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One of the bad things about the travel industry is the reams of terms and conditions attached to bookings. The reason for this is that is that you, the client, are actually incredibly well protected under EU and UK law when you a holiday through a UK tour operator such as Fleewinter (in fact you’d be crazy to book any other way….) and we have to be very clear with T&C’s to ensure everyone knows where they stand. Now, we-know-that-you-know-that-we-know the chances of you wading through the T&C’s before booking is minimal. There are however 3 key points we’d like to emphasise and are well worth reading:
1. All the money you pay us is fully protected unlike if you book accommodation directly. We are members of ABTOT (Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust) which means should anything happen to us you will still be able to take your holiday or get your money back. Most travel companies offer this protection for inclusive packages but with ABTOT we go further and even if you just book accommodation or car hire with us, you are still protected.
2. The second point is we have a strict cancellation policy and it is not guaranteed that we’ll be able to refund deposits if a holiday is cancelled. The reason for this is we work with small hotels and single villas and, unlike a room in a large hotel, it is very difficult to re-allocate the booking if it is cancelled. It is therefore very important that you take out holiday insurance as soon as you have booked that covers cancellation.
3. Finally most of our accommodation providers are small privately owned properties and specifications vary property to property and over time. In fact standards and attention to detail are very high but it is important that you ask us to confirm for a feature that is important to you. This may be a simple question as whether hair-dryers are available (they usually are) or an important point like the protection around a swimming pool for children. We have hundreds of properties on our database and whilst we know most of them personally it is impossible to keep completely abreast at a given point in time. We will however also be happy to check a particular point and on occasion will even get one of our ground team to make a special visit to confirm.
For the rest of the T&C’s please see below and don’t hesitate to call us if anything needs explanation.
Privacy Statement
In our view this is another area where the world has gone mad and because of a few exploitative companies, everyone is now expected to write acres of undecipherable techno-babble involving “cookies” and consent statements and you never have a clue whether you should be ticking or unticking boxes. Instead we just promise to treat you information the way we would like to be treated ourselves:
- We won’t give your details to anyone else for commercial exploitation. Ever.
- We don’t store your payment card details and we will shred written card details after having used them.
- We will send out the odd newsletter (hopefully interesting) but always feel free to drop us a note and we will remove your contact details off our database and we promise we will never proactively contact you again.
Terms and Conditions
1. A non-refundable deposit will be required to secure all bookings.
2. All quotations are only valid for 5 days from the date of sending. Deposit payment (or full payment if booking 4 weeks or less prior to arrival) must have been received in this time frame or the quote and any provisional booking will lapse.
3. A binding contract will come into existence between Fleewinter Ltd and the person making the booking on receipt of all payments referred to above within the quotation validity period. This contract will be governed by English law and any dispute which arises will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales
4. Full payment must be received by us at least 4 weeks prior to arrival and no payments are refundable. Should money not be received in the time stated the booking may be treated as cancelled.
5. A breakage deposit may be required either in the form of a prepayment or a credit card mandate. Customers should leave the accommodation as they found it in a tidy and orderly fashion and are liable for breakages and damage caused during their stay including but not restricted the value of any breakage deposit.
6. Whilst every effort is made to keep accommodation details up to date individual owners may make alterations and improvements as they see fit. Customers are advised to seek confirmation for specific aspects that are important to them. Fleewinter undertakes to inform clients of significant changes in the specification or configuration of holiday accommodation sold. Fleewinter reserves the right to make changes to confirmed arrangements.
7. Properties are maintained to the custom and practice in the country where they are located and may not confirm to standards in the UK.
8. Should an unavoidable problem occur with any accommodation booked we reserve the right to provide alternative accommodation. Alternative accommodation will be of a similar standard where possible although at busy times options may be limited and parties booking several rooms may need to be separated if no other options are available.
9. No liability can be accepted and no compensation will be paid where the performance of our contractual obligations or those of any supplier are prevented or affected by any event or circumstances which we or the supplier concerned could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events include adverse weather conditions, fire, civil strife, actual or threatened terrorist activity and all similar events outside our control.
10. Where a claim can be established against us in relation to any flight organised by Fleewinter, our maximum liability will be no greater than that of the airline concerned in relation to the claim in question in accordance with the applicable international convention (for example, Warsaw Convention as amended or unamended or Montreal Convention). If the airline has no liability under the applicable convention for the claim in question, we will have no liability either.
11.If you have a complaint of any nature, you must inform the accommodation provider or other supplier as soon as it arises. If it cannot be resolved straightaway, you must also contact Fleewinter. If you remain dissatisfied, you must write to us with full details within 28 days of the end of your holiday giving us full details. If you fail to do so, any right you may have had to claim compensation may be affected or even lost as a result.
12. Accommodation is usually ready for occupation at 2:00pm on the day of arrival and must be vacated by 10:00am on the day of departure.
13. Clients must take out adequate travel insurance suitable for their particular requirements and provide proof of insurance on request.
14. If any member of your party has any medical problem or disability which may affect your holiday, please tell us, giving full details, before making your booking so that we can endeavour to advise you as to the suitability of particular arrangements.
15. Fleewinter Ltd complies with UK law on the sale of holidays and acts as a principal not an agent, and so takes full responsibility for delivery of services to clients.
16. As a member of the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT), an Association approved by the Department of Trade and Industry, Fleewinter Limited has provided a Bond to meet the requirements of the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992. This Bond provides security for and is restricted to monies paid by its UK customers in the event of Fleewinter’s insolvency, it also protects monies paid by overseas customers who have booked directly with Fleewinter.
Our ABTOT membership is 5133 and more info can be found at www.abtot.com or by calling 0845 4504 618
17. Packages including flights orgainised by Fleewinter Ltd will be ATOL protected as we hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence issued by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 9659. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. Please see www.atol.org.uk for more details.
18. Holidays sold as separate elements will not be counted as packages and clients rights may be affected. Please contact us for clarification if you are at all unsure.
Additional Conditions for ATOL protected flights
1. In accordance with EU Directive (EC) No 2111/2005 Article 9, we are required to bring to your attention the existence of a “Community list” which contains details of air carriers that are subject to an operating ban with the EU Community. The Community list is available for inspection at http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/air/safety/flywell_en.htm .
2. In accordance with EU Regulations we are required to advise you of the carriers (or, if the carriers are not known, the likely carriers) that will operate your flights at the time of booking. Where we are only able to inform you of the likely carriers at the time of booking, we shall inform you of the identity of the actual carriers as soon as we become aware of this. Any change to the operating carriers after your booking has been confirmed will be notified to you as soon as possible.
3. We are not always in a position at the time of booking to confirm the aircraft type and flight timings which will be used in connection with your flight. The flight timings and types of aircraft detailed on your confirmation invoice are for guidance only and are subject to alteration and confirmation. The latest timings will be shown on your tickets which will be despatched to you approximately two weeks before departure. You must accordingly check your tickets very carefully immediately on receipt to ensure you have the correct flight times. It is possible that flight times may be changed even after tickets have been despatched - we will contact you as soon as possible if this occurs
Any change in the identity of the carrier, flight timings, and/or aircraft type will not entitle you to cancel or change to other arrangements without paying our normal charges except where specified in these conditions.
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