TERMS & CONDITIONS
Updated 11 June 2023. If you were booked prior to this and want to see the previous Terms and Conditions, please email us.
1.THE CONTRACT
The Contract for a short-term holiday rental will be between The Mount Swanage (owners Elaine Pearson and Carl Styants) (referred to as “The Mount “or “We”) and the person making the booking and all members of the party who are part of the booking (referred to as “the Guest(s)”, or “You” and “Your”) in the following booking conditions. UK Law will govern the Contract. The contract of hire is not effective until we have processed the deposit. The contract will be subject to these booking conditions, and must be complied with. The party leader must be at least 18 years of age at the time of booking and prior to arrival we must be provided with a list containing the names, ages, postcodes and contact details of ALL guests, as is required by law.
2. PAYMENT
Bookings are only CONFIRMED once we receive the deposit of 25% of the booking cost. Payments made through our online booking system are provisional until confirmed by us. The balance of the booking, plus a security deposit, will be due for payment 90 days prior to the booking commencement date. We will send you a reminder in advance via email. Once the balance and security deposit are paid we will send you arrival information.
3. SECURITY (DAMAGE) DEPOSIT
When you make your second and final payment 90 days before arrival, we will hold £500 as a security deposit. The security deposit is NOT applied toward rent and is refunded around 14 days after departure, provided the following provisions are met:
· No damage is done to property or its contents, beyond normal wear and tear, and heavy furniture does not have to be moved.
· No charges are incurred due to pets, illegal activity or collection of rents or services rendered during the stay.
· All rubbish is placed in the appropriate bins or boxes and soiled dishes are placed in the dishwashers and cleaned.
· All keys are left on the kitchen table and the house is left locked and secure.
· All charges accrued during the stay are paid prior to departure.
· No linens are lost or damaged.
· There is no early arrival or late departure, unless otherwise previously agreed in writing.
· The renter is not evicted by the owner or a representative of the owner or the law.
4. PERIOD OF HIRE
You should not arrive before 4pm on the commencement date, and should leave by 10am on the day of departure. Failure to do so may result in you being charged a further day’s rental. You must not use the property except for the purpose of a holiday during the holiday period, and not for any other purpose or longer period. The agreement to stay in the property for the holiday period does not create the relationship of Landlord and Tenant between the parties. You shall not be entitled to a new tenancy, or to any assured short hold or assured tenancy or any statutory protection under the Housing Act 1988 or other statutory security of tenure now or at the end of the Holiday Period.
5. NUMBER OF PERSONS USING THE PROPERTY
Under no circumstances may more than the maximum number of persons stated on the booking form occupy the property. We reserve the right to refuse admittance if this condition is not observed. If you wish to invite additional visitors to visit you at The Mount during your stay, please ask us. We will try to accommodate this, but we need to comply with the maximum site occupancy limits and our insurance cover.
6. FALSIFIED BOOKINGS
Any booking obtained under false pretence will be subject to forfeiture of booking deposit and/or rental fee, and the party will not be permitted to enter the property.
7. THIRD-PARTY SUPPLIERS (CHEFS, ETC)
a) If you want to use the services of a third-party supplier whilst staying at The Mount you must ask and receive written permission to do so. This may be for a chef, spa treatments, guest speakers, fitness instructors, baby-sitters etc.
b) We are legally required to see the third-party supplier’s public liability insurance, and any other related/required certification. We will then seek approval from our insurers to allow the third-party activity to take place.
c) If all insurances and certification are satisfactory to The Mount and our insurers, permission to invite these suppliers will not be unreasonably withheld.
d) The Mount does not accept liability for the activities of these third-party suppliers. If you bring a third-party supplier to the property without consent, we reserve the right to ask them to leave.
8. SUPERVISION
At least half of the party should be capable and responsible adults over the age of 18.
You are responsible for the full active physical supervision of all members of your party under the age of 18 at all times. The garden and property is fun to explore but there are stone steps, uneven paths and drops, a tree swing, various plants with sharp branches and thorns, and inedible/poisonous berries and fungi, and The Mount cannot be held responsible for the inherent risks of play.
9. PARKING
There is a small off-road parking area for two cars and free on-street parking along the east and south boundaries of the property. Parking is not permitted at the rear as access is needed for deliveries and bin collection.
10. ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING
a) There is a 7.4 kw Electrical Vehicle charger in the parking area which accepts a Type 2 cable (not supplied). Guests can download the Monta app and scan the QR code on the machine to pay for charging. Use of the charger is at the guest’s own risk and we do not accept any liability for loss or damage sustained by you or your EV as a result of using the charger unless the damage was caused directly by our negligence. You shall be responsible to us for any damage to the EV charger or loss suffered by us caused by your use of the charger.
b) Domestic chargers (“trickle” or “granny” chargers) are NOT permitted at the property. They are not suitable for use in the property and will create a fire hazard. They invalidate our business insurance. You will be held solely liable for any damage or loss suffered by us as a result of your unauthorised use of domestic chargers.
c) We retain the right to carry out reasonable inspection, on a without-notice basis, to ensure that domestic chargers are not in use in the property.
11. CARE OF THE PROPERTY
a) You are responsible for the property during the rental period and are expected to take all reasonable care of its furniture, pictures, books, fittings and effects, in or on the property. This includes taking account of weather conditions to prevent damage, for example wind damage to parasols or casement windows, or rain coming in left open roof windows, etc. You must leave the property in the same state of repair, and in a reasonable clean and tidy condition at the end of the rental period. Any damage in excess of the security deposit will have to be paid for in full within seven days of notification. We recommend that you have insurance in place to cover this.
b) We discourage furniture being moved as it can cause damage to floors and walls. If it is moved, it MUST be returned to its original position before you leave the property. An additional £50 charge will be made for any furniture that needs moving, as it it is not in the remit of the housekeeping team, deducted from the security deposit.
c) We encourage recycling and strictly adhere to the county waste collection policy. All recycling and waste, including food waste, should be sorted into the appropriate bins as shown in the kitchen and bin area. All packaging for recycling must be rinsed, including bottles. Failure to follow the directions may mean our waste collection is refused, which causes a lot of work for the housekeepers, and will result in a £50 charge, deducted from the security deposit.
d)You must not use the property for any dangerous, offensive, noxious, noisy, illegal or immoral activities or carry on there any act that may be a nuisance or annoyance to the owner or neighbouring properties.
12. SMOKING & FIRE SAFETY
a) Smoking is NOT allowed anywhere inside The Mount. Smoking in the garden is allowed but all butts must be collected and placed in the metal ash bin by the coach house.
b) Fire safety instructions, including escape routes, are provided in each bedroom. The lead guest is reponsible for ensuring that each member of the party knows what to do in the event of a fire.
c) There are working fireplaces in the lounge and music room. Spark guards must be in place at all times and please make sure these are secure before retiring at night. Logs and kindling are available from local shops and garages – wood from the garden must NOT be used as it can cause chimney fires. Cold ashes should be placed in the metal bin by the coach house, NEVER in the plastic bins, as seemingly cold ashes can set rubbish alight even days later.
d) Open flames such as candles, tea lights and incense burners, are not allowed at the property under new national Fire Regulations.
e) Under no circumstances are you to bring electrical appliances to The Mount, other than laptops and phone chargers, without explicit written permission. This includes air conditioning units and EV domestic chargers (not Type 2 charging cables). Guest appliances have not been PAT tested and could invalidate our insurance. We will levy a charge if we find they have been operating without consent.
f) Fireworks, Chinese lanterns, firepits and portable/disposable BBQs are explicitly forbidden at The Mount. The garden and whole surrounding area is a tinder box in summer but damage can be caused at any time of year to flora and wildlife.
13. LINEN
Rates include a single supply of linen and towels, unless otherwise previously agreed in writing. The owners do not permit bath towels or linens to be taken from the property; guests should bring their own beach towels and picnic blankets.
14. DOGS
Up to two dogs are permitted with prior approval. We do not allow any other type of pets. We do not charge extra for dogs but in return expect guests to leave the property free of signs they have been there; eg vacuuming all hair and cleaning paw marks, bagging and binning waste etc. Dogs must not have fleas and should be up to date with treatments. Dogs are not allowed upstairs or on the furniture. There is a gate to help keep them in the tiled kitchen/utility area. We will charge a fee of at least £50 if dogs cause damage or extra cleaning, deducted from the security deposit.
15. DAMAGES AND BREAKAGES
a) Accidents happen, but guests should report all faults, damage and breakages to the owners as soon as possible so that arrangements for repairs/replacements can be made in good time before the next guests arrive. Please do not try to buy replacements or effect repairs without contacting us first. Text or call the owners at the time rather than leave a note.
b) In the event of unreasonable or excessive damage or breakages (in the sole opinion of the owners), you are legally bound to reimburse us for replacement, repair or extra cleaning costs on demand.
c) Guests must not flush anything other than toilet paper – no other sanitary products, nappies or wipes of any kind. Sanitary bins are provided next to every toilet; please place the bags in the general large wheelie bin at the end of the stay. If products have been flushed and clog the system, it will result in an equivalent deduction from the guest’s security deposit.
d) If damage occurs to The Mount as a result of the actions of guests during the stay, where the extent of that damage is so severe that the owner must (in their sole opinion) cancel and/or refund subsequent bookings, the owner may bring a claim against you for any loss arising as a result, including the cost of refunding other guests affected by cancelled bookings and any additional administrative fees incurred in respect of the same.
16. WIFI
Wi-Fi is provided for the guest’s reasonable use. The guest agrees to reasonable and lawful usage of this service.
17. RIGHT OF ENTRY
Although it will be avoided whenever possible, the owners shall be allowed the right of entry to the property and grounds at all reasonable times for purposes of inspection or to carry out any necessary repairs or maintenance.
18. DATA PRIVACY STATEMENT & COOKIE POLICY
Our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy can be found on our website.
19. COMPLAINTS
Every effort has been made to ensure that you have an enjoyable stay. However, if you have any problem or cause for complaint, it is essential that you contact us immediately to give us the chance to resolve it. We value your custom and want you to return.
20. LIABILITY
The Mount, its employees and representatives shall not be liable to you or your party for loss or damage to property howsoever arising. You must take all necessary steps to safeguard yourselves and your property.
Cancellation policy
a) Once paid, the 25% booking deposit is non-refundable in the event of a cancellation by the guest.
b) The remaining rental fee is due 90 days before the rental period, and once paid is non-refundable in the event of a cancellation by the guest.
c) We strongly recommend that guests take out travel insurance to cover eventualities, including – but not limited to – illness (including Covid), a requirement or recommendation to self-isolate or quarantine, shielding, a call to jury duty, military service, incarceration, change in personal or work circumstances, family emergencies, travel delays, vehicle breakdown, and delays with public transport. If you choose not to take out UK travel insurance, then you accept responsibility for any loss that you may incur due to your cancellation.
d) Cancellations must be notified to the owners by phone and email and once received in writing we will confirm the cancellation request.
e) If the guest cancels we may refund the guest if we are able to resell the stay. However, reasonable expenses will be deducted from the refund, including an administration fee, and any other loss of earnings incurred, for example needing to discount the stay in order to resell it.
f) The owners will always endeavour to honour the booking agreement but reserve the right to cancel the agreement and pay the guest back the full rental fee and deposit in the event of unforeseen circumstances, including but not limited to: (a) acts of God, flood, drought, earthquake or other natural disaster; (b) epidemic or pandemic; (c) terrorist attack, civil war, civil commotion or riots, war, threat of or preparation for war, armed conflict, imposition of sanctions, embargo, or breaking off of diplomatic relations; (d) nuclear, chemical or biological contamination or sonic boom; (e) any law or any action taken by a government or public authority, including without limitation imposing a restriction, prohibition, or failing to grant a necessary licence or consent; (f) collapse of buildings, fire, explosion or accident; (g) non-performance by our suppliers or contractors; and (i) failure of utility service.