|
Booking
Conditions
The
booking of a holiday property described in these conditions is a legally binding
agreement for hiring the property for a specified period. It is important that
you read the following booking conditions, as they contain rights and
obligations to which you must agree to before making your booking.
1.
Definitions
In these
conditions ‘the Agents’ or 'We' shall mean FinnishLakesideCabins.com acting
as a booking agent for the legal owners or managers of the holiday properties, herein
referred to as ‘the Owners’. ‘The holiday property’ shall mean any
property that is advertised and let through the Agents. ‘The Customer’ or
‘You’ shall mean the individual or group of individuals who make the
booking. The Customer acts on behalf of and is responsible for all persons in
his/her party.
2.
Contract
The contract
shall be between the Customer and the Owner acting through the Agents, but will
not exist until the Customer has completed a booking form, the Owner has
confirmed the booking to the Agents and the Agents have sent a written booking
confirmation to the Customer and the Owner.
FinnishLakesideCabins.com
acts only as Agent for the Owners of the holiday properties and providers of the
other services featured on our website. Your contract will be with the relevant
Owner or service provider for your confirmed holiday property/other services and
their own terms will apply in addition to ours. We do not sell or offer for
sale any "packages" or act as an "organiser" within the
meaning of the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations
1992 and these Regulations do not apply to any booking you may make.
3.
The Holiday Cost
(a) The rental price usually includes self-catering accommodation, all furniture
and fittings, cutlery and dishes, use of sauna, rowing boat and a barbecue hut,
electricity, gas, water, pillows, blankets, mattresses, electronic maps and
driving instructions in English. Please refer to the online cabin
descriptions to see what is included in each individual holiday property or
request more information from the Agents.
(b) The rental price does not usually include flights, car hire, transfers between the airport and the holiday property, meals,
excursions and safaris. Final cleaning, bed linen, towels and normal consumables such as washing-up liquid,
soap, toilet paper and kitchen roll are also normally excluded, although most
luxury holiday properties include them in the rental price. Please refer to the online cabin
descriptions to see what is included in each individual holiday property or
request more information from the Agents.
(c) It is often possible to hire bed linen and towels from the Owners or to arrange the final cleaning in the holiday property to be done
on your behalf for an extra charge by prior booking. All bed linen, towels and
the cleaning charges must be paid in full before the beginning of the rental
period.
(d) If you hire bed linen and towels from the property owner, these are normally
provided without beds being readily made for you, except in luxury cabins where
bed linen and towels are included in the rental price.
(d) Activities and safaris can be pre-booked in advance of your holiday via the
Agents in many of the rental locations, particularly in Lapland. The full list
of safaris available can be viewed online via a link on the cabin description
pages in the locations where pre-bookable safaris are available. All pre-booked
safaris must be paid in full prior to the holiday.
(e) At Christmas and New Year period, many Owners provide a Christmas tree,
lights and decorations inclusive in the rental price, while many others can
provide a Christmas tree, lights and decorations for an additional
charge.
(f) The Agents reserve the right to
alter prices displayed online due to special offers or promotions, errors,
omissions, exchange rate fluctuations, increased banking charges or any other reason. Prices for confirmed bookings will of course always be
honoured.
4.
Making a Booking
(a) A booking can be made online 24 hours a day completing the Agents’
online booking form which can be submitted electronically. The booking form can
also be downloaded from the website in pdf-format for offline completion and
then sent or faxed to the Agents for processing. You accept these booking
conditions when you submit the online booking form or send or fax the offline
booking form to us whether you have signed to booking form or not. All bookings are subject to availability and will be
confirmed by the Agents usually within 24 hours.
(b) Before a booking form is sent to the Agents, it is possible in some
cases to provisionally book the preferred holiday property and hold it for a
maximum 48hrs while flights and car hire arrangements are finalised.
(c) Once the completed booking form has been received, we will contact the Owner
to book your preferred holiday property for your party. If your requested rental
period is still available, we will confirm the booking details and all costs to
you as soon as possible. If your requested rental period is not available
anymore at the time of your booking, we will inform you as soon as possible and you
will have an opportunity to choose an alternative holiday property or an
alternative rental period.
(d) The name and telephone number of the
Owner as well as the exact details about how you will receive the keys to the
holiday property you have booked will be emailed to you about six weeks prior to
the commencement of your rental period. Maps and driving instructions to the
holiday property in English will also be provided to you at this stage. Please
inform us about your estimated arrival time to the holiday property at least a
week prior to the first day of your rental period so we can correctly advice the
Owners about your expected arrival.
5.
Payment
(a) If you are making a booking more than three months ahead of your chosen
rental period, a 50% payment is required within 3-5 days of the date of your
reservation and the final 50% will then be required three months prior to the
commencement of your rental period. If you are making a booking less than three
months ahead of your chosen rental period, a full payment is required within 3-5
days of the date of your reservation.
(b) We accept payments by UK sterling cheque and bank transfer including
internet banking. All payments outside the UK will be required in euros by bank
transfer directly to our bank account in Finland. We
regret we cannot currently accept payments by credit or debit card. All bookings are
fully confirmed only once we have received your full payment or 50% deposit.
(c) Cheques should be made payable to FinnishLakesideCabins.com and should reach
us at the address shown on the booking form within 5 working days from the date
of your reservation.
(d) Payments by bank transfer should be sent to the Agent’s bank account no
later than 3 working days from the date of your reservation.
(e) If you fail to pay your booking within the time limits set, you will be in
breach of your contract and we will cancel your booking. We aim to remind you of any missing or delayed payments, but are under no
obligation to give you warning before cancelling your booking due to non
payment. If you fail to pay and we will cancel your booking, we are not liable for
any loss or damage you may suffer as a consequence.
6.
General Conditions
(a
) The person making the booking is responsible for the holiday property and
ensuring that all members of the party observe all aspects of their obligations
and respect the "house rules" set by the Owners. It is your
responsibility to take good care of the holiday property and its grounds and
avoid causing nuisance to others. If your conduct affects our relations with any
Owner or other service provider, we will hold you liable for any losses
resulting.
(b) To comply with the Owners’ insurance requirements, only the maximum
number of persons stated in the online holiday property descriptions may occupy
any property. If the stated number of persons is exceeded, the Owners are
entitled to refuse entry and this will be treated as a cancellation by you and
Condition 12 (c) will apply.
(c) The Customer is not to share the holiday property with anyone not listed in the
booking form or listed as a member of the party, or to sublet the property or
assign the booking to anyone else without a prior written agreement from the
Agents. Should the Customer breach this clause, the Owners and the Agents
reserve the right to terminate the agreement immediately without refund or
compensation.
(d) The Owners are entitled to ask the Customer or any member of the party to
leave the holiday property without refund, if in the reasonable opinion of the
Owners the behaviour of the Customer or any member of his/her party is
unacceptable. You must observe the Owners rules at all times, giving the Owners
the right to inspect the property during the holiday, if considered necessary.
(e) Pets are permitted only in some of
the holiday properties and if a pet is taken to a property, where pets are not
allowed or the acceptable number or size of the pets is exceeded, the Owners are
entitled to refuse entry or demand that the Customer leaves the holiday property
and this will be treated as a cancellation by you and Condition 12 (c) will
apply.
(f) Smoking is strictly prohibited in all cabins featured on our website.
7.
Your Obligations
You as a Customer
agree to:
(a) Check the layout of the holiday property immediately on arrival so that in
an emergency you can get out quickly and easily. Parents of small children
should also inspect the holiday property and its grounds immediately on arrival
and note any possible hazards. Small children must be supervised at all times by
the lake shore even if the water is very shallow at the shore.
(b) Keep the holiday property and all furniture, fittings and effects in and on
the property in the same state of repair and condition as they were at the
commencement of the rental period and must also leave the holiday property in
the same state of cleanliness and general order in which it was found. The
Owners will be entitled to make an additional charge to you if the holiday
property has been left dirty or untidy and the final cleaning has not been
ordered to be done on your behalf in advance of your rental period, or the
property has been left excessively dirty or messy even if the final cleaning has
been ordered to be done on your behalf.
(c) Pay for any losses or damages to the holiday property, including all
associated amenities such as property grounds, outbuildings, equipment, furniture and
household goods, however caused. Reasonable normal wear and tear is excluded.
Please notify the Owner or the caretaker of the holiday property of any
breakages during your stay before you leave or contact the Agents as soon as
possible after you have returned home.
(d) Allow the Owners reasonable access to examine any matter of complaint raised
during the rental period and to attend to any resulting repair or rectification
or other urgent maintenance.
8.
Owner's Obligations
(a) The Owners are
obliged to keep the property and all associated amenities in good and safe
condition in accordance with all relevant Finnish law and legislation regarding
safety in rented holiday properties. The Customer and all members of the party
are to take due care and act responsibly when occupying the holiday property and
using all associated amenities such as sauna, rowing boat, barbecue hut and a
fireplace.
(b) The Owners must allow you full access to the holiday property you have
booked and reasonable privacy during your stay.
(c) The Owner or his/her representative will meet you on your arrival to hand
over the keys for your use, unless you will arrive late in the evening or during
the night, or unless the keys must be collected from an alternative location (as
is often in ski resorts).
(d) The Owner or his/her representative will act as your local contact person
and will assist with any queries you may have during your rental period. He/she
must respond without delay to any complaint or concern you may have about the
holiday property or its amenities.
9.
Our Responsibility for Your Booking
(a) As set out above, we act only as Agent and your contract is with the
relevant Owner or service provider for your confirmed holiday property/other
services. We do not sell or offer for sale any "packages" or act as an
"organiser" within the meaning of the Package Travel, Package Holidays
and Package Tours Regulations 1992 and these Regulations do not apply to any
booking you may make. Accordingly, we are not liable for the act(s) or default(s)
of Owners or other service providers or for the performance or non performance
of their contractual obligations.
(b) As Agent, our responsibilities are limited to making your booking in
accordance with your instructions. In the event of our failing to do so or your
otherwise proving liability on our part (on whatever basis), our maximum
liability is limited to twice the commission we are entitled to in relation to
the services concerned in the event of your suffering loss or damage as a
result.
(c) Neither we nor the Owners or any other service provider will be liable where the performance or
improper performance of any obligation(s) is prevented or affected by or you
otherwise suffer any loss or damage of any description as a result of any event
which we or the Owner or other service provider concerned could not, even with
all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events are likely to include actual or
threatened terrorist activity, industrial dispute, civil unrest, natural or
nuclear disaster, war or threat of war, adverse weather conditions, fire and all
similar circumstances.
(d) Entirely without prejudice to the remainder of these booking conditions, in
the event of our being found liable in respect of any contracted services on any
basis, we are entitled to rely on all available limitations and exclusions of
liability including, but not limited to those set in Regulation 15 of the
Package Travel, Package Holiday and Package Travel Regulations
1992.
(e) We will do our best to help with problems which arise with your holiday even
where we cannot accept responsibility and have no legal obligation to provide
help.
10.
Your Amendments to Booking
(a) If you wish to
amend a confirmed booking by moving to a different property, this is allowed
providing there is still more than six weeks to the commencement of your
confirmed rental period. You must pay the difference or be entitled to a refund
depending on the rental cost of the alternative accommodation in comparison to
your original booking. All amendments however are subject to a fixed one-off fee
of £30.00 per booking.
(b) If you wish to amend a confirmed booking by changing the dates of your
rental period, this is allowed providing the alternative rental period is still
available and there is still more than six weeks to the originally booked rental
period. If the alternative rental period is of a different cost, you must pay
the difference or be entitled to a refund depending on the cost of the revised
booking in comparison to your original booking. All amendments however are subject
to a fixed one-off fee of £30.00 per booking.
(c) If you wish to add more people to your booking after the original
reservation, you can do so for no additional cost up to the maximum number of
people allowed to occupy the holiday property you have booked, providing the
rental cost you paid was calculated per cabin, not per person. If the holiday property you
have booked is priced according to the number of people sharing it, an
additional charge will be applied for each additional person you wish to add to
your booking.
11.
Alterations by Owners
(a) It is very unlikely that changes to our booking will be made. However,
circumstances may mean that your confirmed holiday property cannot be provided.
In this case, Owners and Agents will endeavour to offer an alternative property
of a comparable standard. Should the alternative holiday property offered be of a
higher rental price than the original holiday property booked, the Agents reserve the
right to charge the price difference. Should the alternative holiday property be
of a lower rental price than the original holiday property booked, the Agents
will refund the price difference.
(b) If the alternative accommodation is not
acceptable to the Customer or no alternative accommodation can be found, the
booking will be cancelled and the Customer will be entitled to a full refund of
any monies already paid. The Owners or the Agents will not be liable for any other
associated losses you
might suffer.
12.
Your Cancellation
(a) All cancellations must be made in writing (letter/fax/email) by the person
who made the booking on behalf of the party.
(b) If you cancel your booking more than 6 weeks prior to the first day of your
confirmed rental period, you will be entitled to a refund of the rental cost,
less a 20% cancellation fee.
(c) If you cancel your booking less than 6 weeks prior to the first day of your
confirmed rental period for whatever reason, regrettably no refund will be
available unless the Owner or the Agents will be able to re-let the same holiday
property for the same rental period to another customer, in which case a small
amount may be refunded. We strongly advise that you will purchase
adequate holiday insurance to cover for any eventualities.
(d) If you cut your rental period short and leave early and the Owners are not
in breach of their obligations, we will treat this as a cancellation and you are
not entitled to a refund or compensation.
13.
Cancellation by Owners
Owners reserve the right to cancel confirmed bookings. Unless
cancellation is due to non payment by you, you will be offered, where possible,
the choice of: (a)
Purchasing suitable alternative holiday property with your paying or receiving a
refund in respect of any price difference or (b) Receiving a full refund or all
monies paid to us by you for the holiday property concerned.
14.
Delayed Arrival or Departure to/from the Holiday Property
(a)
The holiday properties let by the Agents are rented for a specified period. The
rental period usually starts at 16.00 (4pm) and ends at 12.00 (mid-day),
although the exact timings vary from one holiday property to another. Please refer to your booking confirmation for
exact timings in the holiday property you have booked.
(a) Neither the Agents nor the Owners will accept liability for any claim
arising as a result of a delayed arrival to the holiday property due to delayed
or cancelled flights or any other reason outside the control of the Agents and
the Owners.
(b) Any property let by the Agents is strictly on the basis that the
accommodation is for holiday use only and that no right to remain in the
property will exist by you or any other person allowed into the property after
the agreed rental period has expired. You will be held liable for any costs
incurred if your departure from the holiday property will exceed the agreed
rental period.
15.
Pre-Bookable Safaris
(a)
All safaris, activities and excursions pre-booked via the Agents are provided by
independent safari organisers and activity companies, that operate according to
their own booking terms and conditions and such companies are solely responsible
for all the services they provide.
(b) The booking contract for any safari or activity is between the local
safari or activity organiser and you, while the Agents act as a booking agent only.
We are therefore not liable for the act(s) or default(s) of these service
providers or for the performance or non performance of their contractual
obligations.
(c) All possible complaints or concerns must be directed to the service provider
immediately during or after the safari or activity. Claims cannot be usually investigated after your holiday, so it is important that you
bring up any concerns directly with the service provider while
still in Finland.
(d) All pre-bookable safaris, activities and excursions must be
paid to the Agents in advance of your holiday. We accept payments by UK sterling cheque or
bank transfer including internet banking or alternatively euro bank transfer.
(e) All cancellations that take place after the payment, but at least six weeks
prior to the date of the booked activity, incur a 20% cancellation fee. We
regret no refunds are usually available within six weeks prior to the date of
the booked activity.
(f) All safaris, activities and excursions are led by at least one professional
English-speaking guide.
(g) Minimum group sizes might apply and in the event that the minimum group size
has not been achieved, an alternative safari, date or time may be offered to you
locally.
(h) Snowmobile safaris include insurance cover for any damage caused by you to
the vehicle in the course of the activity, but a personal excess set by the safari
organiser still applies (usually 500-600 euros).
(i) All stated safari durations and distances are approximate and may vary from
day to day due to differing abilities of participants and prevalent weather
conditions.
(j) The safaris and activities are operated subject to reasonable weather, snow
and ice conditions. Adverse or very cold weather, lack of snow or thin ice on
waterways may force a safari or an activity to be altered, post-poned or
cancelled. An alternative route, location or time may be offered to ensure the
safety of all participants. If no alternative safari or activity is available or
if you refuse to agree to an alternative safari offered to you, you will be
entitled to a full refund.
16.
Complaints
(a)
Any complaints regarding the condition of the holiday property or its amenities
must be taken up in the first instance immediately with the Owner, his/her local
representative or
the property caretaker, so that any necessary action can be taken without delay.
If a satisfactory outcome is not reached, the Customer must contact the Agents
as soon as possible. The Agents will
then liaise with the Owners and try to rectify the complaint although the Agents
cannot accept responsibility for matters beyond their control. You must allow
sufficient time for the Owner, his/her representative, property caretaker or the
Agents to deal with the problem. Failure to follow
this procedure will mean that neither we not the Owners can support your claim on your return.
(b) Unfortunately some problems such as those arising from the climate (water
shortage, storm damage etc) are beyond the control of Owners, other service
providers and ourselves. Whilst we cannot be liable for these problems, we will
do our best to help.
(c) The requirements of the above procedure have legal force. If you do not
follow the above procedure then Owners, other service providers and us will rely
on that failure where any subsequent complaint is made or claim brought against
us, the Owners or the other service providers. Wherever possible you must notify
complaints or claims to us within 14 days of your return from holiday. An
investigation whilst the facts are fresh may help us to achieve an early
resolution.
17.
Discrepancies
(a) FinnishLakesideCabins.com
takes care great in the selection of holiday properties in its portfolio, but
has no direct control over the regular care and maintenance of the properties or
of their contents, within or outside the property.
(b) Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the descriptions
and photographs on our website are accurate and all statements by the Agents are
made in the honest belief that they are accurate at the time the statements are
made.
(c) All distances are approximate and holiday property amenities may be altered
or withdrawn for reasons outside the Agents' control for which we cannot accept
responsibility.
(d) All information, descriptions and statements about the holiday properties
are given entirely in good faith and are based on information and photos
provided by the Owners, as well as personal visits to the holiday properties
where applicable. The Agents make no warranties as to such information (or any
part of it) as has been provided by the Owners or other service providers and
which has become incorrect or incomplete.
(e) FinnishLakesideCabins.com shall not be under any liability to the Customer
for any loss or damage arising from breach of contract, negligence,
misrepresentation or otherwise.
(f) In the event of any discrepancy between these booking conditions
and the contents on our website, these booking conditions shall
prevail.
18.
Disclaimer
The
links provided on our website are purely for the purposes of offering you free
advice and information about travelling to and within Finland, as well as
activities and attractions available throughout the country and do not form part
of the service or product offered by the Agents as a holiday package. We are not
responsible for the contents or quality of any website reached via a link from
our website, nor do we take any responsibility for the services or products
provided, amended or cancelled by any other party.
19.
Law & Jurisdiction
The Agents operate
according to the relevant English and European Union law and jurisdiction
including the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000, the
Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, E-Commerce Regulations
2002, the Data Protection Act 1998 and the EU Directive on Privacy and
Electronic Communications 2003.
FinnishLakesideCabins.com
is registered as a business in Finland under registration number 2020050-1.
|
