(applicable to all bookings made from 01.06.26 – please see here for any bookings made prior to this date)
Who are we?
We are Cottages on the Coast Limited (“we/our/us”), a registered company in England and Wales incorporated under company number 15306989. Our registered office is 2 Hawkridge Road, Chivenor, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 4BB.
We act as booking agents for the Owner in the letting of their Property to you, the Lead Guest (“you/your”). The contractual relationship will be between you as the Lead Guest and the Owner. We are not a party to the contract.
1.1 When the following words with capital letters are used in these Terms, this is what they will mean:
| Agent (we/our/us) | Cottages on the Coast Limited (Company No. 15306989) whose registered office is 2 Hawkridge Road, Chivenor, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 4BB. |
| Amendment Fee | a fee of £50 including VAT payable in accordance with clause 6. |
| Arrival Date | the date (and time) on which your Booking will begin and the Property will be made available to you. |
| Balance Due Date | 10 weeks before your Arrival Date, except in circumstances where the Booking Confirmation is issued less than 10 weeks before the Arrival Date (in which case the balance is due upon Booking). |
| Booking | the confirmed reservation of the Property to commence on the Arrival Date and end on the Departure Date. |
| Booking Confirmation | the written acceptance of the Booking Reservation which may include more information such as details around arrival and departure, directions, Property Rules etc. |
| Booking Deposit | 20% of the total Booking Price, required from you at the time of making the Booking Reservation to secure the Property. |
| Booking Fee | £40 plus VAT per Booking, included in the Booking Price. |
| Booking Party | those named individuals booked to occupy the Property along with the Lead Guest, as listed in the Booking Confirmation. |
| Booking Price | the total price as charged to you for the Booking, including the Booking Deposit and any additional charges as set out on the Website or otherwise notified to you when making a Booking. |
| Booking Reservation | your request to book a Property via online booking form available through the Website. |
| Business Day | 09:00 to 17:00 on a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday in England when banks in London are open for business. |
| Complaint | a complaint made by you in accordance with clause 14.2, and addressed in accordance with our Complaints Policy. |
| Complaints Policy | our policy for dealing with customer complaints, as set out in clause 14. |
| Contact Details | the details found on our Website here: Contact – Cottages On The Coast. |
| Damage Waiver | amount charged as part of the Booking Price that provides cover for damage, breakage and any extra cleaning that is required, up to a nominal amount as confirmed by us in the Booking Confirmation. |
| Departure Date | the date (and time) on which your Booking will end, and you must vacate the Property. |
| Events Outside of the Parties’ Control | as defined in clause 18. |
| Lead Guest | the individual who makes the Booking Reservation, who will attend and make use of the Property (subject to the Booking Confirmation) with their Booking Party). |
| Owner | the registered owner or owners of the Property provided for holiday letting purposes. |
| Owner’s Representatives | representatives of the Owner including but not limited to housekeepers and caretakers. |
| Permitted Pets | any pet attending the Property (other than assistance animals) for which you have obtained the Owner’s express permission or are permitted in accordance with the Website. |
| Privacy Policy | a separate document made available on our Website or in hard copy on request. |
| Property | the property provided for holiday letting purposes, details of which have been made available on the Website. |
| Property Description | the description of the Property made available on the Website. |
| Property Rules | specific restrictions applicable to a Property as detailed on the Website, within pre-arrival information, digital guest guides, at the Property, or otherwise provided during your Booking. |
| Terms | the terms and conditions on which your Booking is supplied to you, being this agreement and any other documentation referred to in it. |
| Security Deposit | a refundable (subject to clause 13.1 of these Terms and Conditions) security deposit taken prior to your Arrival Date and held throughout the duration of the Booking in case damage is caused to the Property. |
| Website | cottagesonthecoast.co.uk, exmoorcottages.co.uk or such other website used by us from time to time. |
1.2 When we use the words “writing” or “written” in these Terms, this will include email but does not include fax or any messaging service or platform.
1.3 Unless the context otherwise requires, words in the singular shall include the plural and vice versa.
1.4 If any of these Terms conflict with any term contained within the Booking Reservation, the Booking Confirmation, or the Property Rules, these Terms will take priority.
2.1 These are the Terms on which we provide the Booking as agent, and the Owner supplies the Property to you for the duration of your Booking.
2.2 Please ensure that you read these Terms carefully, and check that the details on the Booking Reservation are complete and accurate, before you submit the Booking Reservation.
2.3 These Terms will become binding once we issue you with the Booking Confirmation as set out in clause 4.
2.4 In making the Booking Reservation you understand and accept that we act as agent for and on behalf of the Owner to provide your Booking. We do not hold any ownership in the properties listed on our Website, including the Property, but act as an agent for the Owner of the Property.
2.5 Once your Booking has been confirmed in accordance with clause 5.1, the Owner agrees to provide your Booking in accordance with these Terms and your contract for the Booking will be with the Owner, with us acting as agents in accordance with these Terms.
2.6 The Property is provided for holiday letting purpose only for the specified period as detailed in your Booking Confirmation. For the avoidance of doubt, these Terms do not create a landlord and tenant relationship between you and the Owner, and you will not be entitled to any:
2.6.1 new tenancy;
2.6.2 the right to sub-let the Property in part or in whole;
2.6.3 assured short hold or tenancy; or
2.6.4 any statutory protection either under the Housing Act 1988 or by way of a statutory security of tenure.
3.1 We may revise these Terms from time to time if required due to changes in the law or regulatory requirements or if business needs dictate it.
3.2 If we have to revise these Terms under clause 3.1, we will give you at least 14 days written notice of any changes to these Terms before they take effect, or as much notice as possible where your Arrival Date is less than 14 days before the date of the change.
3.3 You can choose to cancel the contract if you do not accept these changes and will be refunded any monies paid to date in full.
4.1 Please take reasonable steps to ensure that the Property is suitable for your needs before submitting a Booking Reservation. If you have additional requirements, please contact us to discuss the Property prior to making a Booking Reservation.
4.2 The maximum number of people who can stay in the Property will be notified to you on the Website. You must not exceed the maximum occupancy. The use of additional temporary accommodation such as tents and campervans for the purpose of exceeding the maximum occupancy is not permitted.
4.3 In making a Booking Reservation you confirm that you are over the age of 18.
4.4 When you submit a Booking Reservation, this does not mean we have accepted your Booking. If the Owner is unable to supply you with the Property for your requested dates, we will inform you of this in writing and we will not process the Booking and no contract will be formed under these Terms.
4.5 We will confirm acceptance of your Booking by issuing a Booking Confirmation. We will not issue the Booking Confirmation until we have received payment of the Booking Deposit. Please review the Booking Confirmation carefully.
5.1 Your Booking is not confirmed, and no contract exists, until the Booking Deposit has been received by us and a Booking Confirmation has been issued. The Booking is subject to these Terms.
5.2 Once you have paid the Booking Deposit, and received the Booking Confirmation, you will become liable for the Booking Price (as confirmed in the Booking Confirmation). The remaining balance must be paid by the Balance Due Date.
5.3 You may cancel your Booking within 24 hours of receiving the Booking Confirmation by contacting us via the Contact Details. We will refund you all monies paid, less the non-refundable Booking Fee. Cancellation after this 24 hour period will be subject to our full cancellation policy at clause 7.
5.4 If the Arrival Date is within 10 weeks of us receiving the Booking Reservation, or in other exceptional circumstances as confirmed by us, the full Booking Price is payable at the point of making the Booking Reservation.
5.5 If the total Booking Price remains unpaid by the Balance Due Date, we reserve the right to cancel the Booking. Our cancellation policy at clause 7 will apply.
5.6 Payment is accepted by bank transfer, debit card and credit card or cheque (drawn from a UK bank and made payable to Cottages on the Coast with the booking reference clearly included). There are no charges applicable for these payment methods. We are not able to accommodate international bank transfers or payments via American Express.
5.7 We reserve the right to charge interest and other charges (including debt recovery charges) on any unpaid invoice under this contract from the Balance Due Date, or any other due date as stated on the invoice, until final payment either at the rate payable pursuant to the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 or, in respect of sums due from individuals, interest at the equivalent rate allowable under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.
If you wish to change the dates of your Booking or amend your Booking in any way, please contact us via our Contact Details. We cannot guarantee that your requests will be accommodated and reserve the right to charge for any differences in price. We reserve the right to charge an Amendment Fee for changes made to the Booking.
7.1 You may cancel a Booking before the Arrival Date by contacting us in writing using the Contact Details.
7.2 Cancellation within 24 hours of receiving the Booking Confirmation is dealt with at clause 5.3.
7.3 Your liability for the Booking Price is dependent on the Property and period of notice that you give us, set out below:
| Number of days before Arrival Date that notification of cancellation is received | Percentage of Booking Price payable by you |
|---|---|
| Prior to Balance Due Date | 20% (being the Booking Deposit) |
| On or after Balance Due Date | 100% |
7.4 If you have paid in full, a partial refund of the Booking Price may be provided depending on when you notify us of the request to cancel. If you have only paid a Booking Deposit or the Booking Price in part, you may be required to make further payments to cover your liability set out in the above table. You will also be liable for the Booking Fee.
7.5 We will confirm your cancellation with you in writing and notify you of any refund due to you, or payment due from you at that time.
7.6 If you cancel your Booking, we will try and re-let the Property. If we are able to re-let the Property, we will be able to offer you a refund subject to any difference between the Booking Price and the re-let price, and excluding any additional charges which are non-refundable according to these Terms.
For example, where the Booking Price was £1,000 and you cancelled 5 weeks before the Arrival Date, and we re-let the Property for £800, the refund will be £760, being the Booking Price less the re-let price (£200) and the Booking Fee (£40).
You will be liable for the Booking Fee to cover our costs in refunding you and attempting to re-let the Property.
7.7 If you depart voluntarily from the Property before the Departure Date, no refund shall be given. Similarly, if you fail to show for your Booking, this will be regarded as a cancellation and will not be refundable.
7.8 Where you have cancelled a Booking because of our failure to comply with these Terms or if we change these Terms under clause 3 and you elect to cancel the Booking (except where we have been affected by an Event Outside of the Parties’ Control), you do not have to make any payment to us and we will refund any monies paid in full.
7.9 Any refunds will take up to 7 working days to be processed from the point of agreement.
7.10 We recommend taking out suitable travel insurance at the time of Booking.
8.1 We, or the Owner, may have to cancel a Booking before the Arrival Date due to an Event Outside of the Parties Control, unavailability of the Property, or the unavailability of key personnel or key materials without which we cannot provide the Booking. We will contact you promptly if this happens.
8.2 We will, if possible and as soon as we reasonably can, offer you:
8.2.1 alternative accommodation of a similar type, standard, location and price (if available)
8.2.2 different dates for the same Property; or
8.2.3 a full refund.
8.3 As an alternative property is likely to be owned by a different Owner, the advertised cost of the alternative property will be payable by you. If the cost is lower and you have already paid the full Booking Price for your original Booking, you will receive a refund of the price difference. If you do not wish to accept the alternative property or another property is not available, you will receive a full refund of all monies paid to us, but you will have no further claims against us or the Owner.
8.4 We may cancel the Booking at any time with immediate effect by giving you written notice if you:
8.4.1 do not pay us when you are supposed to; or
8.4.2 are in breach of these Terms in any other material way.
8.5 The full extent of our liability is set out in clause 17.
9.1 The Booking shall commence on the Arrival Date and terminate on the Departure Date unless otherwise advised or agreed with us in writing. The Property will not be available outside of these times.
9.2 We reserve the right to charge an additional fee for failure to vacate the Property and remove belongings by the date and time specified in the Departure Date.
10.1 Your Booking is subject to your adherence to the Property Rules, as provided on the Website, within pre-arrival communications, digital guest guides, property welcome folders, signage at the Property, and any reasonable instructions provided by us, the Owner or the Owner’s Representatives
10.2 The current Property Rules, as amended from time to time, form part of these Terms. Breach of the Property Rules shall constitute a breach of these Terms and may entitle us to cancel the Booking with immediate effect.
10.3 As the person making the Booking, you are responsible for ensuring all members of your Booking Party comply with these Terms and the Property Rules.
11.1 Visitors. Only the persons whose names are detailed on the Booking Confirmation are permitted to stay in the Property.
11.2 Parties. No parties or events, including hen and stag parties, are permitted to be held without the Owner’s prior approval. We reserve the right to refuse or cancel any Bookings from parties which may, in our opinion, be unsuitable for the Property
11.3 Third party providers. If you wish to have a third party provide services at the Property, this will only be permitted where we have provided written approval of such third parties ahead of the Arrival Date. Any third party will be bound by the Property Rules and must carry suitable levels of insurance. Please contact us using the Contact Details to discuss any such third party, no later than 14 days before the Arrival Date, to enable us to review your request and decide whether to approve.
11.4 Smoking. No smoking or vaping is permitted inside the Property.
11.5 Noise and behaviour. Noise should be kept to a minimum, particularly late at night, out of respect of the neighbouring properties.
11.6 Health and safety. For your safety, it is important that you and your Booking Party read and adhere to the important information provided in the Property Rules. You and your Booking Party must also adhere to any additional safety information or signage at the Property, including in relation to any amenities at the Property. Amenities are used at the Booking Party’s own risk.
11.7 Keys. Late return or replacement of keys for the Property will incur a fee of up to £50.
11.8 Internet. Internet access is offered on a complimentary basis for recreational use. Availability is not guaranteed, nor is minimum speed, unrestricted bandwidth, or uninterrupted provision of internet access. We do not accept any liability for telephone or internet services being unavailable or interrupted.
11.9 Electric Vehicles. You must not under any circumstances charge an electric vehicle using an internal socket at the Property. Use of EV charging point(s) (where provided) must be in accordance with the onsite instructions. This includes any payment requirements. Electric bikes and scooters must not be stored in the Property (or associated Storage areas).
11.10 Right of access. We, our representatives, the Owner, the Owner’s Representative, and any third-party contractors including but not limited to gardeners, window cleaners and engineers shall be allowed access to the Property at any reasonable time during your Booking. We will seek to minimise any disruption and will provide prior notice where possible.
12.1 Only Permitted Pets or registered assistance animals are permitted to stay in the Property. Permitted Pets may be subject to a charge as confirmed on the Website.
12.2 Where pets that are not permitted but have been brought with you for the Booking, we reserve the right to request immediate departure.
12.3 We reserve the right to refuse admission or request immediate departure from the Property to anyone who permits their Permitted Pet to be, in our sole discretion, a nuisance or danger to others. Permitted Pets must be kept under strict control in accordance with these Terms, the Property Rules and any additional information and signage at the Property.
12.4 You will be liable for any damage caused, or parasites introduced by, any animals brought with you for the Booking.
12.5 We are not liable for any allergies that are affected as a result of pets present in previous occupancy.
13.1 We, or the Owner, may request that you pay a Security Deposit or Damage Waiver for your Booking. This will be confirmed on our Website when making the Booking Reservation.
13.2 Where a Security Deposit is requested, we will confirm the time of payment in the Booking Confirmation. We will collect and retain the Security Deposit for the duration of your Booking.
13.3 You shall take proper care of the Property and its contents during your Booking and you may lose your Security Deposit and/or receive an invoice for any damage caused or loss suffered if the Property and its contents are not left in the same state in which it is found at your Arrival Date.
13.4 Upon your arrival, please notify us of any defects within the first 24 hours. Thereafter you will be deemed to have accepted the condition of the Property and may be held responsible for any damage discovered at a later date. If damage occurs during your stay, please notify us immediately.
13.5 A Damage Waiver may be charged as part of the Booking Price. The Damage Waiver will provide cover for damage, breakage and any extra cleaning that is required up to the amount charged, as confirmed by us in the Booking Confirmation.
13.6 The Owner reserves the right to charge you for the cost of repairing any damage and/or replacing damaged items caused by you or the Booking Party during the Booking that exceeds the value covered by the Damage Waiver. Such charges must be paid within 14 days of receiving the invoice.
14.1 This clause 14 sets out our Complaints Policy.
14.2 Reporting a Complaint.
14.2.1 Any Complaints about the Property, including Complaints concerning any defects, broken appliances or cleaning standards, must be made to us within 24 hours of arrival on the Arrival Date so that remedial action can be taken if necessary. After this 24 hour period, you will be deemed to have accepted the condition of the Property.
14.2.2 Any Complaints that arise during your Booking and were not identifiable under clause 14.2.1, must be communicated to us immediately upon occurrence.
14.2.3 All Complaints, and correspondence relating to ongoing Complaints, should be made to us in writing via the Contact Details. You may wish to discuss your Complaint on the telephone, however we request that you follow up any conversation in writing for our record keeping purposes.
14.3 Acknowledgement.
14.3.1 We will acknowledge receipt of your Complaint within 24 hours of receiving it (or the next Business Day if the Complaint is received outside of a Business Day).
14.3.2 We will confirm the point of contact handling the Complaint and the next steps we will be taking to investigate.
14.4 Investigation.
14.4.1 We will review the information provided with the Complaint and may request further details from you, including access to the Property.
14.4.2 If we, or the Owner, are denied the opportunity to investigate or otherwise act upon the Complaint during your Booking, you will be assumed to have waived all rights in relation to the Complaint.
14.4.3 Where we are able to rectify the issue at this stage, we will do so and conclude the Complaint. If a temporary measure can be put in place, we will do so whilst our investigation is ongoing.
14.4.4 Where required, we (or the Owner if they have assumed conduct of the Complaint) will conduct a full investigation. You will be kept reasonably informed during the process. Full investigations shall be conducted within 5 Business Days from commencement, unless otherwise stated.
14.5 Outcome.
14.5.1 Where we (or the Owner) have conducted a full investigation, you will be provided with a written response summarising the outcome of the investigation. This will include any remedial action we (or the Owner) have determined reasonable.
14.5.2 In exceptional cases, and entirely subject to our sole discretion, a refund or payment may be offered as a resolution to the Complaint. Any refund or payment offered is made strictly as a goodwill gesture and without admission of liability unless expressly stated otherwise in writing.
14.5.3 For the avoidance of doubt, acceptance of any refund or payment must be provided in writing. Any offer of refund or payment will remain open for acceptance for 7 days, after which it will lapse automatically unless we agree otherwise in writing.
14.5.4 Any such refund or payment will constitute full and final settlement of the Complaint. By accepting any refund or payment offered, you acknowledge and agree that you waive any further right to escalate the Complaint under clause 14.6 or otherwise continue the Complaints process.
14.5.5 Provision of the outcome will conclude our involvement in the Complaint, and any escalation under clause 14.6 shall be addressed with the Owner. Contact details for the Owner will be provided if they do not already have conduct of the Complaint at this stage.
14.6 Escalation.
14.6.1 If you are unsatisfied with the outcome of your Complaint, you may make a written request for a further review. Such review will be undertaken by the Owner and be completed within 10 Business Days of receiving the written request and a final outcome provided in writing to you.
14.6.2 If you remain unsatisfied, you may wish to take further action. For detailed information please visit the Citizens Advice website www.citizensadvice.org.uk or seek independent legal advice.
14.7 In no circumstances will compensation be paid for Complaints made after the Departure Date. Complaints must be raised during your stay in accordance with clause 14.2.
14.8 All deadlines provided within this clause 14 shall be estimates only and dependent on the complexity of the Complaint and availability of personnel or the Property.
14.9 Our Complaints Policy does not affect your statutory rights.
14.10 We handle Complaints in our capacity as agent on behalf of the Owner. Our Complaints Policy forms part of the contractual agreement between you and the Owner.
15.1 We take reasonable care to ensure the accuracy of information regarding the Property, the locality and local amenity details.
15.2 All illustrations, photographs and other imagery displayed are for illustrative purposes only and are subject to change and no warranty or other representation is made as to the quality of the Property by us via the Website.
15.3 Any recommendations made by us or the Owner are our personal recommendations only and do not guarantee any level of service or quality.
16.1 Lost property will be held for a period of 4 weeks from the Departure Date. Items will be returned to you if requested, at a cost of £20 plus postage and packing. We do not accept responsibility for the safe carriage of any items returned which will be returned at your own risk.
16.2 We do not have any responsibility or liability to you (other than as outlined above) for loss of or damage to any of your items, belongings or vehicles except where the damage or loss is caused by the negligence of us or the Owner.
17.1 No party can exclude or limit in any way their liability where it is illegal to do so, and this contract does not seek to exclude or limit liability which cannot be excluded or limited by law.
17.2 If we, or the Owner, fail to comply with these Terms, we, or the Owner, are responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breach of the Terms or our negligence. We, or the Owner, are not responsible for any loss or damage that is not foreseeable. Loss or damage is foreseeable if they were an obvious consequence of our breach or if it had been brought to our attention by you before the loss or damage occurred. For the avoidance of doubt, we, or the Owner, are not responsible for any transport and/or alternative accommodation costs.
17.3 The Owner supplies the Property to you for domestic and private use for the duration of the Booking. You agree not to use the Property for any commercial, business or re-sale purpose, and we have no liability to you for any loss of profit, loss of business, business interruption, or loss of business opportunity.
17.4 It is your sole responsibility to ensure that you have adequate holiday insurance cover.
18.1 Neither party shall be in breach of these Terms for delay in performing, or failure to perform, any of our obligations under this agreement if such delay or failure results from an Event Outside of the Parties’ Control.
18.2 An Event Outside of the Parties’ Control includes but is not limited to: strike; civil unrest; civil emergencies; government prohibition or restriction on all or part of the economy, including local lockdowns; pandemic; epidemic; environmental disaster; domestic appliance failure; temporary invasion of pests; and utilities failure or interruption.
18.3 In the event of a pandemic, epidemic or restriction of the movement or people imposed by the government or other competent public authority, we reserve the right to issue specific terms via the Website. We will communicate this to you via the contact details provided in the Booking Reservation.
19.1 All personal data you provide us will be treated in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
20.1 We may transfer our rights and obligations under these Terms to another individual, but this will not affect your rights or our obligations under these Terms.
20.2 Except for you, us and the Owner, no other person shall have any rights to enforce any of these Terms.
20.3 Each of the paragraphs of these Terms operates separately. If any court or relevant authority decides that any of them are unlawful, the remaining paragraphs will remain in full force and effect.
20.4 If you fail to perform your obligations under these Terms and we, or the Owner, do not enforce our rights against you, this does not mean we, or the Owner, have waived our rights against you. If we, or the Owner, choose to waive any of our rights under these Terms you will be informed in writing.
20.5 These Terms replace and supersede all previous booking conditions and will apply to all new Bookings after the date they are posted on our Website.
20.6 The validity, construction and performance of the agreement shall be governed by the laws of England and Wales and shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales to which the parties submit.
