TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF HIRE FOR VILLA RENTAL

1. Contract of Hire

All bookings are accepted by Villa Thalia and are subject to these conditions which are deemed to have been accepted in full by the hirer and all persons in the party. Bookings can be made by post, email or through the website and would be deemed to be accepted once payment is received by us.

2. Deposit

A non-refundable deposit of 25% of the total cost is required to secure your booking. Your booking must be made by email, through the website or by telephone (followed by written confirmation) and will be held provisionally for five days or until the full deposit is received by us, whichever is sooner. If your booking is made twelve weeks or less before the hire commencement date it must be accompanied by full payment. Should we not receive your payment within five working days then your provisional booking will be released.

3. Confirmation of Booking

Your booking is only confirmed on receipt of your deposit and confirmation will be sent to you by either email or post stating the balance cost and due date the final balance is to be paid.

4. Final Payment

The balance will be paid a clear twelve weeks prior to the hire commencement date. If your booking is made twelve weeks or less before the hire commencement date it will be deemed provisional for five days or until full payment is received, whichever is sooner. If we do not receive the balance by the eleventh week prior to your rental commencement date, we shall be entitled to cancel the booking without prejudice.

5. Form of Payment

All payments prior to your arrival date shall be paid by either internet bank transfer, electronic bank transfer, a cheque in UK Sterling or via PayPal, unless otherwise agreed. Bank account details will be provided once the booking form has been received.

Refund of the damage waiver deposit will be refunded to you by either internet bank transfer, cheque in UK Pounds or via PayPal, unless otherwise agreed.

When arranging an international payment via bank transfer to or from our UK Sterling business bank account the Hirer is responsible for payment of any associated bank charges charged by either the Hirer’s bank or the Beneficiary bank.  The fees currently charged by the Beneficiary bank to receive international payments is GBP 6.00 per transaction which must be added to any overseas payments sent by the Hirer.  The fees currently charged by the Beneficiary bank to send international payments, which includes the refund of damage deposits, is GBP 17.00 per transaction which will be deducted from any overseas payments sent to the Hirer by Villa Thalia.  These fees are subject to change.

6. Cancellation by Hirer

All cancellations of bookings must be made in writing and notified to and received by Villa Thalia.  In the event of cancellations made more than 12 weeks prior to arrival date 25% of the total is forfeited.  Cancellations made between 12 and 4 weeks prior to arrival date 50% of total is forfeited.  Cancellations made less than 4 weeks prior to arrival date 100% of the total is forfeited.

7. Alterations and Cancellations by Us

In the unlikely event that a villa becomes unavailable due to circumstances beyond the control of Villa Thalia, the hirer will be offered alternative accommodation if available or a full refund of monies paid at that time. In the event that no suitable accommodation can be offered then a full refund of monies already paid for the villa rental will be refunded. Any refund is restricted to the villa hire costs and we are not liable for any cancellation or administration charges for travel arrangements, etc.

8. Amendment Charges

In the event you wish to alter details of a fully confirmed booking within the twelve week period, there will be an amendment charge of £25 per change in addition to any increase, if any, in the cost of the revised arrangement. Confirmation of the amendments must be sent by you to Villa Thalia in writing or by email.

9. What is Included

The villa rental includes the cost of a bi-weekly delivery of bed linen and towels (one bath towel, one hand towel and one pool towel per guest), mid-stay cleaning of the villa, an end of stay clean, water, electricity, maintenance of swimming pool and garden. Any defects or deficiencies must be reported within 24 hours of your arrival. After this time it will be assumed that everything is in order.

10. What is Not Included

The villa rental prices do not include personal, travel and cancellation insurance, travel, transportation and airport transfers.  Satellite TV, DVD players, air conditioning, BBQs, garden furniture, internet and any other equipment are free items, therefore the availability or function of any such item cannot be guaranteed.  In most cases satellite transmission will only receive a limited number of channels and, unlike the UK, the satellite transmission can be unreliable and channels can be easily lost, particularly during or after bad weather.

11. Occupancy

Only persons listed on the booking form may occupy the villa. The villa cannot be re-let or sublet to any other group/party or individual without the written approval of the owners.

Under no circumstances may more than the maximum number of persons specified in the villa description, or booking form, occupy the villa except by prior written agreement. Villa Thalia, or their representatives, reserve the right to charge a maximum occupancy charge of 20% of the total villa rental cost per person/per night for each person above the maximum number specified in the villa description or on the booking form, or admittance to the villa will be refused to the hirer and their party if they are in breach of this condition.

Generally we do not accept animals to any of our villas. However, there may be certain exceptions, please enquire. In such cases you must obtain written permission from Villa Thalia.

12. Hirer’s Responsibility

The hirer is responsible for taking all reasonable care of the property and its contents. At the end of the hire period, the property and its contents, including all equipment, furniture, utensils, etc must be left clean and tidy which includes the crockery and cutlery cleaned and stored in the appropriate cupboards and ensure that the cooker, oven, fridge and microwave are clean. The hirer shall ensure that no member of the party engages in any activity in or around the villa and swimming pool which may cause damage, offence to the neighbours, pollution to the water or damage to the structure or filtration equipment, this includes unacceptable anti-social behaviour. The hirer shall also ensure that the barbecue is cleaned and that all rubbish is cleared away from the property and placed in the dustbins. A cost of £20 will be deducted from your damage deposit should it be necessary for the housekeeping staff to either clean the BBQ or discard any rubbish that has been left after the villa has been vacated.  Please be aware that Villa Thalia is a no smoking environment.  You and/or your party will be required to pay for professional cleaning if smoking occurs inside Villa Thalia and we will hold you and each member of your party jointly and individually liable. Full payment for professional clean must be paid directly to the accommodation owner.

13. Damage to Villa and its Contents

Except in the case of normal wear and tear, the hirer will be responsible for making good any damage to the villa or its contents which has occurred due to negligence, willful damage or irresponsible behaviour on the part of those occupying the villa or their guests. Such damage must be immediately reported to the owner of Villa Thalia or its representative. The cost of the replacement or damage must be paid for by the hirer to the owner. A figure of £150 (unless otherwise advised) is held against damage to the property, furnishings, excessive cleaning requirements or unnecessary call-outs, including those outlined in section 12 above.

14. Rights of Access

Villa Thalia owner, their representatives or their sub-contractors have the right of access to the villa at any time with due regard to the convenience of the hirer for the purpose of linen changes, inspection of the property and to carry out any essential or routine repair or maintenance work.

15. Responsibilities

Neither Villa Thalia nor their representatives can be held responsible for any circumstances beyond their control including, but not limited to, mechanical breakdown, illness, swimming pool maintenance, emptying of swimming pool for necessary maintenance, failure of any public service supply. The hirer responsible for booking undertakes that no person will suffer anything to be done which would endanger the policy of the villa owner’s insurers in respect of the villa and its contents which might make the same void or voidable.

We are not responsible for any personal injury, illness, death, loss or damage of whatever nature suffered by you or by any member of your party during your stay at Villa Thalia.  This includes injury or harm while using the swimming pool, injury or harm from plants or animals in the garden, drinking water from the taps and used of the wood burning stove and heaters.

16. Swimming Pool

Use of the swimming pool is at your own risk. The swimming pool is only 1.5 metres deep at the deep end and diving is not allowed.  Please use ‘swimmer’ nappies for infants under three and supervise our children at all time around the swimming pool.  We ask that all guests shower before entering the swimming pool, no running around the pool area, no glass is allowed around pool area and please follow all other rules posted at Villa Thalia.

17. Behaviour

At all times during your stay at Villa Thalia, you are expected to have consideration for your fellow neighbours and other third parties. If in the opinion of the accommodation owner or other person in authority, you are or appear to be behaving in such a way as to cause, or to be likely to cause, danger, distress, annoyance or damage to third parties or property, we may terminate your stay at Villa Thalia. In this situation, we will have no further liability to you and will not be responsible for meeting any expenses you incur as a result, making any refund or paying any compensation. 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 accommodation owner prior to departure from the accommodation. 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 individuals who have no connection with your booking arrangements or with us.

18. Villa Arrival and Departure Times

The villa will be available for occupation from 4.00pm local time on the day of arrival and must be vacated by 12.00pm on the day of departure, unless otherwise agreed in writing.  A penalty charge of £50 will be deducted from the damage deposit should the local representative find the villa is still occupied after this time.  If the current guest disrupts arriving guests from checking into the villa on time the current guest is financially responsible for any alternative arrangements that are made on behalf of the arriving guest.

19. Keys, Directions and Local Contact Numbers

Detailed instructions for key collection and directions to the villa will be sent two weeks prior to the rental commencement, together with a local contact telephone number of a representative working on behalf of the property owner should you have any problems whilst at the villa.

20. Complaints

In the unlikely event that you have a complaint about the villa or its contents whilst on holiday, it must be reported immediately to the local villa management company who will take reasonable steps to resolve the matter on behalf and in liaison with the owner of the property. Neither Villa Thalia nor their representatives shall have any liability for any complaint submitted after the completion of the hire period.  Subjective opinions are not considered as a complaint, for example complaining that the beds are not comfortable. This may be one person’s opinion but not the opinion of someone else.  If a hirer chooses to leave a rental over a subjective issue they must take responsibility for their decision as no refund will be considered in this situation.

21. Building Work

In the event of building works taking place by local authorities, private developers or neighbours, it is important to note that we are not responsible for such work, are unable to stop such work taking place or unable to control the level of noise, neither can we be responsible for any building works that take place during a stay at Villa Thalia.

22. Force Majeur

We regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our contractual obligations is prevented or affected by ‘force majeur’. In these Terms and Conditions of Hire, ‘force majeur’ means any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include, but are not limited to, war, threat of war, civil commotion or strife, hostilities, strikes or other industrial disputes, natural disasters, fire, acts of God, terrorist activities, quarantine, epidemics, weather conditions, closure of airports, water shortages, power failure, government action or other events outside our control.  Please also see paragraph 23 below.

23. Insurance

The villa hire cost does not include any personal insurance cover of any kind. It is a condition of booking that travel insurance is taken out against cancellation and it is strongly recommended that personal accident and medical insurance is also taken out.  Please see paragraph 22. above also.  By completing the booking form the hirer acknowledges that it is their responsibility to take out travel insurance, should any circumstances beyond the control of Villa Thalia or the property owner spoil the hirer’s holiday.