Booking Terms & Conditions
Special Clause: Full Refund, Government Imposed Covid-19 Restrictions Clause:
*If you are unable travel, seven days before your Villa check-in date, due to government imposed Covid-19 restrictions, we will refund you in full if you’ve made a direct booking on or after 16/11/21 and are affected by one of the following:
1, It is illegal, due to government imposed Covid-19 restrictions, to travel to your booked accommodation from your location
2, It is illegal, due to government imposed Covid-19 restrictions, to stay in your booked accommodation
3, There is a government imposed requirement, due to Covid-19 restrictions, for hotel quarantine on arrival in your destination country or on your return to your country of residence, and there is no option for you to release yourself from this, by either providing evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or proof of full vaccination.
If one of the conditions above are not met, standard booking terms and conditions apply.
NB This special Covid-19 Cancellation clause does not apply to any other cases (even if linked to Covid-19 ) including but not limited to, closed facilities, curfew, flight cancellations/changes & illness (including covid-19). Direct bookings from 16/11/21 only, and applies no more than seven days before your booked Villa check-in date.
CONTRACT: Please read these booking conditions carefully as they, together with the specific information about your confirmed accommodation, form the basis of your contract with Freelance Holidays Ltd trading as Freelance Villas. We Freelance Holidays Ltd, Trading as Freelance Villas of 25 The Waterways, Stratford on Avon, CV37 0AW UK act only as an agent in respect of all ‘accommodation only’ bookings we take and/or make on your behalf.
PRICES: We reserve the right to alter any of our advertised accommodation prices (Increase or decrease). You will be advised of the current price of the accommodation that you wish to book before your contract is confirmed.
Please note that prices of all accommodations are based on the Euro price and its Sterling/Dollar equivalent, calculated on the exchange rate of the day. If you elect to pay the deposit only on booking, followed by the balance at a later date, please be aware that the balance will be calculated according to the exchange rate on the payment date and therefore may fluctuate up or down, according to the Euro/Sterling/Dollar daily conversion rate. By paying the full price at the time of booking, any possible difference in the final price, as a result of currency fluctuations, will be eliminated.
MAKING A BOOKING AND PAYMENT: When you have chosen your accommodation and you make a request to us to book it, you must normally pay a deposit of 30% of the full cost of the booking (unless a different amount is specifically advised when booking) or the full cost of the booking if you are booking within 28 days of your Check-In date. Your booking is confirmed and a contract between us exists when we issue our confirmation invoice. Please check your confirmation carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to us immediately. If you have paid a deposit, the date the balance of the cost of your accommodation will be advised in your booking confirmation. If it is not received in time we will cancel your booking and retain your deposit.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR BOOKING: When you make a booking you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of your party the terms of these booking conditions. This means that you are responsible for making all payments due, notifying us if any changes or cancellations are required and for receiving the confirmation and keeping your party informed.
INSURANCE: We highly recommend that you and all members of your party take out adequate travel insurance prior to booking accommodation with us. What is adequate will depend on your particular needs but we generally recommend that as a minimum such a policy should include cover for cancellation (including any loss of accommodation non-refundable booking deposit / cancellation charges), medical expenses, personal accident, repatriation in the event emergency, illness or accident, loss, theft, or damage to or of personal possessions or money, and your liability for any sums (including legal costs) which you may become liable to pay in case of loss or damage to your booked property or its contents during your stay.
Please read your Travel Insurance policy details carefully, ensuring there is ample coverage for events listed above and take them with you on holiday. We do not check insurance policies and it is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is adequate for your particular needs.
NB: If you fail to purchase adequate travel insurance before booking and/or travel without adequate travel insurance cover you will not have any chance of recovery of any non-refundable booking deposit, losses, expenses or costs.
FORCE MAJEURE. In these Booking Conditions, “force majeure” means any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, actual or threatened terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events outside our control. Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our obligations under our agreement with you is prevented or affected by, or you otherwise suffer any damage or loss as a result of force majeure.
IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR BOOKING: After our confirmation has been issued, any requests for changes must be sent to us by email, by the person that made the booking. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate your request but we will try to do so. You will be asked to pay an administration fee of 50 Euros plus any charge made by the accommodation supplier. These are likely to be higher the closer you get to your arrival date, so contact us as soon as you can. If you change the number in your party, the accommodation price will be re-calculated.
IF YOU WANT TO CANCEL YOUR BOOKING: The person that made the booking must put this in writing to us, by email. Cancellation fees are calculated from the date on which we receive and confirm your written notice of cancellation during the hours of 9.00 to 17.00 GMT
Please see the cancellation policy that applies to your chosen property when booking, this is shown on the individual properties web pages and varies from property to property, once booked we will confirm this policy by email, this will then form part of your contract with us.
The final balance, is non-refundable, as a cancellation would not leave sufficient time to find a substitute booking, you should therefore take out adequate travel insurance to cover the risks that may lead to such an eventuality.
If full payment is not received by the balance due date, we will notify the Owner who may cancel your booking and retain all payments made by you to date.
CHANGES OR CANCELLATIONS BY THE OWNER: On extremely rare occasions, circumstances may cause the owner of a property to make a change or even cancel your booking. Should this happen, we will offer you alternative (upgraded, when available) accommodation. We understand that the alternative we offer may not be acceptable to you. If this is the case we will promptly return any money paid. Freelance Villas cannot be held responsible for any additional costs, for example travel, incurred by you. It is recommended that you take out holiday insurance which includes any losses which may occur by an owner cancellation
COVID-19, LIMITATION OF OUR LIABILITY: We acknowledge the ongoing COVID-19 global crisis and accept our obligations to comply with any official guidance from governments or local authorities, both in the UK/Home Country and whilst on holiday.Please note that we will have no liability for any refunds, compensation, costs, expenses or other losses of any kind incurred by you (including, where applicable, the cost of medical treatment), in the following circumstances:
If you, or anyone in your booking party, test positive for Covid-19 and have to quarantine for a period of time, or are notified or otherwise become aware that you have, or suspect you may have, come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 (or where they otherwise suspect they may have Covid-19) and have to self-isolate for a period of time.
If this happens whilst you are in one of our accommodations, please notify us without delay and we will provide such reasonable assistance as we can in the circumstances. However, we will not be responsible for covering the cost of any curtailment of your holiday, missed transport arrangements, additional accommodation required, or other associated costs incurred by you. You must ensure you have travel insurance which covers these costs for you.
You fail any tests, checks or other measures imposed by a supplier, airline, port or airport, border control authority or other government body or local authority or fail to submit for testing or assessment when requested to do so, and as such you are denied entry to board the flight, entry to the destination, access to the services or you are otherwise unable to proceed with the booking, or that portion of the booking.
You also acknowledge that the suppliers providing your holiday, including airlines, hotels and excursion providers, will need to comply with national and/or local guidance and requirements relating to Covid-19, and have implemented certain measures as a result. This will likely include specific requirements regarding personal protective equipment, such as use of face-masks by staff (and you may be required to wear a face-mask as well), social distancing, maximum number restrictions on the use of certain facilities, designated alternative entrance and exit routes, mandatory hand sanitisation, limited entertainment options and limited food/drink availability. We do not expect these measures to have a significant impact on your enjoyment of the holiday and all measures will be taken with the purpose of securing your safety and those around you.
LIABILITY. We act only as an agent and payment gateway in respect of all non-package bookings we make on your behalf. We accept no liability in relation to any contract you enter into or for any services or arrangements you purchase or for the acts or omissions of any supplier(s) or other person(s) or party(ies) connected with any arrangements. For all arrangements, your contract will be with the supplier of the arrangements. The terms and conditions of the supplier(s) of your confirmed arrangements will apply to your booking. These terms and conditions may limit and/or exclude the supplier’s liability to you. Copies of these conditions are available on request from us.
BEHAVIOUR: When you book accommodation through us, you accept responsibility for the proper conduct of all members of your party during your stay. We reserve the right at any time to terminate the stay of any party member(s) whose behaviour is such, in the reasonable opinion of the accommodation provider or us, as to cause or to be likely to cause danger, upset or distress to anyone else or damage to property. Full cancellation charges will then apply and no refund will be given. Furthermore, we shall be under no obligation whatsoever to pay compensation or meet any costs or expenses (including but not limited to alternative accommodation) you may occur as a result of your stay being terminated. If you cause damage to the accommodation in which you are staying, you must fully reimburse the accommodation provider concerned for the cost of the damage before the end of your stay if the cost has been established by then or as soon as it has been established if later. You must also indemnify us for the full amount of any claim (including all legal costs) made against us by the accommodation provider or any third party as a result.
CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT: Check-in is normally after 16.00. If you check-in after midnight, your accommodation has been reserved for you from the previous day and this counts as the first night of your stay. Check-out is normally at 10.00.
COMPLAINTS: If you have a problem during your stay, please inform us immediately, we will endeavour to put things right. You should also try to find a solution whilst you’re there. If your complaint is not resolved locally, please follow this up within 28 days of your return home by writing to us giving your booking reference and all other relevant information. Please keep your letter concise and to the point. This will assist us to identify your concerns quickly and speed up our response to you. If you fail to follow this simple procedure we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint whilst you were in resort and this may affect your rights under this contract. Please bear in mind that we are only liable to compensate you in line with these booking conditions – in particular our obligation is to choose the accommodation provider with reasonable skill and care. Any dispute or claim arising out of this contract that can’t be settled between us can be referred by you to ABTA’s dispute resolution (see clause 15) or court. We agree that the courts of England and Wales have jurisdiction and English law applies.
ABTA: We are a Member of ABTA, membership number Y1824. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you ABTA’s scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta.com to use ABTA’s simple procedure. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com. You can also access the European Commission Online Dispute (ODR) Resolution platform at http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/. This ODR platform is a means of registering your complaint with us; it will not determine how your complaint should be resolved.
WiFi : Many of our villas now have WiFi, provided free of charge. No guarantee is given as to the speed of the wi-fi service nor its reliability as the factors vary considerably according to location, service provider and other factors. WiFi service is provided with the expectation that speeds/data allowance may be limited and no compensation will be given as a consequence of slow speeds/over consumption of data usage. WiFi may not be available at all times and is provided for pleasure and not business purposes. Bookings cannot be accepted if they are reliant on the provision of uninterrupted and unlimited provision of WiFi. Finally, your use of the service must not be unlawful or otherwise inappropriate and we accept no responsibility for, or control over, the information you transmit or receive via the service.
Television : Many of our villas have television sets mostly with satellite connection, whilst there is a wide selection of news channels in several languages, other channels are quite limited, if you have specific TV requirements please contact us before booking.
AIR CONDITIONING: Air-conditioning where stated in your villa description is provided at no additional charge or for a fee payable locally ( check individual descriptions) . A breakdown of the units can often occur where the units are operated for protracted periods of time and/or where doors and windows are left open. Air-conditioning is intended for use while you are present in the villa and doors and windows remain closed. In the event of a breakdown a specialist engineer is often required. These third party engineers often have a call out pattern which may take up to seven days before a visit can be arranged or essential parts are sourced. Freelance Villas nor the Villa Owners will not pay compensation due to the failure of any air-conditioning unit or electrical appliance. We will of course always do our best to ensure swift repair of any malfunctioning equipment.
BREAKAGES (ADW)
(a) Accidental Damage Waiver (ADW)
To avoid the need to take a local breakages deposit some properties have a non-refundable charge of 10€ per adult instead . This charge, known as Accidental Damage Waiver (ADW) will be added to your invoice. The ADW is used to cover accidental damage that can occur up to the value of 300€ per booking. This waiver excludes negligence and vandalism. For accidental damage that exceeds the value of 300€, we reserve the right to invoice you for immediate payment.
(b) Security Deposit Some properties have a Local Security Deposit of 200€ to 1000€ or more , which is used to protect villa owners against breakages, loss, damage, unpaid local charges, additional housekeeping and any other charges. The cost of the Security Deposit will be payable locally . This amount will be refunded to you towards the end of your stay less any damage, losses, unpaid bills etc. In the event of substantial damage/abuse to a villa you will have to leave and find alternative accommodation at your own cost. Should the Security Deposit prove inadequate to fully cover any costs that arise, then we reserve the right to invoice you for immediate payment.
USE OF PROPERTY. Freelance Villas accommodation is specifically for short term holidays alone. It can not be sublet or used for any commercial purpose unless previously agreed, in writing, with the Owner. The owner could terminate your booking without refund, should you breach this condition
Should you wish to hold an event, such as a wedding or party, at the accommodation then prior written consent must be sought from the owner. The owner could terminate your booking without refund, should you breach this condition.
Please be aware that any event booking may be subject to additional charges.
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS. Please do not make any confirmed travel arrangements until your accommodation booking has been confirmed by Freelance Villas.
COPYRIGHT. All content of the Freelance Villas Website is protected by copyright law. This includes all copyright material, trade names and other proprietary information, including, but not limited to, text, software, photos, graphics and videos. It is forbidden to modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale, create derivative works, or in any way exploit, any of the content, in whole or in part. All downloaded information is for your own personal use alone and you do not acquire ownership of any of the website by downloading copyright material.
HYPERTEXT LINKS. We take no responsibility for, and give no warranties, guarantees or representations in respect of the use of hypertext links which we have provided to other sites, operated by other people. In the use of these links you will be leaving the Freelance Villas Site
IMPORTANT : We continue to highly recommend you have adequate comprehensive travel insurance to protect you in cases of cancellation for any other reason including, but not limited to, medical expenses, personal accident, repatriation in the event emergency, illness or accident, loss, theft, or damage to or of personal possessions or money, being unable to travel due to airline failure or cancellation, being quarantined for or diagnosed with Covid-19 or unable to travel due to work commitments or restrictions upon return.
Covid-19 – Book with confidence
*If you are unable travel, seven days before your Villa check-in date, due to government imposed Covid-19 restrictions, we will refund you in full if you’ve made a direct booking on or after 16/11/21 and are affected by one of the following:
1, It is illegal, due to government imposed Covid-19 restrictions, to travel to your booked accommodation from your location
2, It is illegal, due to government imposed Covid-19 restrictions, to stay in your booked accommodation
3, There is a government imposed requirement, due to Covid-19 restrictions, for hotel quarantine on arrival in your destination country or on your return to your country of residence, and there is no option for you to release yourself from this, by either providing evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or proof of full vaccination.
If one of the conditions above are not met, standard booking terms and conditions apply.
NB This special Covid-19 Cancellation clause does not apply to any other cases (even if linked to Covid-19 ) including but not limited to, closed facilities, curfew, flight cancellations/changes & illness (including covid-19). Direct bookings from 16/11/21 only, and applies no more than seven days before your booked Villa check-in date.
Book with Confidence
Where the circumstances above apply and requirements are met, we will always honour your refund.
In response to Covid-19, this year we introduced and trained our housekeeping teams on our new deep-cleaning standards, created in collaboration with industry experts & National/local authorities.
The Freelance Team is on hand to assist with any questions or problems, both during booking and your stay. We’re here to help.
If you test positive for Covid-19 before your trip
If you have tested positive for Covid-19 prior to your trip at a time that will stop you from travelling, or if you have to self-isolate and government requirements prohibit travel, we will help you amend your travel dates wherever possible. Please note that this is subject to villa availability , Owner’s discretion and will be assessed on a case by case issue.
It’s more important than ever to ensure you have adequate travel insurance cover to protect you in cases of cancellation/curtailment for any other reason, such as: being unable to travel as a result of flight cancellation, testing positive for Covid-19 prior to departure, or being required to self-isolate before departure or falling ill with Covid-19 during the holiday.
How to cancel your booking if you can’t travel due to Covid-19
If you wish to cancel your booking due to government imposed covid-19 restrictions, please contact us with your booking details as soon as possible. At that point, we will assess & help you with the cancellation process, please call us on: 01789 297705.
