Manor Holding Terms and Conditions for Accommodation Rental

General Cautionary Notes

The laws applying to any contract relating to this property shall be English Statute Law and no other.

Accommodation and related services are provided by the owners in good faith and care is taken to ensure the comfort and safety of guests and the public. However due to constraints arising from the age and character of the site and buildings, together with their legally protected status under various Acts of Parliament, no unilateral guarantees of safety or convenience can be provided.

Guests should be mindful in particular of the risks inherent in unaccustomed outdoor activities in a natural rural environment. Risks from gas storage and electrical generating and transmission equipment may be greater than in urban environments. (Further examples of relevant hazards provided on page 7 of this document)

Guests should also be mindful of their own responsibility for the safety of themselves and others potentially affected by their actions. Note that modern high speed communications cannot always be relied on in this locality. Although mobile phone reception is much improved by the new radio mast on the other side of the valley, it can take an ambulance up to 4 hours to reach you, and will take at least a further half hour to reach an A&E hospital by road.

Payment

All prices are quoted in British Pounds Sterling (BP), and payment, when taken, will be accepted in that currency; or subject to agreement in writing by Manor Holding Cottages, in Euros to the same value at the exchange rate current at the time of the transaction. Sterling payments received through PayPal may, subject to the terms and conditions laid down by PayPal, be exchanged by PayPal from other currencies, at the sole expense of the guest making the payment. Manor Holding Cottages is not a party to such currency exchanges, makes no commitment, and accepts no liability in respect of such currency exchanges.

Weekly accommodation prices per week excluding VAT, for each accommodation unit, shall be as indicated on the written price tables, on the "Prices" page of the website www.wyreforestcottage.com, at the time of booking. An automated cost calculator is provided on this website to calculate the cost of your particular stay, based on the above prices and the rules set out below, but these calculated costs are subject to confirmation by the owners in writing.

A week is defined as starting and finishing on Sunday. If less than 4 nights are booked in a given week as so defined, the rental cost for those nights will be based on a "day" rate, as follows:

A single night in that week will cost 1/3 of the cost of the full week.

2 nights in that week will cost ½ of the cost of the full week.

3 nights in that week will cost ¾ of the cost of the full week.

4, 5 or 6 nights in a week will cost the same as the full week.

Prices quoted include for linen (one set for each bed requested, plus one spare set for each bedroom), towels, wifi/broadband (fibre-optic to the premises, but speed variable), firewood (for stove in Cottage), use of the private garden of the unit rented, and shared use of the wider grounds. But a small stock of emergency provisions including, tea, coffee, sugar, fruit teas, skimmed long life milk, a selection of tinned food and fire lighting materials are supplied in case you should arrive after the shops have closed. We would be grateful for replacement of items consumed.

Prices include £10.00 allowance per day for gas and electricity. Usage significantly in excess of this as determined by your host, based on meter readings on the days of arrival and departure, may result in additional charges. Guests staying more than 1 week, who use on average less (including standing charges) than the above allowance will qualify for a rebate matching the saving made. Costs calculated from current published rate per kWHr electricity and cost per cubic metre of gas used from last Propane delivery prior to guest arrival.

Reservations and Booking

A booking (reservation) fee of £100 per week excluding VAT, is included in the quoted price.

Bookings (reservations) can be made up to 8 weeks before arrival by payment of the booking fee (including VAT) and submission of a completed booking form; provided the accommodation unit required is still available.

Manor Holding Cottages operate a first come first served policy for which the cut-off point is our receipt of both a fully completed booking form and confirmed payment of the correct matching booking fee.

No booking exists until confirmed by Manor Holding Cottages issuing a booking receipt. Receipts will normally be issued by email, if we have the email address of the booker, failing this they will be posted by surface mail to the address provided on the booking form. This booking receipt includes confirmation of the name and correspondence address of the person in whose name the booking is made, the dates booked, a statement of the balance due, and the date by which it should be paid to avoid the booking lapsing. It will be accompanied by detailed directions and its maps for finding the accommodation.

Bookings (reservations) lapse 6 weeks before arrival, unless we receive the balance of rental due. This is the sum of the total rental cost including any extras requested, less any booking fees or other interim payments already received.

On receiving the balance payment, Manor Holding Cottages will issue a balance payment receipt, including a description of arrangements for handover of the keys to the accommodation. This will be accompanied by a detailed booklet of useful information likely to be of assistance to guests, including information about the facilities available within the accommodation, on site, and through local independent service providers.

Full Payment Booking

Subject to continued availability, bookings (reservations) can still be made within 8 weeks of arrival, but no later than 60hrs before arrival, by submitting a completed booking form and payment of the full rental cost. In this case no booking exists until confirmed by a full payment booking receipt. Bookings must be completed, including confirmation of payment by the recieving bank, no less thant 48hrs before arrival. Please note that banks may take 4 days or more to clear cheques, making this form of payment less suitable for late bookings.

Cancellation and Refunds

A full refund will be made if:

1) We are unable to fulfil our side of the booking agreement, and

2) We are not able to offer acceptable alternative accommodation for our guests.

Manor Holding Cottages reserve the right to refuse at short notice, accommodation or any other service to persons whom they suspect may have engaged, or to be likely to, engage in a fraudulent or other illicit act; or who are likely in the view of the hosts to cause damage to property or to the reputation of the hosts, the establishment or the company.

In cases of cancellation by a guest, refunds will only be made if the period cancelled is subsequently taken by others at full cost.

Charges for guests' additional requirements

Such extras may include accommodation for pets, extra linen, early arrival or late departure by prior arrangement, or bike hire, as follows:

Well behaved pets are welcome at the price published on our website, www.wyreforestcottage.com, but must be kept under control at all times and prevented from causing damage to building fabric, furnishings, planting, lawns, farm animals, or wildlife. Please remove pet faeces from areas where children might subsequently play such as lawns and paved or gravelled areas. Pets are not permitted on the furniture or upstairs within the accommodation.

Bicycles can be hired by prior arrangement at the price published on our website, www.wyreforestcottage.com. Please allow a minimum of one week for hire to be arranged. Storage of guests' own bicycles is provided free of charge for the duration of the guest's stay, at guest's own risk.

Arrival and Departure

We ask that guests arrive after 1700hrs on the day of arrival, and depart before 1030hrs on the day of departure, leaving the accommodation clean and in good repair, as found. Other arrangements may be negotiable, but must be agreed by the property owner in writing, prior to the date of arrival.

Parking

Off road parking is provided for guests at guests' own risk. A minimum equivalent of 2 standard sized car parking spaces (4.8x2.4m / 16'x8' each) will be available for guests at each accommodation unit. Guests should park with consideration for other users who may need to get their own vehicles in and out. More space may be made available by agreement with the owners.

Deliveries

Maximum width of vehicles attending Manor Holding is 2.4m / 8'. Turning space at Manor Holding is limited by an overhanging roof, and drivers of commercial vehicles larger than a standard van are advised to check, on foot, the available space before venturing past the "Manor Holding" sign.

Maximum width of vehicles using Kingswood Lane is 2.6m / 9', but tall, long or articulated vehicles of this width will experience difficulties. Maximum height clearance 3.8m.

No liability for damage to, or caused by, visiting vehicles can be accepted by Manor Holding Cottages. Manor Holding Cottages reserve the right to claim for damages to cover any damage done to property, at Manor Holding, or along Kingswood Lane.

Responsibilities

Your hosts reserve the right to charge for damage to property, caused by guests or their guests, pets, or independent service providors commissioned by guests; including for consequent loss of business and costs of reimbursing other guests for consequent lack of, or reduction in amenity.

Your hosts accept no liability for loss or lack of amenity suffered by guests as a consequence of the guest's own actions or omissions.

Your hosts accept no liability for loss of amenity consequent upon guest failure to report to your hosts within 12 hours, any perceived fault in the property or any service provided; so that we may have the opportunity to rectify any problem without delay.

Guests are expected to behave with consideration for other current and future users of Manor Holding, local rights of way, and neighbouring properties; and for the local wildlife, farm animals, their human carers and other rural workers.

Guests are encouraged to follow the "Countryside Code" and in particular to avoid leaving litter and minimise other pollution of the countryside, whether chemical (eg soil or water pollution), visual (including unshielded bright lights), auditory (including loud noises), or olfactory (discarded food can attract unwelcome wildlife).

Guests are required to conform to European Community, national and local regulations and laws, in all dealings with Manor Holding Cottages and while staying at Manor Holding.

Smoking is not permitted by English law within these premises, under the Health Act 2006. Smoking outside the premises is permitted subject to suitable precautions with regard to fire risk. Smoking is therefore NOT permitted in the vicinity of the wood store, the sewage system or any volatile fuel pipework.

The buildings of Manor Holding are Listed Grade II and so legally protected under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

The orchards and adjacent woodland at Manor Holding are designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and so protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, amended in 1985 and further substantially amended in 2000 (by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000). The Wyre Forest National Nature Reserve and indeed wildlife throughout Manor Holding and the country as a whole are protected by the same statutes.

The "Abberley and Malvern Hills Geopark Way" public footpath, which runs along the drive belonging to Manor Holding is also covered by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. "Kingswood Lane" is designated a public bridleway under the same act.

Numerous other public or permitted rights of way, covered by this act, form a fine network of walking, cycling and horse riding routes throughout the Wyre Forest and surrounding area. There are even more unofficial informal routes, but not all are sanctioned by the relevant landowner, as the Wyre Forest is split into hundreds of separate land holdings with different owners.

Laws and regulations pertaining to holiday accommodation are summarised in "The Pink Book – Legislation for Tourism Accommodation", published by Visit England.
Guests are required to act at all times in a responsible manner to minimise fire risk, including familiarising themselves with the fire procedures recommended. It takes the fire brigade approximately 40 minutes to reach Manor Holding following a 999 call. The fire resistant doors are designed to withstand fire only 30 minutes and may be bypassed by the fire in less time, through the 300 year old timber framed walls, floors and ceilings.

Outdoor Activities

Guests are warned that although statistically most accidents occur in the home, outdoor activities are inherently hazardous, particularly in unfamiliar locations.

Guests are urged to act cautiously, and in particular to ensure that children and dogs are supervised at all times.

Manor Holding Cottages can accept no liability for hazards commonly found in rural areas, such as: wind; water including ice or snow; effects of chemical or biological contaminants; mud; uneven ground; steep gradients; stings; bites (toxic or otherwise); cuts or scratches; subsequent infections; poisonous plants or fungi; falls (low level or from height); falling branches or trees; wild, farm, or domestic animals; lightning; electrical discharge, gas leak, explosion, fire, farm and forestry machinery; road vehicles; etc.

Guests are particularly warned of the dangers associated with climbing old trees with dead branches; or on old ruined walls, which do not have the benefit of modern mortar to prevent stones being dislodged; and of standing too close below old tiled roofs which tend to shed occasional ancient hand-made clay tiles from time to time. Wet boulders may also be extremely slippery due to algae on their surface.

Cross country walking, running, cycling, riding and other rural sports, each have their own extra hazards and are undertaken at the individual participant's risk.

Manor Holding Cottages can accept no liability for injuries arising from any activities involving, or similar to, those outlined above.

Data Protection

Please note that we ask only for the minimum information necessary to fully meet your needs, but that any information provided may be recorded for use in providing, and informing you of, our services. We take care to safeguard your personal data, but abstracts of comments and feedback you provide may be used, in conjunction with either your initials, first name or your family name (but not more than one of these together), in advertising. Data provided may also be used, or where necessary passed to relevant authorities, to investigate any financial claims or suspected criminal activity; and when appropriate, to safeguard the legitimate interests of the company and it's staff. By providing information to us, you agree to our recording and using such information for these purposes.