Booking Conditions
Please read these conditions carefully. They set out the basis of your agreement with Argyll Self Catering Holidays and the cottage owners who provide your holiday. We, Argyll Self Catering Holidays, act as agent in booking your cottage ('accommodation'). Your contract will be with your accommodation owner (referred to as Owner from now on). In making a booking, you warrant that you are 18 years of age and have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of your party the terms and conditions set out below.
1. Terms
All terms are either per week or per short break (start day as specified) for the accommodation as equipped and described. The usual check-in time is 4.00pm (subject to unavoidable delays). The check-out time (usually 10am) will be shown on your hire invoice. You are obliged to leave everything in a clean and tidy condition and you are responsible for any damage done or loss sustained during your stay. Prices include VAT (where applicable) at the rates applicable at the time of printing and are subject to change if the rates or application of the tax changes. In the event of a change in the rate of VAT during the course of the year, your holiday will on behalf of the Owner be invoiced at the new amount of VAT unless you have already taken your holiday or paid the balance in full prior to the date of the change.
We reserve the right to alter prices on the Website, which may go up or down. We will advise you of the current price at the time of booking. These terms and conditions are applicable to bookings made by phone from this Website. The terms and conditions for bookings made on-line through our Website may change from time to time. Please check at the time of booking.
2. Making a booking.
All offers and bookings are subject to availability. A binding contract comes into existence between you and the Owner once we have received your deposit and we have issued a hire invoice and booking acceptance by e-mail, fax or post on behalf of your Owner.
You must check your hire invoice and booking acceptance as well as all other documents we send you carefully as soon as you receive them. If any information appearing on any document appears to be inaccurate in any way, you must let us know straight away. We regret we cannot accept any liability to make changes if we are not notified of any inaccuracy in any document within 10 days of our sending it out.
The contract shall be between you and your accommodation Owner and be subject to Scottish Law and the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of Scotland.
3. Number in your party.
The total number in your party must not exceed the capacity of the accommodation as advertised by us. If your holiday price includes the 'small party reduction' the number in your party must not exceed that advised at the time of your booking and included on your booking confirmation. Babies under 3 may or may not be counted as members of your party. The Owner has the right to refuse to hand over the accommodation to any party exceeding these limitations, or to terminate the holiday of anyone exceeding these limitations at any time during the holiday. You should check the policy of your chosen accommodation carefully before booking.
4. Payment.
When you book you must pay the applicable deposit requested. .
Your balance is due and payable by the date printed on your Hire Invoice (8 weeks before your holiday start date). For bookings made within 8 weeks of your holiday start date and short breaks you pay the full amount when you make your booking.
Payments made by credit card and debit cards are currently free of charge.
If you cancel you must also pay all applicable cancellations charges. All Booking Protect insurance premiums must still be paid at the time of booking.
Please note that any credit/debit card numbers provided by you will be retained securely on the system for use where the Property Owner has requested a pre -authorised security deposit. No monies will be deducted, simply your card will be pre-authorised for the said security deposit shortly prior to arrival.
5. Changes by you.
Once a booking has been confirmed by us to you, should you require it to be amended or re-invoiced for any reason (including for example accidental loss of the original invoice) then, if we accept this change, a fee of £25.00 will be charged. Up to 8 weeks before the holiday start date you may change your holiday start date to another date within the same calendar year, subject to availability and payment of the above fee and any outstanding difference in price. You may transfer your booking to someone else/another party (introduced by you) at any time providing you pay the administration fee of £30.00 and any outstanding balance.
Please note: Bookings may not be transferred to other parties after we have received notification of cancellation. Change of accommodation will be treated as a cancellation of the original booking and may be subject to cancellation charges.
6. Cancellation by you.
Telephone us immediately if you have to cancel and on the same day send us written confirmation, by post or email, quoting your booking reference number. Your cancellation is effective from the date we receive your written confirmation by post or email which will be acknowledged.
Cancellation Procedure;
• If a cancellation or curtailment situation arises please contact us immediately first by phone and then in writing by email or post. Our address is Argyll Self Catering Holidays, Alexandra Parade, Dunoon, Argyll PA23 8AW.
• All information provided to us must be complete and accurate
If you are due a refund, you will be paid in £ sterling within 30 days of receipt of your written cancellation
If you cancel a charge will be payable by you to cover our costs including charges by third party operators. These charges are set out below:
Period before scheduled arrival date within which written cancellation notification is received
Cancellation charges as a % of total costs (excluding amendment and credit card charges which are non-refundable)
More than 56 days
Loss of Deposit *
43 - 56 days 50%
29 - 42 days 70%
8 - 28 days 90%
7 days or under 100%
+Please note: The cancellation charge applicable will be equal to the loss of deposit or the percentages shown, whichever is higher.
7. Cancellation by your Owner.
Very occasionally, in circumstances of 'force majeure' as defined in clause 15,including the sale of the property, we or the accommodation Owner may have to cancel your booking. We will tell you as soon as possible, and offer you an alternative or a full refund. We regret we cannot pay compensation or any reimbursement of any expenses or costs you may incur as a result of any such cancellation or change.
8. Website accuracy.
We have taken care to ensure the accuracy at the time of updating of the website; however, information and prices may have changed by the time you book. There may be small differences between the actual accommodation and facilities and its description, as we and the Owners are always looking for ways to make improvements. As we act only as agents for the Owner, we cannot accept responsibility for any inaccurate, incomplete or misleading information about any property or its facilities and/or services, except in the case of negligence by us. We will use our best endeavours to notify you of any changes to, or inaccuracies in any information contained in this brochure or on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we become aware of that change or inaccuracy.
9. Activities and facilities.
Your accommodation Owner reserves the right to alter or withdraw amenities or facilities or any activities without prior notice where reasonably necessary due to repairs, maintenance, weather conditions and circumstances beyond his/her control.
All properties are for holiday purposes only and whilst Wi-Fi / internet are provided at many properties, uninterrupted service cannot be guaranteed. Where Wi-Fi is an advertised facility, please note that its provision is subject to availability and network conditions. It may not be available 24 hours a day and is provided for pleasure not for business purposes. Bookings are not accepted if they are wholly reliant on the uninterrupted, unlimited provision of Wi-Fi.
10. Unreasonable behaviour.
We and the Owners of all accommodation have the right to refuse to hand over accommodation to anyone who, in the reasonable opinion of the Owner is not suitable to take charge of it. In such cases all hire charges paid will be refunded in full as quickly as reasonably practicable, the contract will be terminated and neither we nor the Owner will have any further liability.
We and the Owners of the accommodation reserve the right to terminate a holiday after the keys have been handed over, if the unreasonable behaviour of anyone in your party is likely to cause danger or significant annoyance to others or damage to property. In these circumstances, no refund will be given. Please note that unreasonable behaviour specifically includes smoking by any member of your party in any property, all our properties are NON SMOKING. Should it be reported that any persons have been smoking inside the property
a charge of £150 will be levied to cover the cost of deep cleaning of that property.
11. Damage to the property.
You are liable to the Owner for any damage caused in the property during the period of hire. The accommodation Owner has the right to enter any accommodation (without prior notice if this is not practical or possible) if special circumstances or emergencies arise (for example if repairs need to be carried out).
12. Party Type.
Groups, organisations, charitable institutions and multi-accommodation bookings: If your party includes unrelated members from an organisation or has been funded/organised on behalf of a third party such as a local authority, charitable, religious or NHS Trust, we, on behalf of the Owner, need the following information when you book:
• The full name of the organisation supporting or funding your booking
• The name and contact details for the person responsible for (and accompanying) the party during the holiday.
Should you arrive at your accommodation with such a group without notifying us of the required details, the Owner has the right to refuse to hand over the accommodation to you. You may be asked to pay a Security Deposit at the time of take-over.
Single-sex groups and younger parties: The owners of the properties featured cater primarily for family holidays and single-sex groups or younger parties may not be permitted. Where this is the case, you will be informed at the time of booking. Where these parties are permitted, you may be asked to pay a Security Deposit at the time of take-over.
Disabled, infirm and restricted mobility guests: Where access to or the layout/features of any property makes it unsuitable for visitors with mobility difficulties, every effort has been made to ensure that our description makes this clear. To ensure the accommodation and location booked is suitable for visitors with a disability, it is essential that all booking requests from parties including people with special needs, give us full and clear details of those needs at the time of booking. If your party includes individuals who usually require special care due to a disability, you are entirely responsible for ensuring that all members of the group are adequately cared for at all times by a suitable person.
13. Security Deposits.
For certain properties, the Owner reserves the right to ask for payment of a security deposit. Where a security deposit is payable, you will be informed at the time of booking and the deposit (and the amount payable) will be confirmed to you on your Booking Confirmation.Please note that any credit/debit card numbers provided by you will be retained securely on the system for use where the Property Owner has requested a pre -authorised security deposit. No monies will be deducted, simply your card will be pre-authorised for the said security deposit shortly prior to arrival.It is the responsibility of all guests to keep the house, furniture, fixtures and fittings in the same condition as at the commencement of the holiday. We expect all rubbish to be removed from the property, dishes all cleaned and put back in cupboards and flooring swept and hovered where appropriate.
Charging electric cars from the property you have booked is striclty prohibited. Charges and penalties will apply if found charging has been made.
We reserve the right to retain your good housekeeping security deposit to cover extra cleaning or damage cost.
14. Force Majeure.
Neither we nor the Owner can accept responsibility or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of the contract is prevented or affected by reason of circumstances which amount to "force majeure".
Circumstances amounting to "force majeure" include any event which we or the owners could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such circumstances include the destruction or damage of your accommodation (which cannot reasonably be remedied to a satisfactory standard before the start of your holiday) through fire, flood, explosion, storm or other weather damage, break-in, criminal damage, riots or civil strife, industrial action, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, war or threat of war, actual or threatened terrorist activity, epidemic and all similar situations beyond the owner's control.
15. Your Pet.
Pets are welcome at many of our properties, where a charge is applicable it is stated in the property description. No more than two pets are allowed in any property unless authorised at the time of booking. You must bring your own pet basket with you as pets are allowed on the clear understanding that under no circumstances may they lie on bedding or chairs. Pets must not be not allowed upstairs or in bedrooms or left unattended in properties or elsewhere and should be exercised outside the property gardens or grounds.
In the interest of visitors' safety, and following government legislation, we are sorry we are unable to accept the following types of dog: American Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Fila Brasileiro and Dogo Argentino even where these types of dog are muzzled as required by government legislation.
16. Assistance Dogs.
Registered assistance dogs are accepted free of charge in properties who accept pets on our Website, subject to the availability of suitable accommodation.
17. Your Vehicles.
Your vehicles, their accessories and contents are left entirely at your risk. Neither the Owner nor we as agent are responsible for any loss or damage from or to any vehicle from any cause whatsoever.
Charging electric cars from the property you have booked is striclty prohibited. Charges and penalties will apply if found charging has been made.
18. Our responsibility for your booking.
We are responsible for making your booking in line with your instructions, and are not responsible for any information about the accommodation that we pass on to you in good faith.
However, in the event that we are found liable to you on any basis whatsoever, our maximum liability to you is limited to the cost of your booking (or the appropriate proportion of this if not everyone on the booking is affected).
19. Comments or Concerns.
You must notify any shortcomings with your accommodation to the Owner or his/her representative immediately so that remedial action, if appropriate, can be taken. If a significant problem is not resolved to your satisfaction, please contact us as soon as possible during your holiday and we will liaise with your Owner.
It may affect the investigation of your complaint and may impact on the level of compensation that you may be entitled to if you fail to notify the Owner or his/her representative and ourselves of any complaint or claim during your holiday and/or write to us with full details within 14 days after your holiday had ended.
20. Personal Travel Insurance.
You are strongly recommended to take out Personal Travel Insurance for your holiday. Our Website will offer Booking Protect Insurance on booking, should you wish to avail yourself of this service payment of premiums must be made at the time of booking. It may not be added after this time.
21. Marketing
We will hold your information, where collected by us, and may use it to inform you of offers in the future or to send you brochures. If you do not wish to receive such approaches in the future, please write to us.
