Terms and Conditions for L’Ancienne Ecurie du Château Lézian
These terms and Conditions may be changed at any time (last updated November 2019). A full and current copy is available in the welcome pack in the gîte.
Terms used
In these Terms and Conditions ‘you/yours’ refers to the hirer and his/her party and ‘we/us’ means Gîte L’Ancienne Ecurie/Angela and Ian Thompson. The term ‘gîte’ refers to the gîte building., the grounds, the front drive, the swimming pool and any services provided by us.
Booking and Deposit
When booking direct with us, a non-returnable deposit of 25% is required at the time of booking. Full payment for late bookings (ie. less than 6 weeks before the date of arrival) is required when booking. Any balance must be received 6 weeks prior to your arrival.
When booking direct through ourselves we accept cheques (French only) or direct bank transfer for deposit/payment.
Your booking is secure once we have received a signed copy of these Terms and Conditions and deposit (or full payment for late bookings). No confirmed reservation will be made until the completed booking form and deposit has been received. The deposit is non-refundable. As a result, we strongly advise you to take out holiday cancellation insurance.
When booking through a third party site, e.g., Airbnb or Gites de France, the exact amount payable at booking will depend on the terms and conditions of the site.
Non Payment of the Outstanding Balance
Failure to pay the outstanding balance within 5 working days of the due date, 6 weeks prior to your rental start date will result in your rental being suspended and the gîte will be re-advertised. Should the gîte be re-let and your balance subsequently received, your payment, minus the deposit will be refunded. We therefore recommend that you contact us as soon as possible if you have a problem getting the payment to us in time.
Cancellation by You
If you cancel your booking up to one week after making your reservation (as long as it is more than 6 weeks prior to your rental start date and therefore not a late booking) we will refund your full deposit. If you cancel after one week but before 6 weeks before your rental start date we will retain your full deposit, but no further charges will be made.
If you cancel less than 6 weeks prior to your rental start date after making full payment we will retain the full payment.
Cancellation by Us
In the unlikely event that we have to cancel your stay then we will do the following:
1. Attempt to make alternative arrangements for you in similar accommodation near-by. In this case you will be refunded in full.
2. Attempt to arrange an alternative date for your stay. Should this be in a higher priced time there will be no additional charge and should it be in a lower priced time we will refund the difference.
3. If no alternative can be made we will refund your payment and deposit in full.
Our rights and Liability
Our rights include, but are not limited to:
Refusing to accept any booking at our sole discretion.
Entering the accommodation at any reasonable time and for any reasonable cause. We will always try to let you know if we need to do this.
Refusing entry to your friends/visitors.
Charging for non-trivial damage, howsoever caused.
Claiming from you for any loss of future business as a result of damage resulting from your stay here, by you or your guests/visitors, howsoever this is caused.
Terminating the rental agreement immediately and without compensation or refund if:
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You damage the accommodation, are excessively noisy or disturb others;
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We reasonably suspect you are breaking the law;
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You allow anyone extra to stay in the gîte without our permission;
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You do not comply with these full terms and conditions.
We shall not be liable for any death or injury or for damage to or loss to your personal property, occurring whilst you rent Gîte L’Ancienne Ecurie. Please ensure all your valuables are covered under your household insurance. Your vehicles and contents are left at your own risk.
In the event of circumstances beyond our reasonable control e.g. (but not limited to) fire, flood, exceptional weather conditions, loss of electricity/internet connection, disease outbreaks, industrial disputes, etc. we shall not be liable for any resulting costs, losses or damages suffered by you, including the cost of securing alternative accommodation. However, where appropriate, we will refund your payments to you.
We will not be liable for any personal injury, loss or damage whatsoever caused as a result of the use of any children’s equipment, toys, outdoor games equipment, barbeque, patio heater or other equipment left at the gîte for use by you and your party/guests during the rental period.
Security
During your stay you are responsible for the keys to the gîte and therefore you are responsible for ensuring all doors and windows are closed and locked when you are not in residence. We do not accept any responsibility for damage or loss to your possessions or property during your stay.
What is included in the Price
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Rental of the gîte for the time specified and for the number of people specified on the booking form to a maximum of 10 people and this includes children (babies in cots are not included in this head-count; two cots are made available if required). Facilities are open only to residential guests.
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Parking for up to 4 vehicles – please contact us if you wish to park an additional vehicle/trailer.
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Up to 8 kW of electricity per day. Any amount above this will be charged at the current tariff.
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One complimentary wooden (apple crate) of logs for off season bookings (then we will sell you logs at 10€ per crate).
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Bed linen and towels for the number of people booked, tea/hand towels, bath/shower mats and swim towels (if your stay is during high season).
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Wifi: Internet speed and access are subject to provider availability and are offered as a free extra. We cannot be held responsible for the speed of the internet or if no internet is available during your stay.
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The gîte will be equipped for the duration of your stay with essentials such as household cleaning products, hand soap (in kitchens and bathrooms), tissues, kitchen roll, toilet paper, dishwasher tablets, laundry detergent/fabric conditioner. Also, we provide cooking essentials such as salt, pepper, seasonings, olive oil and sunflower oil. You will also be left basic essentials sufficient for the first couple of days such as tea bags, coffee pods (for two Senseo machines), sugar and milk.
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Welcome pack: Your complimentary welcome pack includes bread, cheese, charcuterie wine and basket of fruit.
Arriving & Leaving
The gîte accommodation is available from 16:00 – 21:00 on your rental start date. Please let us know if you plan to arrive later or if your arrival time is delayed.
You must vacate the gîte by 09:00 on the final day.
For short breaks arrival and departure dates can be arranged to suit you (within reason and subject to availability).
The gîte is for holiday use only – Neither you, nor any person allowed into the property by you, has the right to remain in the accommodation beyond the agreed departure date.
Your responsibilities
Your general responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Ensuring only the number of people for whom the booking is made, stay in the gîte.
Informing us in advance if you have any friends/visitors coming to the gîte. You are responsible for your friends/visitors at all times when at the gîte or in the grounds.
Not using the gîte as a base for a party.
Ensuring that any friends/visitors at the gîte comply fully with these terms and conditions.
Not permitting your friends/visitors to use the gîte facilities/grounds without our prior consent.
Reporting to us any breakages or missing items (you will not normally be charged for minor damage or breakages and we would prefer to be made aware in time to allow us to make repairs/provide replacements for future guests).
Keeping all furniture, fittings and effects in the same good condition as they were found.
Ensuring the BBQ is safely extinguished at the end of the evening.
Respecting the non-smoking areas. The gîte, the surrounding grounds/fields and swimming pool area are all non-smoking areas. You may safely smoke in the outside kitchen area and at the front of the gîte, using the ashtrays provided.
Respecting and adhering to the guidelines for disposal of waste and recycling. These will be explained on your arrival and appropriate recycling containers/bins are provided.
Using our grounds and facilities at your own risk. You should expect to encounter some potential minor hazards such as uneven ground, mud, etc.
Exercising caution around the swimming pool and supervising any children using the swimming pool or grounds. We cannot be held responsible for any injury to you or any of your party. Please leave gates as you find them.
Our Animals
We kindly request you do not feed any of our horses, dogs and cats as this would upset their routine and controlled diets, whilst at the same time encourage them to be a nuisance to you and future guests. We ensure that our family friendly dogs (two female Vizslas) will not cause you any nuisance. For extra reassurance and peace of mind of parents of young children, or for those who are nervous of dogs, the entire front area of the gîte is inaccessible to the dogs by way of railings and gates. Our cats and dogs are not allowed inside the gîte. Our family's horses reside in adjoining barns and graze in the surrounding fields. They are all very gentle and friendly and we encourage you to visit them, but in the interests of your safety we ask that you do not enter the barns or fields unaccompanied by one of us. The horses are not available for guests to ride but they can be brushed at will!
Care and Cleaning of the Gîte
When booking direct through us we ask for a returnable security deposit of 550€ to be paid with your final balance into our bank account. All deposits are returned by bank transfer within one week and following a positive inspection of the gîte.
For guests booking through Airbnb.com the security deposit is held by Airbnb under their site’s own terms and conditions.
Cleaning the gîte is not included in the letting price. On departure, the gîte should be left clean and tidy, in the same condition as on arrival, ready for the arrival of the next guests.
If preferred, an end-of-let cleaning service is available at a cost of 85€, payable in cash on arrival and in addition to the security deposit. In this case the gîte should still be left tidy; everything should be put away, the washing up done and all rubbish & food removed.
We reserve the right to retain all or some of the security deposit should the gîte be left excessively dirty or damaged.
Fosse Septique (Septic tank)
The gîte is serviced by a septic tank. These are very common in rural areas and do not normally pose any problems as long as they are used respectfully. Please do not flush any sanitary towels, tampons, baby nappies/wipes or thick wads of toilet paper down the toilets, including moist toilet wipes labelled as "biodegradable" as they can still block the drain pipes. The tank is also not designed to take any abrasive chemicals such as bleaches. Only septic tank friendly products are to be used as these promote a healthy bacteria growth within these units. We take this issue seriously so you will find the gîte well stocked with environmentally friendly cleaning and household products.
Swimming Pool
The swimming pool is available between May 1st to September 30th each year (from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm). The pool is regularly maintained but if unusual climatic changes occur, this may affect the chemical balance. If there are any problems with the water or clarity, please inform us. No glass, bottles or china are to be taken or used in the pool area. For resident guests, plastic glasses are provided. We reserve the absolute right to close the pool or restrict the hours of the swimming pool use for any period of time in circumstances which we believe in our absolute discretion to be necessary in the interests of health and safety.
We will not be held responsible for any loss or inconvenience that may be suffered as a consequence of any unforeseen breakdown in the pumping/filtration or any other equipment used in the swimming pool.
SUN CREAM DAMAGE
Please DO NOT USE P20 SUNCREAM. This reacts with chlorine in the pool and indelibly stains fabrics (on white fabrics such as bedding sheets, towels or sun bed lounger cushion covers, yellow staining occurs). ALL damage so caused will be deducted from your security deposit. Please ensure you protect the sun lounger and outdoor sofa cushions from any sun lotions by using the pool towels provided.
Pets
Much as we adore them, we regretfully cannot accept any pets at Gîte L’Ancienne Ecurie due to the presence of our own animals.
Complaints
Should you have any complaints with regard to your stay at the gîte you must inform us at the time of the complaint and without fail before you leave. This includes, although is not limited to, dissatisfaction with the gîte and accidents to you or any in your party whilst at the gîte. If you encounter any problems with the gîte please let us know as soon as possible and allow us suitable time to rectify the problem. We cannot consider any complaint brought to our notice after you have left. We take no responsibility for the weather.
GDPR & Privacy Policy
The European regulation No. 2016/679 of 27 April 2016, or General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), came into force on 25 May 2018 and replaces the Data Protection Act. This is a European wide law and as such affects how we use and store information we receive from guests and enquirers. It covers all data, whether electronic or paper based.
What information we collect from you:
When you make a booking with us we collect the names of all the guests who will be staying, the home address, email address and telephone number of the person making the booking.
How we use the information you give us:
We need your email address to send through information relating to your reservation, answer any queries you have regarding the property or to send you terms & conditions, etc. We will send you a follow up email after your stay to thank you for staying, asking you to leave a review or feedback and details of how to stay in contact with us. We don’t need explicit consent for this.
We will not use your telephone number unless we need to contact you urgently or if we cannot reach you by email. From time to time we would like to publish your comments on our website and advertisement, and unless otherwise requested, we will assume that you have no objection.
Marketing:
We use Instagram to market our gîte and our own website. We never pass your details to any third party.
Access to your Information:
You have the right to request a copy of the information we hold about you. If you would like a copy of this please email us at chateaulezian@gmail.com.
Right to be Forgotten:
All customers have the right to ask us to remove their details from our records. However, we are required by law to keep financial records for 7 years, so guests cannot ask to be erased from these financial records during this period.
If you book direct with us and complete a booking request, then be assured that your details are kept secure on our system via password controlled entry and are not used for any other purpose or shared with any other person or business.
If you book via one of our booking partners, they also have to comply with GDPR regulations and have their own safeguards and policies.
Similarly, if you choose to follow us on social media, ie. Instagram, we don’t need consent as you have already accepted the terms & conditions on that platform. Again, we will not ask you for your email address in order to send you newsletters, etc.
Notification of Data Breaches:
The GDPR will require us to notify the Information Commissioner's Office within 72 hours of first having become aware of the breach, where that breach is likely to “result in a risk for the rights and freedoms of individuals”. For any breach, we are required to notify the customers “without undue delay” after first becoming aware of a data breach.