1. GENERAL

Except where otherwise specified, we, The Luxury Travel Book Limited, a company registered in England with company number 08132908 and registered office address of 2nd Floor, Nucleus House, 2 Lower Mortlake Road, Richmond, TW9 2JA trading as The Luxury Travel Book act only as an agent in respect of all bookings we take and/or make on your behalf. We accept no liability in relation to any contract you enter into or for any travel arrangements or other services you purchase (“Arrangements”) or for the acts or omissions of any supplier or other person(s) or party(ies) connected with any arrangements. For all Arrangements, your contract will be with the supplier of the arrangements in question (the “Supplier/Principal”).

By making a booking with us, the first named person on the booking agrees on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking that he/she:

1. read these Agency Terms & Conditions and agree to be bound by them;
2. consents to our use of personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and is authorised on behalf of all persons named on the booking to disclose their personal details to us, including where applicable, special categories of data (such as information on health conditions or disabilities and dietary requirements); and
3. is over 18 years of age and resident in the United Kingdom and where placing an order for services with age restrictions you declare that you and all members of your party are of the appropriate age to purchase those services;
4. accepts financial responsibility for payment of the booking on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking.

2. CONTRACT

Before making a booking, you must contact us to obtain confirmation that your chosen property is available for the dates required.

You must send us a completed and signed Booking Form and payment of a non-refundable deposit. This is normally 30% but, depending on the requirements of the Supplier/Principal, it is sometimes 50%, and you will be notified at the time of booking. A binding contract between the person who has signed the Booking Form and the Supplier/Principal will be made when we issue a confirmation invoice on behalf of the Supplier/Principal. You are responsible for payment of the price of the holiday and the compliance of members of your party with these conditions.

When making your booking we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the applicable Supplier/Principal of the Arrangements, as specified on your confirmation invoice. As agent we accept no responsibility for the acts or omissions of the Supplier/Principal or for the services provided by them. Your booking with us is subject to these Agency Terms and Conditions and the specific terms and conditions of the relevant Supplier/Principal(s) you contract with and you are advised to read both carefully prior to booking. The Supplier/Principal’s booking conditions may limit and/or exclude the Supplier/Principal's liability to you. Please ask us for copies of these if you do not have them.

3. BOOKING

When a booking is made all details will be read back to you. Once you have confirmed these details we will proceed to confirm the booking with the Supplier/Principal.

Please check that all names, dates and timings are correct on receipt of all documents and advise us of any errors immediately. Any changes to these details will incur the charges stated below. Please ensure that the names given are the same as in the relevant passport. The booking information that you provide to us will be passed on only to the relevant Supplier/Principal of your Arrangements or other persons necessary for the provision of your Arrangements. The information may be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. This applies to any special category (sensitive) information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary and religious requirements. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies. If you are travelling to the United States, the US Customs and Border Protection will receive this information for the purposes of preventing and combating terrorism and other transnational serious crimes. If you travel outside the European Economic Area, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EEA or not, we will be unable to provide your booking. Full details of our data protection policy are available upon request.

4. PAYMENT

In order to book your chosen Arrangements, you must pay a deposit as required by the Supplier/Principal of the Arrangements (or full payment if booking within 9 weeks of departure or as requested by the Supplier/Principal).

If you have paid a deposit, you must pay the full balance no later than 9 weeks before departure. If full payment is not received by the balance due date, we will notify the Supplier/Principal who may cancel your booking and charge the cancellation fees set out in their booking conditions. However, some properties may have different arrangements for payment of the balance which will be explained at the time of the booking.

Except where otherwise advised or stated in the booking conditions of the Supplier/Principal concerned, all monies you pay to us for Arrangements will be held on behalf of the Supplier/Principal and forwarded on to the Supplier/Principal in accordance with our agreement with the Supplier/Principal.

Payments are normally taken in the currency that we will be paying the Supplier. We can accept wire transfers or Credit cards (Visa, MasterCard or American Express).

5. THE PRICE

We reserve the right to amend advertised prices at any time. We also reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices. Special note: changes and errors sometimes occur. You must check the price of your chosen Arrangements at the time of booking.

Some Supplier’s insist on one week minimum rentals, while others will accept 5 nights minimum, or even 3 night minimum, you will be advised of any such requirements at the time of the booking.

Properties are let, fully furnished and equipped. The price for all properties include linen and staff as indicated in the property description. The website states the additional facilities and services available at individual properties.

6. INSURANCE

Many Supplier/Principals require you to take out travel insurance as a condition of booking with them. In any event, we strongly advise that you take out a policy of insurance in order to cover you and your party against the cost of cancellation by you; the cost of assistance (including repatriation) in the event of accident or illness; loss of baggage and money; and other expenses.

Details of a policy suitable to cover the arrangements you book are available by contacting [INSERT INSURANCE PROVIDER NAME], (authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, registration number xxxx). Details are available via this link/link on our website.

7. SPECIAL REQUESTS & DISABILITIES

If you have any special requests please let us know at the time of booking. We will pass on all such requests to the Supplier/Principal, but we cannot guarantee that they will be met and we will have no liability to you if they are not.

We are not specialist disabled holiday company, but we will do our utmost to cater for any special requirements you may have. If you or any member of your party has any medical problem or disability which may affect your booking, please provide us with full details before you make your booking so that we can try to advise you as to the suitability of your chosen arrangements. Acting reasonably, and upon liaising with the Supplier/Principal, if we are unable to properly accommodate the needs of the person(s) concerned, we will not confirm your booking or if you did not give us full details at the time of booking, we will inform the Supplier/Principal who may then cancel the booking and impose applicable cancellation charges.

8. INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACCOMMODATION

While we make every effort to ensure that descriptions supplied by the Supplier/Principals are accurately reproduced, we cannot accept responsibility for errors contained therein or the results thereof. You must accept that minor differences between the photograph/illustration/text used and the actual property may arise.

Supplier/Principals reserve the right to make modifications to the property specification that are considered necessary in the light of operating requirements. In the interests of continued improvement, Supplier/Principals reserve the right to alter furniture, fittings, amenities, facilities or any activities, either advertised or previously available, without prior notice.

If material changes occur after your booking has been confirmed we will advise you on behalf of the Supplier/Principal, if there is time, before departure.

Number of people using the accommodation

Only those persons named on the booking form may use the property without prior arrangement. The number of people staying at the property must not exceed the number of sleeping places indicated in the property description, except in the case of infants under two years. Some properties will limit the number of infants. In the event that the maximum number is exceeded without prior arrangement, the Supplier/Principal reserves the right to refuse or revoke the booking at their sole discretion.

The Supplier/Principal or his/her representative shall be allowed free access to the holiday accommodation at any reasonable time during any holiday occupancy for the purposes of inspection and maintenance.

Arrival & Departure Times

Normal check in time is from 4pm to 7pm on the start date and normal check out is 10am on the departure date, unless otherwise specified. If these times are difficult, please advise us at the time of booking. If your arrival is delayed you must inform the Supplier/Principal so that suitable arrangements can be made for entry to the holiday accommodation. After 7 pm a late check-in fee may apply, depending on the Supplier/Principal or, in very rare cases (if the keyholder lives some distance from the property), if you are extremely late, it may not be possible to access the property until the next morning.

Staff

Some properties have staff provided locally, this depends on the property. Additional maids and cooks are sometimes available at extra charge, although such services cannot be guaranteed. Please give us as much notice as possible and we shall try to assist. Any staff or external suppliers booked must be approved by the owner or supplier of the property. We accept no responsibility for additional staff or services. Any other arrangements you make with your staff or any other person or company providing services whilst you are staying at the property are between you and the staff and we accept no responsibility for these services provided and the terms on which they are provided.

Linen

Linen is included in all our properties, unless stated otherwise, but it is advisable to take beach towels (if applicable) and cot linen for baby cots.

Extra Charges

Utilities costs are normally included in the rental price, unless otherwise specified at the time of booking. At some properties there is an additional charge for heating and air-conditioning. Pool heating, if applicable, is normally charged extra.

Road Access

Please note that some of our properties, particularly in the Tuscan countryside, are accessed via an unsealed road. Please let us know if you are planning to take a low-slung car so we can check access at your chose property.

Photography

Photographs taken at our properties cannot be used or sold for profit without authorization from The Luxury Travel Book Limited.

Security & Valuables

Any valuable left at the property are left at your own risk. Neither we nor the Supplier are responsible for their loss. As with all rental properties in prime locations, there may be a risk of burglary. Where provided, burglar alarms must be activated, safes used and proper care taken against theft and burglary. We accept no responsibility for any loss, damage or consequential losses due to theft or any other security related incident howsoever caused.

9. ACCOMMODATION RATINGS AND STANDARD

All ratings are as provided by the relevant Supplier/Principal. These are intended to give a guide to the services and facilities you should expect from your accommodation. Standards and ratings may vary between countries, as well as between suppliers. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of any ratings given.

10. SECURITY DEPOSITS

Most Supplier/Principals require the payment of a Security Deposit to cover the cost of any damage or breakages to the property or its contents, or for any extra charges incurred during the stay. Often, the Supplier/Principal, or their representative will just take a credit card imprint on your arrival and require that you sign a form agreeing to pay for damages. Sometimes, the Supplier/Principal requires us to be holding the security deposit, in which case we will require your credit card number agreeing to pay damages up to a stipulated amount. In some circumstances, you will be required to pay the security deposit by bank transfer prior to arrival, or in cash on arrival - this depends on the Supplier/Principal.

Pets and Smoking

Pets are not allowed without prior written permission of the Supplier/Principal. You may be asked for an additional Security Deposit.

With regard to smoking, all of the properties that we advertise are non-smoking, so please do not smoke inside the property during the stay.

Release of Security Deposit

The Supplier/Principal will release the security deposit back to you within 1 one week of the end of your stay.

11. SOCIAL EVENTS AND OTHER FUNCTIONS

It is the policy of the Supplier/Principals we represent not to allow social events and other functions (e.g. weddings, receptions, large cocktail parties) on the property without prior agreement at the discretion of ourselves or the Supplier/Principal. Where prior agreement is given for a social event or other function, further permission will be required from the Supplier/Principal for any guests attending the event, who are not detailed on the original accommodation booking. If permission is granted, an additional fee may be charged.

12. CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS BY YOU

Any cancellation or amendment request must be sent to us in writing, by email, and will take effect at the time we receive it. Please ensure that you have received written confirmation of any changes to your booking prior to travel. Whilst we will try to assist, we cannot guarantee that the Supplier/Principal will meet such requests. Amendments and cancellations can only be accepted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Supplier/Principal of your Arrangements. The Supplier/Principal may charge the cancellation or amendment charges shown in their booking conditions (which may be as much as 100% of the cost of the Arrangements and will normally increase closer to the date of departure). We will notify you of the exact charges at the time of amendment or cancellation.

Please note: some Supplier/Principals do not allow changes and therefore full cancellation charges will apply.

In all cases of cancellation, the Damages Deposit and Food Budget (if applicable) will be refunded in full.

More than 8 weeks prior to the first day of Rental Period:

·    Down payment of 30% or 50% (depending on the deposit paid) shall not be refunded.

Less than 8 weeks prior to the first day of Rental Period:

·    No refund will be made.

13. CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS BY THE SUPPLIER/PRINCIPAL

We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if the Supplier/Principal needs to make a significant change to your confirmed Arrangements or to cancel them. We will also liaise between you and the Supplier/Principal in relation to any alternative arrangements offered by the supplier but we will have no further liability to you. Where the Supplier/Principal offers alternative Arrangements, you will need to let us know of your choice and/or acceptance within the time frame stipulated.

14. EVENTS BEYOND OUR CONTROL (FORCE MAJEURE)

Except where otherwise expressly stated in these Agency Terms & Conditions, we or the Supplier/Principal will not be liable or pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by Events Beyond Our Control. For the purpose of these Agency Terms & Conditions, this means any event beyond our or the Supplier/Principal or our/their Supplier’s control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include warfare and acts of terrorism (and threat thereof), civil strife, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination or remain at the travel destination, the act of any government or other national or local authority including any port or river authorities, industrial dispute, labour strikes, lock closure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological disaster, unavoidable technical problems with transport and all similar events our or the Supplier(s) concerned’s control.

15. OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR BOOKING

Your contract is with the Supplier/Principal and its booking conditions apply. As agent, we accept no responsibility for the actual provision of the Arrangements. Our responsibilities are limited to making the booking in accordance with your instructions. We accept no responsibility for any information about the Arrangements 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 twice the cost of the commission we earn on your booking (or the appropriate proportion of this if not everyone on the booking is affected). We do not exclude or limit any liability for death or personal injury that arises as a result of our negligence or that of any of our employees whilst acting in the course of their employment.

16. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES & BEHAVIOUR

You must keep the accommodation and all furniture, fittings, effects, facilities and equipment in the same state of repair and condition as at the commencement of your stay, and leave the accommodation in the same state of cleanliness and general order in which it was found. You are responsible for all damage or loss which occurs to the property or its contents during your occupation, and will be responsible to paying appropriate compensation to the Supplier/Principal direct, or to us as agent, in the event of breakages or damage.

All our customers are expected to conduct themselves in an orderly and acceptable manner and not to disrupt the enjoyment of others. If in our opinion or in the opinion of any Supplier/Principal or any other person in authority, your behaviour or that of any member of your party is causing or is likely to cause distress, danger or annoyance to any other customers or any third party, or damage to property, we reserve the right to terminate your booking with us immediately. In the event of such termination both our and the Supplier/Principal’s liability to you and/or your party will cease and you and/or your party will be required to leave your accommodation or other arrangements immediately. We will have no further obligations to you and/or your party. No refunds for lost accommodation or any other arrangements will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of termination. You and/or your party may also be required to pay for loss and/or damage caused by your actions and we will hold you and each member of your party jointly and individually liable for any damage or losses caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or losses must be paid directly to the Supplier/Principal or other supplier prior to departure. If you fail to make payment, you will be responsible for meeting any claims (including legal costs) subsequently made against us as a result of your actions together with all costs we incur in pursuing any claim against you.

We cannot be held responsible for the actions or behaviour of other guests or individuals who have no connection with your booking arrangements or with us.

17. VISA, PASSPORT & HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

We can provide general information about the passport and visa requirements for your trip. Your specific passport and visa requirements, and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates. Neither we nor the Supplier/Principal accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements. Please note that these requirements may change between booking and departure. Most countries now require passports to be valid for at least 6 months after your return date. We can provide general information about any health formalities required for your trip but you should check with your own doctor for your specific circumstances.

18. COMPLAINTS

Because the contract for your Arrangements is between you and the Supplier/Principal, any queries or concerns about your Arrangements should be addressed to them. If you have a problem with your Arrangements whilst using them, this must be reported to the Supplier/Principal immediately. If you fail to follow this procedure there will be less opportunity for the Supplier/Principal to investigate and rectify your complaint. The amount of compensation you may be entitled to may therefore be reduced or extinguished as a result.

If you wish to complain when you return home, you can write to us within 7 days of your return and we can assist in forwarding your comments to the Supplier/Principal and liaising with them to resolve the complaint.

If you wish to complain about any service we have provided to you (i.e. our booking service) then please contact us directly.

19. LAW AND JURISDICTION

These Agency Terms & Conditions are governed in all respects by English law. We both agree that any dispute, claim or other matter which arises between us out of or in connection with your contract or booking will be dealt with by the Courts of England and Wales only. You may however, choose the law and jurisdiction of Scotland or Northern Ireland if you live in those places and if you wish to do so.

20. DOCUMENTATION & INFORMATION

All descriptions and content on our website or otherwise issued by us is done so on behalf of the Supplier/Principal in question and are intended to present a general idea of the services provided by the Supplier/Principal. Not all details of the relevant services can be included on our website. All services shown are subject to availability. If you require any further details, in respect of any Arrangements or any other services please contact us.