COTTAGE FAQs

You will find that the easiest way to book is online.

Simply find your perfect property, tell us who you would like to stay and when, and click book now.

This will take you through the different stages, including taking your payment.

If your holiday is more than nine weeks away, you can secure your booking and spread the cost by paying a deposit of approximately a third of the total holiday price. We'll then send you a reminder to pay the full balance which is due no later than 9 weeks before your holiday.

Please note, the option to purchase holiday insurance is not available for all properties. Whether it is available will be made clear to you as you book.

Part of our booking conditions are that if you cancel your holiday, you will remain liable for the whole cost of the holiday. If your claim is covered by insurance, you will be able to claim back all monies paid less the insurance premium and a small excess charge.

Some people may already have their own travel insurance cover in place for their holiday, however, if you don’t, you could consider one of the insurance policies we offer. For more information please click below on ‘What does the insurance we offer cover?’

If you do have your own insurance, you will still need to pay the full amount on cancelling. We will then issue a cancellation schedule to you which will enable you to make a claim through your own insurance.

Please note, the option to purchase cancellation insurance is not available for all properties. Whether it is available will be made clear to you as you book.

Cancellation Insurance

The policy may include cover for several circumstances including cancellation, curtailment, personal accident and personal liability and others. There are also significant exclusions such as, customers outside of the UK, trips over 28 days, pre-existing medical conditions and others. Please read the Policy Details for a full explanation of what is and what isn’t covered. Please also read our Status Disclosure Document and Insurance Product Information Document (IPID)

NB If you purchased a policy before 1st August 2023 then you will find links to your policy documents within your client account with your booking details or in emails that we will have sent to you.

It is a requirement when booking certain properties to pay either an Accidental Damage Deposit or an Accidental Damage Deposit Waiver. This will be made clear to you as you book.

The Accidental Damage Deposit is due with the balance of your holiday, it will be cashed on receipt and held by us to be applied against the reasonable costs of miscellaneous repairs to and/or replacement of and/or additional cleaning of furnishings, kitchen equipment, crockery, glass, keys, bedding and towels damaged or soiled otherwise than by usual wear and tear during the period of hire by you or other members of your party.

When will I receive the deposit back?

The balance of the Accidental Damage Deposit will be returned to you within 7 working days after your holiday.

What is the Accidental Damage Deposit Waiver option?

The Accidental Damage Deposit Waiver is a non-refundable payment by you to us in lieu of the Accidental Damage Deposit. Where you have agreed to pay the Accidental Damage Deposit Waiver, the Accidental Damage Deposit is not payable. The Accidental Damage Deposit Waiver covers the costs of making good any loss or damage to the property and/or its contents caused through act or omission during the period of hire by you or other members of your party up to the value of the Accidental Damage Deposit for the booked property.

What happens in the event of any damage?

Where any damage is notified to us, we will be in touch with you within 7 days to discuss the claim. Where any such damage caused exceeds the value of the Accidental Damage Deposit, you agree to pay to us, acting on behalf of the property owner, upon written demand, any reasonable costs incurred in making good any such loss or damage above the predetermined amount within 14 days of being notified.

If you have to cancel your holiday, please let us know as soon as possible in writing (email/post). Confirmation of your cancellation will need to come from the lead party member (the initial booker).

We will let you know whether you may be entitled to a partial refund of the accommodation cost, although the booking fee and other agent charges are non-refundable. For more information, please see our booking terms.

The cancellation conditions will vary depending on the property, so please check the information in your booking confirmation email.

Each property has a preferred start day, known as the 'changeover' day, and this is usually a Friday or a Saturday. This will show on the calendar when you make your booking, and for some properties a price will show on the days you can book.

This may be possible outside of peak holiday times and subject to agreement with the property owner. Depending on the property, you will be able to make an enquiry online or you can contact us by phone and someone from our customer service team will try and arrange this for you. Please be aware that as prices are based on Saturday or Friday (main day) changeovers, any weeks that cross over price bands would be charged at the higher price.

Short breaks can be booked easily online by choosing your preferred duration. Generally, you can book a short break in low season at any time, but if you’re looking for just a few days away in peak season you may not be able to book this until a couple of weeks beforehand. Prices are based on a minimum price for 3 nights and typically start from:

3 nights 80% of the property’s full weekly price
4 nights 90%
5+ nights are at the full weekly rental

Any short peak week breaks are charged at the full weekly price.

A booking fee is payable to cover the administration and processing of each booking.

Many of our holiday properties will welcome a dog and some are happy to accept more than one dog. Please see the property description on our website for details. There is often a small additional charge for your dog(s) which will be made clear to you as you book. If you’d like to bring any other kind of pet, just get in touch with us and we’ll check whether the property owner is happy for you to do this.

Assistance dogs are allowed in all properties, however, you must notify us of the intended presence of any assistance dogs, prior to making a booking.

Please note pets should not be left unattended in properties and that they must remain downstairs and off furniture at all times. You, as a pet owner, will be responsible for removing any evidence left by your pet and reimbursing the owner if any damage is caused. Please note that if a property is shown to have an ‘enclosed’ garden, this does not necessarily mean that it is secure for your pet as it may be enclosed by hedging or open style fencing.

We understand that some visitors have special requirements in terms of access to a property or the facilities needed within it. When searching for properties on our website, you can use the filter section to select only properties that have accessibility provisions. If you need further advice or help, please contact us and we will be pleased to help.

The total number of people staying at a property must not exceed the number stated in the property description. However, for infants, we can check with the property owner as this may be possible for an extra cost.

Many properties have an all-inclusive price for fuel costs whilst others make an additional charge for electricity and other fuels, such as logs for an open fire, which may be paid directly to the property owner. Where applicable, we will indicate the extra costs in the description of the property.

For every property, we aim to include the status of parking within the property description. Some properties have plenty of parking available, but other ones may have roadside parking, or suggest you use a public car park. If you will need a parking permit or scratch-card, we will either provide this for you, or give you full details of how to obtain one.

All our properties provide bed linen and towels, unless otherwise stated in the property description. You will need to bring your own beach or swimming towels. Please note: we don’t supply any linen or blankets for cots, you will need to bring your own.

All of the properties in our collection are self-catering, this means that you will need to bring your own provisions. Owners are not required to leave any store cupboard items in the property. Some may go beyond that and provide a welcome pack which may include some day to day items. Any items left for you are at the owners’ discretion but you are most welcome to use them during your stay.

Your accommodation will be equipped with crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils. Some properties supply a highchair, cot or travel cot (as indicated) with mattress, but cot bedding is not supplied.

Where properties have dedicated EV charging points they will be advertised. The property details may also include any relevant information such as power levels provided and additional charges if applicable.

Vehicles should NOT be charged at properties without dedicated EV charging points. Most cottages will have standard domestic supplies which do not support vehicle charging.

An enclosed garden means that walls, hedges, or fences surround the garden at the property. This, however, does not necessarily mean that a garden is dog proof/child friendly i.e. a dog may be able to get under a hedge or a child over a fence.

The majority of properties that have a swimming pool make no extra charge for the use of the pool unless where indicated. Not all pools however, have guaranteed exclusive use. For outdoor pools, the period they are open is usually from late May to early September, depending on the weather. Swimming pools are unsupervised unless stated in the property description. Children must be supervised at all times whilst using the swimming facilities. Whilst every measure possible has been taken to make the swimming area as safe as possible, all facilities are used at your own risk.

Where Wi-Fi is advertised, please note that its provision is subject to availability and network conditions. It may not be available 24 hours a day and is provided for pleasure not for business purposes. Properties with wireless internet access will show it in the property description. Sometimes, particularly in more rural areas there may be properties where internet access is intermittent or even on occasion unavailable for a short period of time because of the distance to the nearest BT exchange and its remoteness. As in most properties the strength of the wireless signal can vary throughout the property and in some of our older properties the thickness of the walls may prevent wireless internet access in certain rooms or areas on site, so please bear this in mind – where we can we will let you know about these. You may have noticed statements such as “wi-fi available in the kitchen” and “wi-fi available in games barn only” written in a few property descriptions. If this is important to you and you are unsure about the quality of internet access in a particular property then please ask, we are here to help.

All of our properties are non-smoking or vaping unless otherwise stated. If this is an important feature for your holiday, please contact us to check before you book.

Some properties are equipped with the luxury of a hot tub (subject to certain rules and restrictions) and these can be either indoor/outdoor, private or shared. Please refer to the property description for information.

Whilst many of our older properties have charm and character, some were built before the days of damp proofing courses and cavity insulation. As a result, sometimes they have a tendency to be damp and despite the care we take when inspecting a property, damp patches may occasionally appear especially after a long wet winter or through condensation if windows have not been left open to allow air to circulate. Please also remember that should traditional cottage features (steep stairs, uneven tiled floors, or low beams for example) be a problem for any member of your party, we are here to discuss your requirements allowing you to make the decision that the property suits you and your party.

Please remember that cottages in the country do attract cobwebs. It does not mean that the cottage is dirty or has not been cleaned as country dwellers will tell you webs can be spun almost as quickly as they have been cleaned away. Some of our properties, particularly in remote areas, may have a private water supply from a spring or well water. In rural areas, please be tolerant of the sounds and scents that you may experience, they are all a part of countryside living.

The simplest way is to log into your customer account to pay the balance.

If your holiday is less than 9 weeks from the day you book, you will be required to pay the full balance at that time.

If your holiday is more than 9 weeks away when you book, you can pay a deposit with the remaining balance paid no later than 9 weeks before arrival.

Before the start of your holiday, you will receive written confirmation containing information on how to access your property when you arrive. These details will also be available in your online account.

Arrival and departure times can be found on the property description and will also be stated in your final booking confirmation.

We ask that the property is left in the same state of cleanliness and general order as found.

On individual property pages, you will find feedback written by previous guests. We do ask that all feedback that is submitted is fair, appropriate, legally acceptable and relevant so that it may be used. The company reserves the right to decide what is published.

If you have provided us with your email address you will automatically be sent a questionnaire email when you get back from your holiday, we would love to hear how your holiday went. As a business, we are continually looking for ways we can improve our service. Our customers' feedback plays a vital role in enabling us to achieve this.

You will receive a booking confirmation when a deposit payment has been made. Further confirmation, along with directions to the property, will be sent when your holiday is paid in full.

Please call the number provided on your final booking confirmation as soon as possible so that we can help you locate any item(s) left behind and arrange for this/these to be sent back to you. A minimum fee of £20 may be applicable to cover the cost of returning any item(s). We expect the return of any item(s) to take up to 14 days, and any item(s) not claimed after this time will be appropriately disposed of. We cannot accept responsibility for any personal belongings left behind

We aim to provide a high level of customer service and want all of our guests to be completely happy with their holiday. However, things can be missed and if this is the case the matter should be brought to the attention of the property owner / caretaker on the number supplied on your final booking confirmation as soon as possible. If you are unable to resolve the matter with the property owner/caretaker, we are here to help. Please don't leave it until your last day or leave it until you have returned home to speak to us about any problems as we are then no longer in a position to help.

We expect that a certain amount of wear and tear is inevitable, and this applies to the occasional smashed glass or broken plate.

However, if something does get damaged while at the property, please call the number supplied on your final booking confirmation at the earliest opportunity so that it can be fixed or replaced in time for the next holidaymakers.

It is sometimes reasonable to expect to pay for more serious damages and breakages such as incidents to carpets, sofas, broken windows etc.

Our primary concern is always the safety of our guests, owners, suppliers, and team. If there are warnings in place around travel, we would ask guests to make sensible decisions around delaying trips to start their holiday later where required.

If adverse weather affects your booking, for example, a cleaner is unable to reach the property prior to your arrival or adverse weather causes damage to the property, we will let you know as soon as possible about any changes that need to be made to your booking. In events such as these, we'd hope that your holiday can start perhaps a little later than expected or at a suitable alternative property. Rest assured, our Holiday Support team will be on hand to assist if needed.