1) The website forms part of the contract. Brambles Barn, Cider Cottage & Valley View are hired on the express understanding that the cottage is for holiday use only and that no right to remain in the accommodation exists for the hirer or anyone in the hirer’s party. The hirer must be at least 18 years of age at the time of booking.

2) All reservations are contractually binding once confirmed in writing. Deposits must be received within one week of the reservation or we may re-advertise the availability on our website. Payments made can be made by bank transfer, personal UK sterling cheque and Visa/Mastercard, but neither American Express nor PayPal. Payment is accepted by sterling cheque & must be received within 7 days of the reservation being placed. The booking will not be confirmed until the cheque has been cleared. Hence cheques cannot be accepted as a method of payment within 2 weeks of the arrival date.

3) The balance of the hire must be paid 2 weeks before the arrival date, otherwise we reserve the right to treat the reservation as cancelled and re-advertise availability on our website.

4) Cancellations and alterations policy.

Cancellations must be immediately notified to us by phone and confirmed in writing. The treatment of a cancellation will depend on (a) the date the booking was made and (b) when the cancellation is made.

• (i) For all bookings made between 10 August 2020 & 8 January 2021, you will receive a full refund of the accommodation cost under the Master Cancel policy. Only accommodation costs are refunded, not any extras that you have ordered. Any bookings made with Thatch Close Cottages before 10 August 2020 and after 8 January 2021 are not covered.
• (ii) Covid-19. If you are unable to travel because of a national lockdown, or because are put into a Tier where you are unable to travel, you will receive a full refund of the accommodation costs. This applies only to the address given on the booking form at the time of booking, being put into the higher tier, and when the travel restriction coincides with the period of your holiday. The refund guarantee does not cover you (or members of your party) for being unable to travel due to illness, self-isolation or quarantine requirements, or ‘disinclination to travel’.
• iii) In the event of a cancellation, we will endeavour to re-let the property for those dates. If we are able to re-let the dates, we will refund the deposit you paid, less an administration fee of 10%. If we are unable to re-let you remain responsible for the deposit and there will be no refund under any circumstances.
• iv) We do not offer cancellation insurance. We strongly recommend your own travel insurance, which includes cover for cancellation. If you choose not to purchase travel insurance, then you accept responsibility for any loss that you may incur due to the cancellation that is not covered above.
• v) All refunds will be reimbursed immediately after the departure date of the original reservation.
• vi) If a holiday is cut short, for whatever reason, the hirer remains liable for the full balance already paid.

5) The number of persons using Brambles Barn is not to exceed 4 adults/children and 1 infant using a cot, unless by prior arrangement. The number of persons using Cider Cottage or Valley View is not to exceed 2 adults/children and 1 infant using a cot, unless by prior arrangement. No inflatable beds in the cottages or camping in the grounds are allowed.

6) Unless otherwise agreed, cottages are available from 4pm on arrival day until 10am on departure day.

7) Care of the Cottage.

We undertake to make the cottages available to the hirer in a clean & tidy state & to maintain services & facilities in a proper workable condition.

• i) Wi-Fi is provided for guests’ reasonable & lawful use. It is rural broadband & has limitations.
• ii) All items provided are for use during your stay, both in the cottage and whilst out and about enjoying the area. No items to be removed & taken away from the cottage at the end of your stay without permission and/or payment.
• iii) It is the hirer’s responsibility to read and understand the contents of the cottage guide on arrival. It is the hirer’s responsibility to share those instructions with other members of their party.
• iv) If there is a fault or a problem occurs we will make best efforts to keep any delay or inconvenience to an absolute minimum while we rectify.
• v) The hirer and their party undertakes to take good care of the cottage along with its contents and facilities.
• vi) The hirer undertakes to inform the owner or caretaker immediately of any articles that have been damaged, lost or broken during their stay, and to reimburse for the cost of such articles, including items taken without permission or purchase. Thatch Close Cottages will contact the hirer within one week of departure regarding request for payment for any items removed, breakages or damage to the cottage and the effects of damage to the property and its contents. The hirer is responsible for the care and insurance of their own personal effects.
• vii) Covid-19 Confidence Actions: Thatch Close Cottage are allowed to be open due to Covid Confidence Actions they are responsible to ensure safety of guests and ourselves, in line with government rules. As part of these actions, the hirer is responsible for specific actions on departure day, details of which are on the website and provided in the cottage – stripping & bagging beds, putting rubbish out, loading dishwasher. As they are government rules, they form part of the terms and conditions of making a reservation.
• viii) The hirer & their party will ensure that the cottage is vacated on time and the cottage is left in a truly clean and tidy state, & in accordance with the Covid Confidence Actions, details of which are in the Cottage Guide, within each cottage.

8) The owner and/or caretaker is allowed access at any reasonable time during your stay.

9) Thatch Close Cottages reserve the right not to accept a booking or to refuse entry if any booking conditions are not met.

10) We have a strictly no smoking policy inside all of the cottages. Smoking is allowed on the cottage patios and parking areas, away from other guests.

11) Pets and Assistance Dogs are welcome at all three cottages. The hirer is responsible for ensuring that the ‘Doggy Code’ is followed, outlined on our website and in the Cottage Guide within the cottages. The cost is £10 per dog per week. There is no charge for assistance dogs. Dogs cannot be left in the cottage without the presence of their owner. If a dog is left on its own in the cottage, the hirer and their party will be asked to vacate the cottage immediately, without any reimbursement.

12) Complaints.

Our policy is to deal with complaints as soon as they arise, both promptly and in a positive manner. Should something go wrong, or you wish to give feedback or raise a complaint, please contact us immediately since it is often difficult to investigate or deal with complaints once you have returned home. Therefore, regrettably, Thatch Close Cottages is unable to accept complaints or claims once a holiday is completed.

13) The use of holiday accommodation & any facilities is entirely at the risk of the hirer & their party.

No liability is accepted by Thatch Close Cottages for loss, theft, damage, sickness or injury, howsoever caused which may be sustained during the holiday to any member of the party, any car & its contents, or any possessions of the hirer & their party.

14) The cottage must not be used for any dangerous, offensive, noxious, noisy or immoral activities that may be a nuisance or annoyance to the owner or the neighbouring cottages.

15) No open, naked or unguarded flames are permitted inside or outside of any of the cottages eg candles, oil & spirit lamps, fireworks or Chinese sky lanterns. BBQ’s must be used outside a reasonable distance from the cottage on the patio. Follow the safety precautions outlined in the Cottage Guide within the cottages, which includes not starting the BBQ with combustible liquids. BBQ’s must be cleaned after use.

16) Circumstances beyond the control of Thatch Close Cottages (Force Majeure)

If for any reason, we have to cancel your booking due to circumstances beyond our control, eg, fire, flood, exceptional weather conditions, pandemic, property damage, known as force majeure, you will be refunded the full amount of the booking in line with the Master Cancel policy, as outlined on our website. If we have to terminate your holiday early for the above reasons, you will be refunded a pro-rata part of the booking fee based on the time remaining of the booking. This will be the full extent of the liability of Thatch Close Cottages. No additional compensation, expenses or costs will be payable.

17) We reserve the right to share details with other accommodation providers of those guests who do not respect the property or show a disregard to the terms and conditions set out above.

18) Thatch Close Cottages is also a member of Premier Cottages Limited, a professional collective of independent luxury cottage owners. Premier Cottages promotes our properties on our behalf as well as other luxury cottages. As members of Premier Cottages we would like to give them your information so that they can contact you about quality properties that you might like. You may unsubscribe from this service at any time as detailed in our Privacy & Cookie Policy.

19) Terms of any special offers from Thatch Close Cottages also form part of the contract.

20) The hirer is responsible for ensuring that their party are fully aware of all booking conditions & have appropriate holiday insurance in place.

21) If you wish to engage any third party to perform any service (including by way of example private catering, beauty therapy, childminding or entertainment services) at the site or the Thatch Close Cottages you must obtain our written permission. Such permission should be requested in advance of your stay with details of the entity you intend to use to perform the service, the service to be performed and details of their public and employer’s liability insurance. Consent will only be given where we and our insurers are happy that the appropriate risks have been covered. The use of candles or fireworks is not permitted in any circumstances.

22 ) Any recommendation of a supplier made by us will be based on our genuine belief or experience or feedback received by us from other guests or local contacts. A recommendation by us of a supplier does not alleviate your requirement to obtain our written permission as set out above.

23) The use of any type of fire-arm including air-guns, bows and arrows, catapults, crossbows or similar, are not permitted on the site of Thatch Close Cottages nor on the adjoining fields and access areas.

24) We will not accept liability for the services provided (or failure to provide such services) by any third party supplier or business used by you in the course of your Stay (regardless of whether they are recommended or referred by us). This will not apply where we have been negligent or dishonest in this regard.