Auld Smiddy Cottage Terms & Conditions

Terms and conditions:

Please remember a reservation is a legal contract and properties should only be used for holiday purposes unless otherwise agreed in writing. They should not be used for stag parties, hen parties, weddings or any special event without prior discussion and written agreement.

1. RESERVATIONS Home From Home Perthshire act only as agents for the Owners of the self-catering holiday cottages featured on its website. The hiring contract is between the holiday maker & the Owner. The receipt of a signed booking form/e-mail confirmation and/or payment of the non - refundable 25% deposit and £20 booking fee is deemed to be a firm booking and it is assumed that the hirer has read & agrees to the conditions as found on our website. On receipt of your deposit, booking fee and other relevant charges, the Company will confirm your reservation by email (or post). You are then responsible for the balance of the rental, which is due no later than 7 weeks prior to your arrival. If your holiday is within the 7 week period, you are required to pay the full rental. Please remember a reservation is a legal contract. We strongly recommend you ensure you are adequately covered by Insurance for your rental.
2. PAYING YOUR BALANCE  the full remaining balance of the charges are due seven weeks prior to the commencement date of the holiday. This includes short break cottage bookings. Non-payment of the balance by the due date will result in the Agency regarding the self-catering cottage as being available for re-booking.

3. CANCELLATION OF RESERVATIONS

   If you have to cancel your reservation, you will need to:

   Inform your insurance company (we strongly advise you cover your booking with cancellation insurance. You may already have this through your bank, credit card issuer or annual policy).

   All cancellations must be notified to the Agent initially by telephone and confirmed in writing / by email. 

   Please note both the 25% booking deposit and £20 booking fee are non-refundable, however if your booking balance payment has been paid in full, we will attempt to re-let the dates and if successful will refund the 75% balance payment less a £175 admin fee  ( per week booked ) plus any additional costs incurred in re-letting the dates. 
   
                                                                                 
4. AMENDMENTS TO BOOKINGS  more than 7 weeks prior to booking start date including  - arrival dates /  length of stay / property selection - will incur a £75 administration fee. If your booking is in less than 7 weeks we are unable to alter the booked dates, length of stay or property selection.
5. OCCUPANCY The number of persons occupying one of our Highland Perthshire self-catering cottages must not exceed the maximum occupancy level stated in the cottage details. Holiday home owners reserve the right to end occupancy of their Scottish self-catering cottage without notice or refund in the case of a breach of this condition.
6. GOOD HOUSEKEEPING DEPOSITS  The hirer is fully liable for the condition of the self-catering cottage and its contents for the period of their holiday (fair wear & tear excepted). The hirer will make good any damage or loss & leave the self-catering cottage & its contents in a clean & orderly condition. The individual who signed the booking form will be held responsible for the hiring party. Good Housekeeping Deposits ( where charged ) are returned  7 to 10 working days after the holiday ends unless there is a claim against it for damages or additional cleaning time.
7. T&C`s Comprehensive conditions and restrictions applying to each of our Scottish Highlands self-catering cottages (e.g. good housekeeping deposits, limitations on pets, children, short breaks etc) will be stated in each individual holiday cottage description & form part of these Hiring Terms & Conditions.
8. YOUR HOLIDAY HOUSE Owners reserve the right to refuse to hand over occupancy of their self-catering cottage to any person/s that in their opinion, is not appropriate to take charge. In this eventuality hire charges will be refunded in full & the liability of the owner shall cease. Without prior consent properties are not available for hire to single sex groups, stag / hen parties.
9. OWNER CANCELLATION If an owner is prevented , due to unforeseen problems with the property (e.g. fire damage, flood, drought or the interruption of utility supplies), from putting their self-catering cottage at the disposal of the Hirer, the Hirer shall be refunded in full all payments made towards their booking. The Hirer shall have no further claim against the owner. This includes short break bookings of holiday cottages.  Except where otherwise expressly stated in these conditions, the Owner and the Company shall not be liable for changes beyond the Company’s control or beyond the control of the Owner.
10. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION Home From Home Perthshire have taken every care to ensure the correctness of their Highland Perthshire self-catering holiday cottages descriptions and all information is given in good faith and deemed accurate, but the Agency cannot be held responsible for changes beyond their control or be liable for any act, neglect or default on the part of the owner resulting in loss, injury or accident caused to the Hirer.
11. Eligibility: The owners reserve the right to refuse to hand over occupancy of their self-catering house to any person/s that in their opinion, is not appropriate to take charge. In this eventuality hire charges will be refunded in full & the liability of the owners shall cease. The house is not available for hire to stag or hen parties. Specifically: (a) Home From Home will not be required to accept a booking nor the owners to honour a booking for the house from groups of single persons who are all under the age of 21 or all male or female groups comprising more than 2 people. Any such booking may be arranged only by calling us direct and getting approval from Home From Home. The owners will be entitled to request the hirer to immediately leave the house if the occupants are all under the age of 21 or are a female or male group exceeding 2 in number. The hirer will not be entitled to any refund of the hire charge in these circumstances. (b) Home From Home may accept a booking for the house from groups of single persons who are all under the age of 21 or all male or female groups comprising more than 2 people when the booking is made by contacting Home From Home and the Owner of the house gives permission for the booking to proceed.
12. No pets are permitted at the Property unless agreed with Home From Home at the time of the booking. If a pet is permitted, details must be provided when the house is reserved and an additional charge per week per pet must be paid. If a pet is permitted, this will normally be restricted to one and the Hirer will be responsible for ensuring that any restrictions in the property description are complied with and the pet is kept under strict control at all times. If a pet is permitted in a Property it is not allowed upstairs or on beds or furniture. The hirer is responsible for removing all pet excrement from the property (garden and off-street yard). Registered guide and support dogs belonging to those with visual and / or hearing impairments are allowed in the house. Details must be provided when the house is reserved.
13. The hirer will take good care of the house and its contents and leave the house and its contents in a clean and tidy condition; inform Home From Home of any damage or breakages and pay the owners at the end of the booking for any breakages or damage to the house and its contents caused by the hirer (reasonable wear and tear excluded); allow the owners and Home From Home (with or without workmen) access to the house at reasonable times and on reasonable notice (other than emergencies) for inspection purposes and to carry out any repairs or maintenance (routine maintenance and repairs will not be carried out during the booking).
14. The hirer will not cause undue noise or disruption, obstruct driveways or access, or become a nuisance to the occupants of any neighbouring properties; not use the house and garden for any purpose other than that of a private holiday residence; not alter the house or its contents or remove any contents from the house;  return all sets of keys tof the Property in accordance with the instructions given to the Hirer;  not use any flammable materials, fireworks or candles in or on the Property; keep the house secure during the booking; and comply with any specific conditions and restrictions relating to the house and/or its contents contained in the house description and in any instructions held in the house.
15. COMPLAINTS We hope that you will have no cause for complaint but, in the event of a problem arrising, in the first instance, please contact the property Owner immediately so that any problem may be speedily resolved, as the Owner must be given the opportunity to rectify the problem. If this is not possible please contact our office and we will attempt to contact the Owner on your behalf. If after this, you feel that the problem was not resolved then you must, within 7 days of the end of your holiday, put your complaint in writing to the Company. All communiations will be copied to the Owner for their comments and response. Please be aware that the company act only as a mediator in these situations to try to facilitate an outcome satisfactory to both parties and that your contract is with the Owner. No complaints can be accepted following departure if either the Owners or Home From Home Perthshire have not been contacted during your stay and allowed time to address any issues.
16. LAW The owners and the Hirer agree that the booking contract shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Scotland and the owners and the hirer agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Scottish Courts.
17. WIFI There is no guarantee as to the speed or bandwidth of the house’s internet connection. Rural areas of Scotland can be erratic and/or suffer outages which are outwith the owner's control. The owner does not accept responsibility for such events but will endeavour to rectify the situation with the provider where possible.