us.Look out for glass patio doors or glazed interior doors - they should have stickers at adult and child eye height. Keep young children off balconies. If there is a garden pond or other water features, ensure that children or anyone at risk cannot access it. Look for any steep drops or steps in the garden, and if there are garden sheds or outbuildings, ensure that children or anyone at risk cannot get into them. Equipment in children's playgrounds should be safe and in good condition. The surface of the play area should be soft, ie: sand, soft earth or wood chippings. You should satisfy yourself that the equipment is safe and in good condition before use. Children should be supervised by a responsible adult at all times. All activities during your holiday are undertaken at your own risk.
Dissatisfaction
We work very hard with all our property owners to ensure that you will have an enjoyable stay. However, in the unlikely event that you are dissatisfied with your accommodation, then it is very important that you register this straight away with us and do not wait until you return home, when the chance of actively helping you has passed. Even if you think nothing could be done to make your situation better, you must say something while you are on holiday. Please see our Terms and Conditions for further information on our complaints procedure.
Book With Confidence With Us
When you book your stay the last thing you want to think about is what would happen if you found yourself unable to go. But mishaps do happen, and that’s why having cancellation protection is so important. You need to take out additional cancellation insurance. It is a condition of booking that you must have personal travel insurance. You can provide details of your own policy.
Guest Satisfaction
We are committed to providing quality accommodation and that’s why we ask our guests to complete a guests satisfaction questionnaire on their return. Your comments and suggestions provide valuable information on how we can further evolve. Please take the time to fill in your questionnaire - we value your opinion