Terms and Conditions

Booking contract terms – The booking contract is between Unique Retreats (referred to as “us” or “we”) and the person making the booking on behalf of their party (referred to as “Lead Booker”, “you” or “your”). The Contract is subject to UK law. The Contract will not take effect until the deposit is received. The Lead Booker must be at least 18 years of age and must supply the names, addresses and ages of the party.

PAYMENT

Bookings are confirmed on receipt of the booking form and receiving the deposit of 25% of the holiday cost. The balance of the rental will be due for payment six weeks before the start of your holiday.  We will send you a reminder when the balance is due.  The balance should be paid within 3 days of receipt of the reminder.  We reserve the right to cancel a holiday where payment has not been made within a week of notification of the balance being due. If the booking is made within six weeks of the holiday start date, then payment will be due in full.

CANCELLATION

Cancellation by You

Cancellations must be immediately notified to us and confirmed in writing. The treatment of a cancellation will depend on

1. a) the date the booking was made
2. b) when the cancellation is made and
3. c) the reason for the cancellation

Your inability (or the inability of any, some or all of your intended occupants) or disinclination to travel to and stay at your hired Cottage for any reason.  This includes – but is not limited to – illness (including Covid), a requirement or recommendation to self-isolate or quarantine, a call to jury duty, incarceration, change in personal or work circumstances, family emergencies, travel delays, vehicle breakdown, and delays with public transport.  These remain at your risk and do not give rise to a right to cancel or to receive a refund unless we re-let the property, other than according to the sliding scale below. You are strongly recommended to take out UK travel insurance to cover these eventualities. 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.

Travel Insurance

It is the responsibility of the Lead Guest to acquire suitable travel insurance to cover their holiday, including Cancellation and Curtailment Protection Insurance.  We strongly recommend that you take out suitable insurance which will cover you for possible cancellation of your UK holiday. There are several suitable options which include cover for COVID-related cancellation (see below), or you can look for suitable cover on comparison sites such as www.gocompare.com.  We are not selling, promoting, endorsing or recommending any particular product, and do not benefit financially or have any formal relationship with any of these providers.

https://www.coverwise.co.uk/Travel-Insurance/corona-virus.aspx

https://www.allianz-assistance.co.uk/travel-insurance/Covid-19-travel-insurance.html

https://www.trailfinders.com/insurance#/step1

Refunds

All refunds will be subject to deduction of a non-refundable administration fee of £75 to cover our costs and third party costs related to the cancellation and re marketing (these costs include our admin costs,  re-marketing costs, bank fees, accounting fees and agency fees or commission payments).

A cancellation charge will be made based on the number of days notification of cancellation given by the person making the booking to Unique Retreats, and whether the cottage is re-let for the period of the cancelled stay. Unique Retreats will apply the scale shown in the table below to determine the amount of the refund payable to you.  If the cottage is not re-let, this will be a percentage of the total cost of the holiday.  If the cottage is re-let, the amount refunded will be the rebooking value (which may be less than you paid) less the non-refundable administration fee of £75. For the purposes of this Condition, the total cost of the holiday shall include any extra items ordered by the Holidaymaker.

Part Cancellations – If any person(s) in your party needs to cancel, this will not affect the total cost of your booking.  In addition, no refunds are payable in the event that you cut short your stay.

Refunds for cancellations more than 6 weeks out will be made within 3 working days of the date of cancellation, which must be in writing (by email).  Refunds for cancellations made less than 6 weeks out will be made within 3 working days of the earlier of the rebooking date, or the start date of the holiday (as the refund amount will depend on the rebooking value).

Time from Cancellation to Arrival	Cottage/Retreat not rebooked	Cottage/Retreat rebooked
	We Refund to you	We Refund to you
> 6 weeks	Deposit less £75	Deposit less £75
36-42 days	60% of total cost	Rebooking value less £75
29-35 days	50% of total cost	Rebooking value less £75
22-28 days	40% of total cost	Rebooking value less £75
15-21 days	30% of total cost	Rebooking value less £75
8-14 days	20% of total cost	Rebooking value less £75
0-7 days	10% of total cost	Rebooking value less £75

If you cancel up to and including 2 days before check-in date, you will receive a full refund of the lodging costs you have paid. Refund payment for cancelled booking will be released back to the cancelling guest at the latest within 2 weeks of cancellation. Cancellations made 1 day prior to, or on the day of check-in will not be eligible for refund. Example: for a check-in on Saturday you could cancel the prior Thursday before 16.00 and be reimbursed in full, but not on Friday (1 day prior) or Saturday (day of check-in).  For this reason we strongly recommend you take out your own travel insurance for UK holidays which covers booking cancellations. This is available at very affordable rates, and gives you the peace of mind that you will get your money back if you need to cancel your holiday. If you choose not to then you accept responsibility for any loss that you may incur due to your cancellation.

Cancellation by Us

If we (Unique Retreats) have to cancel your booking for any reason, including a Force Majeure event, meaning any of the following circumstances which may hinder or prevent the performance by us of the Contract, you will be refunded in full.

(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) any labour or trade dispute, strikes, industrial action or lockouts;

(h) non-performance by suppliers or contractors; and

(i) interruption or failure of utility service, and the period of closure covers you booking

Bookings placed before 6th June 2020 are not cancellation protected, meaning that if you cancel before the date the balance is due, and we are able to re-let your dates, we will refund you the deposit amount (which may be less than you paid – e.g. if the final letting price was discounted or only some of the days are re-let). If we are unable to re-let you remain responsible for the deposit and there will be no refund under any circumstances. You will be reimbursed at check-out date of original booking. From 42 days before check-in to the day of check-in, you remain responsible for the full rent and there will be no refund unless we are able to re-let your dates, in which case we will refund you all or part of the sum you have paid, depending on the value of the replacement booking, less a 10% administration fee. You will be reimbursed at check-in date of the original or replacement booking, whichever has the later arrival date. We would strongly advise that guests take out a travel insurance policy which covers booking cancellations. This is available at very affordable rates, and gives you the peace of mind that you will get your money back if you need to cancel your holiday.  If you choose not to then you accept responsibility for any loss that you may incur due to your cancellation.

We believe the information on our website to be honest and accurate, but reserve the right to alter the details at any time. We will always endeavour to inform you of any significant changes to the published accommodation at the time of booking.

The Client is obliged to keep the holiday home and all furnishings, fixtures, fittings and effects in the same state of cleanliness, repair and condition as they were in at the commencement of the holiday and will be responsible for any damage to the holiday property or the furniture, fixtures, fittings and effects and must ensure that the property is left clean and tidy, both inside and outside the property. Anything broken or damaged should forthwith be repaired or replaced with an article of similar type or value to the satisfaction of the owner. If this is not possible any damage or breakage should be reported to the Owner immediately and paid for before departure. In default of such obligation, the Client is obliged to reimburse the owner against any costs incurred by the Owner in remedying such default. The Owner reserves the right to raise invoices for any damage and/or replacements and/or repairs caused during the stay at a later date and legal action will be taken in the event of non payment.

The Client must not assign or part with the possession of the property or any part of it or anything contained in the property or use it other than as a single dwelling for holiday occupation by the people whose names appear on the booking form.

The Client must ensure that nothing happens which may be a nuisance or inconvenience to occupiers of neighbouring property or adversely affect any insurance of the property.

We will provide a travel cot and/or highchair on request. However, please bring your own cot linen.

Your accommodation will be available to you from 5pm on the arrival day. You are required to leave by 9.30am on the day of departure. If you fail to do so, we reserve the right to charge for any loss we incur as a consequence of this. The accommodation must be left in a clean and tidy condition and we reserve the right to charge you if in our opinion the accommodation needs additional cleaning than would otherwise be reasonably expected.

You have the opportunity to pay for a early check in (1pm) and/or a late check out (12pm) when you make the booking.

The maximum occupancy of The Piggery, Ewelands House and Cowslip Cottage is 6 adults plus a child up to the age of two sleeping in a travel cot. The party can contain up to 4 children only. The maximum occupancy of Ewelands Retreat and Cowslip retreat is two adults. This must not be exceeded and additional overnight guests must not be accommodated on our property under any circumstances. Breach of this policy will render you liable for further charges, calculated on a pro-rata basis. Alternatively we reserve the right to ask you to leave immediately.

We are a Strictly No Smoking establishment inside or outside in the grounds of the properties. Misuse of this could result in an additional charge for extra cleaning of areas inside or outside. If we find guests have been smoking in the accommodation, then we reserve the right to ask you to leave immediately.

We only allow dogs, and only when have they been booked in and paid for. (£50 per dog, per stay/per cottage entered). Two dogs are allowed in The Piggery, Ewelands House and Cowslip Cottage, one dog is allowed in the retreats. In order to maintain our Five Star Gold Cottages for everyone to enjoy, it is necessary that guests bringing dog(s) agree to these terms and conditions. See Dog Friendly Holiday Cottages.

Additional Terms and Condition for guests bringing their dog(s).

• On arrival please keep your dog(s) on the lead while you unpack and get your bearings. It’ll take a few minutes and get to know the site and where the walks are. There is a lane if you go out of the cottages and turn left and on your right is Brackenhill Lane which you can walk up and enjoy views of Whitby, where you can let them off to stretch their legs. Other guests may have dogs too, so control is important at all times.
• There will be other guests, other dogs on site so you must keep your dog(s) on a lead around the other properties, this means keeping them on the lead when you first set out for your walk. Once they’re out in the designated fields lanes they can be off the lead as much as you like provided they are under your control. They must not chase any livestock or wildlife. Dogs are not allowed in the bedrooms. We will have to levy an extra cleaning charge if they have been on the beds or on the sofas and damaged sheets will have to be paid for.
• If you are part of a group booking, and your party has taken two or more cottages the dog(s) must remain in the cottage that the dog(s) were booked into. If they are going to enter the other cottages the dog fee per cottage must be paid in addition as each cottage will need additional cleaning.
• You must let us know in advance if you’re intending on bringing your dog(s). All dogs must be booked in by prior agreement. Any dogs that have not been booked in may not be allowed to stay and you will need to book them into a local kennel. All dog(s) will be charged at £50 per dog per stay, per cottage.
• Your dog(s) must not be left alone with free run of the property. We provide dog tags if you need them, water bowls, towel, lead, poo bags, toy and some dog treats. We provide a guide of dog friendly pubs and restaurants and places to visit so that your dog can be with you as much as possible.
• We regret that dogs that bark continuously are not allowed at Unique retreats. They will disturb the other guests.
• When you bring a muddy dog back from a walk, please clean them off using the outside tap and either your own or our canine towel provided. Please on no account use the white towels provided for human use.
• Poop patrol! When you take your dogs for a walk, please pick up after your dog(s) Please dispose of poops in the outside bin, whatever the weather. Remember to take bags with you to the beach and on walks.
• If you have a puppy please take extra care. They will chew the furniture or soft furnishings here in our 5 star cottages! Maintaining our grading is key to our business and we can’t always repair things, it has to be replaced, we will have to charge you. We would always expect you to bring a cage with you.
• The Countryside Code must be followed so please keep your dog(s) under close control at all times for their own safety as well as the comfort of others.
• Please give the cottage a basic clean, and remove as much of the dog hair as possible; if properties require serious additional cleaning we will have to charge a £50 fee to cover the cost.
• There are lots of dog walks over surrounding fields and in the country lanes. Please do be aware there may be animals in fields, and do not take dogs into fields with animals. Please be considerate to other guests and do not allow your dog to bark. There are plenty of walks out of the cottages where your dog can be exercised and toiletted. We know that occasionally accidents in the garden will happen but please clean any dog waste up. Cleaning any dog waste up after your stay will result in a £20 charge.

We will only cancel your booking if your accommodation becomes unavailable for reasons beyond our control. In this unlikely event, we will attempt to offer you alternative accommodation. However, if this is not possible or unacceptable to you, we will refund all monies paid by you. Whatever the circumstances, our liability to you will not extend beyond a full refund. We shall not be responsible for any consequential loss.

The accommodation must not be sub-let, and the number of persons using the accommodation must not exceed the maximum occupancy advertised or declared on the booking form.

We or our representatives, shall be allowed access to the accommodation at any reasonable time for inspection and maintenance.

Please take good care of our accommodation. Whilst we employ housekeepers, guests are expected to leave the accommodation in a neat and tidy fashion with all bins emptied and dishes washed and put away. Your are responsible and liable for any breakages which you cause to the accommodation and/or its contents. We do not normally charge for minor breakages, but you will be held responsible for repair or making good, if we consider that the damage or breakage is significant. Please report any damage or breakages as soon as possible.

You will report without delay any defects in the property or any breakdown of equipment or appliances. Arrangements for repair or replacement will be made as soon as possible.

You agree not to act in such a way which might cause disturbance to any neighbouring properties. If we consider that you have behaved in an anti-social manner, irresponsibly, or have caused significant damage to the property or the property of others, we are entitled to terminate your let with immediate effect and without refund.

We do not accept any liability for any damage or loss, injury or sickness or inconvenience to any member of your party, or any vehicles or possessions belonging to anyone, howsoever caused, nor shall we be liable for any additional expenses incurred by you or your party, whether directly or indirectly caused by or arising from any aspect of your booking with us. Under no circumstances shall our liability to you exceed the amount paid to us by you.

We treat any data collected during the course of making bookings or dealing with enquiries in strict confidence. Your data will never be sold. As members of Premier Cottages (a marketing collective of the best four and five star cottages in the UK) we have agreed to supply to Premier Cottages Ltd the names, postal and email addresses of all guests booking with us during the previous year, in order that these guests may be sent a Premier Cottages brochure and sent promotional emails from time to time. We also provide them with the email addresses of guest enquiries. By accepting these terms and conditions you are indicating your consent to receiving these communications unless you let us know otherwise, which you can do at the point of booking by ticking the Marketing Notes box at the bottom of the booking form. If at any time you would like your details removed from this list all you need do is to click the unsubscribe link on any of the emails or contact us on holidays@unique-retreats.co.uk and we will arrange for you to be removed from the database.

Privacy Policy
We are committed to ensuring the best standards of practice in all our activities. Visitors to our web site can be assured that the protection of privacy and confidentiality are given the highest priority. All personal information is collected, held and used in strict compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Information Collected
We do not collect any personal information from visitors to our website other than information that is knowingly and voluntarily given. Anonymous information is collected, such as the number of visitors to the website in a given period or details of properties and dates selected for online bookings, but it is purely statistical and cannot be used to identify an individual user. Cookies are not used to collect any other information from visitors to the website.

Third Party Disclosure
We will NEVER pass any personal information on to any third party without your consent.

Data Security
We take appropriate measures to safeguard the information we hold from unauthorised access or improper use. Our database is stored in a secure, password protected location. Only users authorised by us have access to this data.

Integrity of Data
We take all reasonable measures to ensure that the information we hold is accurate. In particular we use reliable collection methods and destroy or convert to an anonymous form, any out-of-date data. Individuals may request details of all personal information held by us so as to contest inaccurate or incomplete data, verify the information and have it corrected as appropriate.

We truly hope that you will never need to complain, but if there are reasonable grounds then you must inform us immediately (during your stay) so that appropriate action can be taken.

Any dispute between us will be governed by the non-exclusive law of the English Courts.