Terms and conditions
Our Booking Conditions describe our policies and procedures and clarify the contractual relationship between you and P & G Durbin (‘us’ or ‘we’) Owner of Cottage Escapes. In these conditions “our website” means: www.cottage-escapes.co.uk
When you make rental arrangements directly with Cottage Escapes, you are entering into a contract with us, the owner of the properties. When you make rental arrangements in the Lake District, the contractual relationship is directly between our agent Cumbrian Cottages and the Customer. When you make rental arrangements at Keldergat in Whitby, the contractual relationship is directly between our agent Yorkshire Cottages and the Customer.
Before making rental arrangements, please read our Terms and Conditions carefully. By doing, so you agree that your booking is for the sole purpose of holiday accommodation, with no rights to the property other than occupation during the term of your holiday.
The person making the booking must be over 18 years of age at the time of booking and as party leader must be authorised by all other members of the party to place the booking. All guests accept they are subject to our Terms and Conditions of booking.
Making a Booking
Bookings are accepted by telephone: 01723 871782 or through our website. We will issue a written confirmation of booking on receipt of a 25% booking deposit. Booking confirmation will be sent by email or post depending which method you request. It is important that you check the details on the booking confirmation to ensure it is all correct and advise us of any necessary amendments immediately.
If we have grounds to believe a booking is not legitimate or is in breach of our booking conditions, we may cancel the booking and advise in writing with no legal responsibility to you.
Payments
We charge a non-refundable deposit payment of 25% of the total holiday value. We only accept payment in GBP and either by credit card, debit card, electronic bank transfer or cheque. Payment of the remaining balance is due 6 weeks before date of arrival. If you book within 6 weeks of arrival, payment of the total holiday value is due on placement of booking. For bookings made within two weeks of arrival all forms of payment are acceptable excluding by cheque. Post-dated cheques are not acceptable.
If you do not pay the remaining balance by the date required, booking and cancellation charges will apply – per the conditions outlined below.
In the unlikely event that we must cancel a booking prior to arrival, we will refund all monies paid at our discretion.
Our bank account details can be provided upon request. All payments made through our website are processed via Sagepay safe gateway payment processing.
Website, WIFI and mobile phones
Although Cottage Escapes take great care to ensure the information and photography on our website is up to date, we make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content on our website is accurate, complete or up to date.
Services and facilities are constantly being checked and improved at all our properties, but occasionally some services or facilities might not be available or working correctly, in which case we will do our very best to make this information available as soon as we become aware of it.
Some of the information on our website relates to shops, amenities and eateries in the surrounding areas. Closure of such premises and other changes to external facilities are outside of Cottage Escapes’ control. This information is provided for general information purposes and is not intended to amount to advice on which customers and guests should rely.
Provision of WIFI at our North Yorkshire properties is subject to availability and network conditions. Our properties are based in rural locations and service levels may not be the same as in a large town or city. We have installed the best available broadband service, which is capable of being used for most internet usage. We cannot guarantee an unlimited and uninterrupted service.
Mobile phone signal can vary depending on service provider and signal strength on-site can be poor – although better signal can be acquired relatively close to our properties. We offer no guarantees for the quality of mobile reception or WIFI in the area(s).
Pricing and Fee’s
We publish our prices directly on our website. We charge a weekly price and a percentage thereof for short breaks depending on the length of stay. Bookings made directly with Cottage Escapes at our North Yorkshire properties [excluding Keldergat] are not subject to additional booking fees. Pets are subject to an additional fee of £25 per pet per booking. We reduce our weekly and short break pricing by 15% if booking within three weeks of arrival. We aim to provide excellent accommodation and facilities for fair value. We do not accept liability for any booking conditions or additional fees implemented or incurred when you make rental arrangements at any of our properties through a third-party agent or supplier.
Arrivals and Departure
Our guests are kindly requested to arrive no earlier than 4pm (5pm if booking Thirley Cotes Farmhouse and Sycamore Cottage) and to depart no later than 10am, to ensure we have enough time to prepare the cottages for new guest arrivals. When you arrive, please ensure you read the property information folder which details everything you need to know for a safe and enjoyable holiday.
The Cottage Escapes office is based on-site at Thirley Cotes Farm, so staff are typically on-hand from Friday – Monday 9am till 5pm and Tuesday – Thursday 9am till 1pm to welcome you and generally point you in the right direction.
Whether you want advice on locations for an adrenaline-fueled adventure or tips on where to find the best restaurants, just ask. We’re here to make sure you get the most out of your stay with Cottage Escapes and please note that we do not operate changeovers on Sundays.
Gardens and Parking & Facilities
There is plenty of outdoor car parking on site at Thirley Cotes Farm. Each of the cottages at Thirley Cotes Farm feature private individual terraces beautifully decorated with quality garden furniture and including a private hot tub. There is a large field adjacent to the farm – perfect for outdoor games, picnics and more and we have a small children’s play area on site for under 12s. The 10-acre field facing the farm is occupied by resident sheep [and lambs at the right time of year] and the 4-acres of woodland are great for exploring and spotting the local wildlife. Water runs alongside the southern boundary of the entire property [including the woodland]. Young children must always be supervised and are not permitted to play near the areas outlined unsupervised. There is a small games room for use by residential guests only. Children under 12-years-of-age must always be supervised.
Hot Tubs
We are delighted to offer all our guests accesses to one private hot tub per property. Usage is governed by our conditions which are clearly available in the cottages and welcome folder. Maintenance of the hot tubs is labour intensive; to ensure the quality and standards are the highest possible and all health and safety aspects are adhered to.
Due to the energy crisis and significant increases to our electricity costs, we are now charging £100 to use the hot tub for each booking (weekly and short breaks ) in Sycamore Cottage and The Farmhouse & £75 for all other cottages .
Failing to comply with the conditions of use will result in possible additional charges being levied for drainage and cleaning of the hot tub and it will remain unavailable thereafter.
Smoking
Guests are not permitted to smoke inside any of the cottages nor on the grounds.
Pets
All our cottages are pet friendly. Our larger cottages welcome two pets. Our remaining portfolio of cottages welcome one large or 2 small / medium sized pets per cottage. Our cottages are based in rural locations and occasionally livestock, sheep and lambs can be found nearby – so it is essential that pet owners abide by the rural rules when joining us for a stay with your four-legged friend. Pets must always be kept on a lead and we ask that you please clean up any mess made. The following rules must be followed across all our cottages:
- Please keep pets off the furniture and out of the bedrooms
- Please exercise your pets safely and clean up after them
- Please remove any pet hairs before you leave
- Please let us know at the time of booking the size, age and breed of pet
- Certain breeds/sizes are subject to our approval
Security deposits, Damages and Unreasonable Behaviour
We levy a refundable £100 security deposit when booking Holly Cottage, and £150 when booking Mulberry, Walnut , Pear Tree , Willow Cottage, Oak Cottage, Sycamore Cottage and Thirley Cotes Farmhouse. This will be shown on your booking confirmation and is refunded within 7 days of departure [unless costs are deducted in leu of breakages, loss and/or damages etc.].
For any rental agreements made at any of our cottages, we have the right to recover costs incurred for any damage caused by you or members of your party or visitors. We expect the property to be left in a reasonable state after your departure. You will be liable for any additional cleaning costs incurred.
We can refuse access to our properties if we believe that your behaviour is unreasonable and likely to cause offence or harm to us, other guests or members of staff.
If there is a substantial breach of any of these Conditions by the Customer or any of their Guests or Visitors, we reserve the right to re-enter the property and terminate the contract that exists in relation to the property and may recover possession of the property.
If an incident of this nature occurs, the contract with Cottage Escapes ceases and no monies will be refunded nor will we have any legal liability to you. We can also request that you leave our property[ies] at any time if we have reason to believe the behaviour outlined above will ensue whilst staying on our property.
We do not accept bookings for Hen or Stag parties. Our cottages cater for couples, friends and families waiting to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of our rural location. We kindly request that all guests respect other guests whilst enjoying a stay with Cottage Escapes.
Power, Fuel, Bed linen and Towels
There is no charge for using electricity or water at any of our properties. An initial supply of logs is provided for log burners at Thirley Cotes Farmhouse, Walnut, Mulberry and Pear Tree Cottage. A further supply of logs is readily available locally or can be purchased from our reception . We provide towels and bed linen [excluding cots] free of charge.
Cots, Highchairs and Stair Gates
We provide one travel cot and highchair per property and can offer stair gates where relevant. We do not provide bedding for cots.
Disabilities and Medical Conditions
If you or any member of your party has a disability or medical condition that may affect your booking, we must be informed before completion of your booking – by providing full details in writing [email: holidays@cottage-escapes.pspreview.com or post]. If we feel legitimately unable to meet your needs, we can refuse the booking.
Special Requests
You must let us know at the time of booking if you have any special requests and confirm them in writing. We will try our best to meet your requirements – provided they are entirely reasonable. Failure to do so will not influence our contract.
Cancellations or Alterations to Bookings
Alterations
We require a minimum of six weeks’ notice [in advance of arrival date] to consider any request to alter your booking. This may be accepted verbally but should be validated in writing by post or email: holidays@cottage-escapes.co.uk. We may levy a £25 + vat charge depending on the alterations requested. If you are modifying your arrival/departure date, rates [on date of alteration] for those dates will apply – which could be more or less than the cost of your original booking. We will refund or charge you the difference, so that the correct rate is paid.
Cancellations
We recommend you have the necessary UK travel insurance cover in place. We do not provide this.
If you need to cancel your booking in full, any deposit(s) paid will not be refunded and if the full monies has been paid at the time of cancellation, we will refund monies subject to the cancellation charges outlined below:
Number of days before the start of your holiday we receive your notice to cancel:
More than 56 days: cancellation charge is the full deposit paid
29 to 56 days: cancellation charge is 40% of full accommodation cost or monies paid, whichever is greater
15 to 28 days: cancellation charge is 70% of full accommodation cost
8 to 14 days: cancellation charge is 90% of full accommodation cost
7 days or less: cancellation charge is the full accommodation cost
We will endeavour to re-let your holiday dates in the event of cancellation and we will refund all monies to you if we do this successfully [subject to an admin charge of £50 + vat]. Should the final monies paid for the original holiday be lower [e.g. as a result of a late booking discount] then only the reduced cost is refundable.
If for any reason you must cut short your stay, we cannot refund any monies paid, unless [as above] we re-let the unexpired portion of your stay. Equivalent charges and refund policy apply.
Cancellation by us
We do not expect to have to cancel or change any authorised rental arrangements made with Cottage Escapes. If this occurs, we will contact you immediately and if necessary, refund all monies paid. We have no further liability to you.
Complaints
It is essential that you report any queries or concerns to us immediately; providing us with ample opportunity to resolve matter(s) for you. Our office is based onsite at Thirley Cotes Farm, meaning staff are on hand Monday – Saturday 9am -5pm [please note our office is closed from 1pm Tuesday and all day Sunday] to resolve most issues. Subject to events beyond our control, we will endeavour to resolve matters in a timely manner.
Events Beyond our Control
We cannot be held legally responsible for any compensation if we cannot carry out our responsibilities to you under our contract [as a result of events beyond our control]. This is an event that we could not avoid, including:
Natural disaster, acts of terrorism, malicious damage, sudden accident, breakdown of equipment or machinery, fire, flood, snow or storm, war, riot or civil commotion.
Governing Law & Jurisdiction
Any dispute, claim or other matter which may arise in relation to your booking with Cottage Escapes will be governed by English law and you agree the dispute would be handled by the courts of England and Wales.
Newsletter and data
We will use the personal information you provide:
To verify the identity of the Customer and Guests who will be occupying the property; and to contact the Customer and Guests by post and/or email with information about the property and rental arrangements.
We may pass your information to other third-party service providers (acting as our agent) for the purpose of supplying the property to you.
We obtain your personal information in the course of the sale, or negotiations for the sale, to you. We may contact you by electronic means (email or text) with relevant information, offers and similar properties. Cottage Escapes may also contact you by postal means with marketing materials. We will contact you by electronic means only if you have provided your explicit consent to this.
If you are happy for us to use your personal data in this way, please tick the relevant box situated on the website page on which we collect your details. If you do not want us to use your data in this way, you can opt out at any time by contacting us or unsubscribing by using the links provided in our electronic communications.
Cottage Escapes may retain your information for the period necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was first collected unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.
If we combine personal data with non-personal data, the combined information will be treated as personal data for as long as it remains combined. Personal data does not include data where the identity has been removed (anonymous data).
For the purpose of the General Data Protection Regulations ((EU) 2016/679) and any national implementing laws, regulations and secondary legislation and the Data Protection Act 1998 (“Data Protection Legislation”) the data controller is Cottage Escapes, a company registered in England and Wales whose registered office is at Thirley Cotes Farm, Waite Lane, Harwood Dale, Scarborough, YO13 0DR.
Please read our Privacy Policy for more information.
Competitions
If you sign-up to our newsletter you could be in with the chance of winning £500 towards a stay with Cottage Escapes. This contest runs from 01 March to 28 February bi-annually. You must be 18 years old or over to participate. You can only participate once. Entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted and joint submissions are not allowed. This competition is not required for purchase and unsubscribers will not be counted.
When subscribing to our newsletter you will receive emails regularly from Cottage Escapes with information about new properties, special offers, competitions, local areas of interest and news. By entering this competition, you are providing personally identifiable data – please see our Privacy Policy for information about how this data may be used. You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time.
Cottage Escapes accepts no responsibility for entries that are lost, delayed, misdirected or incomplete or cannot be delivered or entered for any technical or other reason. Proof of delivery of the entry is not proof of receipt by Cottage Escapes.
Drawing the winners:
During the month of May (bi-annually) one winner will be drawn randomly. Contestants include all new newsletter sign-ups in the previous 48 months. The winner will be notified directly via the email address provided when signing up to our newsletter. This will happen during the first week in the month.
If Cottage Escapes cannot get into contact with the winner within 7 days or if the winner does not have the opportunity to book a stay with Cottage Escapes, we are entitled to select an alternative winner. The prize will be sent via email. By accepting the prize, you give permission for your photo and name to be used on social media to publicise the competition.
The prize:
The prize consists of a £500 discount voucher which can be redeemed against a stay at Thirley Cotes Farm. The prize is redeemable in its entirety only and may not be redeemed incrementally.
No additional services are included in this offer other than those stated. Cottage Escapes accepts no responsibility for any costs associated with the prize and not specifically included in the prize (including, without limitation, travel to and from the cottage).
The prize is non-exchangeable, non-transferable and is not redeemable for cash or other prizes.
Employees of Cottage Escapes, their family members or anyone else connected with the prize draw may not enter.
The voucher must be redeemed by booking a stay (subject to availability) within 12 months of being notified by Cottage Escapes, excluding Christmas, New Year, Easter, Bank Holidays and celebration days and including, without limitation, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Father’s Day.
Short break restrictions may apply from June – September.
Submissions will only be accepted through our website and official Cottage Escapes social media submission forms, or directly with a member of staff at Cottage Escapes.
Cottage Escapes accepts no responsibility for any damage, loss, liabilities, injury or disappointment incurred or suffered by you as a result of accepting the prize.
Cottage Escapes reserves the right at any time and from time to time to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently deactivate this prize draw with or without prior notice. Cottage Escapes reserves the right to change the prize to a prize of a similar value. The decision of Cottage Escapes in all matters under its control is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.
Cottage Escapes shall not be liable for any failure to comply with its obligations where the failure is caused by something outside its reasonable control. Such circumstances shall include, but not be limited to, weather conditions, fire, flood or any other conditions amounting to unforeseeable circumstances.
Entrants into our prize draw shall be deemed to have accepted these Terms and Conditions.
Validity
Our pricing is subject to change at any time. New rates supersede all old rates at the time they’re published.
Our website and these conditions replace and supersede all previous websites and conditions.