Terms and Conditions

RENTAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS 2012

 
Issued by HAVEN ON EARTH on behalf of all property owners or agent promoting and or renting accommodation through HAVEN ON EARTH during 2010 and 2011

To make a booking, you must complete, sign and return our booking form. When you make a booking you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of all members of your party, the terms of these booking conditions. The first named person on the booking will be the party leader and will be responsible for making all payments due to us. He/she must be at least 18 or such age as is permitted in the requested accommodation.  To confirm your reservation, you must pay the appropriate deposit (or full payment if booking within 8 weeks of departure). Until we receive your booking confirmation and deposit payment we shall be under no liability to you whatsoever. If we are unable to accept your booking we shall return your deposit immediately. Please note we accept no liability for any item/arrangement not confirmed on our booking form.

The balance of the holiday price must be paid 8 weeks prior to departure or at the time of booking if within 8 weeks. If we do not receive this balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you.

The User will pay the Total Amount referred to in the Letting Agreement/Booking form to the Agent or Owner on or before the Due Date stated on the Accommodation Booking form/Letting Agreement.

Your holiday price:  We reserve the right to alter the rental rates of any of the properties on our website.  Changes and errors sometimes occur.  If an error has been made in our charges to the user, we reserve the right to correct this at any time. You will be advised of the current price of the holiday that you wish to book before your booking is confirmed.

Website accuracy: The information and prices shown on our website may have changed by the time you come to book your arrangements.  Although we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information and prices at the time of publishing, regrettably errors do occasionally occur.  You must therefore ensure you check the price and all other details of your chosen arrangements with us at the time of booking.  All information in this website has been compiled from up to date details and we have taken care to ensure that it is accurate. There may however be occasions when an advertised facility is either modified or not available. Such situations may be dictated by local circumstances, necessity for maintenance, water shortages, unsuitable weather conditions, power cuts and other circumstances beyond our control. If we are advised of this, then we will of course inform you as soon as possible, but we cannot be held liable in such circumstances. It is also important to remember that some facilities, such as shops, restaurants, communal pools, water sports and water parks etc may not operate at all times.  It is not always possible to show photographs of all facilities in the villas on our website. Furniture may sometimes vary from website photographs. If a particular facility offered in our villa is essential to the booking of your holiday, please ensure that we are made aware of this at the time of booking.

Excursions:  We may provide you with information about activities and excursions which are available to purchase through independent suppliers in the area you are visiting. Where we have not agreed to arrange, provide or perform these activities or excursions as part of our agreement with you, subject to these booking conditions, we do not accept any responsibility for them even where we suggest or recommend a particular operator or supplier and/or assist you in any way in booking such activities or excursions. Some resort facilities, such as shops, restaurants, communal pools, water sports and water parks etc may not operate at all times and you should ask if such a facility is important to you. We accept no liability should any facility be closed.

Building works: From time to time, building work and its associated noise is unavoidable. We do not control such work, and we do not receive advance notice of when it will begin. Where we are aware of such building work, we will notify you as soon as possible if we think that said works will affect your holiday. 
Public Supplies: We accept no liability for intermittent failure of public supplies or utilities such as water or electricity over which we have no control, nor of sewage systems, plumbing or mechanical equipment in villas, but shall use our best endeavours to arrange prompt repairs where possible.


Swimming Pool malfunction:  The Company/local agent will act upon any report of malfunction of swimming pool or other item at your holiday accommodation but cannot be held responsible for any malfunction.

Theft: Please note that we do not offer compensation resulting from activities of theft or accept any liabilities for such matters both in or around the villa or in the resort.

Illness: If you are ill or injured whilst on holiday, you must, in addition to reporting your illness to our Villa Representative, consult a local doctor and also consult your GP on return to the UK. Should you then wish to make a claim against us as a result of your illness or injury, you must provide us with details of both the local doctor whom you saw, and your GP, together with written authority for us to obtain a medical report from both of those doctors.

The Users will have the use of the furniture and contents in the property.

The User will be responsible for all damage to the Property, the decorations, furniture and other contents except by fair wear and tear.

Inspection:  The Owners or their Agents may enter the Property for the purposes of inspection at any time during the day, upon giving reasonable notice, except in the case of emergency.

The Users will not do anything in the Property which might be a nuisance or annoyance to the Owner or to the owner or occupier of any neighbouring property.

Arrival/Departure:  The Users will not enter the Property before 16:00hrs (local time) on the first day of the Period of Letting, unless agreed by prior arrangement with The Company and will vacate the Property before 10:00hrs on the last day of the Period of Letting, leaving the Property, the furniture and contents in the state and position in which they were on their arrival.

Fire or Accidental damage:  During the Letting Period the Property will be used by the User and Additional Users set out in the Agreement only.  If fire or accidental damage renders the Property unfit for occupation before the Period of Letting this Agreement is automatically cancelled and the Owners will repay all monies to the User.

Condition of Property on vacation:  On vacation of the Property all rubbish to be removed from the Property and placed in tied bags in rubbish receptacles provided in the local vicinity.  Any rubbish left on or outside the premises will be subject to a removal charge of £10 per bag.  The Property to be left in a clean condition.  All open food items to be removed from the Property.  All crockery, cutlery, glasses to be washed and replaced in location on entry to the Property.  All furniture to be left in location on entry to the Property.  All bathroom towels and beach towels (if applicable) to be placed in one location within the property for ease of checking on departure.  Any missing items will be subject to a charge of £15 per towel.

Return of Breakage deposit:  After vacation of the Property and return or leaving of the key(s) by the Users, the Owner or their Agents following inspection of the Property, will repay the Refundable Deposit, if taken, to the User without interest, after deducting all sums due (if any) to the Owner under the terms of this Agreement or as a result of any of its terms being broken.

The Deposit against the Rent and any Balance paid, other than the Refundable Deposit is not refundable in the event of cancellation by the User.  Holiday insurance must be taken out and we reserve the right to ask for proof of cover.

The User is responsible for arranging cover for accidental bodily harm whilst in the property. The Owners or their Agents cannot accept any responsibility for accidental bodily harm to any of the Users. Holiday insurance must be taken out to cover this aspect.

Cancellation of this agreement by us:  The Company, the Owners or their Agents are entitled to cancel this agreement immediately and without notice if the Total Rent is not paid by the Due Date even if it was not formally demanded or if the Users do not comply with the terms of this agreement.  Whenever there is more than one User all their obligations can be enforced against all the Users jointly and against each individually.


Special needs and requirements:  Our villas may not be ideally suited for clients with disabilities although some are more suitable than others.  If you have a disability and need specific answers to specific questions, then you must ensure that this has been put in writing to us and that we have included these details on your final confirmation.  We are unable to take any responsibility for the lack of suitable facilities without knowing your requirements.  If we reasonably feel unable to properly accommodate the particular needs of the person(s) concerned, we will not confirm the booking or, if full details are not given at the time of booking, cancel when we become aware of these details, if we believe we or our agents/sub-contractors are unable to meet your needs.  Any costs resulting from cancellation will be invoiced to you for immediate payment.

Special requests:  If you wish to make a special request, you must do so at the time of booking.  We will try to pass any reasonable requests on to the relevant supplier but we cannot guarantee that requests will be met.  The fact that a special request has been noted on your confirmation or any other documentation or that it has been passed on to the supplier is not confirmation that the request will be met.  Failure to meet any special request will not be a breach of contract on our part unless the request has been specifically confirmed.  Please note we accept no liability for any item/arrangement not confirmed on our documentation.

Complaints Should you have a problem on your holiday, it is a condition of booking with us that you must report it to our local Villa Representative. Any verbal notification must be confirmed in writing as soon as possible. Haven On Earth and its agents must be given the opportunity to resolve any issues brought to our attention and allowances be made by you for any local conditions regarding the reasonable amount of time taken to rectify the problem.  Compensation payments will only be considered where it is proven that any reported problem had a prolonged or major impact on the enjoyment of the holiday booked. It is not acceptable to make a serious complaint after you have come home when our local Villa Representative and Haven On Earth in the UK were not clearly made aware of the severity of your concerns. It is therefore extremely important that if you have a complaint that is seriously affecting your holiday enjoyment, you must write down brief details whilst on holiday and ask our Villa Representative to fax it to us in the UK or email us.  Complaints received by The Company after your return to your home country without our prior knowledge cannot be entertained. 

If you wish to pursue your complaint on your return to the UK, then all complaints must be made in writing through the party leader, and no other members of the party, to Haven On Earth in the UK within 14 days of your return home. Any claims made more than 90 days after your return date will not be considered. Except in respect of claims involving death and personal injury, failure to follow these procedures, communicated only through the lead party, will reduce or extinguish any rights you may have to claim compensation from us or any relevant supplier.

Optional extras are offered independently and The Company cannot be held liable for any services in this respect.

Booking deposit - A non-refundable reservation deposit (as detailed on the Accommodation Booking form/Letting Agreement) is requested at the time of reservation.


Single Sex or Young Parties:  All single sex and/or young parties will be charged a Security Deposit (for full details see Useful Information / Breakages – Villa Conditions on this website), which will be included on your confirmation invoice and is payable with your holiday balance. Villa owners require us to charge higher levels for single sex and/or young parties.

Behaviour:  We reserve the right in our absolute discretion to terminate your holiday or any holiday services if your behaviour is likely, in our opinion or that of our employees, Villa Representatives or suppliers, to cause distress, damage, annoyance or danger to our employees or to any third party, or their property.  We will be under no obligation whatsoever to pay you compensation or cover any costs you may incur as a result of having to make alternative arrangements. We reserve the right to refuse any bookings that we think will be a nuisance to the owner.

Final payment -  It is hereby stated that the full rental fee will be due for payment 2 months prior to arrival - Payment to be made direct to HAVEN ON EARTH as agreed on the Accommodation Booking Form/Letting Agreement.  Payments can be made by bank transfer, debit, credit card, cheque and also by euro. 


Insurance:  You are required to take out insurance when you book your holiday - Should cancellation of your holiday be necessary your insurance policy should cover all travel and rental expenses (check your policy for terms and conditions)
Cancellation or Change of your Booking by us - Because we begin planning the arrangements we offer many months in advance, we must reserve the right to make changes to and correct errors in holiday details both before and after bookings have been confirmed. We must also reserve the right to cancel confirmed bookings. However, we promise we will only cancel your confirmed booking 8 weeks or less before departure where you have failed to make full payment on time or as a result of circumstances outside our control/"force majeure" as defined above or in other unique circumstances which are also beyond our control.  Most changes are minor but occasionally, we may have to make a "significant change". Examples of "significant changes" include the following when made before departure; a change of accommodation area for the whole or a major part of your holiday, a change of accommodation to that of a lower classification for the whole or a major part of your holiday, and the closure of the only or all advertised swimming pool(s) at your accommodation for an extended period. No compensation will be offered and we are not liable for these changes initiated by villa circumstances.
If we have to make a significant change or cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible and if there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the following options:-

(a)(for significant changes) accepting the changed arrangements or

(b) purchasing alternative arrangements from us, of a similar standard to those originally booked if available (if the chosen alternative is less expensive than your original one, we will refund the difference but if it is more expensive, we will ask you to pay the difference) and you cannot cancel your holiday without cancellation charges applying.                                                          

(c) should we be unable to offer alternative accommodation a full refund will be made.
We will not pay you compensation where we make a significant change or cancel more than 8 weeks before departure or in the event that we are forced to make a change or cancel as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care. We will not pay you compensation and the above options (a), (b), (c), will not be available if we make a minor change or cancel as a result of your failure to make full payment on time. We regret we cannot pay any expenses, costs or losses incurred by you as a result of any change or cancellation.

Your Deposit Payment: Your completed form must be accompanied by the deposit mentioned, being part of the total estimated cost of the facilities to be provided. If your booking is extended, a further deposit will be required. However, if you change or cancel part of your holiday it will not be possible to refund part of the deposit as this will be used to cover the expenses incurred in changing the booking on your behalf. The person who signs the booking form does so on behalf of all persons named therein and binds them to these conditions. We will then reserve your booking and send you a copy of this confirmation. Balance of the invoice will be due 8 weeks before commencement of the holiday. In the event of a booking made within 8 weeks of the date of departure, the full balance must be paid with the signed booking form.

Security Deposit:  Some villas have a Security Deposit of £250 to £650 or more (instead of credit card details), which is used to protect villa owners or local suppliers against any breakages, loss, damage, unpaid local charges, additional housekeeping and any other charges. Where applicable, the cost of the Security Deposit will be included on your confirmation invoice and payable with your holiday balance. This amount will be refunded to you within 4 weeks of your return date less any damage, losses, unpaid bills etc. In the event of substantial damage/abuse to a villa, you will have to leave and find alternative accommodation at your own cost. Should the Security Deposit prove inadequate to fully cover any costs that arise, then we reserve the right to invoice you for immediate payment.

Cancellation By You - Should you or any member of your party cancel your booking once it has been confirmed, the person signing the booking form must give notification in writing to us. If you cancel and the written cancellation advice is received by us more than 2 months before the date of departure, the deposit only will be forfeited. Cancellation within 2 months of departure will incur the full rental charge.


Liability - We are under no liability to provide alternative accommodation (comparable or otherwise) or a refund when failure or cancellation of bookings, or dissatisfaction, is due to the acts or omissions of persons over whom we have no control.
Our liability to you:

(1) We have a duty to select the suppliers of your arrangements with reasonable skill and care. We have no liability to you for the actual provision of the arrangements, except in cases where it is proved that we have breached that duty and damage to you has been caused.
We also have no liability in the following situations:
(i)where the arrangements cannot be provided as booked due to `force majeure` /circumstances beyond our control.
(ii)where you incur any loss or damage that could not have been foreseen at the time of your booking, based on the information provided by you.
(iii)where you incur any loss or damage that relates to any business activity.
(iv)where any loss or damage relates to any services which do not form part of our contract with you.

(2) We limit the maximum amount we may have to pay you for any claims you may make against us. For all claims which do not involve death or personal injury, the maximum amount we will have to pay you if we are found liable to you on any basis is the price (excluding insurance premiums and amendment charges) paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected in total unless a lower limitation applies to your claim. This maximum amount will only be payable where everything has gone wrong and you have not received any benefit at all from your arrangements.

(3) We accept no liability for intermittent failure of public supplies or utilities such as water or electricity over which we have no control, nor of sewage systems, plumbing or mechanical equipment in villas, but shall use our best endeavours to arrange prompt repairs where possible.

(4) Please note that we do not offer compensation resulting from activities of theft or accept any liabilities for such matters both in or around the villa or in the resort.

(5) If you are ill or injured whilst on holiday, you must, in addition to reporting your illness to our Villa Representative, consult a local doctor and also consult your GP on return to the UK. Should you then wish to make a claim against us as a result of your illness or injury, you must provide us with details of both the local doctor whom you saw, and your GP, together with written authority for us to obtain a medical report from both of those doctors.

(6) If you choose to issue court proceedings against us (subject to your compliance with our complaints procedure), then you must do so within two years of your return home. If we accept any liability or are adjudged to have for a claim that you make, you must assign to us any rights that you may have against any of our servants, agents or suppliers who are in any way responsible for the failure of your holiday or any death or personal injury you may suffer, you must also co-operate with us in any claim. Other than that set out above and as detailed elsewhere in these booking conditions we shall have no legal liability whatsoever to you for any loss, damage, personal injury or death which you suffer arising directly or indirectly from any aspect of your holiday.

Should act of God, War or the Queen`s enemies, or Act of Parliament or other Government action, strike action, postal delay, extreme weather conditions, force majeure, disaster conditions, or any other reasons beyond control of Haven On Earth occur, Haven On Earth shall be excused from carrying out the conditions of this Agreement until a normal situation has returned.  In these Booking Conditions, "force majeure" means any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, actual or threatened terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions,fire and all similar events outside our control. Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking onditions, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our obligations under our agreement with you is prevented or affected by, or you otherwise suffer any damage or loss as a result of force majeure.

By agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions, you are consenting to us storing certain personal data about you. This data will be used to provide the service applied for and may be stored by us to keep you informed of products and services which may be of interest to you. This data will not be used other than in the normal course of our business. If you do not wish to receive such information, all you need to do is write to let us know.

This Agreement shall in all respects be construed as an English Contract subject to English Law.  English Law will apply to any dispute or claim which arises between us out of it. Any such dispute or claim must be dealt with by the Courts of England and Wales. You may however, choose the law and jurisdiction of Scotland or Northern Ireland if you wish to do so.

HEALTH AND SAFETY
This Health & Safety information, together with the Useful Information section and Booking Conditions will form the basis of your agreement with Haven On Earth Ltd (“the Company”).  They apply only to holiday arrangements which you book with us in the UK and which we agree to make, provide or perform as applicable as part of our agreement with you.

Please note it is the requirements and standards of the country in which any services which make up your holiday are provided which apply to those services and not those of the UK.  As a general rule these requirements and standards will not be the same as the Uk and may sometimes be lower.
 

IMPORTANT  VILLA  INFORMATION
Please take the time on arrival to familiarize yourself with the safety features and layout of the villa.  In particular if you are traveling with children, please take the time to point out to them any areas in which they should take particular care such as the pool or on balconies.  If you have any concerns, please call the local villa representative on the number found in your travel documents.
 

VILLAS  AND  SAFETY
Not all our villas will be thoroughly child friendly.  Care should always be taken especially round the pool area with supervision being given to children at all times.  Some villas are better suited than others for young children and the less mobile, so we advise you to fully investigate the suitability of the property before you book.  Telephone us and ask as many questions as you want.  If something is important to you, do not assume but discuss with a member of our reservation team who will assist with your query.  Despite our efforts and advice given, it is ultimately your responsibility for the care and safety of the members of your group.  Many terrace walls are 90cm – 1m high while others may be less.  There may also be roof terraces with low walls where in most cases these are gated or blocked off.  However, depending on the layout and design of the property this may not always be possible.  If you have any concerns about the safety of your villa please contact your villa representative immediately.  Any genuine problems brought to our attention brought to our attention will be dealt with as quickly as is locally possible, if feasible.  Many single storey villas have several steps inside them and many gardens may have drops or slopes.  Several villas have staircases that can be steep and occasionally low head heights.  We insist that all our villas with gas installation have been inspected by a qualified gas safety engineer.
 

SWIMMING  POOLS
The pool sizes in our descriptions are approximate and for guidance only.  Pools are maintained and cleaned on a regular basis.  A pool net should be provided and it is normal custom for clients to remove any debris such as leaves and twigs.  Occasionally due to extensive use of the pool water in the ears can cause an ear infection especially with children.  This does not necessarily mean that the pool does not have the correct level of chlorine but it should immediately be checked out.  A simple precautionary measure is to dry your ears well after you leave the pool to ensure you remove any trapped water that may become infected.  If you have any concerns about your pool, contact our Villa Representative immediately.

Some pools now have salt-water filtration systems as opposed to using chlorine. Please ensure that the villa you book is suitable for your requirements regarding children and non-swimmers. The swimming pool is an essential part of holidaying for many people, but remember that, misused, it can be dangerous. However, by applying just a few simple common sense rules you can be sure of thoroughly enjoying your time in the pool. Do not run around the pool side, this especially applies to children with wet feet. Some areas may be slippery when wet.  Do not go out of your depth and know your own limits.  Please observe our strict no diving policy.  Do not swim if the water is unclear or you cannot see the bottom. If this is the case contact your representative as soon as possible. Heavy weather or thunderstorms can cause pools to turn cloudy. Cloudiness can also be caused by excess suntan oil, especially when non water proof types are used. Please remember that use of a shower before swimming can help to keep the pool clean. Children and fair skinned people should wear a hat and T-shirt whilst in the pool as harmful ultra violet rays can penetrate water up to a depth of 1.5m and are reflected off the water surface.  Beware of dangerous surfaces, drainage channels slippery tiles or raised edges.  Always supervise children and non-swimmers in and around the pool area.  Avoid swimming if you have been drinking alcohol, especially late at night. Do not swim within 1 hour of eating - it can be fatal.
 

SWIMMING POOL ACCIDENT OR CLOSURE
In the event of an accident in or around the immediate area of the pool, you must report this straight away to your Villa Representative, who will attend the villa. Any fault with the pool or its equipment will be inspected and immediate action taken to correct the problem. If, in the opinion of the Villa Representative the pool must be closed for your safety until a repair is facilitated, you will be instructed to cease using the pool.
In the case of swimming pool closure for whatever reason, our liability shall not exceed 33% of the villa rental portion of the holiday cost during that time.
 

SWIMMING POOL HEATING
Some of our pools (see individual villa details) have been fitted with pool heating, making the pool 3° C to 5° C warmer at 1 pm during the day than a non-heated pool under normal circumstances at the relevant time of year. This provides the pool with a beneficial warming, but does not make it a `hot` pool.  At certain times of the year the pool heating equipment may not be adequate to heat the pool to a comfortable temperature and under these circumstances, no refund will apply. Haven On Earth cannot be responsible for any non-operational time out of our control. In the case of any malfunction, we will endeavour to rectify it as soon as possible.  If the pool has a cover, please use it. It will significantly increase the temperature of the water. but care must be taken at all times when a pool cover is used to ensure the safety of users especially children.  Please note that pool heating is not turned on in July and August. Additionally, should the pool temperature exceed 28° C the pool heating will be turned off.
 

INFINITY OR SPILLOVER SWIMMING POOLS
Some of our villas feature an infinity or spill over pool, which means one side of the pool is a water fall with no barrier. When you are swimming the blue of the pool meets the blue of the sky or sea, which aesthetically is very pleasing. These pools are safe but care should be taken regarding children. If you have any doubts about the suitability of this type of pool, please enquire at the time of booking for details of your chosen villas pool.
 

SWIMMING POOL WATER/COLOUR EFFECT
Chlorine is a natural bleaching agent. The more the pool is used and the warmer the weather, the more chemicals are required to keep swimming pool water safe to use.  This can react with certain fabrics and dyes used on them, causing them to lighten or discolour. Many items of swimwear carry warnings to this effect and Haven On Earth does not accept any responsibility for any damage caused to client`s property.  We would advise that certain colours of blonde hair may also develop a green tinge. This reaction is natural and does not mean the chemical balance of water is incorrect. Please ensure you rinse your hair thoroughly in fresh water after using the pool. Shampoos are available both in the UK and in most supermarkets or chemists abroad which can resolve this problem.
 

GLASS WINDOWS AND DOORS
Please be very careful with windows, especially full length glass patio doors. The glass may not be toughened and occasionally, in a strange environment, accidents occur more easily than they can do so at home.
 

LOCAL BEACHES
Please be aware of the local safety precautions when you visit the beaches. At all times for your own safety comply with the suggestions of local lifeguards, warning notices or flag systems.

LINEN AND WASHING MACHINES
Where linen is supplied should any person in your party have allergies to washing substances, please bring your own.

GAS SUPPLY
Where gas water heaters are used in villas, they are subject to an inspection by local qualified engineers and a worthiness certificate issued.

DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS (DVT)
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a condition which has the potential to affect travellers regardless of mode of transport. The risk of developing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is extremely low. However any travel involving prolonged immobility can result in DVT. This occurs when a blood clot forms, usually in the lower leg.  This is a serious medical condition, and needs treatment with blood thinning drugs or anticoagulants to prevent clots breaking off from the DVT and travelling to the lungs causing significant illness and, on rare occasions, death.  People at increased risk include those with a history of thrombosis, those taking an oral contraceptive pill or who are pregnant, those recently hospitalised, smokers, the obese, some patients with congestive heart failure and people with malignant disease.
Dehydration may exacerbate the problem.  Here are a few suggestions, which may help to make your journey more comfortable and reduce the risk:
Drink plenty of water and limit your caffeine and alcohol consumption.
Avoid smoking before travel.
Wear loose fitting and comfortable clothes.
Try to walk around the cabin at regular intervals.
Avoid crossing your legs.
Remember to pack any prescription medicine in your hand baggage and take it in accordance with your doctor`s instructions
It may be helpful to wear elastic stockings.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS
If you or any member of your party has a medical condition we suggest you contact your travel insurance company at the time of booking, to report any pre-existing condition. Thus you can ensure you are covered for all eventualities.

SECURITY
Crimes against people and property are a fact of life and you have the same responsibility for your personal safety as you do at home. All clients should be extra vigilant and ensure great care is taken of your property. Be sure to close and lock all the villas windows, shutters and doors at night. Additionally take care to lock your villa when you are relaxing around the swimming pool or perhaps enjoying an afternoon snooze or siesta.
In the event of theft, report this to your local police and inform your local Managing Agent. Be sure you obtain a police report covering the incident or loss, in order to make a claim on your holiday insurance. Please note we do not offer compensation resulting from activities of theft or accept any responsibility for such matters.

CHILDREN`S  SAFETY
Children are naturally curious where there are lots of things and areas to explore. Ensure your children are not left unsupervised at any time and be especially careful with balconies, swimming pools and other potentially dangerous areas.

ROAD  SAFETY
The rules of the road are different to that of the UK and we ask you to take extra care and ensure you comply with the local regulations at all times.

TRAVEL  ADVICE
Should you have any concerns about your holiday destination we suggest you contact the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office at www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo

USEFUL  INFORMATION

This Useful Information, together with the Health & Safety section and Booking Conditions will form the basis of your agreement with Haven On Earth Ltd (`the Company`). They apply only to holiday arrangements which you book with us in the UK and which we agree to make, provide or perform as applicable as part of our agreement with you.

MAKING THE  RIGHT  CHOICE
Our role is to help you choose a villa and resort that is just right for you and your party. We invite you to ask our experienced and knowledgeable reservations staff as many questions as you need to and to tell us as much as possible about your particular holiday needs. Good research is important in finding the right villa and you can telephone us on +44 20 8941 1700 and we will help you through our website. We are open Monday to Friday from 09:00hrs to 18:00hrs (all year) and Saturday from 10.00hrs to 16:00hrs (January - August). Most calls are answered within 5 seconds.

VILLA  DESCRIPTION  AND  STANDARDS
A particular villa may be more expensive than others because of its size or proximity to a beach or other reason and not because of the standard of its furnishings. Many villas are decorated and furnished in different styles according to owner`s tastes and the furniture will sometimes vary from the website pictures. Photographs are factual unless they have a caption `this is an artist`s impression`. This could occur when a facility was being constructed at the time the photograph was taken.  We provide self-catering accommodation and not hotel style facilities or services. We try to be accurate at all times. It is impossible to give a full description of our villas within the website. Many of the villas featured have been visited by us and it is important that you not only read the individual descriptions but also speak to us to obtain a better understanding of each villa and the surrounding area. Our website www.havenonearth.co.uk shows information and pictures about our villas, the surrounding areas, local beaches and places of interest.

VILLA  AND  MAID  SERVICES
Villas are regularly maintained by a team comprising a maid, gardener, pool man and the villa manager who oversees the property.  Maids do not usually work on public holidays or weekends. Cleaning will be included as per your individual villa booking and this will be confirmed at reservation.  The times of hours may vary, as may the number of hours worked. Their duties where applicable, are to make the beds, clean the floors and bathrooms and to do a limited amount of light cleaning during your stay.  These conditions vary from villa to villa and it is important for you to check what is included in your villa rental.  First and final clean of your accommodation is always included in your villa rental provided that the conditions in this respect as per our terms and conditions are adhered to. It is important that the pool man, maid and gardener carry out their duties to look after the villas and, due to their work loads, the times of their visits cannot be fixed and may not always be convenient to everyone. We kindly ask for your co-operation when they visit.

INTERNET  AND  TELEPHONE  ACCESS
Please note that most of our villas do not have telephones and some may offer internet connection. Telephone services in Europe do not always have the constant quality of that in the UK and some resorts depend on local dial up. Continuous service cannot be guaranteed and Haven On Earth accepts no responsibility for any connection downtime or any subsequent consequences thereof. and do not offer compensation if a telephone or Internet connection is not working due to circumstances beyond our control.

AIR  CONDITIONING/HEATING
Many villas include air conditioning/heating as standard. Please see the individual villa descriptions. Some units work on a timer or on a break switch that will turn the unit off if a window or door is opened.  Subject to our booking conditions, Haven On Earth cannot be responsible for any non operational time which is out of our control. Units, where not fitted, may be hired and paid for locally.

SMOKING
Smoking is not permitted in any of our villas and we would request that you only smoke outside the villa. Please do not leave cigarette stubs in the garden.

ELECTRICITY
Electricity is 220 AC with continental twin plugs. Please remember to bring an adaptor when taking any electrical items with you. Your villa electricity supply is not always as constant as in the UK. You may find that the electricity will "trip off" if too many appliances are used at once. If this happens, simply turn off some appliances and reset the main fuse box (the location and full details will be in the villa manual). Please be careful, as it can get very dark - torches are usually provided, but if in doubt, please contact your Villa Representative.

SATELLITE TVs
Some villas have Digital Satellite Televisions with Freeview or other facility.  Where it is advised that UK channels are available and when conditions are perfect, you should be able to view most UK channels and BBC Radio channels. However, due to weather conditions and location of the villas, we cannot always guarantee access to all the channels all of the time.  At some times of the day or night, and depending on weather conditions and atmospherics, satellite signals may fail to operate for various reasons in all our resorts and some channels will be unavailable. When this occurs we will have no liability in these circumstances that are beyond our control.

BREAKAGES/VILLA CONDITIONS
Some villas have a Security Deposit of £250 to £650 or more or you will be asked to provide credit card details. which is used to protect villa owners or local suppliers against breakages, loss, damage, unpaid local charges, additional housekeeping and any other charges. The cost of the Security Deposit will be included on your confirmation and payable with your holiday balance or on arrival. This amount will be refunded to you within 4 weeks of your return date less any damage, losses, unpaid bills etc. In the event of substantial damage/abuse to a villa you will have to leave and find alternative accommodation at your own cost. Should the Security Deposit prove inadequate to fully cover any costs that arise, then we reserve the right to invoice you for immediate payment. (See also clause 12, Behaviour in our booking conditions)

CHECK-IN/CHECKOUT
Villas are booked from 16:00hrs on your arrival day until 10:00hrs on your departure day. It can take considerable time to clean a villa on changeover days and the maid may still be tidying up should you arrive before 4pm. On your departure day the maid may arrive at your villa as early as 8 am. The ground surface inside and outside the villa may be wet due to the maid cleaning them on your arrival, departure and any other day when maid service is carried out. Be aware of the ground condition at all times and be cautious by taking the necessary steps to ensure your safety and especially that of children and the elderly. At other times, ground areas open to the elements or subject to dousing in water from the swimming pool may be wet and caution is required at all times.

EXTRA BEDS, COTS, HIGHCHAIRS, PUSHCHAIR, BOOSTER SEAT
In many of our villas we can allow an extra bed, which is usually a fold up Z-bed and is for a child up to the age of 15 years old only. Where a villa is rented with an extra bed, for example 6 adults and 1 child, in a 3 bedroom villa, it does not necessarily mean that the amenities of the villa will allow for the extra child. Cots, high chairs and Z-beds are provided at additional charge (see booking form/optional extras).  Most cots provided are of the `travel` type.

BARBECUES
Many of our villas have barbecues. It is not normal in southern Europe to clean barbecues and it is not the maid`s responsibility to do so. Therefore, we kindly ask guests to leave them in a reasonable and useable condition.

DRIVING
in most continental countries you drive on the right-hand side and overtake on the left.  You must take all parts of your UK driving licence with you. Minimum driving age is 21 years. Whilst driving, you are required by law to have your driving licence, identification with photograph (for British Citizens please use a passport), spare spectacles (in Spain only), and the car rental documentation given by the car company.

CURRENCY
The local currency in Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy is the Euro.
OUR  HOLIDAY  GUIDE
The information contained therein does not form part of our contract with you.

WEATHER
Our resorts enjoy many more sunny days than the UK but occasionally it does rain heavily. The villas are not naturally suited to poor weather conditions which may result in temporary water ingress into the villa, water marks appearing on ceilings or walls or dampness.

FESTIVALS
Local festivals are held throughout the year in our destinations and although they can be enjoyable, there may be extra noise late at night in certain areas. Shops, banks, bars, restaurants and other facilities may be closed.

BEING AWAY FROM HOME
Please note, it is the requirements and standards of the country in which any services which make up your holiday are provided which apply to those services and not those of the UK. As a general rule, these requirements and standards will not be the same as the UK and may sometimes be lower.  Water and electrical supplies can be erratic, especially during the months of June, July, August and September and during thunderstorms. There are many more electrical items in each villa these days, and these can cause the trip switches to turn the supply off when used in conjunction with each other. Ensure that you know where the trip switches are when you arrive. Heavy rainfall and high humidity can, within a short spell, mar the appearance of some paintwork and cause flaking.  Obtaining service engineers abroad is a little different to the UK. The response time is often better than at home, but on occasions they may not be able to attend to a problem on the same day that it is reported. We will always try our best to rectify any problems reported to us as soon as possible.  Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy are no different to most southern European countries when it comes to occasional problems with unwanted bug intrusions, for example, ants, mosquitoes, cockroaches and other insects. You may also see local unwanted wildlife by your villa. Their presence does not reflect the condition of the villa, it is simply a reflection of holidaying in a warm country or in a villa close to or in the countryside. Taking care to cover and clear up food, especially dropped crumbs, can help the situation. We would ask you not to feed any stray animals, as they may become a nuisance and return to the villa even after you have returned to the U.K. Additionally dogs tend to sleep during the day and bark at night. Local attitudes to animals/pets differ to the UK. Also motorbikes being driven without silencers are not uncommon.  Sensible precautions should always be taken. Do not leave windows and doors open unnecessarily when you leave the villa or are by the pool. Please take care of any valuables, including passports and air tickets.  Your holiday villa may not have the same high level of security as you might have in your own home and we firmly recommend that you do not take any items of great value with you but if you do, ensure that these items are adequately insured. Most travel insurance policies have limitations placed on them with regard to money and valuables - please read your policy carefully. Do not take large amounts of cash with you. When changing traveller`s cheques check out a couple of Banks and exchange bureaux as rates may vary. You can also use most credit or debit cards to obtain cash from cash point machines, using your card and pin number. We do not offer compensation resulting from activities of theft or accept any liability for such matters.  Please remember that should anything go wrong with your villa it must be reported to our local Villa Representatives as soon as possible. They are there to help you and to try to make your holiday as enjoyable as possible.

SPECIAL  NEEDS  AND  REQUIREMENTS
Our villas may not be ideally suited for clients with disabilities although some are more suitable than others. If you have a disability and need specific answers to specific questions, then you must ensure that this has been put in writing to us and that we have included these details on your final confirmation. We are unable to take any responsibility for the lack of suitable facilities without knowing your requirements.

CREDIT/DEBIT CARD PAYMENTS
See booking form for relevant charges.