The following Terms and Conditions form the basis of your contract with Scopello Villas. Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. Save where otherwise stated, all bookings are subject to these Terms and Conditions.
1. Making your booking
You can initiate a booking by telephoning us direct, sending an enquiry online at our website or by email. We will then send you a completed booking form which must be signed by the party leader and returned to us. For all bookings, the party leader must be at least 18 and must be authorised to make the booking on the basis of these Booking Conditions by all persons named on the booking. The party leader is responsible for making all payments due to us. All correspondence will be sent to the party leader.
Once we have received your completed booking form and all appropriate payments (see clause 2 below), we will, subject to availability, confirm your holiday by issuing a confirmation invoice. This invoice will be sent to the party leader. Please check this invoice carefully as soon as you receive it. Contact us immediately if any information which appears on the confirmation or any other document appears to be incorrect or incomplete 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 ten days of our sending it out.
2. Payment
In order to confirm your chosen arrangements, a deposit of 30% of the total cost of the arrangements (or full payment if booking within nine weeks of departure) must be paid at the time of booking. We accept cheques payable to Scopello Villas.
The balance of the cost of your arrangements must be received by us not less than nine weeks prior to departure. This date will be shown on the confirmation invoice. Reminders are not sent. If we do not receive all payments due (including any surcharge where applicable) in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you. In this case the cancellation charges set out in clause 6 below will be payable.
3. Your contract
A binding contract between us comes into existence when we despatch our confirmation invoice to the party leader. This contract and all matters arising out of it are governed by English law. We both agree that any dispute, claim or other matter which arises out of or in connection with this contract or your arrangements will be dealt with by the Courts of England and Wales only.
4. The cost of your holiday
Prices in our website are in Pounds Sterling.
We reserve the right to increase or decrease the prices of unsold arrangements at any time. The price of your chosen arrangements will be confirmed at the time of booking.
Once the price of your chosen arrangements has been confirmed then, subject to the correction of errors, we will only increase the price in the following circumstance. Price increases after booking will be passed on by way of a surcharge. A surcharge (as applicable) will be payable, subject to the conditions set out in this clause, if our costs increase as a result of any changes in the exchange rates which have been used to calculate the cost of your arrangements.
Even in the above cases, only if the amount of the increase in our costs exceeds 2% of the total cost of your arrangements (excluding insurance premiums and any amendment charges), will we levy a surcharge. If any surcharge is greater than 10% of the cost of your holiday (excluding insurance premiums and any amendment charges), you will be entitled to cancel your booking and receive a full refund of all monies you have paid to us (except for any amendment charges). Please note that travel arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your travel due to contractual and other protection in place.
You have 14 days from the issue date printed on the surcharge invoice to tell us if you want to cancel or purchase alternative arrangements. If you do not tell us that you wish to do so within this period of time, we are entitled to assume that you will pay the surcharge. Any surcharge must be paid with the balance of the cost of the holiday or within 14 days of the issue date printed on the surcharge invoice, whichever is the later.
We promise not to levy a surcharge within 30 days of the start date of your arrangements booked with us.
Please note, changes and errors occasionally occur. You must check the price of your chosen holiday at the time of booking.
5. Changes by you
Should you wish to make any changes to your confirmed arrangements, you must notify us in writing 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 only costs incurred, or imposed by any of our suppliers, will be payable.
6. Cancellation by you
Should you need to cancel your chosen arrangements once they have been confirmed, the party leader must immediately advise us in writing. Your notice of cancellation will only be effective when it is received in writing by us at our offices. As we incur costs from the time we confirm your booking and may be unable to re-sell your arrangements , the following cancellation charges will be payable. Where the cancellation charge is shown as a percentage, this is calculated on the basis of the total cost payable by the person(s) cancelling excluding insurance premiums and any amendment / cancellation charges which have already been incurred. Insurance premiums and amendment / cancellation charges are not refundable in the event of the person(s) to whom they apply cancelling.
Period before departure within which written Cancellation charge (% of
notification of cancellation is received by us total invoice)
Up to 64 days Deposit only
63-43 days 60%
42-29 days 80%
28-0 days 100%
Depending on the reason for cancellation, you may be able to reclaim these cancellation charges (less any applicable excess) under the terms of your insurance policy. Claims must be made directly to the insurance company concerned.
7. Transfer
In the case of holidays which are priced per person, if any member(s) of your party is/are prevented from travelling, the person(s) concerned will be able to transfer their place to someone else (introduced by you) providing the following requirements are complied with. We must be notified of the transfer(s) not less than two weeks before departure. Where a transfer to a person of your choice can be made, all costs and charges incurred by us and / or incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers, will be payable.
8. Insurance
It is a condition of booking that you take out adequate travel insurance. As a minimum this should include cover for medical expenses, personal accident and repatriation in the event of illness or accident, loss or damage to baggage, money (including monies paid in the event of cancellation by you), and third party liability cover. Your signature on the booking form will be treated as confirmation that every member of your party has such insurance. We reserve the right to ask for further evidence that you have purchased comprehensive insurance cover.
Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is adequate for your particular needs. We do not check insurance policies.
9. Changes and cancellation by us
Occasionally, we have to make changes to and correct errors in brochure 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.
Most changes are minor. Occasionally, we have
to make a 'significant change'. 'Significant changes' means the following changes when made before departure; a change of accommodation to that of a lower official classification or standard for the whole or a major part of the time you are away, a change of accommodation area for the whole or a major part of the time you are away. All other changes will be minor changes.
If we have to make a significant change or cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible. If there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of the following options:-
(a) (for significant changes) accepting the changed arrangements or
(b) purchasing alternative arrangements from us, of a similar standard to that originally booked if available (subject to the rest of this clause, if the chosen alternative is less expensive than your original one, we will refund the difference but if it is more expensive, we will ask you to pay the difference) or
(c) cancelling or accepting the cancellation in which case you will receive a full and quick refund of all monies you have paid to us.
Please note, the above options are not available where any change made is a minor one.
If we have to make a significant change or cancel 9 weeks or less before departure, we will pay you compensation subject to the following exceptions. Compensation will not be payable and no liability beyond offering the above mentioned choices can be accepted where we are forced to make a change or cancel as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care. No compensation will be payable if we cancel as a result of your failure to comply with any requirement of these booking conditions entitling us to cancel (such as paying on time).
Period before departure a significant change Compensation per person
or cancellation is notified to you (excluding infants)
more than 56 days nil
29-56 days £10
14-28 days £20
0-13 days £30
In all cases, our liability for significant changes and cancellations is limited to offering you the above mentioned options and, where applicable, compensation payments. No compensation is payable for minor changes or where we make a significant change or cancel more than 9 weeks before departure.
Very rarely, we may be forced by 'force majeure' (see below) to change or terminate your arrangements after departure but before the scheduled end of your time away. This is extremely unlikely but if this situation does occur, we regret we will be unable to make any refunds (unless we obtain any refunds from our suppliers), pay you any compensation or meet any costs or expenses you incur as a result.
10. Force Majeure
Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our contractual obligations is prevented or affected by or you otherwise suffer any damage or loss as a result of'force majeure'.
In these Booking Conditions, 'force majeure' means any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity or actual threatened terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events outside our control.
11. Our Liability (Packages and Non Packages)
(1) We promise to make sure that all parts of the arrangements which we have agreed to arrange, perform or provide as part of our contract with you are arranged, performed or provided with reasonable skill and care. We will accept responsibility if any death, personal injury, failure or deficiency of your holiday arrangements is caused by any failure by ourselves or our employees (providing they were at the time acting within the course of their employment) 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: -
(a) the fault of the person(s) affected or any member(s) of their party or
(b) the fault of a third party not connected with the provision of your arrangements which we could not have predicted or avoided or
(c) an event or circumstance which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not have predicted or avoided even after taking all reasonable care (see clause 9)
(d) the fault of anyone who is not carrying out work for us (generally or in particular) at the time.
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 arrangements or where any problems you suffer did not result from any breach of our contract or other fault of ourselves or, where we were responsible for them, our suppliers or agents or where any losses, expenses, costs or other sum you have suffered relate to any business.
Please note, we cannot accept responsibility for any services which do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services or facilities which the owner or manager of your accommodation or any other supplier agrees to provide for you where the services or facilities are not advertised in our brochure or on our website and we have not agreed to arrange them and any excursion you purchase in during your stay.
(2) The promises we make to you about the services 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 services in question had been properly provided. If the particular services which gave rise to the claim or complaint complied with local laws and regulations applicable to those services at the time, the services will be treated as having been properly provided. This will be the case even if the services did not comply with the laws and regulations of the UK which would have applied had those services been provided in the UK. The exception to this is where the claim or complaint concerns the absence of a safety feature which might lead a reasonable holiday maker to refuse to take the holiday in question.
(3) 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 twice 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 arrangements.
12. Complaints and problems
In the unlikely event that you have any reason to complain or experience any problems with your holiday whilst away, you must immediately inform our representative (if available) and the supplier of the service(s) in question. Any verbal notification must be put in writing, and given to our representative and the supplier 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. If you remain dissatisfied, however, you must write to us within 28 days of your return to the UK giving your booking reference and full details of your complaint. We regret we cannot accept liability if you fail to notify the complaint or claim entirely in accordance with this clause.
13. Behaviour
When you book with us, 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 at the time to the accommodation owner or manager or other supplier. If you fail to do so, you will be responsible for meeting any claims subsequently made against us (together with our own and the other party's full legal costs) as a result of your actions. We reserve the right to invoice you or charge your credit card to the total amount of the security deposit pledged by you in the 'credit card guarantee' section of the order form in respect of the cost of any damage or bills incurred by you that remain unpaid at the time of your departure from the accommodation concerned or completion of your arrangements. Should the bills or damages exceed the total amount of the security deposit, we reserve the right to pursue you to the full extent of any claim made against us. You agree to reimburse us in full for all losses, damages or expenses (including legal expenses) we incur as a result of or arising out of any such claim, and also the costs of pursuing you.
We expect all clients to have consideration for other people. 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 property, we are entitled, without prior notice, to terminate the holiday of the person(s) concerned. In this situation, the person(s) concerned will be required to leave the accommodation or other service. 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. Please note animals and/or pets are not allowed on the holidays and/or at the properties we feature without prior written permission from us.
We and/or the Owner of the property concerned reserve the right to terminate your stay without notice if we or the Owner discover that the number of persons staying at the property exceeds the number stated on your confirmation invoice and you have not gained our or the Owner's prior written permission for this and/or paid any extra associated costs. In this situation, no refunds will be made and we will have no further responsibility to you.
14. Conditions of suppliers.
Many of the services which make up your arrangements are provided by independent suppliers. Those suppliers provide these services in accordance with their own terms and conditions. Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier's liability to you. Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions are available on request from ourselves or the supplier concerned.
15. Special requests and medical problems
If you have any special request, you must advise us at the time of booking and clearly note it on your booking form. Although we will endeavour to pass any reasonable requests on to the relevant supplier, 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 which may affect your holiday, please tell us before you confirm your booking. 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.
16. Passports, visas and health requirements
British citizens (including children and infants) require a full British passport for travel to Sicily. A full British passport presently takes approximately 3 weeks to obtain. Requirements may change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure. Information on health is contained in the Department of Health leaflet T6 (Health Advice for Travellers) available from your local Department of Health office and most Post Offices. For European holidays you should obtain a completed and issued form E111 (details in leaflet T6 referred to above) prior to departure.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents before departure. All costs incurred in obtaining such documentation must be paid by you. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to carry correct documentation. If you or any member of your party is not a British citizen or holds a non British passport, you must check passport and visa requirements with the Embassy or Consulate of the country(ies) to or through which you are intending to travel. If failure to have any necessary travel or other documents results in fines, surcharges or other financial penalty being imposed on us, you will be responsible for reimbursing us accordingly.
17. Brochure Accuracy
Please note, the information and prices shown in our brochure/on our website may have changed by the time you come to book your holiday. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information and prices at the time of printing, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price) with us at the time of booking.
Please note, the photographs in our brochure/on our website are intended to give a general overall impression of the standard of the properties we feature. Some aspects of the property may have changed by the time you come to make your booking, for example, items of furniture may have been removed by the owner or the layout of gardens may have been changed. We cannot accept any liability if this situation should arise.
This brochure is our sole responsibility. It is not issued on behalf of and does not commit any independent organisation/carriers whose services are featured in it.
18. Safety standards
Please note, it is the requirements and standards of the country in which any services which make up your holiday are provided which apply to those services and not those of the UK. As a general rule, these requirements and standards will not be the same as the UK and may sometimes be lower.
19. Our Liability
We promise to make sure that all parts of the arrangements which we have agreed to arrange, perform or provide as part of our contract with you are arranged, performed or provided with reasonable skill and care. We will accept responsibility if any death, personal injury, failure or deficiency of your arrangements is caused by any failure by ourselves or our employees (providing they were at the time acting within the course of their employment) or our agents or suppliers (as applicable) 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.