Booking Conditions
As a member of Hays Travel these booking conditions also apply:
Hays Travel Member Booking Conditions
1. GENERAL
Venturonet Limited, which also trades as Disabled Holidays or DisabledHolidays.com (“Venturonet” or “we” or “us”) arranges holiday accommodation and other holiday components (the “Service”) as an agent for the suppliers of the Service (the “Supplier”) and therefore your contract is with the Supplier and not Venturonet insofar as the provision of the Service is concerned. Venturonet Limited is a member of the Hays Travel Independence group whose registered office is Gilbridge House, Keel Square, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR1 3HA Registered in Great Britain No. 1990682 V.A.T. Reg. No. 193 1671 95 and conform ABTA number that the company operates under is P8535.All bookings are subject to the terms and conditions of the agent or supplier which can be made available on request. The holiday booking process is as follows:
1.1 - The customer makes an enquiry with us either by email, telephone call or web chat
1.2 - Details of the enquiry are recorded on our enquiry system including customer contact details, holiday dates and specific holidays of interest. Telephone calls are recorded for training and quality purposes and to establish a verbal contract when a booking is made.
1.3 - We will then endeavour to contact relevant Suppliers to establish availability and prices of holidays that are of interest along with costs of any special requirements
1.4 - We will then endeavour to contact the customer via email or telephone to provide a quotation for the holidays that are available and of interest
1.5 - If the customer accepts a quotation over the telephone then the telephone conversation recording may be used as a verbal contract
1.6 - Once the customer has accepted a quotation they can then choose how they wish to pay for the holiday. This may be by cheque, bank transfer or card payment. If card payment is preferred then the customer will provide the card number, expiry date and security code (CSC) to us. The card details are then entered into the payment gateway and if authorised the payment is taken. The card information is not recorded or kept by the company. Call recording is paused while payment details are received.
1.7 - Some Suppliers may require us to hold a security deposit on their behalf to cover any possible damage incurred.
1.8 - The Supplier(s) is/are notified of the booking and supplier payments are arranged.
1.9 - Details of the booking are recorded onto our booking system
1.10 - A booking confirmation / receipt with the details of the holiday purchased along with the deposit and balance payments is emailed to the customer
2. FORMATION OF CONTRACT
2.1 - Before making a booking, you must contact us to obtain confirmation that your chosen Service is available for the dates required. In some instances, the Supplier will require payment in full. Your holiday booking will be confirmed after the required deposit is paid. Holiday deposits are non-refundable, and we ask that you take out adequate travel insurance should you need to cancel your holiday for any reason.
2.2 - A binding contract between the person making the verbal booking i.e., Lead passenger / representative will be made with DisabledHolidays.com. This contract is accepted by above with immediate effect. A holiday confirmation will be sent by the agent approximately 7 working days after the booking has been made, dependent on the season.
2.3 - You are responsible for payment of the price of the Service and compliance by members of your party with these conditions.
2.4 - Bookings cannot be accepted from persons less than 18 years of age at the time of booking.
2.5 - Venturonet reserves the right to refuse a booking without giving any reason.
2.6 - Government guidance and legislation on COVID 19 changes frequently. Before you travel, you need to ensure you have checked and understood the relevant legislation and guidance that is applicable to you and the makeup of your party.
3. PAYMENT
3.1 - The balance must be paid no later than sixteen weeks before departure for UK & Channel Island holidays. Failure to pay the balance on time will constitute a repudiation of the contract by you and cancellation charges will become payable in accordance with paragraph 6.
3.2 - If you book a Service less than sixteen weeks before departure, the full price for the Service will be payable at the time of booking.
3.3 - Late payments are subject to a late payment fee of £25. You will be advised of the balance due date at the time of booking and will receive a written confirmation after booking.
4. THE PRICE
4.1 - The price is to be paid in £ sterling – subject to change and availability.
4.2 - When extra work is required to arrange your holiday we reserve the right to add a booking fee.
4.3 - Accommodation is let fully furnished.
4.4 - Occasionally some properties may require a security deposit to be paid in advance of the holiday in case of damages to the property or its contents. This will be refunded after the holiday at the discretion of the accommodation owner, subject to any breakages/damage. We are not liable to take payment of the security deposit – this is made payable to the direct owner and if this is not paid before arrival the accommodation owner can turn away your holiday accommodation.
5. IF WE CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY
5.1 - It is unlikely that we will change your travel arrangements, but as we do plan arrangements in advance, occasionally changes may need to be made and we reserve the right to do so at any time.
5.2 - Most changes will be minor, and we will advise you of the changes, e.g. accommodation change in the same resort which is of the same standard or higher.
5.3 - IMPORTANT NOTE: compensation will not apply to circumstances beyond our control (force majeure). We can cancel your holiday in the following circumstances: war, threat of war, riots, civil strife or terrorist activity, industrial disputes, natural or nuclear disasters, fire, flood, technical problems with transport, go slow, airport closures, bad weather conditions, airline failure, pandemic, epidemic, localised lockdown to where you live or where the holiday accommodation is based or similar events beyond our control.
5.4 For holidays that cancel due to events beyond our control (Force Majeure) including war, threat of war, riots, civil strife or terrorist activity, industrial disputes, natural or nuclear disasters, fire, flood, technical problems with transport, go slow, airport closures, bad weather conditions, airline failure, pandemic, epidemic, localised lock down to where you live or where the holiday accommodation is based or similar events beyond our control we reserve the right to retain an admin fee which will be a minimum of 15% of the value of the holiday up to a maximum of £200.00. We act as an agent for the holiday booked and we cannot be held liable for suppliers/ accommodation owners where we cannot recoup money paid to them unless the booking is covered under the Package travel regulations.
For more information on the package travel regulations, or linked travel arrangements click HERE
6. CANCELLATIONS BY YOU
6.1 - All cancellations must be notified in writing by email: sales@disabledholidays.com by the lead name on the booking and should be marked ‘URGENT – CANCELLATION NOTIFICATION’. You and your travel agent must both keep a copy of the cancellation notification in case of discrepancies. The cancellation date will be from when the notification is received by us and this will be acknowledged to you.
6.2 - The cancellation charges are outlined below:
Should cancellation charges be applicable, you will pay the amounts detailed below plus any applicable fees: Overseas, UK holidays
Period before scheduled arrival date within which cancellation notification is received |
Cancellation charges as a % of the holiday cost (excluding administration fees) |
112 days or more |
Loss of deposit (and/or non-refundable elements) or as per tour operator whichever is higher |
112 - 70 days |
75% loss or as per tour operator whichever is higher |
69 days or under |
100% loss of monies |
6.3 - Cancellation due to inclement weather, your circumstances have changed, or you have changed your mind, cancellation charges will apply. It is advisable to take an insurance policy so that you may be able to make a claim under your policy.
6.4 - We reserve the right to cancel your holiday without notification 1 week before the supplier payment is due, cancellation charges still apply.
6.5 - If tier restrictions apply and you are legally unable to travel due to the number of households / guests in your party, yet the holiday accommodation is not legally permitted to close under government restrictions the holiday providers may not provide options such as a refund or transferring your booking to a later date. Please ensure you take adequate travel insurance to cover you for cancellation.
7. AMENDMENTS BY YOU
7.1 - Upon receipt of our booking confirmation please check the details to make sure they are correct. If, after your booking has been accepted, you require us to amend it in any way, or to re-invoice you, we reserve the right to charge an amendment fee. We reserve the right to treat a change of accommodation and/or Service dates as a cancellation of one Service and the booking of another.
8. INFORMATION
8.1 - While we make every effort to ensure that descriptions supplied by the Suppliers are accurately reproduced, we cannot accept responsibility for errors contained therein or the results thereof. You must accept that minor differences between the photograph/illustration/text used, and the actual Services may arise.
8.2 - Suppliers reserve the right to make modifications to the Service specification that are considered necessary in the light of their operating requirements. In the interests of continued improvement, Suppliers reserve the right to alter furniture, fittings, amenities, facilities, or any activities, either as advertised or previously available, without prior notice.
8.3 - If we are advised of any material changes that occur after your booking has been confirmed we will advise you as soon as we are notified.
8.4 - All information provided on this website is correct as at the time of publishing – please check when booking in case of any changes.
8.5 - All travel is sold on the understanding that you are in possession of a valid passport and visa(s) where required, for the countries you intend to visit.
8.6 - Government guidance and legislation on COVID 19 changes frequently. Before you travel, you need to ensure you have checked and understood the relevant legislation and guidance that is applicable to you and the makeup of your party.
8.7 - Some of the flights and flight - inclusive holidays which we offer are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel which we offer. If you are unsure if your holiday offers protection please ensure you check with the agent before making a booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.caa.co.uk
9. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
You must keep the accommodation and all furniture, fittings, effects, facilities, and equipment in the same state of repair and condition as at the commencement of the holiday and leave the accommodation in the same state of cleanliness and general order in which it was found. You are responsible for all damage or loss, which occurs to the accommodation or its contents during your occupation and will be responsible to paying appropriate compensation to the Supplier direct or to us as his or her agent in the event of breakages or damage. In these circumstances we reserve the right to pass on contact details to the supplier.
Covid-19 FCDO advice: Government guidance and legislation on COVID 19 changes frequently. Before you travel, you need to ensure you have checked and understood the relevant legislation and guidance that is applicable to you and the makeup of your party. If you book a holiday with us during the Covid-19 pandemic, you confirm that you have checked, understand and accept the FCDO travel advice relating to your chosen destination, including where there may be a requirement on you to quarantine upon your return to the UK (or in destination), and understand and accept that there is a heightened risk of travelling during the Covid-19 pandemic, beyond that associated with travel during ordinary times. You are also required to purchase a specialist travel insurance which includes certain cover for Covid-19. You are required to read and accept this Acknowledgement of Risk which hereby forms part of your contract with us. For up-to-date travel advice from the UK government, visit Foreign Travel Advice and Travel Aware. We recommend that you consult these websites before booking in order to make an informed decision about your chosen destination, and again before departure.
Insurance
You must purchase a specialist travel insurance policy available which includes specific cover for Covid-19 related issues and incidents which may affect your travel arrangements [and travelling to a destination subject to a FCDO advisory against travel]. It remains your responsibility to read and understand the insurance policy and ensure that it is suitable and adequate for your particular needs. Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses suffered by you in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.
Cancellation
The following clauses are in addition to our standard cancellation terms and charges: Where you are choosing to travel to a destination subject to the FCDO advisory against non-essential travel, you accept that once your booking has been confirmed, if you decide not to travel due to the FCDO advisory, you will have to pay our standard cancellation charges as shown in clause 6 of these booking conditions – you are not entitled to cancel and receive a full refund in these circumstances, as it is assumed and you confirm that you have made your booking with full knowledge of the FCDO advisory against non-essential travel. Where your chosen destination is exempt from the FCDO advisory against non-essential travel at the time of booking but is subsequently removed from the FCDO exemption list and at that point becomes subject to the FCDO advisory against non-essential travel, you accept that you will not have the right to cancel your booking and receive a full refund. If you choose to no longer travel in these circumstances, you will have to pay our standard cancellation charges as shown in clause 6 of these booking conditions, as you made your booking with full knowledge of the risks of travelling during the Covid-19 pandemic. Please note that we will have no liability for any refunds, compensation, costs, expenses or other losses of any kind incurred by you (including, where applicable, the cost of medical treatment), in the following circumstances:
• If you, or anyone in your booking party, test positive for Covid-19, or are notified or otherwise become aware that you have, or suspect you may have, come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 (or where they otherwise suspect they may have Covid-19) and have to self-isolate for a period of time. If this happens within 14 days of your departure date, you must contact us immediately as you may no longer be able to travel. We will offer you the following options where possible and subject to availability:
• Postponing your holiday to a later date (if the supplier offers this option). We will notify you of any impact on the price the postponement may have (please note that you may have to pay full cancellation charges on some elements of your holiday, such as the flight, as well any increase in cost imposed by suppliers);
• If not everyone on the booking is affected, you will have the right to transfer your place on the holiday to another person nominated by you, subject always to compliance with the requirements within our booking conditions; extra charges may apply.
• Cancelling your booking, in which case we will impose our standard cancellation charges as at the date of cancellation by you. You may be able to claim these costs back from your travel insurance – please check your policy wording. If this happens whilst you are on your holiday, please notify us immediately and we will provide such reasonable assistance as we can in the circumstances. However, we will not be responsible for covering the cost of any curtailment of your holiday, missed transport arrangements, additional accommodation required, or other associated costs incurred by you. Your travel insurance may cover some of these costs for you – please check the policy wording.
• You fail any tests, checks or other measures imposed by a supplier, airline, port or airport, border control authority or other government body or local authority or fail to submit for testing or assessment when requested to do so, and as such you are denied boarding, entry to the destination, access to the travel services or you are otherwise unable to proceed with your holiday, or any part of the holiday, or you are required to self-isolate within the destination. Your travel insurance may cover some of these costs for you – please check the policy wording.
Your holiday experience
You acknowledge that the suppliers providing your holiday will need to comply with national and/or local guidance and requirements relating to Covid-19 and have implemented certain measures as a result. This will likely include specific requirements regarding personal protective equipment, such as use of facemasks by staff (and you may be required to wear a facemask as well), social distancing, maximum number restrictions on the use of certain facilities, designated alternative entrance and exit routes, mandatory hand sanitisation, limited entertainment options and limited food/drink availability and temperature testing. We do not expect these measures to have a significant impact on your enjoyment of your holiday and all measures will be taken with the purpose of securing your safety and those around you.
10. EQUIPMENT HIRE
All bookings made between DisabledHolidays.com and you / lead passenger are subject to these conditions.
10.1 DisabledHolidays.com will hire mobility equipment for your booking if required, all equipment is booked over the telephone by the agent and is booked purely on the understanding of what information you provide, we cannot be held liable for any incorrect equipment hire resulting from your failure to provide us with pertinent information. You will receive confirmation of equipment hire in your booking form for you to check and make sure the equipment we have hired is correct. All information will have been confirmed with your agent at Disabledholidays.com over the phone upon receipt of booking. If for any reason the hiring company makes a change to the contract, you may terminate the contract of the mobility equipment depending on the supplier terms and conditions.
10.2 - The representative or yourself shall sign to acknowledge receipt of the equipment on delivery. Any equipment shortages must be agreed and noted at the time of delivery. Any equipment defects should be reported to the hiring company as soon as possible after delivery.
10.3 - You acknowledge that you do not own any of the equipment and accept responsibility for keeping the equipment safely and in good repair for the duration and in any event until it is returned to the supplier.
10.4 - Equipment is operated in conformance with all relevant legislation, health and safety notices at any sites which are visited and in accordance with any operating and safety instructions which are supplied to the you by the supplier from time to time.
10.5 - Any theft or suspected theft of mobility equipment is to be reported to the police without delay and a crime reference number is obtained; you must notify the supplier and disabledholidays.com within 48 hours of any theft, suspected theft or loss.10.6 - If you wish to cancel the mobility equipment aspect of the holiday; disabledholidays.com will need to be notified as soon as possible in order to cancel this with the supplier in order to avoid any cancellation charges.
11. COMPLAINTS
11.1 In the unlikely event that you are disappointed with the Service(s), you must first contact the accommodation owner, hotel or service provider (transfers, mobility equipment, excursions) who will try to solve the problem whilst on holiday, where this is not possible, you should contact us. Please email sales@disabledholidays.com and mark as ‘URGENT’. If after that, you still feel that the problem has not been resolved to a reasonable satisfaction, you should as soon as possible and in any event within 21 days of returning from your holiday, put your comments in writing to us and we will deal with accordingly. If you vacate the accommodation before the end of the rental period without authorization from the owner in writing, you may lose any rights to compensation. If you fail to notify us of a problem with your holiday until you have returned you may lose any rights to compensation – it is important we are notified of a problem immediately and given the opportunity to find a resolution whilst you are on holiday. Should any compensation be offered, this will need to be accepted by the lead passenger within 28 days from the date of offer otherwise the compensation could be withdrawn.
11.2 In the unlikely event you are ill on holiday and believe this was caused by the food in the resort/ at your hotel that offers an all- inclusive basis it is important to follow these steps: Let DisabledHolidays.com know straight away whilst you are ill on holiday. Report your illness in resort - taking note of who you have spoken to, the action they have taken, the time and name of who you spoke with. Seek medical help to make sure you get the right tests, diagnosis, and treatment you need. If you think your illness was caused by something you ate at your hotel it is important you have evidence of this from the doctor you see on holiday and your GP at home. If you feel you've reason to make a complaint or claim about a holiday illness you must be able to show you have followed the above steps. If you do not follow these steps, we may be unwilling to accept your claim or pay compensation. Please note making a fraudulent claim is a criminal offence and holidaymakers should be aware we investigate all claims thoroughly and anyone making a false claim may be prosecuted and will be prevented from booking with us in the future.
11.3 We are a Member of ABTA, membership number P8535. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you ABTA’s scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta.com to use ABTA’s simple procedure. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com.
12. LIABILITY OF THE SUPPLIER AND VENTURONET
12.1 - As we are only the agent of the Supplier, we do not accept liability of any nature whatsoever.
12.2 - As the agent of the Supplier we are instructed to inform you that the Supplier accepts no responsibility for the death of or personal injury of you or any person named on the Booking Form or any other person unless this results from the proven negligence of the Supplier Or his agents or employees.
12.3 - We shall not be liable for any loss, breach or delay due to any cause beyond our reasonable control, including though not limited to, force majeure, an act of God, explosion, flood, tempest, fire or accident, war or threat of war, civil disturbance, acts, restrictions, regulations, byelaws, or measures of any kind on the part of any governmental or local authority, strikes, lock-outs, or other industrial actions or disputes or adverse weather conditions. In any such case, the contract may be treated as discharged.
12.4 - In the event of such discharge, our liability shall be limited to the return of the sums paid to and held by us (if any) in respect of the(unused) portion of the holiday calculated on a pro rata daily basis.
12.5 - Without derogating from the generality of 11.1, we cannot be held responsible for breakdown of mechanical equipment such as pumps, boilers, swimming pool filtration systems etc. nor for failure of public utilities such as water, gas, and electricity.
12.6 - Without derogating from the generality of 11.1, neither the Supplier nor we are responsible for noise or disturbance originating beyond the boundaries of the holiday accommodation or which is beyond our control.
13. CLEANING
The property will be clean at the beginning of the rental period, and you must leave it clean at the end of the period.
14. BEHAVIOUR
The person agreeing to our terms verbally over the phone at the time of booking is responsible for the correct and decent behaviour of their party. Should you and your party not behave in such a manner, the Property Owner or his representative/agent may at his absolute discretion ask you and your party to vacate the property without any refund of the price.
15. SECURITY AND VALUABLES
Any valuable left at the property is left at your own risk. Without prejudice to clause 11 above, neither the Supplier nor Venturonet, nor our agents are responsible for the loss of these items. As with all accommodation in prime locations, there may be a risk of burglary. Where provided, burglar alarms must be activated, safes used, and proper care taken against theft and burglary. We accept no responsibility for any loss, damage or consequential losses due to theft or any other security related incident however caused.
16. INSURANCE
It is recommended that you and/or your party are covered by comprehensive travel insurance. An insurance policy that includes cancellation cover will protect you from loss of deposit or full payment due to unforeseen circumstances. Our suppliers are not sympathetic to refund requests regardless of circumstances as they expect travel insurance to be taken out for this purpose.
17. PASSPORTS, VISAS AND VACCINATIONS
It is your responsibility to ensure you have an up-to-date passport and any applicable visas for the country or countries which you are visiting. Out of date or lack of appropriate documentation could result in your trip being cancelled, no refund will be provided. Vaccinations are required for certain destinations; it is your responsibility to ensure you are vaccinated and that your vaccinations are up to date. Should you be denied entry to a country due to not having up to date vaccinations, no refund will be provided.
18. SEVERANCE
If any condition contained herein is found to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part for any reason it shall whenever allowed by the context be deemed replaced by such valid and enforceable condition whose contents are as close as permissible to those of the invalid or unenforceable condition. In any event the invalidity or unenforceability of any condition shall not affect the remaining conditions herein.
19. LAW
All contractual obligations arising out of these booking conditions shall be interpreted in accordance with and be subject to English law and you agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. In compliance with GDPR 2018, all bookings comply with the regulations of GDPR and your privacy is protected. Your personal data and information will only be shared with parties who are involved in or relevant to the servicing of your booking, this can include but is not restricted to airlines, property owners, equipment, and transport rental companies. Full details of our privacy policy can be found on our website or is available upon request.
17/03/2023