Terms and Conditions

Please note that you are strongly advised to read these terms and conditions thoroughly: your signature on the booking form will be taken to confirm your complete acceptance of them.

Booking form

The completed booking form showing the names (and ages under 25 years of age) on whose behalf you are making the booking must be completed and signed by the group leader. The person signing the booking form confirms that he/she has the authority of all other persons included on the booking form to make the booking on their behalf, and that he/she has read and accepted these booking terms & conditions. The conditions apply even if for some reason the form has not been signed.

Rental Period

The villa is normally ready for check-in at 16.00 (4pm) local time on the day of arrival. It must be vacated by 10.00 (10am) on the day of departure. If you have a late flight you should consider extending your reservation by a day, or pre-arranging a late check-out, for which there may be an additional charge. Late check-out will otherwise result in a deduction of an extra day’s rental from the security deposit.

Confidentiality

Any personal information provided by you is used only with respect to your villa booking. It is treated as completely confidential, and will not be divulged to third parties.

Reservation Deposit

A non-refundable deposit of £200.00 ($300.00) is required to book the villa. When this is received your reservation will be confirmed. The full rental cost is due 10 weeks prior to the beginning of the rental period, or immediately if there is less than 10 weeks before the rental begins. Payment must be made by cheque or bankers draft in GB pounds to our UK address, or in US dollars to our management company in Florida.

Security Deposit

Once full payment for the rental is received the reservation deposit becomes the refundable security deposit. This is refunded within 28 days of the end of the rental subject to the following conditions:

Failure to meet these conditions will result in a deduction from the deposit, and we reserve the right to pursue a guest for any damage or loss in excess of the deposit.

It is therefore important that you thoroughly inspect the villa on arrival and report any deficiencies to the management company without delay. Please note that missing books, DVDs, CDs, computer games and items such as remote control handsets will be charged at full replacement cost.

Damage to or marking of walls, furniture & fittings, soft furnishings, bedding and electrical items will similarly be charged at full restoration cost.

An instruction manual is provided in the villa, and it is in your interests to read this thoroughly.

The group leader is responsible for the conduct of all members of the group throughout their stay in the villa.

Cancellation

If a reservation has to be cancelled, it must be done in writing/by email by the group leader who signed the booking form. Once a reservation is made the deposit cannot be refunded if cancellation occurs. Similarly, full payment cannot be refunded if cancellation occurs after this has been received.

The group leader is strongly advised to take out adequate travel/holiday insurance for all members of the group at the time of making the reservation to cover all potential risks including late cancellation for reasons beyond his/her control.

If full payment is not made when due, we reserve the right to cancel the reservation without refund of deposit.

It is the sole responsibility of guests themselves to make the necessary travel arrangements to and from the villa, and to ensure that passports, visas (if required), adequate travel insurance and relevant health matters are dealt with. The villa owners accept no responsibility for any difficulties that arise from failure to deal with these essential preparations.

Replacement Villa

If, due to circumstances beyond our control, the villa is unavailable or unserviceable, we will endeavour to locate a substitute of equal standard. In such circumstances the client will be offered the option of cancelling the reservation with full refund of all payments made.

Force Majeur

We will not be liable for any problems or delays caused by issues such as strife, including industrial disputes, strikes, riots, political unrest, hostilities, war or terrorist activity; transportation problems, including airport closures, flight or other cancellations, and vehicle breakdown; any consequence of fire; and any exceptional weather including hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding. This list is not exhaustive, and you are strongly advised to take out adequate insurance to cover you and your group against such eventualities at the time of making your initial booking.

Occupancy

The villa rental licence permits a maximum number of occupants (fire regulations permit up to 12 persons), which cannot be exceeded. County rules for safety and insurance purposes are strictly enforced.

Any unauthorised occupancy by people not listed on the booking form will be subject to loss of security deposit and immediate termination of the rental agreement. All monies will be forfeited and you will be asked to leave the villa without compensation.

The local management company has the power to enforce this.

The property cannot be sub let or shared.

All-male or all-female groups will only be considered at the owners’ discretion.

Groups comprising only individuals under the age of 25 are not permitted.

Guest privacy is highly respected: however the owner, management company and/or their representatives reserve the right to gain access to the property at any time.

Conduct

The villa is located on a pleasant private estate. Your neighbours will be hoping to enjoy a peaceful and pleasant holiday if on vacation themselves, or they may be Florida residents. You are asked to act in a considerate and courteous way to other residents, and you are requested to ensure that excessive noise is kept to a minimum, particularly early in the morning and in the late evening, especially around the pool.

Your group is also respectfully requested to remember that the villa is someone else’s home, and that it should be treated as such and left in the condition in which it is found.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the villa, or within the poolside screened enclosure. This is for safety and for the comfort of other guests and the owners. Smoke detectors are fitted in the villa, which will be activated by tobacco smoking. Smoking in the villa will result in forfeiture of the security deposit.

Pets

Pets are not permitted in the villa. This is also for the comfort of future guests, who may suffer from animal related allergies, and also to guard against accidental hygiene compromises. If pets are discovered in the villa, the management company has the right to expel the occupants from the villa with forfeiture of security deposit and no refund of rental costs.

The Swimming Pool

The pool is provided for your enjoyment but please remember that swimming pools are dangerous, especially for young children and those who cannot swim.

A removable safety fence surrounding the pool is provided and under Florida law this must be kept in place at all times other than when someone is in the pool.

Because of the high number of child fatalities due to drowning in Florida this law is now being strictly enforced by officers from the local authority. This is regardless of whether or not there are any children staying in the villa.

Non-compliance with this law can result in a penalty of 60 days in jail or a $500 fine.

It is guests' responsibility to ensure that this law is adhered to. Guests staying in the villa will be held liable if it is not complied with - not the villa owners nor their management company.

Diving or bombing into the pool are not permitted.

The villa owners cannot be held responsible for any harm that results if these rules are ignored.

Pool Heating

A gas heater is available to heat the water during the cooler months (October to March) at extra cost. This can be booked in advance or arranged via the local management company if required. The pool cover should be kept in place when the pool is not in use to conserve heat. Any problems with pool heat should be drawn to the attention of the local management company so that they can be dealt with rapidly. In exceptionally cold weather the heater may not be able to maintain a temperature of 88 degrees; this does not constitute a malfunction!

Internet Access

High speed internet access is provided free of charge. A desktop PC is provided, however you are advised to consider taking your own laptop computer with you if you wish to continue business activities while on vacation. Internet access is very useful if you wish to access the websites of the many attractions and shops to get daily updates, directions and so on.

Maintenance

The villa is maintained by a local management company, which is available to deal with any urgent problems 24/7. Any breakages, accidents, problems or losses should be reported to them as soon as practicable so that they can deal with them. Home appliances will malfunction from time to time, and may need repair – the management company will use their best endeavours to rectify any problem as quickly as possible. However repair times may be dependent on third parties such as utility companies. Access to the villa during your stay may be required by authorised maintenance personnel to effect repairs if there have been problems.

The villa will be cleaned prior to your arrival and after your departure. Extra cleaning, subject to an additional charge, can be arranged during your stay if required.

Pests and other problems

Florida has a tropical climate, and some pests are to be expected. Pest control is carried out regularly, but it is possible that some may appear. You can help to minimise this risk by disposing of trash properly bagged into the trash bins and keeping the bins securely closed, and also by observing good standards of hygiene around the house; for example cleaning up food and drink spillages promptly, keeping the cooker and the area around it clean, not leaving food uncovered, not leaving wet clothes and towels lying around, and so on. Failure to observe these simple precautions will encourage ants, cockroaches and the like to enter the house. The villa owners accept no liability whatsoever for the presence of any pests.

Safety and Security

The manual provided in the villa contains information about the operation of the domestic appliances, the air conditioning system, the entertainment systems, and the high speed Internet access. You are advised to study this information when you arrive so that you know how to operate all these items correctly.

The owners cannot be held liable for equipment malfunction or personal injury that results from failure to follow the instructions for the use of any item within the villa, or failure to exercise reasonable precautions in the use of electrical equipment. Items not in use should be switched off and/or disconnected from the power outlet.

Personal security: you are advised to ensure that the villa is secure when you leave it, by checking that all windows are shut and external doors closed and securely locked. A monitored alarm system is provided for additional protection. The villa owners cannot be held liable for any loss that occurs due to failure to observe these simple precautions.

Limitation of Liability

The villa owners, their agents and servants do not accept responsibility or liability for any accidents, injuries, illness, fines or penalties imposed, lost property or theft of personal property arising from or during guests’ stay in this villa. This also applies to any person visiting the property as a guest of the rentor. As noted above it is the rentor’s responsibility to ensure that all members of his/her group are covered by adequate travel insurance for all such risks. Similarly the villa owners, their agents and servants do not accept any liability for any injury, damage or loss caused, or for any claim made by a third party as a result of actions by the guest(s) and other persons occupying the property during the period of the let. The owners, their agents and servants do not accept any responsibility for any equipment and/or service failure in the villa regardless of how it may have occurred.

Directions

Approximately two weeks before you travel you will receive the address of the villa: directions from the airport or driving instructions to the villa: other useful information, and the necessary gate and key codes to give you access. Please keep the latter details readily to hand when you travel so that they are accessible when you arrive.

If you have not received the above information by 72 hours before your departure please contact us.