Terms & Conditions

***PRIOR TO BOOKING A PROPERTY PLEASE ALSO READ THE HOUSE RULES ON EACH PROPERTY PAGE FOR PROPERTY SPECIFIC TERMS, PROCEDURES & CONDITIONS.***

General
The following Booking Conditions together with the General Information contained on this website form the basis of your contract with Keystay Ltd. Keystay Ltd is registered in England and Wales under Company Number 08575730. Our registered address is Queensbury House 3rd Floor, 106 Queen’s Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3XF. Please read carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations.

In these Booking Terms & Conditions, 'The Client' "you" and "your" is the person named on the booking confirmation and who has made arrangements with the Agent as the principle contact or party leader and is named on the Keystay Booking Form and Confirmation, and all other persons staying at the property during the rental period. 'The Agent' “We” and “Us” is Keystay Ltd. All reservations are made subject to these Booking Terms & Conditions.

Keystay Ltd act as Agent for the Owners (or their representative) of the property (also referred to as ‘the Owners’ or ‘the Owner’) offering self-catered holidays. Holiday booking arrangements are handled by Keystay Ltd, on behalf of the Owners, and the contractual relationship is directly between the Owner and the Client.

You agree that you will occupy any of the properties advertised on this website for a holiday. You acknowledge that the tenancy granted in accordance with these Booking Conditions is not an assured tenancy and that no statutory periodic tenancy will arise under any circumstances.

Privacy Policy.

Keystay Ltd does not store any credit or debit card information. We do not store credit card details nor do we share customer details with any 3rd parties. For our full Privacy Policy Statement follow the link and read further information below. 


1. Making a booking.

Bookings can be made by completing the on-line booking form at www.keystay.co.uk (please follow the on-screen instructions) or by contacting us by telephone at our office to make your booking. . Reservations can be made by the Client via the internet or by telephoning Keystay Ltd. We can provisionally hold the property chosen by the Client for forty-eight hours. At the point of making a provisional booking, the Client shall read a copy of the Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) and the Booking Form. Only one property can be reserved by a Client at a time. Please note: If payment (in part or full) is not received by Keystay within 48 hours, the provisional booking will be cancelled automatically and the property dates will be released.

We regret we cannot accept bookings where all the guests are under the age of 21.

2. Payment.

In order to confirm your booking, an initial down payment of a deposit (or full payment if booking is within 28 days of arrival) must be paid at the time of booking by credit or debit card via PayPal.NB you do not need a PayPal account you can pay as a guest. This deposit is non-refundable & non-transferable in the event of your cancellation or failure to pay on time, as set out below

3. Confirming a Booking.

3.1. To confirm a booking, the Client must acknowledge that they have read the T&Cs and complete the online Booking Form; confirmation of a booking is not possible without this.

3.2. The Client who completes the Booking Form and agrees to the T&Cs does so on behalf of all members of the party and binds them jointly and severally to the terms therein (See Authority to Sign below).

3.3 The Client is also required to pay an initial deposit (down) payment of 30% of the total cost of the holiday. If the booking confirmation date is within 28 days of the arrival date, Keystay shall require full payment of the holiday cost and any charges for additional services that might be due.

3.4. Any payment made by the Client to Keystay in respect of a property is deemed to confirm acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.

3.5. Upon receipt of payment Keystay will secure the property chosen for the dates requested and will send the Client a receipt to confirm funds received.

3.6. Once a booking is confirmed and subject to the Cancellation Policy (Below), the Client is liable for payment of the balance of the accommodation cost, along with any additional charges.

Please note: For clarity, Booking Confirmation consists of three linked parts: Acceptance of the T&Cs, Payment and completion of the Booking Form. The T&Cs are deemed to be in force upon agreement by the Client and / or on receipt by Keystay of any payment from the Client. Entry to the property requires that all three parts are completed and the booking may be treated as a cancellation in accordance with the Cancellation Policy (below) if Keystay is not in receipt of a completed Booking Form within seven days of Confirming a Booking.

Once we have received your down payment, we will confirm your stay by issuing a booking confirmation by email. Please check the details & contact us immediately if there are any errors or omissions to any information which appears on the confirmation or any other document as it may not be possible to make changes later. We regret we cannot accept any liability if we are not notified of any inaccuracies in any document within 5 working days of its transmission. 

4. Payment of Balance.

The balance of the cost of your booking is due 28 days prior to arrival (or at the time of booking if this date has passed). If we do not receive the full balance on time we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you. In this case the cancellation charges set out below will be payable.

4.1. Payment of the balance of the accommodation cost (and any additional charges) is due in cleared funds 28 days prior to the arrival date. Although Keystay will endeavour to email a reminder for the balance payment to the Client, it is the Client’s responsibility to ensure that payment is received by the due date.

4.2. Keystay requires that the Client pays the balance in full, using one payment method only (See Payment Methods below).

4.3. If the Balance Payment is not received by the due date & funds are not available when requested, the booking shall be treated as a Cancellation by the Client (See Cancellation Policy below) and the booking dates will be released. Restoration of the holiday may be treated as a new booking where the full accommodation cost is due; since the dates will be released restoration cannot be guaranteed. 

4.4. For reasons of security and privacy, we do not provide full details of the locations of any of our accommodation until the Client pays the balance of the holiday cost in full. Upon receipt of the final balance payment, full directions to the property shall be provided to the Client.

5. Refundable Damage Deposit.

You must pay a Refundable damage deposit of between £ (GBP) 300 and £1500, according to the property you have booked, 14 days prior to arrival. The cost of any damage to the property or to any items in and/or at the property caused or any service charges incurred by you or any member of your party (for example excess cleaning charges, broken or damaged items, ) will be deducted by us from the damage deposit at the end of your stay. If no deductions are required, your security deposit will be refunded in full to you within 7 days of your departure from the property. If the security deposit is not sufficient to cover any damage caused or service charges incurred by you, you will be responsible for paying us any additional monies required immediately on request from us.

5.1. The refundable damage deposit may be required to cover costs resulting from the action or inaction of the Client or a member of their party such as (but not limited to): the property being left in an unreasonable state, loss or non-return of keys, excessive or long distance telephone call charges, neglect or damage to the property, damage or loss of contents and/or, any extra or excessive cleaning costs required.

5.2. Where applicable, the amount of the Refundable Damage Deposit will be advised to the Client at the time of booking the holiday and in the Booking Confirmation email.

5.3. Where a Refundable damage deposit is required, Keystay will endeavour to email a reminder for the Damage Deposit to the Client, however it is the responsibility of the Client to ensure payment of this is received in full by Keystay a minimum of 14 days prior to your arrival date.

5.4. Access to the property will be denied if full payment of the Refundable Damage Deposit has not been made in cleared funds and the booking will be treated as a cancellation, no refund will be due or issued.

5.5. If paying the Refundable Damage Deposit by bank transfer, the Client must allow sufficient time to ensure that the funds are cleared by the due date.

5.6. Cheques are not accepted for Refundable damage deposit payments.

5.7. If the Damage Deposit is not received by the due date, or If funds are not available when requested, the booking will be treated as a Cancellation by the Client (See Cancellation Policy below) and the booking dates will be released. Restoration of the booking shall be treated as a new booking where payment in full is due; since the dates will be released, restoration of a booking is not guaranteed. 

5.8. To allow sufficient processing time, for bookings commencing on or between the last Friday in December and the first Friday in January, the Refundable Damage Deposit will be due no later than 18th December of any year.

6. Refund of the Damage Deposit.

6.1. The Damage Deposit will be refunded within 7 days of your departure from the property less any costs incurred.

6.2. In the event of damages attributed to the Client or a member of their party during their stay. Keystay shall notify this to the Client as quickly as reasonably possible together with any evidence provided by the Owner. The cost of any remedial action shall be deducted from the Refundable Damage Deposit and the balance refunded to the Client.

6.3. In the event that the cost of rectification for losses or damage caused by the Client or a member of their party exceeds the Damage Deposit held, Keystay shall notify the Client of any additional amount owing. The Client is advised that the property Owner reserves the right to pursue recovery of any additional cost over and above the Damage Deposit and for this reason adequate personal liability insurance is strongly recommended (See Insurance Requirements below). Should additional costs be incurred we shall provide the Clients’ contact details to the Owner to facilitate recovery directly.

6.4. Keystay will not be held accountable for any bank charges or other losses incurred by the Client that result from us being unable to contact the Client to advise of any damages that may have occurred during their stay requiring deduction from the Damage Deposit. In this instance, Keystay cannot guarantee the balance of these funds will be refunded within 14 days.

6.5. In the event that Keystay is unable to contact the Client to advise of deductions from the Damage Deposit, then Keystay will not be held accountable for any bank charges or other losses incurred by the Client resulting from those deductions from the Damage Deposit. If Keystay is unable to contact the Client, refund of the balance of the Damage Deposit cannot be guaranteed within 14 days.

6.6. Where the Damage Deposit is paid by bank transfer it shall be refunded by bank transfer. To facilitate this, the Client must provide Keystay with their correct bank account details. Refund of the Damage deposit will not be processed until Keystay is in receipt of your account details, Keystay cannot be held responsible if the damage deposit is not refunded within the 14 day time scale if this information has not been provided. A charge may apply where the Damage Deposit is credited to an international bank account.

Please note: If we are awaiting a quote from the Owner for repair/replacement of items, an extension of this 14 day timescale may be necessary. Please ensure we have all relevant contact details to enable us to contact you when refunding your damage deposit.

7. Your contract

A binding contract comes into existence when the deposit payment is paid (see clause 2 above). If you cancel after paying the deposit, our normal cancellation charges will apply. This contract and all matters arising out of it are governed by United Kingdom law. We both agree that any dispute arising out of or connected with your holiday will be dealt with by the Courts of the United Kingdom.

8. The Price of your accommodation.

The price of your stay will be confirmed at the time of booking, subject to the correction of any errors. We reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices. We will do so as soon as we become aware of the error and no later than 5 working days of your deposit being received.

8.1. All prices quoted at the point of enquiry are valid until midnight of the day on which they were given. Prices quoted for a provisional booking are valid for 48 hours from when the provisional reservation is made.

8.2. After the reservation period, where Keystay has not received a down payment, prices quoted may be subject to change.

8.3. Notwithstanding the above, Keystay reserves the right to amend prices quoted as a result of errors or omissions. Any changes resulting from an error or omission shall be notified to the Client as soon as possible and the Client shall be able to cancel the booking if the amended price is significantly higher than the original price quoted.

8.4. Any changes in the rate of VAT shall be borne by the Client.

9. Price Guarantee

Errors and omissions excepting, Keystay guarantees that the price of the holiday will not be subject to any surcharges once the Client has paid a down payment, unless the booking has been amended, once the confirmation has been issued. All prices are based in £Sterling/GBP. The introduction of consumer levies or VAT changes is excluded from the Keystay surcharge guarantee.

10. VAT

Many Owners of properties on the Keystay website are not registered for VAT, in which case no VAT is payable. Where VAT is payable, this is included in the cost of the accommodation.

11. Payment Method

11.1. Payments may be made by debit card, credit card, bank transfer.. Payment by cheque is not possible for booking payments or Refundable Damage Deposits. Sufficient time should be allowed for bank transfers to clear before the payment due date. 

11.2. Keystay shall not store or process debit or credit card details instead Keystay uses a secure online payment gateway provided by Paypal to process payments. For information, Paypal is an industry leader and has achieved the highest level of compliance under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and adheres to the most stringent levels of fraud screening, ensuring that card details remain secure throughout the transaction process.

11.3. All payments are made in £Sterling unless otherwise indicated. Overseas clients may pay in £Sterling by debit card, credit card, international bank transfer. Any charges for receiving payments from overseas banks will be payable by the Client.

11.4. Where a tariff is advertised in a currency other than £Sterling or €Euros, the currency will be converted into £Sterling on the day the payment is requested and the Client shall be advised of the £Sterling amount by the Property Advisor. All conversions will be valid on the day they are provided only and a new quotation will be given if payment is not received by the close of business.

11.5. For properties advertised in €Euros, all payments shall be made in €Euros into the Keystay bank account (details shall be provided), Keystay will not convert amounts into £Sterling. The Client should contact their bank for details of the charges and how to process foreign transactions.

Please note: Please include the name of the lead Client, Keystay Booking Reference Number and the property name with all payments where possible for transaction identification purposes.

12. Changes by you.

Should you wish to make any minor changes to your confirmed booking, you must notify us by email as soon as possible. Whilst we will endeavour to assist, we cannot guarantee we will be able to meet any such requests. Where we can, an amendment fee may be payable together with any costs incurred by ourselves. This excludes a change of property whereby this will be treated as a cancellation and new booking.

12.1. Once a booking has been confirmed, providing that Keystay is informed no later than 6 weeks prior to the arrival date, booking amendments will be treated as changes and a £30 (Including VAT) Administration Fee will be charged to the Client.

12.2. Booking amendments requested within 6 weeks of arrival will be treated as a booking cancellation and may be subject to the terms of the Cancellation Policy (Below).

12.3. Once a property booking has been confirmed, the booking can only be changed to another property by treating the original booking as a Cancellation by the Client (See Inter-Property Booking Transfers and Cancellation Policy below).

12.4. By agreeing these T&Cs the Client warrants that they will not sell or transfer the booking to another party without Keystay consent.

13. Inter property booking transfers

Keystay offers high quality, unique accommodation from an exclusive, carefully selected collection of privately owned and beautifully maintained properties. Due to the individual and bespoke nature of each property, transfers between properties are not possible.

14. If the owner changes your accommodation.

In exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary to amend the arrangements made by the Client and the property Owner reserves the right to do so. Where such changes are considered to be a significant alteration of an essential item of the contract, the Owner will undertake to advise the Client as soon as is reasonably possible. Where a major change occurs (such as a change of destination or alternative property), provided it does not arise from circumstances amounting to Force Majeure (see below), the Client will be given the choice of either accepting the alternative arrangements or to cancel the booking; written confirmation of cancellation will be required. Once Keystay has received this in writing from the Client, a full refund of all monies paid.

15. Cancellation by you.

Should you need to cancel your stay after the contract has begun (see clause 3 above), the party leader must immediately advise us in writing. Your notice of cancellation will only be effective when we receive it in writing at our offices. As we incur costs from the time we confirm your booking, and may be unable to re-sell your period of stay, the following cancellation charges will be payable. Amendment charges are not refundable in the event of cancellation.

If you cancel more than 28 days prior to your scheduled arrival date, you will forfeit the deposit paid. If you cancel 28 days or less prior to your scheduled arrival date, you will forfeit the total cost of the booking and remain liable to pay any outstanding balance.

Depending on the reason for cancellation, you may be able to reclaim these cancellation charges (less any applicable excess) under the terms of any insurance policy you may have. Claims must be made directly to the insurance company concerned. 

A booking can only be cancelled prior to the accommodation start date.

A Client wishing to cancel a booking must telephone the Keystay office and speak to a Property Advisor; Keystay will also require written confirmation of cancellation (email is acceptable). The written cancellation must be issued and signed by the Client. The cancellation takes effect from the day that the written confirmation is received. All cancellations will be subject to a £30 (Including VAT) administration charge.

A cancelled booking cannot be reinstated.

Cancellation Charges are as follows:

1. The holiday down payment or deposit (30% of the total holiday cost): Where cancellation notice is received after the deposit has been paid and no less 28 days prior to the booking start date, then the deposit is forfeit.

2. 100% of the total holiday cost: Where cancellation notice is received after the balance is due and/or been paid and less than 28 days prior to the booking start date then the Client shall be liable for the full cost of the booking.

3. Subject to the application of an Administration Fee of £30 (Including VAT), wherever possible, Keystay will actively re-sell cancelled dates. If successful, subject to the limits above, we will return to you any monies paid less the difference between the cost of the cancelled booking and the replacement booking.

4. If Keystay is unable to sell any part of the cancelled period then all monies paid will be forfeit and for this reason we strongly advise clients to obtain their own holiday cancellation insurance.

5. Keystay shall not repay any monies due to the Client as the result of a booking cancelled by the Client until the whole of the cancelled period has been resold or the last day of that period is passed.

Please note: The ability to re-sell the dates only applies where Keystay is actively marketing the property. In the event that the property is no longer advertised on the Keystay website, the Client will need to contact the Owner to request a refund; Keystay is not accountable and accept no liability in obtaining a refund in these circumstances.

16. Booking Cancellation by the Owner

16.1. It is extremely unlikely that an Owner cancels a confirmed booking. If however, for reasons beyond the reasonable control of the Owner, the property is no longer available the Owner reserves the right to cancel a booking. In this event, Keystay or the Owner will inform the Client as soon as possible and alternative accommodation of at least comparable standard will be sought. If this is not acceptable to the Client and providing the cancellation does not arise from reasons of Force Majeure (Below) all monies paid by the Client will be refunded.

16.2. By accepting the alternative property the Client agrees to our Terms and Conditions. If the alternative accommodation has a lower tariff than the original property booked the Client will receive a refund of the difference. If the alternative property costs more than the original, the Client will be asked to pay the difference. Keystay or the Owner will not be liable for any further obligations, compensation or claims by the Client.

17. Restrictions/Specific Terms of the Property

Some Keystay properties may have restrictions or specific terms in place for Clients staying at the property. Keystay requests that Clients read the chosen property details thoroughly before confirming a booking. Once payment has been accepted for a booking, this becomes a confirmed booking and charges will apply should you wish to amend or cancel your booking.

18. Eligibility

Keystay properties are private homes. Individual Owners may have restrictions in place for the types of booking that they will accept at their property. Before confirming a booking, Clients must refer to the house rules section of each Keystay property webpage to identify any restrictions that apply. At the point of booking Keystay will request the occasion for your stay; if it transpires that the occasion is not as detailed, your Refundable Damage Deposit may be retained as compensation for the Owner.

19. Party Size and Members

19.1. There are limits on the maximum number of guests that can be at a property and the number of guests at the property must not exceed those limits except with prior written agreement from Keystay or the Owner. Admittance to the property may be refused or the Client may be asked to vacate the property immediately if this condition is not observed.

19.2. Party members are those detailed on the Booking Form completed by the Client. If the Client alters the party without prior request and/or if additional Clients are given unauthorised access to the property, then additional costs incurred will be deducted from the Refundable Damage Deposit. The Owner or Keystay reserves the right to refuse admission to the property or to ask the Client to vacate the property with immediate effect if the Client fails to adhere to this condition.

19.3. Where a Small Group option rate has been paid the Client accepts that this is on the basis that a limited number of bedrooms are available for use. For example if the Client pays a ‘Sleeps 2' rate at a property that accommodates 4 guests, then the rate reflects the fact that only one bedroom shall be used during your stay. Additional costs incurred for failure to adhere to this condition will be deducted from the Refundable Damage Deposit.

20. Sofa beds and numbers of people. 

The number of persons (adults and children) must not exceed the maximum number of sleeping places indicated on the website, except where expressly agreed in writing by Keystay or the owner, for example a sofa bed might be deemed suitable for one adult but may accommodate 2 small children. Sofa bed supplements should be added on the booking form, (if they are required to accommodate all the members of your group) and these are included in the total number of persons permitted to stay. If you have not added sofa bed supplements to the booking, we accept no responsibility for the beds and linen not being available for your stay. If you are unsure please call or email the office to clarify each property‘s information. Sofa beds are intended as additional and temporary sleeping arrangements, as such they are not suitable for longer term stays. The term 'sofa bed' applies to a variety of different products. These include foam fold out chair beds, fold out 'Z' beds, pull out sofa beds, trundle beds, couches, day beds, etc. We endeavour to provide as much information as possible on the website. However, we regret that no refunds for these additional sleeping arrangements can be made once booked.

21. Additional Requirements

A Client requesting additional services such as additional cleaning, catering, activities, supermarket delivery etc., is required to arrange these as far in advance as possible of the arrival date. Generally, a minimum of seven days prior to the arrival date is required to arrange additional services. Where sufficient notice is not given, then arrangement of additional services is dependent on availability and is not guaranteed. Requests for additional services should be addressed to Keystay, and can be added to your booking.

Extra Activities details can be seen here: http://keystay.co.uk/keystay-extras.html and can be booked and requested with your property by filling out this enquiry form here: http://keystay.co.uk/keystay-extras-enquiry-form.h...

22. Arrival.

You must call the property manager as soon as possible so that they can schedule your arrival, Please call at least 24 hours prior to arrival, they will give you instructions with regard to key collection. Please have your booking confirmation ready for identity purposes. We strongly advise that you print out your booking confirmation and bring it with you as it contains all the information required for your stay. 
NB: Please have your maps and booking confirmation with you, as we accept no responsibility for failure to bring directions with you.

For arrivals between 9pm and midnight an extra charge will be made and payable to the property manager. For after midnight arrivals this charge will rise. If you arrive very early or late, we recommend that you add an additional night to your booking, or arrange (if property manager schedules allow) and early or late check in, fees may be charged. This will be deducted from you deposit after your departure.
You must vacate the property by 10.30 am on the last day of your stay. You must leave the property in a neat and tidy condition, with all the contents arranged as they were at the commencement of your stay. Rubbish must be disposed of where indicated in your welcome folder, beds stripped, washing up put away, dishwasher emptied.

If you leave any items behind, you agree to be liable for all costs incurred by us in removing or storing those items. Please see further information described below.

You are requested to adhere to the arrival and departure times listed for the property. Changes to these times can be requested prior to arrival but are subject to confirmation from the property Owner and may incur a charge

23. Care of the Property

1. The Client is legally obliged to take all reasonable and proper care of the property including buildings, gardens, fixtures, fittings, furniture, pictures and other effects in or around the property and shall leave them in the same state of repair and condition at the end of the holiday rental period as found at the beginning.

2. In the event of any damage to property or equipment during the stay, the Client is required to notify the Owner; if this is not possible then the Client shall contact Keystay.

3. The Client shall leave the property in a clean and tidy condition: this includes cleaning all cutlery and crockery and placing all rubbish in appropriate waste or recycling bins.

4. The Client agrees to respect their surroundings and not to disturb or otherwise annoy the occupants of neighbouring properties. The Client also agrees to adhere to any specific noise restrictions in place at the property. The Owner reserves the right to enter the property to investigate concerns relating to the care of the property or to disturbances. The Owner is within their rights to request that Clients vacate the property with immediate effect if it is found to be in a neglected or damaged condition.

5. Failure of the Client to exercise reasonable care may result in deductions being made from the Refundable Damage Deposit.

6. On departure, if the Owner is dissatisfied with the condition of the property they may refuse to take a booking from the Client again. If a Client is excluded from any Keystay property for any reason, Keystay reserves the right to prevent the Client from booking any other Keystay property.

Please note: Do ensure that you take all your belongings with you when you depart the property, as Keystay reserves the right to deduct any charges incurred in returning your property from your Refundable Damage Deposit 

24. Inventory

Where an inventory has been provided for the rental property, the Client is requested to report any discrepancies to Keystay on arrival, otherwise the inventory will be deemed to be correct.

25. House Books & Welcome Folders

Where Keystay has provided a Welcome Folder or Guest Book, these are for reference during your stay only. The Client agrees to not remove them from the property. The replacement cost of a Welcome Folder is £30 plus VAT and will be deducted from the Refundable Damage Deposit.

26. Personal belongings

Neither Keystay nor the Owner can accept any responsibility or liability for loss of or damage to any of the Client’s personal items, belongings or vehicles, however caused. If the Owner is required to enter the property during a stay (E.g. to carry out maintenance or cleaning), the Client is advised to ensure that a member of their party is present; if this is not possible, the Client has the right to decline services at their discretion but no refunds shall be given for services not used. We cannot be held responsible for property you have lost or left behind at a property. Housekeeping will endeavour to find anything you have left behind when you have vacated and return it to you, but we are not responsible for your loss should it remain lost. We strongly urge you to ensure you have all your belongings with you when you vacate the property at the end of your stay.

27. Child-friendly properties

At child-friendly properties in which the Owner has provided a high chair, cot and stair-gate or other similar facilities, these are for use at the discretion of the Client and neither the Owner nor Keystay shall be responsible for any damages that occur as a result of usage. Please note that Keystay advises a cot may only be occupied by a child aged 24 months or less. For health & Safety reasons, the cot is not supplied with linen or bedding.

28. Linen

Sun cream, fake tan, waterproof make-up and hair dye can all cause permanent damage to bedding, linen and towels and Keystay asks that the Client to take care when using these products. Keystay recommends that Clients planning to use such products during their stay bring their own spare linen to prevent damage to items within the property. If damage / staining does occur and the items cannot be cleaned, a charge may be levied from the Refundable Damage Deposit to replace these items.

29. Pets

Some of our properties allow you to bring dogs. Please check at the time of booking. Unless it is specifically agreed and confirmed on your booking confirmation you or your party may not bring pets or other animals into the property. Deductions from the Damage deposit will be made where permission has not been granted.

1. Pets are only permitted at pet friendly properties with prior consent of Keystay and the property Owners; an additional accommodation charge will be made for pets. Some Owners may request an additional cleaning fee if permitting pets; this will be advised to the Client at the point of booking.

2. Any specific terms for pets included on the Booking Form must be adhered to. Where pets are permitted, they are to be kept under control at all times. The Client is responsible for any damage caused by pets whether inside or outside the property. If extra cleaning is required as a result of a Client having pets in the property, this may be deducted from the Refundable Damage Deposit.

3. Clients must not allow their pets into bedrooms or on the furniture. Neither Keystay nor Owners can accept responsibility for pet safety. Clients are not to leave pets unsupervised at the property at any time.

4. Clients shall dispose of pet faeces in a clean and sanitary manner.

5. Where the description of a property states 'Regret no pets' or otherwise restricts pets at the property, Keystay or the Owners cannot guarantee that pets have not been kept previously at the property.

30. Smoking

Please note that all Keystay properties are non-smoking. Clients failing to adhere to this condition may forfeit their Damage Deposit.

31. Authority to Sign

The person who completes the Booking Form certifies that they:

1 Are authorised to agree the Booking Conditions on behalf of all persons included on the Booking Form, including those substituted or added at a later date, and binds them jointly and severally to these terms.

2. Are over twenty one years of age.

3. Agree to take responsibility for the party members occupying the property, and to notify Keystay if they are not a member of that party.

32. Accommodation Reservation

When the Client, has made a payment and returned all paperwork as requested, the holiday accommodation is confirmed. Confirmation is the acceptance of the booking by Keystay Ltd under these Terms and Conditions. Keystay will send the Client, a confirmation email verifying the details of the accommodation that has been booked. This is the only confirmation that will be sent unless the Client decides to alter any details of the holiday booked (charges will apply), when an updated invoice will be issued.

33. Insurance

Although not mandatory as part of the T&Cs, Keystay strongly advises the purchase of holiday insurance. Clients should obtain insurance that at least includes holiday cancellation cover for the value of their booking for their own protection and peace of mind. Ideally the insurance policy will cover other eventualities such as travel and road conditions as neither Keystay nor the Owner shall be liable for circumstances that may prevent you accessing the property (See Force Majeure, below). Clients are legally responsible for any damage caused during their stay at the property therefore we also strongly recommend that any insurance covers losses due to personal liability claims.

Please read your policy details carefully. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is adequate for your particular needs. We encourage guests to take out adequate insurance for their holiday and for expensive personal items. Holiday and travel insurance, including cancellation cover, and insurance for personal items such as jewellery and expensive electronic devices, is essential for your own protection and we strongly recommend that you and all members of your group be suitably insured. If you choose to travel without adequate holiday insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses however arising in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.

34. Changes and cancellation by us

Occasionally, we have to make changes to and correct errors on our website descriptions and other details both before and after bookings have been confirmed and cancel confirmed bookings. Whilst we always endeavour to avoid changes and cancellations, we must reserve the right to do so. 

If we have to make a significant change to, or cancel your booking, we will tell you as soon as possible. We will endeavour to offer you an alternative should a significant change or cancellation occur. Should a confirmed property be removed from our portfolio prior to your holiday by the owner (possible sale of property, use by owner, long let taken, property repairs or similar), we will endeavour to offer you an alternative property whenever possible. If no alternative property is available you will be entitled to a full refund.

If there is a problem with the property you have booked that cannot be rectified in time for your stay we will offer a) a full refund or b) alternative accommodation in a Keystay property if one is available. If you accept the alternative accommodation you are not entitled to a refund or compensation, but will be charged at the same rate as the property you booked, or in some cases less, if the alternative property is cheaper. If a Keystay property is not available, you will be given a full refund, but we are not responsible for any additional costs for any alternative accommodation that you choose to stay in, which is not a Keystay property, or for changes to your travel arrangements.

We regret we cannot pay any expenses, costs or losses incurred by you as a result of any change or cancellation.

Very rarely, we may be forced by "force majeure" (see below) to change or terminate your stay after arrival but before the scheduled departure. This is extremely unlikely but if this situation does occur, we regret we will be unable to make any refunds, pay you any compensation or meet any costs or expenses you incur as a result. 

35. Force Majeure

Keystay cannot accept any liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our contractual obligations is prevented or affected by circumstances amounting to force majeure. Force majeure is any event which Keystay or the Owner could not, even with all due care and attention, avoid. Such events may include war or threat of war, civil strife, natural or nuclear disaster, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, fire, adverse weather conditions, unforeseen local building or road-works, unavoidable technical problems with transport, closure or congestion of airports or ports, cancellations or changes of schedule by scheduled airlines and all similar circumstances beyond our control.

35.1 COVID-19 Policy

Government backed measures to delay the spread of Covid-19 such as closing of schools, banning public events and encouraging home working are all likely to disrupt businesses further in the coming weeks and months. We as a business are acutely aware of the potential impact the virus might have on our customers and on our own operation. Therefore, we began contingency planning several weeks ago to mitigate the potential risks.

Whilst nobody can predict the full impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, we are confident that the measures we have planned for and introduced over the past few weeks will put KeyStay in a strong position to maintain business continuity.

Will my booking still go ahead?
We are monitoring the situation very closely on a daily basis. Should anything change, we will contact customers to discuss your booking.

I want to cancel because I am worried about Covid-19
Our normal terms and conditions apply, meaning that if you choose to cancel, a refund will not be offered. Please remember that balance payments are not due until 28 days prior to your arrival. We recommend you wait and see what the situation is at that point in time rather than cancelling your holiday now as circumstances & government guidelines  may change.

Changing booking dates due to the Covid-19 situation
Understandably as many weddings and events are postponed you may feel you wish to move your booking to a later date in 2020 or to next year 2021. We will need to refer to individual property owners to ask them directly if they are willing to do so. We will need to deal with each request on a case by case basis and this will only be possible if the owner is happy for your holiday date to be moved and this cannot be guaranteed. We will not make any extra charges for dates moved to the same price band of dates. We will not be able to offer any reductions in price or refunds due to change of dates by yourselves.

What happens if I need to cancel my booking because I catch Covid-19? 
You will need to check your travel insurance as to whether this would be covered. We do not offer refunds  and our current terms and conditions apply, however we are happy to help as much as we could in terms of offering a change of dates - please note this is entirely at the discretion of the property owner, we cannot guarantee this will be possible.

KeyStay working practices COVID-19 
Staff members now work remotely from home. Our usual office hours may vary to published times with staff working from home but we can assure you that our usual daily tasks will be completed as usual.  We have a call answering and transfer service that is active 7 days per week 

Housekeeping, Linen and Hygiene

1. Cleaners are instructed to avoid travel using public transportation where possible.

2. Delivery drivers and cleaners disinfect their hands before entering the company premises- and before leaving the premises. 

3. Our Cleaners are being asked to disinfect door handles and their own hands before entering the client’s premises. 

4. Our Cleaners are being asked: - to wear face masks and gloves which must be worn throughout their time on the client’s premises. - To clean cleaning supplies such as disinfectant bottles, by wiping them down with disinfectant before leaving the premises.

5. All linen and towels will be washed and dried in temperatures of 65°C to ensure disinfection. And they are washed in an antibacterial solution to kill germs

6. Any staff members whose tasks can be carried out remotely will be asked to work from home until further notice.

7. All surfaces and areas are being washed down with antibacterial sprays to kill germs 

8. We will routinely monitor guidelines established and advised by the NHS to ensure our processes and procedures are in-line with risk-mitigating measures

36. Our Liability to you

36.1. We promise to provide your accommodation with reasonable skill and care. We do not accept responsibility if any death, personal injury, failure or deficiency of your accommodation arrangements is not caused by any fault of ours. When we talk about "fault", this means failure by ourselves to use reasonable skill and care in performing or providing the service in question. Please note it is your responsibility to show that reasonable skill and care has not been used if you wish to make a claim. 

We will not be responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss (for example loss of enjoyment), damage, expense, cost or other sum or claim of any description whatsoever which results from any of the following: -

1. the fault of the person(s) affected or any member(s) of their party or

2. the fault of a third party not connected with the provision of your accommodation by us which we could not have predicted or avoided or

3. an event or circumstance which could not have predicted or avoided even after taking all reasonable care

In addition, we will not be responsible where you do not enjoy your stay or suffer any problems because of a reason you did not tell us about when you booked your stay or where any problems you suffer did not result from any breach of our contract or other fault of ourselves or any losses, expenses, costs or other sum you have suffered relate to any business.

Nothing in these Booking Conditions limits or excludes our liability:

· For death or personal injury resulting from our negligence or

· For any damage or liability incurred by you as a result of our fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

Subject to the above paragraph, we shall not be liable for your: 

◦i) loss of enjoyment
◦ii) loss of use
◦iii) loss of property; or
◦iv) any special, indirect, consequential or pure economic loss, costs, damages, charges or expenses.

In any event, our total liability in contract, tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty), misrepresentation, restitution or otherwise arising in connection with the performance, or contemplated performance, of our obligations under these Booking Conditions shall be limited to the price you paid for the property.

The promises we make to you about the accommodation we have agreed to provide or arrange as part of our contract - and the laws and regulations of the country in which your claim or complaint occurred - will be used as the basis for deciding whether the accommodation in question had been properly provided. If the particular accommodation which gave rise to the claim or complaint complied with local laws and regulations applicable to those accommodation at the time, the accommodation will be treated as having been properly provided.

We limit the maximum amount we may have to pay you for any and all claims or parts of claims which do not involve personal injury, illness or death. Except where loss of and/or damage to luggage or personal possessions is concerned or a lower limitation of liability applies to your claim, the maximum amount we will have to pay you for such non personal injury claims 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. This maximum amount will only be payable where everything has gone wrong and you have not received any benefit at all from your stay. 
Where we are found liable for loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions (including money), the maximum amount we will have to pay you is £(GBP) 35 per person affected as you are assumed to have taken out adequate insurance at the time of booking. 

Keystay shall not be liable for any act, neglect or default on the part of the Owners or any other person not within the employ of Keystay or otherwise under their control, nor for any accident, damage, loss, injury, expense or inconvenience, whether to person or property, which the Client or any other person may suffer or incur arising out of, or in any way connected with the rental accommodation unless Keystay is responsible. In addition, Keystay accepts no liability for loss of or damage to a Client's possessions on the Owner’s property or land.

Nothing in these conditions excludes or limits the liability of Keystay: for death or personal injury caused by Keystay negligence; or for any matter which it would be illegal for Keystay to exclude or attempt to exclude their liability.

Whilst we do not exclude or limit our liability for loss or damage sustained by Clients as a result of negligence by our employees or agents, this cannot extend to actions/omissions by the property Owner over whom we have no direct control.

Keystay (for itself, its employees and agents) and the Owner shall not, except if caused by our negligence or breach of these Booking Conditions, be under any liability to the Client or third parties for any accident, damage, loss, injury, expense or inconvenience, which may be suffered, incurred or arise out of or in any way connected with the rental. No term of the Contract is enforceable under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 by a person who is not party to the Contract

37. Exclusion of Liability for Suppliers Goods and Services

Keystay include a number of suppliers on Keystay.co.uk and can accept no liability for any goods or services provided by these suppliers. The Client should check that they agree to the suppliers' own terms and conditions before trading with them.

38. Complaints and problems

In the unlikely event that you have any reason to complain or experience any problems with your stay whilst away, you must immediately inform us. Any verbal notification must be put in writing and given to us as soon as possible. Until we know about a problem or complaint, we cannot begin to resolve it. Most problems can be dealt with quickly. For all complaints and claims which do not involve death, personal injury or illness, we regret we cannot accept liability if you fail to notify the complaint or claim entirely in accordance with this clause. 

Please note, we cannot accept responsibility for any services that do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services or facilities any other supplier agrees to provide for you. N.B. We do not guarantee internet connections and are not responsible if installed broadband services fail.

39. Behaviour / Breakages/ Damage Deposit Deductions

Keystay reserves the right to make deductions from your Damage deposit for any damage/ breakage to the property or for breaking any deposit related clauses outlined in this contract. The majority of guests are very respectful and it is rare that we are ever required to make any deductions. Please read the following terms to ensure you avoid unnecessary deductions.

You accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or loss must be paid direct to us at the time. If you fail to do so, you will be responsible for meeting any legal costs we incur in full in recovering full payment from you. We expect all clients to have consideration for other people, in particular noise levels after 10.30pm. If in our reasonable opinion or in the reasonable opinion of any other person in authority, you or any member of your party behaves in such a way as to cause or be likely to cause danger, upset or distress to any third party or damage to the property, or in any way damage the reputation and/or goodwill of the Owner we are entitled, without prior notice, to terminate the occupation of the person(s) concerned. In this situation, the person(s) concerned will be required to leave the accommodation. We will have no further responsibility toward such person(s). No refunds will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination. Should we receive complaints concerning your behaviour and specifically noise we reserve the right to permanently withhold some or all of your security/damage deposit.

If there is excessive noise and our noise patrol officer or an Environmental Health Officer is called, this will result in full retention of your security deposit. By booking with us, you and your party agree to be respectful of neighbours and agree to keep noise to a reasonable level both inside and outside the property at all times and especially after 10pm. This applies to loud music and noise from people in your group. Please be especially watchful of noise when returning home late at night in taxis. We would respectfully ask you to do this as the properties are in residential areas and we wish to keep noise disturbance to neighbours to a minimum. We understand the importance to our landlords of having happy neighbours and subsequently take noise complaints very seriously. Inconsiderate behaviour by guests to neighbours and our security team will not be tolerated. Parties are not permitted in the properties except for quiet dinner parties. Balloons and banners should not be displayed outside the property and care should be taken inside the property not to damage walls if such items are displayed inside the property. Sellotape should not be used to fix items onto walls and care should be taken not to cause damage to wallpaper and paint.

Neighbours are encouraged to telephone our out of hours’ emergency noise patrol number if they encounter a problem with noise from guests. In this situation, you and your party will be required to leave the accommodation and we will have no further responsibility towards you or any of your party. No refunds will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination. Please help us to continue to offer quality holiday lets by helping to keep local residents happy.

You are expected to leave the property in a tidy condition; rubbish and unwanted food/ personal items should be removed from the property, washing up should be done and put away and furniture should be in its correct place. Any excessive time needed over and above a standard turn around clean will be deducted from your deposit.

Where guests call an emergency contractor, guests will be liable for any associated costs. Guests should always call the office and out of hours emergency number.

LOST KEYS Guests will be charged a minimum of £25 per set of lost keys. If the landlord has to replace the lock as a result of lost keys, guests will be liable for any associated costs. If an emergency locksmith is called where guests lose keys, guests will be liable for associated costs.

You must not cause any damage to the property, or make alterations to the property or its contents whatsoever.

For health and safety reasons you are not permitted to use deep fat fryers and candles are not permitted in the property.

Check out is by 10.30 am. The property must be vacated by 10.30 am unless by prior arrangement to allow access to our cleaning team. N.B. If cleaners need to re-schedule their timetables or visit the property again, deductions may be made from your security deposit.

39. Special requests and medical problems
If you have any special requests, you must advise us at the time of booking and clearly note it in the extra information section of the booking form. Although we will endeavour to meet any reasonable requests we regret we cannot guarantee any request will be met. Failure to meet any special request will not be a breach of contract on our part. We regret we cannot accept any conditional bookings, i.e. any booking which is specified to be conditional on the fulfilment of a particular request. All such bookings will be treated as "standard" bookings subject to the above provisions on special requests. 

If you or any member of your party has any medical problem or disability that may affect your stay, please tell us before you confirm your booking so that we can advise as to the suitability of the chosen arrangements. In any event, you must give us full details in writing at the time of booking. If we reasonably feel unable to properly accommodate the particular needs of the person concerned, we must reserve the right to decline their reservation or, if full details are not given at the time of booking, cancel when we become aware of these details.

40. Passports, visas and health requirements
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents (including Passports and Visas (where applicable) before departure. Airlines will not permit passengers to travel who do not have the correct documentation and who cannot comply with all regulation Health requirements: there are currently no vaccinations required for entry into the UK. You must pay all costs incurred in obtaining such documentation.

41. Prices and Website Accuracy
We reserve the right to increase or decrease the prices of accommodation at any time. Please note, the information and prices shown on our website may have changed by the time you come to book your stay. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the website and prices at the time of requesting the booking, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your stay (including the price) on your booking acceptance. 

42. Property Standards
Where possible, the properties marketed by Keystay are inspected on an annual basis, however Keystay does not accept any liability for any misrepresentation by the Owner or any change made by the Owner since our inspection. Changes may occur during the period between the preparation of the description and your accommodation booking; therefore Keystay reserves the right to change any of the facilities or services advertised. Keystay does not accept responsibility for modifications made by the Owner without our knowledge; for breakdown in water supply, gas or electricity; for infestation, or the breakdown of swimming pool filtration systems, although the Owner will do everything within their control to arrange for these problems to be solved. It is a requirement that any problems are reported immediately to the property Owner or Keystay.

43. Property maintenance issues & complaints
The Client must report any pre-existing damage noticed upon arrival within 24 hours.

If any issues arise during the stay the Client must contact the property Owner or Keystay as soon as reasonably practicable for the issue to be investigated and, if required, to take any remedial action. If an issue is not reported and the Owner is denied an opportunity to investigate or rectify a problem during the holiday, then the Client will have waived all rights in the matter.

If the Client feels that their complaint has not been resolved satisfactorily on completion of the holiday, Keystay requests that the verbal complaint is followed-up by writing to the Owner within seven days of departure from the property.

It is the responsibility of the Owner and the Client to resolve any disputes arising between them, including those relating to retention of the Refundable Security Deposit in whole or part. As the Agent, Keystay Ltd is not and cannot become responsible or involved in this process since the contractual relationship is between the Client and the property Owner.

44. Privacy Policy
Any personal information supplied to Keystay is used, held or stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Keystay shall only make information about you available to those involved in supplying your holiday; this includes the property Owner to whom we will provide the Client name, additional guest names and Client contact details. Keystay never provides Client information to anyone else without first obtaining consent, unless we are obliged by law to disclose it.

Personal information provided by the Client in registering for a service will be used by Keystay in the provision of that service or to inform you about any other of our services that may be of interest. In any email communication that is not essential to the provision of the requested service Keystay will always provide the option to unsubscribe.

In agreeing these T&Cs the Client warrants that the property details, including the property name, address and Owner details will not be reproduced or passed onto a third party without permission from Keystay.

For the security and privacy of the Owner, Keystay shall not disclose the true name of the property until a deposit has been received and the T&Cs agreed by the Client. The full details, including the address, comprehensive directions and key collection arrangements shall be sent upon receipt of the balance payment in full.

The Client agrees to not, under any circumstances, exploit for commercial purposes any photographic or moving images of the property.

45. Complaints procedure
In the event of any problems you must contact us immediately, plus you undertake to do your best to resolve or minimise the problem in order to avoid any prejudices that could result. You must immediately notify us by telephone on the day of your arrival, confirming your complaint in writing within 24 hours by fax or by e-mail of your departure. You are obliged to give us the time necessary to resolve the problem.

Should there be no written complaint supplied as above specified and you leave the accommodation prematurely and without an explicit authorisation by us, you forfeit your rights for a refund of the rental price, unless the terms of this contract have been breached. Complaints received at the end of the stay will not be taken into consideration and no refunds will be given.

If you arrive and find a problem with housekeeping, something broken or missing you must telephone immediately. If something is remiss we will endeavour to send someone to you as soon as is reasonably possible and where we can, we will rectify the problem. When we, the owner or a member of the housekeeping or maintenance team visit the property to rectify a situation you must allow them access. Unfortunately, complaints received at the end or part way into the stay will not be taken into consideration.

If the complaint is serious enough that you want to leave the premises prematurely you must call the office and/ or the emergency numbers in order to speak to someone and then you must notify us in writing of the complaint. Should there be no written complaint supplied as specified and you leave the accommodation prematurely and without explicit authorisation by us, you forfeit your rights for a refund of the rental price. Complaints received at the end of your stay will not be taken into consideration and no refunds will be given. Complaints received part way through a stay based on an issue experienced throughout the stay will be judged from the period a written complaint was received.

We are unfortunately unable to guarantee that any entertainment systems advertised will not experience technical difficulties during your stay. We will do our best to rectify situations as they occur. We are not able to offer refunds associated with malfunctioning internet connections, TV services, i-Pod docks, CD players, DVD players, Video players, Games Console or other entertainment device.

We cannot be held responsible if you receive a parking fine or wheel clamp due to parking in a restricted zone, not heeding parking meters or parking in the wrong allocated space for a property. We are not responsible if you receive parking advice at the time of booking and then parking charges subsequently have changed upon your arrival.

In the unlikely event there is a problem with the central heating system that cannot be rectified immediately we will supply sufficient alternative heating. Compensation would not be in given in this situation if alternative adequate heating had been provided.

If appliances fail and cannot be fixed immediately due to waiting for parts to arrive we will endeavour to supply an alternative appliance as soon as possible. Where an alternative appliance, such as a table top oven or fridge, is supplied within reasonable time refunds/compensation would not be given. If an alternative is not able to be given, compensation would be limited to an amount agreed by the landlord and would not necessarily be able to cover all food costs for the period of time without such an appliance. Compensation for dishwasher failure that cannot be rectified within a reasonable time, would be at the discretion of the landlord, dependent on the level of inconvenience it is considered to have caused and the numbers in the group.

In the unlikely event that a sofa bed or occasional bed has been damaged by the previous guest, resulting in it being unable to be used for such purpose, we reserve the right to supply an alternative occasional bed.

Each property has been inspected by Keystay Ltd and conforms at the time of inspection to the minimum standards of the UK Tourist Board. However, they are furnished to the individual tastes of the Owners and Keystay Ltd will not accept responsibility should the property not conform to the hirers standards. Please note that the property is not an official tourist structure, such as a hotel, residences, etc. but a private dwelling. As such, there is no standard or categories that are internationally recognised; indeed it reflects the architecture and furnishings, the local traditions and the personal taste of the owner. This is precisely the kind of holiday that we offer: the chance to partake in the culture of the area chosen, living for a few weeks in the same surroundings as an inhabitant would. We cannot however exclude the possibility that these differences can sometimes result in minor inconveniences - due to the special nature of its architecture and of traditions in the area - but which cannot be accepted as complaints.

46. Access by Us & Rights of Entry.
We reserve the right for the purpose of maintenance etc., to enter a property with or without workmen (even in the absence of the occupant) at any reasonable time, upon 24 hours’ notice, or in the event of an emergency at any time without notice, and causing as little inconvenience to you as possible, in order to: View the condition and or state of the property; or Carry out any necessary repairs

47. Breach of Contract
If any of the above conditions are breached by the Client or any member of their party, the Owner or Keystay reserves the right to enter the property and request that the party leave the property with immediate effect.

48. Use of property
You shall not use the premises or any part thereof for any purpose other than that of a private holiday residence, nor make any alterations in or additions to the property. The booking is for the purpose of a holiday only and no security of tenure is intended or will be created. Where electricity is included in the rental charge, you shall not bring any additional heating appliances into the property. You will leave furniture and effects at the end of the booking in the same rooms or places in which they were at the beginning of the booking.

49. Use of Amenities.
The use of amenities is entirely at the users` risk and no responsibility for injury to guests or third parties for loss or damage to their belongings, cars or any personal possessions will be accepted by the Owner or Keystay Ltd.

All photos on this website are copyright of Keystay and cannot be used elsewhere without permission. 
All content on this website is copyright Keystay Ltd and cannot be used elsewhere without permission.

Thank you for completing the booking form and taking the time to read through these Terms and Conditions.