Terms and Conditions

BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS

Guests are agreeing to these terms and conditions when a booking is confirmed, and payment is made. Any breach of the below short-term rental terms and conditions, as agreed by both parties, permits the owner and East Coast Escapes to refuse entry, amend the rent or immediately terminate the letting.

Licence not a Tenancy
The booking with East Coast Escapes is not a residential tenancy agreement under residential tenancy legislations. Failure to comply with any of the guest’s fundamental obligations and the terms and conditions of the property may result in immediate termination and eviction. The guest is granted a licence to occupy the accommodation for the agreed booking period. Refunds will not be paid on terminated occupancies. The registered Guest who holds the License to Occupy cannot book on behalf of another and must be in attendance and sleeping at the property for the duration of the booking.

Number of Persons, Noise, Parties and Functions
Properties are for guests only. No outside guests are permitted on the premises without pre-arrangement in writing from East Coast Escapes. The number of occupants must not exceed the number of persons shown on your confirmation. Any increase in numbers must be agreed in advance and may incur additional fees.

Excessive noise, parties and functions are not permitted as they can cause disruption to neighbours as well as nearby residents and other holiday makers. If an unauthorised function is held at the property, the entire bond processed for the booking will be retained and additional fees may apply where management must be in attendance during eviction or addressing complaints.

Schoolies
There are a select few properties where Schoolies are permitted however express permission must be granted for any booking.

Noise Complaints 
If a complaint of excessive noise or anti-social behaviour is received, security will be dispatched to investigate and may result in a $200 call-out charge. A report will be received by the East Coast Escapes office with information as to whether a fee has been charged. This fee will be taken from the guest’s security deposit and is non-negotiable.

At the time the report is received, East Coast Escapes will also determine the severity of the incident and the impact on the property, the community, and the surrounding guests and residents. If the incident and impact is deemed to be severe, all guests at the premises may be evicted from the premises by security without refund of rent or bond. This determination is at the sole discretion of management and is non-negotiable.

NSW Fair Trading Code of Conduct for the Short Term Rental Accommodation Industry
Guests who book premises located in New South Wales must abide by their responsibilities and obligations under the NSW Fair Trading Code of Conduct for the Short Term Rental Accommodation Industry. Please click here for further information or to download a copy of the Code.

By making a booking at one of the Properties, you agree to fully comply with your obligations under State Legislation and Local law, including the NSW Code of Conduct and do all things reasonably necessary to assist East Coast Escapes and/or the owners of the Properties to comply with their obligations under the Code, including the Exclusion Register.

Privacy
We respect your privacy and will act with complete discretion with regards to your personal information. We will only disclose your personal details to our staff and service providers where it is necessary to manage your booking or accommodation requests. If the accommodation is fitted with external video surveillance systems for security and protection of the accommodation and its occupants, you consent to the use of these during your stay. The installation and use of security cameras has the express consent of the property owners.

Christmas and New Year Bookings
If a booking covers both Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, the booking must be at least 12 days in length unless prior approval obtained by East Coast Escapes. Other booking date restrictions may apply as advised by East Coast Escapes. New Year’s bookings that commence on 26th December or early January bookings that commence on 1st or 2nd of January must have pre-approval from management and will only be approved if suitable in relation to other existing bookings over those peak periods.

Inappropriate Bookings and Schoolies
As a duty of care to properties and owners, East Coast Escapes Management reserves the right to refuse any bookings that are determined to be inappropriate or that fall across Schoolies dates.

Check-in and Check-out
Check-in is available from 2pm on the day of arrival. Check-out is 10am on the day of departure. There may be variations to these times, if so, guests will be advised accordingly.

East Coast Escapes will try to accommodate requests for early check-in/late check-out however they are subject to availability (i.e. other bookings in place, cleaners available to accommodate the request, maintenance schedule) and fees may apply. Despite any early applications, approval will only be granted 1-2 days prior to entry/departure if available. Early requests do not guarantee early access/late checkout unless a full day’s rate is paid.

Guests are required to contact East Coast Escapes office 1-2 working days prior to the date of the early check-in/late check-out to make final arrangements which will be recorded in the booking details.

Keys
Where we are able to install a key safe or safely leave the keys, they will be available at the property upon arrival. Guests will be provided with details of the key location and/or access codes via email after final payment has been made (and a credit card is on file for bond, or the cash bond has been paid). Guests are requested to take the access information with them in order to access the property.

If there is a key-safe at the property, please use it to secure one set of keys at all times when you leave the property, including when you check out. If a tradesman needs to attend to any requested or agreed maintenance during your stay this will ensure they can access the property.

On departure, all keys are to be returned to the place where they were collected from on arrival.

If guests lose keys / remote controls or lock keys inside the property and require access, a security call fee will apply. If replacement keys or remote controls need to be cut or purchased, key barrels need to be replaced, or in secure complexes re-keying is required costs will be calculated based accordingly and charged to the guest.

Linen
Linen and towels are provided unless otherwise notified. Beach towels are not provided (unless stated otherwise in the property description).

Deposit, Bond and Booking Fee
Deposit
A deposit of 50% of total rent (including booking fee, cleaning, linen, and credit card fees) is required at time of booking. This can be paid via Visa, Mastercard, or direct deposit. AMEX is not accepted. We do not accept Diners Card or any other cards. Use of credit cards incurs a 2% charge. Guests must only provide credit card details for which they are authorised to use and which is in their name.
Final payment is due 30 days prior to arrival unless other payment terms have been agreed to. If the booking is made within 30 days of arrival, full payment will be required at the time of booking.
Please note we charge a $2 advocacy fee on every booking that is contributed to ASTRA (Australian Short Term Rental Accommodation Association) for the sustainability of the Short Term Rental Accommodation Industry.

Bond
Depending on which property has been booked, a security bond of between $250-$2,000 will be processed 1-4 working days prior to check-in. The bond will be processed as a pre-authorisation on the guest’s previously nominated credit card (we do not accept bank transfers or cash for bond payments unless by special arrangement). The funds will be frozen by the guest’s issuing bank for a period of up to 7 working days after departure and will be automatically released if there are no issues during the stay. Once released, the funds will become available on the guest’s card again, and there will not be a transaction on the credit card statement.
If an unauthorised function is held at the property, the entire bond processed for the booking will be retained and additional fees may apply where management must be in attendance during eviction or addressing complaints.
Bond deductions are rare, however when they occur, East Coast Escapes will advise the guest of details of any charges. Considerable administration is required, and a $55 fee will apply.

Bond – Schoolies
Regardless of which property has been booked, a security deposit of $250 per person (processed as one transaction) will be processed for all Schoolies bookings.

Booking Fee
A $100 booking fee is applied to all bookings and integrated into the displayed rate online or rate quoted through the reservations team.

Cancellation
We offer FREE cancellation for bookings prior to 30 days of arrival except for bookings between 20 December and 31 January we offer FREE cancellation up till 60 days prior to arrival. Cancellation requests must be emailed to stay@eastcoastescapes.com.au. Please note Schoolies bookings are non-refundable.

If a guest requests to cancel within the 30-60 day period as stated above, East Coast Escapes will reopen the dates for sale across all available booking channels and will endeavour to rebook the dates. While every attempt will be made to secure a full paying booking, a discount may be applied to the rate in order to secure a booking. This discount will be based on industry and business knowledge, and will not be preapproved or reviewed with the guest as it will be subject to further change at any time. Cancellations may result in a loss of the total booking amount. All cancellations within the free cancellation periods will incur a $200 cancellation fee and the non-refundable $100 booking fee.

The following scenarios apply:
•    If East Coast Escapes can rebook your dates for the same rate, the deposit will be refunded less the $100 booking fee and a $200 cancellation fee.
•    If East Coast Escapes needs to discount the property to rebook the original dates booked, the deposit will be refunded less the difference between the rates, the $100 booking fee and a $200 cancellation fee.
•    If a replacement booking is not secured, the guest will forfeit any funds paid.

We strongly recommend that you have travel insurance to cover you in the event of an unforeseeable cancellation.

Date Changes
Date changes are only possible at the discretion of East Coast Escapes and may incur cancellation fees as well as rent charges (against the original booking). Any additional rent charges due to changes in season or length of stay must be covered by the guest.

 Changes Made by East Coast Escapes

All bookings are made in good faith of ongoing short term letting by owners however may be subject to change. East Coast Escapes cannot accept responsibility for actions taken by the owner(s) of the property which are outside their control. Reasonable actions will be made by East Coast Escapes to offer alternative accommodation should this occur. If there is no alternative accommodation available a full refund of the amount already paid will be made. East Coast Escapes will not be liable to refund any fees guests may have paid to any third party in connection with their stay, including but not limited to fees for travel, insurance or activities.

In the event that the property booked is listed for sale, the guest agrees to allow the owner or agent to inspect the property with the prospective purchasers, by appointment and during reasonable hours.

Property tariffs may change online at any time without notice.

Excess Cleaning, Damages and Charges
Excess Cleaning
East Coast Escapes requests guests to leave the property as it was found to avoid extra cleaning charges. This includes washing dishes, placement of all rubbish in the large outdoor bins provided and cleaning of the BBQ. The cleaners will strip the beds and will clean the floors so this is not required by the guests, however cleaning charges may apply if the walls, floors, windows and/or linen are excessively dirty.

Damages
In the event of breakages, damages and lost items, East Coast Escapes requests that guests contact the office to report the incident as soon as possible. Damages may be deducted from bond (or credit card supplied if the charges are higher than the bond processed).

Movement of Items Within/Between Properties
East Coast Escapes has a strict policy on moving items or furniture (indoor and/or outdoor) within a property, or in the case of bookings across multiple properties, from house to house. Movements may cause unnecessary damage to items and/or to the property and can cause excess cleaning time due to increased housekeeping inventory checks replacement of items. Any damages/excess cleaning caused by movement of items or furniture will be deducted from bond.

Internet
Some properties provide wireless internet for guests for the purpose of email, perusing social media, and web browsing. If guests require excess usage please contact the office to arrange purchase of a data pack.

Property Presentation
The description of the premises is given in good faith. From time to time, changes occur at properties, sometimes by owners and outside of East Coast Escapes control or knowledge therefore no responsibility for irregularities will be accepted.

Wildlife
Prevalence of wildlife can be found around properties located in rural areas and/or have surrounding landscaping, tropical gardens or national parks especially after severe weather events such as storms, flooding, or intense heat. While every attempt is made to control and manage the wildlife including a pre-arrival inspection at the property to check for activity, from time to time, some animals and/or insects can enter the property. Our team will act as quickly as possible to manage any situations at the property with the guests where they are in danger. If seeing or experiencing wildlife is a safety concern for guests due to intense personal fears or allergies, we recommend avoiding booking hinterland properties where the possibility of wildlife is increased.

Unplanned Outages
During periods of extreme weather events, power supply to properties can be interrupted due to unplanned outages. These power outages will also affect WiFi as the routers will be disabled, and can also affect water pumps and resulting water supply on rural properties which utilise tank water.  These outages are out of the control and no responsibility will be taken. We will however assist all guests during these periods to keep them up to date with the situation and instructions from the authorities, and to ensure their safety.

Neighbourhood Construction
Many of the properties managed by East Coast Escapes are in suburban locations where, from time to time, there may be building / construction on neighbouring houses within the nearby vicinity of the property booked. East Coast Escapes take no responsibility for any issues relating to noise on neighbouring properties.

No Smoking
For the comfort of all our guests, all our properties are non-smoking. In some apartments, there is no smoking anywhere within the complex including balconies (specific details are contained in property compendiums). Any damages or excess cleaning caused by smoking on or inside any property will deducted from bond.

Rubbish Collection and Excess Rubbish
East Coast Escapes requests guests put all rubbish in the appropriate bins provided outside no later than the night before collection (rubbish collection day is indicated in the property compendium). Please ensure the rubbish is put out at a reasonable hour so as not to cause noise and disrupt the neighbourhood (e.g. with recycling bottles). The bin lids must be able to close for the collection. Some properties have a service where the outdoor bins are put out for guests – this will also be indicated in the property compendium. Where the service is not available or offered by the property, the guests must put the bins out for collection themselves.

If the bins are not put out or if there is excess rubbish upon check out, a private contractor will be organised to empty the bins and charges will be deducted from bond.

Parking
Each property listing outlines the number of off-street car parks available and number of cars permitted at the property. On-street parking is not provided or guaranteed for guests or visitors. East Coast Escapes cannot be held responsible or liable for any fines or penalties incurred by guests or visitors from parking on the street (where local parking restrictions/metered parking applies).

Parking campervans, caravans and trailers (with or without boats) on a residential street on or adjacent to one of our properties is not permitted under any circumstances. Friends of guests are not permitted to park caravans on or adjacent to any of our properties and use the property facilities. Guests will be required to remove any campervans, caravans or trailers. If a guest fails to comply, the item may be towed at the guest’s expense and charges will be deducted from bond. The violation of terms and conditions may also result in guest eviction and loss of rent and bond.

Personal and Lost Property
No responsibility will be taken by East Coast Escapes for guest’s personal property. If items are left at a property, the East Coast Escapes office will contact the cleaners to determine whether the items were located. If located, guests are required to send a postage paid, return addressed envelope to the office for the items to be returned. Return costs and tracking of items are the responsibility of the guest.

ANIMALS & PETS
Pets are only permitted at pet-friendly properties and only if pre-arranged with and approved by East Coast Escapes. Pet friendly terms and conditions are agreeing to the pet friendly terms and conditions when a booking is confirmed, and any damages caused will be deducted from bond. Permission for pets is provided on a case by case basis.

Guests must ensure their pet:
•    Is groomed to avoid excessive moulting
•    Is cleaned prior to entering the house to avoid marks to the property
•    Has had up to date worming, flea treatments, and vaccinations
•    Has had nails trimmed to avoid scratches to the floors and furnishings
•    Does not jump up on beds, furniture or rugs (indoors or outdoors)
•    Is not left unattended as excessive barking may result in complaints from neighbours.

If noise complaints are received and the pet cannot be quieted, guests will be required to remove the dog from the property at their own expense.

Additional cleaning charges may apply should pet hair, urine, fleas or any evidence (including smell) of the pet be left behind when guests leave. It is advised for pets to wear tick/flea collars to avoid bringing or picking up ticks/fleas to/from the area.

East Coast Escapes accepts no responsibility for death of, loss of, injury or sickness to pets during the accommodation period – full and sole responsibility for the pet and its actions lie with the pet owner and upon acceptance of terms and conditions the guest agree that no legal action (including payment of veterinary accounts) will be taken against the landlord and that no discussion will be entered into. Please be aware that some properties have not been designed to be pet friendly.

SCHOOLIES BOOKINGS
The following specific requirements, terms and conditions apply to schoolies bookings. If these are not agreed to East Coast Escapes Management reserves the right to refuse or cancel any booking made over schoolies dates.

Parental approval
Prior to confirming any schoolies booking, East Coast Escapes needs to speak with at least one parent/guardian of the schoolies group to discuss the terms and conditions.

Contact details
For security purposes and in the unlikely event where parental assistance is required or recommended, we need the name and mobile number for each schoolies guest booked to stay at the property, as well as contact information of a parent/guardian for each guest. This is required for all schoolies guests staying regardless of their age.

Group
The majority of the group is required to be 18 years old or above.

Properties
Only select properties are available for schoolies bookings where the owners are willing to accept young, unaccompanied guests into their homes.

Rates
Rates for standard bookings do not apply to schoolies bookings due to the risks involved and demand for properties. The rates displayed online may be for standard bookings. The schoolies rate will be confirmed with the schoolies guests and guardians prior to confirming a booking.

Direct Bookings Only
Schoolies bookings are only accepted through East Coast Escapes direct booking, phone or email. Bookings through other websites or booking agents will not be accepted. Booking online does not confirm a booking, it will hold dates until discussion of and agreeance to these terms and conditions in writing between East Coast Escapes and at least one parent/guardian of the schoolies guests.

Dates
Schoolies bookings run from Saturday to Saturday in relation to the three weeks per year as found at schoolies.com. On the odd occasion (e.g. where existing bookings are in place on either side of a new schoolies booking) we may be able to accommodate slightly different dates but this is on strict exception only.

Arrival and departure
Check in time is strictly from 2pm,  and check out is by 10am. Please plan flight times for the guests around this. Schoolies is one of the busiest times of the year and our cleaning teams are flat out cleaning the properties from previous guests, and preparing them for your arrival.  If your group arrives on an early flight on the date of check in or have a late flight on the date of departure, it is not the responsibility of East Coast Escapes to provide you access to the property outside of the check in and check out times either for bags or guests.

Visitors
Only those guests who have booked and paid for the property are permitted on the premises at any time, no visitors are permitted. The number of occupants must not exceed the number of persons shown on the booking confirmation. If the number of people at the property are found to exceed guests numbers registered the booking can be cancelled and all guests evicted

Noise
Further to the earlier section on Noise, all holiday rental properties managed by East Coast Escapes have a very strict noise policy and are registered with The Quiet Hotline, an independent body who operate a noisy neighbour hotline. Excessive noise, parties and functions at any time (day & night) are not permitted as they can cause disruption to neighbours as well as nearby residents and other holiday makers. Any reported noise where security is called to the property may incur fees, and after a warning, eviction from the property.

Payment
As per standard payment terms, we require a 50% deposit at the time of booking, with final payment due 30 days prior to arrival. These payments are to be processed as one transaction, i.e. one credit card or direct transfer.

Bond
A bond of $250 per person staying at the house (with a minimum bond value of $1000) is required 1-2 days prior to arrival. This is processed on one credit card.

Cancellations and Date Changes
Standard cancellation terms apply.

 DISCLAIMER
East Coast Escapes enters into this agreement on behalf of the owner of the property and is not liable to you in relation to the property or any services.

East Coast Escapes is an accommodation booking service and is not a real estate broker, agent or rental company. Whilst all measures are taken to avoid any property being misrepresented by the property owner, East Coast Escapes is in no way liable for any advertising misrepresentations as property owners are solely responsible for the accuracy of their listings and information.
East Coast Escapes nor the owner of the property can be held responsible for failure or interruption to power or services to the property for reasons beyond our control.

East Coast Escapes reserves the right to relocate a booking to an alternative property of similar standard and location at any time. In this instance, guests will be offered either a full refund OR asked to confirm their stay at the alternative property.

East Coast Escapes advises that the property furnishings may be slightly different to those shown in the property photos. However, if they differ, the furnishings will be of the same standard as that shown in the pictures, or higher.

Guests’ actions, conduct and safety are the responsibility of the guests. The agent and owner(s) of this property do not condone: unsafe, irresponsible or illegal actions/behaviour etc. on or off the premises, during a stay or at any other time.

A condition of entering and/or staying at this property means that all guests understand and agree to indemnify the agent and owner(s) against any responsibility or action(s) (legal or other), due to any action(s), incident(s), loss or injury(s) while within or outside of the premises (including, but not limited to, the grounds, facilities, structures, etc.) during a stay or at any other time.

To the extent permitted to by law East Coast Escapes will not be liable for losses arising as a result of this agreement whether such losses arise as a result of East Coast Escapes negligence or otherwise.

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