Terms & Conditions
1. Booking
a) Keys Holiday Cottages merely acts as agent for the owners of the property, it does not hold any property interest. The rental arrangements are made by Keys Holiday Cottages on behalf of the Owners and the contractual relationship is directly between the Owners of the property and the Guest.
b) Customers renting property through Keys Holiday Cottages are referred to as "the Guest".
c) A £22.50 booking fee is payable to cover the administration and processing of each booking.
d) This Agreement is not intended to create a tenancy; the holiday maker is granted a licence to occupy the property between the agreed dates.
2. Duration of Rental
a) Rentals are for a maximum of 28 days and commence at 4pm on the first day of the rental and end at 10am on the day of departure unless otherwise arranged. This rental period hereafter is referred to as "the Holiday".
b) The period booked will be stated on the confirmation sent by email to the Guest when they book (the "Booking Confirmation").
c) The period booked cannot be extended unless approved by Keys Holiday Cottages. The Guest will be liable to pay the price for the extension before the extension commences.
3. Deposits
a) A deposit of 25% of the total cost of the booking is required by bank transfer, cheque, online or telephone to secure the booking.
b) The balance is due six weeks before the start of the holiday.
c) If a booking is made less than six weeks before the Holiday is due to start, the full rent, plus any additional charges must be paid at the time of booking.
d) Should the balance payment not be received at least six weeks before the holiday starts, the booking will be cancelled and deposit retained.
e) Should Keys Holiday Cottages not accept or reject a booking request, all sums of money paid by the Guest in relation to the Holiday will be refunded immediately.
4. Cancellation
If you have cause to cancel your holiday please notify our office immediately by telephone and then via email. All reservation deposits paid to Keys Holiday Cottages are non-refundable and the hirer will be liable for the full cost of the holiday if a cancellation occurs UNLESS Keys Holiday Cottages is notified as follows:
A) Up to 6 weeks before the start of the holiday. In which case the hirer will forfeit the deposit and booking fee only.
B) Less than 6 weeks before the start of the holiday and it is possible for Keys Holiday Cottages to re-let the property. In which case the deposit will be forfeited along with the booking fee, plus an administration charge of £30 plus VAT. The balance will be returned to the hirer. If the property is not re-let the hirer will forfeit the full cost of the holiday.
C) If the booking was made within 6 weeks of the start of the holiday and it is possible for Keys Holiday Cottages to re-let the property, an amount equal to the deposit will be forfeited along with the booking fee, plus an administration charge of £30 plus VAT. The balance will be returned to the hirer. If the property is not re-let the hirer will forfeit the full cost of the holiday. It is recommended that the Hirer is covered by Personal Holiday Insurance.
5. Final Payment
a) Unless otherwise agreed by Keys Holiday Cottages in writing (and subject to clause 7 below), the price for the Holiday shall be the rent for the property as set out on the Keys Holiday Cottages website and brochure at the time of booking.
b) Subject to the Cancellation provision above, as soon as the booking is received and accepted by Keys Holiday Cottages and the Guests are in receipt of the Booking Confirmation, the guest is liable for payment of the balance of the rent, along with any additional charges that may be due in relation to the Holiday.
c) Payment of the rent and additional charges are payable to Keys Holiday Cottages six weeks before the start of the Holiday and non-payment by the Due Date could be considered by Keys Holiday Cottages as a notice of cancellation.
d) If payment is not received by the Due Date, Keys Holiday Cottages have treated the non-payment as a cancellation of the Holiday, the Guest will lose their booking and the deposit shall be non-refundable.
e) Keys Holiday Cottages shall not be responsible for sending reminders of the Due Date of full payment.
f) The dates of the Holiday may be changed providing the property is available for the new dates and the Owners accept the change. In this case, a £30 re-booking fee is payable to Keys Holiday Cottages.
6. Method of Payment
a) Payments may be made by electronic bank transfer, debit card or credit card.
b) Cheques should be made payable to Arnolds Keys LLP Holiday Lettings Client Account.
c) Any charges raised against Keys Holiday Cottages by their bank for handling dishonoured bank transfers or any other payments will be passed onto the Guest who are liable to reimburse Keys Holiday Cottages.
d) There is no charge for card payments.
7. Price changes
a) Keys Holiday Cottages reserves the right to amend prices on the website due to errors or omissions, but such charges shall be notified to the Guest as soon as possible and the Guest shall be able to cancel the booking if the amended price is significantly higher than the original price quoted.
8. The Guests Obligations
a) To pay for any losses or damages to the property and contents caused by The Guest or a member of their party and inform Keys Holiday Cottages immediately so items can be replaced or repaired prior to the arrival of future Guests.
b) To take good care of the property and leave it in a clean and tidy condition at the end of the Holiday, with exception of linen to be laundered.
c) A cleaning service is not provided during the holiday unless otherwise specified.
d) On departure all windows and doors must be checked and securely locked. Keys must be returned to Keys Holiday Cottages office in Sheringham or the organised key safe and the key safe locked properly.
e) In the event that keys are not returned, then a charge will be incurred by you, the Guest to cover locksmith costs to change locks and replace keys.
f) The Owner and Keys Holiday Cottages retains the right of access.
g) Not to part with possession of the property, or share it, except with members of the party shown on the Booking Form. All Guests at the property must be notified to Keys Holiday Cottages at the time of booking.
h) Not to sell or transfer the booking to another party without Keys Holiday Cottages agreement.
i) Not to exceed the total number of people stipulated in the property description.
j) Not to cause an annoyance or become a nuisance to occupants of adjoining premises.
k) Not to smoke at any of Keys Holiday Cottages properties. Smoking is permitted outside the property on condition that all cigarette butts and ash are cleared and disposed of, by you, the guest, before departure.
L) No hen or stag parties permitted.
9. Liability
a) Keys Holiday Cottages will not be liable for any act, neglect or default on the part of the Owners or any other person not within their employ or otherwise under their control, nor for any accident, damage, loss, injury, expense or inconvenience, whether to person or property, which the Guest or any other person may suffer or incur arising out of, or in any way connected with, the rental unless Keys Holiday Cottages is responsible.
b) The Owners and Keys Holiday Cottages accept no liability for loss of, or damage to the Guest’s possessions on the Owners property or land.
c) Nothing in these clauses excludes or limits the liability of Keys Holiday Cottages or the Owners: For death or personal injury caused by Keys Holiday Cottages or the Owners negligence. For any matter which it would be illegal for Keys Holiday Cottages or the Owners to exclude or attempt to excluded their liability.
10. Personal Belongings
a) If the Guest, or any members of your party leave any personal belongings behind at the property after departure, the Guest will be charged the cost of postage and packaging and an admin fee to have them returned.
b) Any items found by the servicing company responsible for the property will be disposed of within 30 days if not claimed. All perishable foods will automatically be disposed of at the time of the changeover.
11. Pets
a) Pets are permitted within certain properties and if allowed they are to be kept under control and exercised off of the premises. There may be an additional charge per pet, per week.
b) Pets are not permitted in the bedrooms or on the furniture and neither Keys Holiday Cottages nor the Owners can accept responsibility for their safety.
c) Pets must not be left in the property unsupervised. Where a property does not accept pets, Keys Holiday Cottages or the Owners cannot guarantee that there have been no pets previously kept at the property. Nor does the owner or Keys Holiday Cottages accept any liability for any suffering which may occur as a result of such pets having been present.
d) Any fouling of internal areas shall be professionally cleaned and the cost borne by the Guest. Any accidents must be reported immediately.
e) Any fouling of lawns, paths or outside surfaces shall be cleared up without delay, by the Guest. f) Any other type of pet is by prior arrangement only; the owner of the property reserves the right to charge a small fee.
g) Please do not take pets to properties where Keys Holiday Cottages and the Owners have stated that pets are not permitted.
h) Please beware that if a garden is advertised, this does not necessarily mean it is secure for your pet.
i) Dog owners must ensure that their pets are free from parasites and fleas before they occupy the Property. Failure to do so may incur subsequent charges;
12. Sudden unavailability of the Property
a) We do not anticipate any problems but in the unlikely event for any reason beyond the Owners control the property is made unavailable or the property becomes unsuitable for holiday letting on the date booked by the customer, all rent and charges paid in advance will be refunded.
13. Complaints
a) All complaints must be notified to Keys Holiday Cottages as soon as possible, as Keys Holiday Cottages may be required to carry out investigation and if necessary, request the Owner to take action – it is always more difficult to deal with after the holiday.
b) If Keys Holiday Cottages or the Owners are denied the opportunity of investigating the complaint within a reasonable time or denied the opportunity to put matters right during the Holiday, then the Guest will waive all rights.
c) All complaints relating to the cleanliness of the property should be reported within two hours of entry to the property.
d) No refund will be given or compensation paid, if you do not give us reasonable opportunity of solving the problem before you return home.
14. Access
Due to the position of some of our properties and nature of the environment, some may have better access than others. If you have mobility restrictions or other disabilities then please speak to one of our staff prior to booking who will advise on the suitability of your choice. Allergy suffers should also check with us first regarding suitability of their choice if their condition is serious.
15. Property Descriptions
Our property descriptions are prepared some time in advance, as a result some advertised facilities may change. We may therefore alter property description at any time to reflect this. We will make all reasonable efforts to inform you of them.
16. Liability
a) Keys Holiday Cottages will not be liable for any act, neglect or default on the part of the Owners or any other person not within their employ or otherwise under their control, nor for any accident, damage, loss, injury, expense or inconvenience, whether to person or property, which the Guest or any other person may suffer or incur arising out of, or in any way connected with, the rental unless Keys Holiday Cottages is responsible.
b) The Owners and Keys Holiday Cottages accept no liability for loss of, or damage to the Guest’s possessions on the Owners property or land.
c) Nothing in these clauses excludes or limits the liability of Keys Holiday Cottages or the Owners: For death or personal injury caused by Keys Holiday Cottages or the Owners negligence. For any matter which it would be illegal for Keys Holiday Cottages or the Owners to exclude or attempt to excluded their liability.
17. Appliances
a) TV’s, washing machines, tumble dryers, fried/freezers, dishwashers, showers, microwaves, toasters, CD and DVD players plus BBQs cannot be guaranteed in the event of a breakdown during your stay. Everything will be done to repair or replace the item as soon as possible.
18. Linen and towels
Bed linen and towels are provided in the majority of our properties free of charge. Where linen and or towels are not provided, please bring your own for some home comfort. Icons will denote if they are not supplied. Please bring your own beach towels.
19. Cot and high chairs
When travelling with young children, we understand how many things children need and that packing is never easy! - Some properties do supply cots and or high chairs (please bring your own cot bedding). Please view our website details to see if your chosen property does supply these.
20. Bunk bed safety
We understand that some children have never slept in a bunk bed before, therefore the importance of safety issues should be explained to them, regarding safe use of the bunk bed, such as no leaning over the upper bunk (to prevent falls) and no playing on the ladder. Safety guidelines suggest that the upper bunk should not be used by children under the age of six years old. Whilst the bottom bunk is best for children under the age of six, it is recommended that babies and toddlers should sleep in their own separate cot.
21. EV Car Charging
This is not permitted unless a designated EV charging port is provided at the property. No charging cables are permitted to 3 pin sockets in the property as this affects the properties insurance and is a serious breach of Health and Safety. For our full EV policy click here
22. Accessibility
We want your stay to be as comfortable as possible, so if you are looking for a property with certain features, we encourage you to view our website to see if your chosen property does meet your needs. Due to the position of some of our properties and nature of the environment, some may have better access than others. If you have mobility restrictions or other disabilities then please speak to one of our staff prior to booking who will advise on the suitability of your choice. Allergy suffers should also check with us first regarding suitability of their choice if their condition is serious. We will endeavour to advise and assist in any way we are able. However, we cannot be held responsible should a property be booked that is unsuitable or inappropriate. The choice is ultimately the responsibility of the person booking the property.
23. Keys
For most properties, key collection is directly from our office in Sheringham, however a small handful of properties do offer a key safe located at the property. Please ask us before booking if you have any questions regarding key collection for a specific property.
Please note that you will be charged a minimum of £50.00 for lost keys (which may lead to the locks being changed), so please be careful with them.
You will be charged a minimum of £30.00 for a call out for a lock out and a spare set of keys delivered, or if keys are not left in key safe upon departure.
24. Late arrivals
If you think you are going to arrive in Sheringham after 4.00pm, we can make arrangements for your keys to be collected at an alternative location. Please give us a call to advise if you are going to be late.
25. Departure
We hope you had a lovely holiday and we will be sad to you see you leave. Keys need to be returned to our office by 10am on the day of departure (unless advised otherwise). Please leave the property and its contents in a clean and tidy condition, with all the windows and doors securely locked.
26. Cancellation Insurance
When a holiday is booked, the guest is entering into a legally binding contract. Keys Holiday Cottages does not sell cancellation insurance however you may have cover through bank accounts, credit cards or membership subscriptions. Cancellation insurance can be purchased online via a number of providers, but ensure whatever you choose is suitable for your circumstances (age, medical conditions etc.).
27. Property Descriptions
Our property descriptions are prepared some time in advance, as a result some advertised facilities may change. We may therefore alter property description at any time to reflect this. We will make all reasonable efforts to inform you of them.
28. Character Properties
We ask guests to bear in mind that many properties are period properties and were built before the days of damp proof courses and cavity wall insulation, so some properties may show signs of damp or smell musty. This is particularly pertinent if your party includes elderly/infirm persons or very young children. Should traditional cottage features (steep stairs, low ceilings, uneven floors etc.) be a problem for any member of your party, you should consider this when selecting a property, before making any booking. Please remember that when you stay in unfamiliar surroundings to familiarise yourself with the layout of the property (to enable a quick exit in the event of an emergency) and any quirky (unfamiliar to you) features. In rural locations, please be tolerant when it comes to animal sounds and scents, tractors, farm life and working hours – it’s all part of being in the country!
29. Wood burners/open fires
Where an open fire/wood burner is available the homeowner may provide a starter pack of fuel, but alternatively/additionally fuel may need to be purchased separately (Blyth and Wright, Sheringham or Tesco).
30. Wi-Fi and Mobile reception
Where Wi-Fi is an advertised facility, please note that its provision is subject to availability and network conditions. It may not be available 24-hours a day and is provided for pleasure, not for business purposes. Please note that Keys Holiday Cottages and the property owner cannot be held responsible inappropriate content download or for disruption to the internet service brought about for reasons beyond their control. Please note that Wi-Fi, if provided, is only for occasional, light usage and we cannot guarantee that it will be enough to stream movies, play games or watch TV etc. Network coverage in Norfolk can be variable and, in some places, non-existent. Please check www.mobilecoverage.net to check your mobile reception in specific areas.
31. Dog(s)
Your dog(s) is welcome in a number of our properties, wherever you see the dog icon. A price per dog per week does apply and can vary per property. Restrictions apply to certain beaches between April and September, so please do check signs for details. Dog owners must ensure that their pets are free from parasites and fleas before they occupy the Property. Failure to do so may incur subsequent charges;
32. Damage/Security Deposit
A damage deposit maybe applied to your booking, this is a set amount of money (typically £100 per week or 10% of the rental) that guests pay in order to cover any damages to the property incurred during their stay. If there isn't any damage reported by the owner/cleaner, then the deposit will be refunded back to you within 3 - 5 working days of departure.
33. Affiliate Booking SItes
We use many affiliate booking sites to generate bookings for us. These sites include, but are not limited to: Booking.com, Holidu, Expedia and VRBO. These sites act similar to an introduction agency and once you have selected one of our properties to book via their website, you will be passed over to us and deposit money along with all correspondence and balance payments will be taken via our system.
View our Code of Practice here
View Booking Protect Terms and Conditions here