Conditions générales
For La Crouzette
DordogneHolidayHome.com
1. Introduction
2. Guests
3. Owners
4. Confirmation
5. Deposit
6. Full payment
7. Security bond
8. Cancellation
9. Health and safety
10. Swimming pool
11. Smoking
12. Pets
13. Currency
14. Care of the rental property
15. Loss of valuables
16. Parking
17. Temporary defects in service and amenity
18. Heating and hot water supply
19. Consumables
20. Bathroom and pool towels
21. Bed linen
22. Barbeque
23. Maintenance of pool and grounds
24. Arrival
25. Welcome basket
26. Leaving the property
27. General
1. Introduction
Thank you for your booking. Our wish is to make your stay at La Crouzette as pleasant and stress-free as possible. We hope this list of Terms and Conditions will help to clarify the main points. Please contact us if you have any queries regarding our terms and conditions.
2. Guest
The person making the booking and paying the charges is deemed the Guest and he/she is deemed to be responsible for his/her party.
3. Owners
The Owners of the property known as La Crouzette, Castelnaud la Chapelle, 24250, France.
4. Confirmation
This is the time at which the booking is agreed, whether by email, telephone or post. From this time the accommodation shall be held for 10 days pending the receipt of a Deposit. The Owner shall send an email of confirmation (or a letter if preferred).
For currency conversion purposes, the Full Payment (plus Bond) will be calculated at the Date of Confirmation. See section 13 for more information on currency conversion.
5. Deposit
The booking shall be held (for 10 days) until the deposit has been received as cleared funds in the Owners’ account.
The Owner shall then send a receipt for the deposit by post (or by email depending on the requirements of the Guest) along with details of when the final payment is due.
The Deposit shall be 20% of the full Payment.
Receipt of Deposit is deemed to signify that the Guest has read and agrees to comply with the Terms and Conditions.
6. Full payment
The balance (full payment less deposit) becomes payable 8 weeks prior to the date of arrival.
If full payment is not received (as cleared funds) within two weeks of due date of payment (i.e. 6 weeks prior to the date of arrival), the Guest shall be deemed to have cancelled by default. All monies paid and due shall be forfeit and the Owner, from the 6th week prior to the Arrival Date, shall be entitled to re-let the accommodation. Please see our Cancellation details below.
The purpose of this clause is to prevent the Owners being left in the position of potentially losing considerable sums with no possibility of re-letting. It also prevents double-booking.
If for any reason, including late booking or when the Owners agree to varying terms, the Balance becomes payable less than 8 weeks before arrival date then payment must be received on the Agreed Date or earlier, or the Guest shall be deemed to have cancelled by default. The two-week allowance afforded to those paying at 8 weeks shall not apply.
7. Security bond
A bond of £200 must be paid at the same time as Full Payment. This bond is refundable and is paid only as security for damage that may be caused by the Guest or a member of the Guest’s party. The bond is refundable within 10 days after departure by the method in which it was originally paid.
The Guest shall not be responsible for ‘wear and tear’.
We do not make charges for small breakages such as wine glasses, plates etc. provided these are few and accidental and that these breakages are reported.
Guests are not generally responsible for the actions of third parties unless they could reasonably have foreseen and prevented the action. (An example being if the Guest leaves the property unlocked and a thief enters through the unlocked door or window to remove items.)
The Guest’s liability for damage is not limited to the amount of the bond.
The Guest is deemed to be responsible for the actions of ALL in their party.
8. Cancellation
If the Guest cancels after paying the deposit and more than 8 eight weeks before the arrival date, the deposit shall be forfeit. The Guest shall bear no further liability even if the Owners fail to re-let the property for the period in question.
If the Guest cancels within 8 weeks of the arrival date, the Owners shall endeavour to secure another let for the period confirmed. In the event that the Owners are unsuccessful then full payment (paid or owed) shall be forfeit. In the event that the Owners are successful, they shall return the full payment less the deposit to the Guest. If, in order to let the property the Owners must reduce the rates then the amount of reduction shall be recovered from the Guest’s refund.
If the Guest cancels within 4 weeks of the arrival date he/she shall forfeit all monies paid or owed for the booking regardless of whether or not the owners manage to re-let the property.
Guests are reminded that most holiday insurance companies will cover the FULL COST of a holiday in the event of unavoidable cancellation. We strongly recommend Guests take out such a policy.
The Owners shall in no circumstances be liable for consequential loss due to Cancellation.
Cancellation is deemed to have occurred on receipt of communication to the Owner from the Guest (or his or her representative) by telephone, email or post. It may also be deemed to have occurred by default as described in the Terms above.
A Guest may retract a cancellation (but not a cancellation by default as described in section 6 ‘Full Payment’ above) provided the Owner has not already let or agreed to let the property for the time in question. If a Guest cancels a second time for the same booking, the full payment shall be forfeit.
If the Owners wish to cancel, they shall notify the Guests in writing and return to the Guests all monies paid by the Guests.
These clauses are unfortunately necessary in the running of a business. We feel they are clear and fair. However, if you need to cancel, please do contact us immediately so we might work towards a more satisfactory solution such as rescheduling your planned stay etc. We are in the business of providing relaxing and enjoyable holidays, not profiting from our Guests’ misfortune and we will do our very best to help.
9. Health and safety
Fire extinguishers and fire blankets are installed at various locations and smoke detectors are fitted. A First Aid Kit is also supplied. The swimming pool is completely enclosed and lockable and there is a pool cover fitted. Further details regarding the swimming pool are given below.
Under no circumstances may Guests bring to the property their own electrical appliances other than low-load hand-held equipment such as shavers, hair-dryers, etc. Irons, fans etc. are provided. Specifically Electric Space Heaters are not allowed for safety and cost reasons. Use of same by Guests will render them in breach of the letting contract and liable to additional costs and immediate eviction from the property.
Telephone numbers of the nearest doctor, pharmacy and hospital are clearly displayed in the property, next to the telephone. Guests would normally be expected to use their mobile phones for all calls, but there is a telephone which can be used for local emergency calls.
10. Swimming pool
Swimming pools in France account for a huge proportion of child fatalities; this is second only to traffic accidents. We have ensured that our pool is fully enclosed and lockable and is fitted with a pool cover. The following rules apply to the pool. These rules are only common sense and we list them here for clarity. Ultimately, however, it is only you who can ensure your own safety and the safety of your party.
• No children under the age of 14 to be unaccompanied at the pool.
• No diving – the pool is not deep enough.
• No jumping from poolside onto floatation devices (this is actually more dangerous that it may appear).
• No glass (plastic drinking vessels are available free of charge).
• No food to be consumed at poolside.
• No flippers (fins) or diving masks. Goggles are fine.
• A shower is provided beside the pool and in the interests of hygiene must be used before and after every swim.
• The gate to the pool enclosure must be kept locked whenever the pool area is not in use (this is a legal requirement).
• The pool shall be open from May to the end of September. This may be extended at the Owners’ discretion dependent upon the weather.
• The Owners’ reserve the right to close the pool at their discretion at any time in the interests of safety or hygiene.
11. Smoking
We do not want to seem too restrictive but again we must think of safety and the comfort of other Guests. Smoking is therefore not permitted within the accommodation. Guests may smoke in the garden only. They may not smoke in the pool area.
12. Pets
Regrettably we do not allow pets.
13. Currency
Guests may pay for rental in GB pounds or euros and may pay by cheque or Paypal. Exchange rates shall be determined by the ‘Yahoo Currency Converter’ on the day of Agreement to Booking.
14. Care of the rental property
The Guest shall ensure that the property is not mistreated and that it is left in the same state of cleanliness as it was found. Beds may be left unmade and used towels left in the bath.
15. Loss of valuables
The Owners accept no liability for Guests’ loss of valuables.
16. Parking
The Owners offer free on-site parking for all guests but accept no liability for vehicles parked on the premises. Under no circumstances may any Guest park a caravan, mobile home or other domicile on site, whether in use as a domicile or not.
17. Temporay defects in service and amenity
The Owners shall not be responsible for any temporary defect or stoppage in public service. The Owners shall not be liable for any loss resulting from strike, civil commotion, extreme weather or other event outside of the Owners’ control. The Owners shall not be liable for the temporary loss of amenity of the property, provided the loss is not consequent to the Owners’ negligence.
18. Heating and hot water supply
The house has central heating with radiators in all rooms. There is also a plentiful supply of logs for anyone wishing to use the open fire in the lounge. A fire guard is supplied. The central heating costs and logs are included in the rental.
Under no circumstances may Guests bring to the property their own Electric Space Heaters. These are not allowed for safety and cost reasons. Use of these by Guests will render them in breach of the letting contract and liable to additional costs and immediate eviction from the property.
There will be a constant supply of hot water for showers etc.
19. Consumables
Reasonable power and water consumption are included in the cost of rental. Careless and excessive use of either shall incur additional costs. The use of the washing machine/tumble dryer, dishwasher etc. is included in the rental. Basics such as washing up liquid, washing powder (or liquid), dishwasher tablets, toilet rolls are supplied.
This seems sensible to us as it helps Guests on arrival and it helps us because we are on septic tanks and therefore only certain products can be used. It is important not to use products such as bleach or products labelled ‘pas pour septique’ as they can destroy the natural biological balance of the septic tank. However, we ask that if a commodity runs out, you replace it with the same safe product.
20. Bathroom and pool towels
Bathroom towels are supplied free of charge. One set of towels per person is provided to a maximum of 8 persons. A set consists of one face towel, one hand and one bath towel. There is also one pool towel provided for each person.
Bathroom towels are exchanged each Saturday (this would vary accordingly in cases that are not Saturday to Saturday lets).
Bathroom towels may not be used poolside or in the garden or down by the river.
21. Bed linen
Ben linen is supplied free of charge. Clean bed linen is provided each Saturday on an exchange basis (but would vary accordingly if not a normal Saturday to Saturday let).
22. Barbeque
A BBQ is provided for Guests’ use together with various utensils. Under no circumstances must the BBQ be taken down to the pool area. The BBQ should be left in a clean condition – a special cleaning brush is provided.
23. Maintenance of pool and grounds
In order to keep the grounds and pool facilities at the high standards our guests require, it is necessary for our maintenance staff to carry out various works during the course of the week. These works include pool cleaning and general maintenance, mowing of the lawns, care of flower beds. It should be noted that the people who undertake the pool/garden maintenance and the agents who look after the house are of the highest integrity. They speak English and French fluently. In the event of any problems with the property our agents can be contacted – they live only a few minutes away.
24. Arrival. Arrival is from 2pm onwards
On final payment, contact telephone numbers for our agents will be supplied so that you can inform them of your planned time of arrival. They will greet you at the house, hand over the keys and show you around. They will answer any questions you may have. Just to reiterate, our agents are fluent in both English and French.
25. Welcome basket
A welcome basket containing basics such as milk, bread, butter, cheese, ham, wine, orange juice, tea and coffee are supplied as well as a vase of fresh flowers. All these are supplied free of charge.
26. Leaving the property
Guests are expected to leave the property in the same condition in which it was let. The exceptions to this being that used towels may be left in the bath and beds may be left unmade.
The Owners’ experience has shown that some guests are in a great hurry to leave in order to catch planes or ferries. Consequently the Guests do not have time to clean the property properly, or at all. This leaves the Owners in the position of having to hire paid help to meet the ‘turnaround’ deadlines.
So as to give guests the best rates and the opportunity to do their own cleaning, these rates have not been included in the price of the let. However, if such cleaning is necessary, a charge of £40 shall be payable.
27. General
We understand that Guests are on holiday but ask that they also respect the village and the villagers. We do not encourage loud late-night drinking in the garden or down by the pool, or raucous behaviour of any kind.
Children are very welcome and we don’t expect them to be saints but we do ask that parents control them. For us, La Crouzette is not just a business – it is our French home and very dear to us. The good thing about that for guests is that you will find it feels like a home – comfortable and very well equipped.