Terms and Conditions

Bookings and Payments

2.        A 50% deposit is payable to secure the booking. Bookings remain provisional until payment has been received.  Provisional bookings will be held for a maximum of 24hrs. Unless the booking is confirmed and payment received within this period, the provisional booking will expire.

3.        Full payment is due two calendar months before the start date of the booking. If the full balance is not paid by the due date, the owners reserve the right to cancel the booking.

4.        Payments are by direct bank transfer (BACS). Cheques may be accepted by special arrangement according to the owners’ discretion, but such bookings remain provisional until the cheque has cleared.

5.        Prices are subject to change. Extra charges apply for access to charging facilities for electric vehicles. A discretionary fuel supplement may be payable for autumn / winter bookings. The owners reserve the right to levy additional charges and / or a security deposit for business clients, children, extra guests, late bookings and non-standard bookings. 

Cancellation Policy

6.        It is the guests’ responsibility to arrange fully comprehensive travel insurance covering all eventualities for the full cost of their holiday. In the event of cancellations or date alterations by guests prior to the start of the holiday, refunds are discretionary and will only be considered if the property is re-let.

7.        The owners reserve the right to postpone or cancel bookings due to external factors beyond their control, including family illness or bereavement; national or international pandemics, including Corona Virus COVID-19; UK government or local authority restrictions, including national or regional lockdowns resulting from pandemics; war, flooding, fire, explosion, infestation and any other emergencies affecting the holiday cottage building and/or adjacent or nearby land or properties. Please note, deferred bookings are discretionary on the part of the owners and will only be offered in limited circumstances and under strictly limited terms. Under normal circumstances, the owners reserve the right to refuse or cancel bookings without further liability. In this event, a full refund will be given.

Arrival and Departure

8.        Arrival time is no earlier than 4pm. Departure time is no later than 10am. Late departures can cause serious problems, particularly on same day changeovers, so guests must ensure that they pack up all their belongings in good time and vacate the premises promptly by 10am at the latest. If the property is not vacated by 10am, the owners reserve the right to enter the farmhouse and embark on the cleaning. An automatic penalty of £100 penalty will be charged for unauthorized late departures.

9.        On arrival, two keys will be issued. Lost keys will be charged at £20 each.

10.     On departure, the Farmhouse must be left clean and tidy. All crockery, pans, baking trays and kitchenwares should be washed and put away.

11.     All damage must be paid for. An automatic penalty of £350 will be charged if the Farmhouse is left in an unacceptably dirty condition or if the buildings and/or its contents have been abused. This includes stains or damage to carpets and upholstery.

Guests and Children

12.     The maximum number of guests permitted to stay in Elmet Farmhouse at any one time is normally limited to 6. Up to 2 additional guests may be accommodated by prior arrangement at the owners’ discretion, subject to additional charges. No more than 8 guests are allowed to sleep in the farmhouse at any one time for insurance reasons. This includes babies and toddlers. Larger groups will be refused admission.

13.     No organized or impromptu parties or large gatherings are to be held at Elmet Farmhouse, including stag parties and hen parties.

14.     The Farmhouse must not be used for any dangerous, noxious, illegal, immoral, offensive, noisy or anti-social activities. Guests causing a nuisance or annoyance to the owners, or breaking the terms and conditions of the holiday let, will be required to leave.

15.     Due to the historic nature of the property, which is a Grade II Listed 18^th century building, we regret that the Farmhouse is not suitable for visitors with mobility problems. The stairs are steep and there are no bathrooms or toilets on the ground floor.

16.     Well-behaved children are welcome at Elmet Farmhouse, but it is essential that young children are supervised and controlled at all times, both within the Farmhouse and elsewhere on the premises, including the farmyard, the garden, the fields and the drive. Parents must take action to ensure their children do not abuse or damage the farmhouse and its contents. The following activities are strictly prohibited inside the farmhouse: swinging on the stair rails, sliding down the stairs, throwing missiles, jumping on the beds, jumping or climbing on the furniture, swinging on or pulling at the curtain rails or glass shower doors. To avoid spillages, food and drink should be confined to the kitchen.

17.     Babies, toddlers and young children are welcome but extra vigilance is required by parents and/or responsible adults to ensure their safety. The owners cannot be held responsible for any injury or accidents on the premises.  Parents with toddlers are advised that the stairs are steep and there are limited child gates.

18.     For hygiene reasons, the farmhouse is unsuitable for toddlers and young children who are prone to bed-wetting, or guests suffering from incontinence or other medical conditions that might result in beds or furniture being soiled or stained.

Pets, Smoking and Fire Precautions

19.     No dogs or pets of any kind are permitted at Elmet Farmhouse, either inside the property or on the premises. Guests must ensure that any visitors are made aware of this restriction in advance and that they comply with this rule.

20.     Elmet Farmhouse is a No Smoking property. No smoking is permitted anywhere inside the Farmhouse. Guests smoking outdoors must dispose of their cigarettes responsibly by extinguishing them fully and placing them in the dustbin. Cigarettes should not be stubs should not be stubbed out in the flower pots or dropped down the grids.

21.     No candles are permitted at Elmet Farmhouse due to fire risk and the risk of damaging the furniture with hot wax.

22.     Care must be taken when using the wood-burning stove. Please follow the instructions carefully and ensure that the door to the stove is kept closed once the fire has been lit. In order to avoid damaging the stove and the chimney flue, only seasoned wood should be burnt in the stove. A fire extinguisher and a fire blanket are provided next to the stove. A fireguard is available on request.

23.     The living room and kitchen both have fire doors. As a safety precaution, guests are advised to close these doors at night. There is a heat detector in the kitchen and there are several smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in other parts of the house. Guests must not disable or tamper with these important safety devices. If any of the alarms go off, guests should leave the building immediately and contact the owner.

Water, Energy and Waste

24.     Elmet Farmhouse has a private septic tank, which also serves the neighbouring house. It is vital to ensure that nothing is put down the drains in the kitchen or bathrooms that might block the pipes or affect the workings of the septic tank. No tampons, sanitary towels, nappies, wet wipes, pads, plastics, cotton wool, hair, foodstuffs or any non-biodegradable material should be put down any of the toilets, sinks, basins, baths and showers. No bleach or bleach-based cleaning products should be used as these will damage the biological processes in the septic tank. Guests acting irresponsibly during their stay will be liable for the full cost of unblocking drains, emptying the septic tank and/or any other remedial work required to repair or restore the sewerage system.

25.     The Farmhouse is on mains water and has a water meter. Guests are requested not to leave taps running unnecessarily or to waste water.

26.     The Farmhouse is very well insulated and is equipped with radiator thermostats and low energy bulbs and appliances. Guests are requested to use energy resources responsibly and not to waste gas and electricity by leaving lights on unnecessarily or running the central heating continuously or at high temperatures. A fuel supplement may be payable in advance during autumn and winter. Extra charges may be levied for high energy usage by guests.

27.     Guests are requested to dispose of their waste responsibly and to recycle as much material as possible. Please empty all the bins and remove all rubbish from the farmhouse on departure.

Doors, Windows, Security and Safety Precautions

28.     There are four Velux skylight windows in the attics. To avoid rain water damage, guests must ensure that these windows are closed before they go out and when they leave. Please shut the outside doors when you are in the garden to prevent mice, birds, cats or wildlife entering the house.

29.     The Farmhouse has two five-lever mortice locks on each of the exterior doors and window locks on all the windows. Guests must ensure that all doors and windows are locked when they are out.

30.     Guests are reminded that the security of their possessions in the Farmhouse and in their vehicles is their own responsibility. The owners cannot be held responsible for the loss of any items as a result of theft.

31.     Guests are advised to take special care on the steep staircases and on the steps in the utility room and landing.

32.     Guests are strongly advised not to go under the eaves in the attics as there are low beams. To avoid unnecessary accidents, please ensure that all members of your party are made aware of this potential hazard, especially children.

33.     Taller guests should take care when walking under the wall-hung cabinet in the utility room and when ascending the stairs to the attic, as the stairwell ceiling height is lower at this point.

34.     Guests are advised to take care outside on the stone flags and the gravel paths in the farmyard, the gardens and on the drive. Some of the paving is uneven and may be slippery at times

Furniture, Furnishings and Appliances

35.     Guests are requested to remove boots and shoes before walking on the carpets, and to remove narrow-heeled shoes and stilettos before walking on the linoleum flooring in the kitchen, utility room, hall and bathrooms.

36.     The Farmhouse has been furnished and equipped to a high standard. Guests are requested to respect the furniture, furnishings, ornaments, works of art and appliances in the property.

37.     To avoid damage and accidents, guests must not move the beds or the furniture. Under no circumstances must the lounge cabinet be pulled away from the wall as the top is not fixed to the base and may topple over.

38.     To avoid breakages and accidents, parents must ensure that children do not swing on the stair rails, slide down the stairs, jump on the beds, climb on the sofa, chairs, window seats or other the furniture, hang items from curtain rails, pull at the curtains or blinds or swing on the glass shower doors or shower fittings..

39.     To avoid damaging the plastic laminate surfaces in the kitchen and the plastic-coated tablecloth, no hot pans, trays or casseroles should be placed on the kitchen counters or the kitchen table. The plastic chopping boards and plastic mats are not heat-proof either; please use the cork mats and wooden boards instead. Food should be confined to the kitchen. To avoid marking the wooden furniture, coasters should be used in the lounge.

40.     If the building or its contents are damaged as a result of irresponsible or malicious behaviour by guests, including children and visitors, an automatic penalty of £350 will be charged. The owners reserve the right to levy additional charges to cover the full cost of repair or replacement for damage to the property and its furnishings and contents.

41.     Guests must notify the owners immediately if there are spillages on the carpets or breakages to furniture or appliances. If the carpet is stained, an automatic penalty of £350 will be charged and guests may be liable for the full costs of replacing the carpet.

Barn, Farmyard, Garden and Fields

42.     The garden is accessed through the two picket gates and includes the lawn and outdoor dining area in front of the barn, as well as the cottage garden in front of the Farmhouse.

43.     The adjacent fields are grown for hay between April and July/August but are usually accessible to guests at other times of year. During the hay-growing season, access to the field in front of the Farmhouse is limited to the mown or trodden paths. Entry to the fields is entirely at the guests’ own risk. Children must be supervised by parents or responsible adults at all times.  If sheep are grazing, please keep children away from the orange net electric fence. Guests are advised that there are nettles, thistles, holes, stones and other hazards in the fields. Children must not climb on the dry stone walls as many of the stones are loose. Children must not enter the fenced area in front of the farmhouse where the septic tank is situated and must not climb on the fences, some of which are barbed wire.

44.     No ball games are permitted inside the Farmhouse or in the garden.  Ball games may be played in the field in front of the Farmhouse between August/September and April outside hay-growing season.

45.     The barns are strictly private and out of bounds.

Parking and Access

46.     Parking for two cars is provided next to the Farmhouse. The owners cannot accept any responsibility for damage to guests’ vehicles whilst on the premises

47.     The farmyard is required for turning, deliveries and access to the adjoining house, field and barns. No parking is permitted in the farmyard except by prior arrangement. No parking is permitted in the parking area opposite Wilcroft Cottage higher up the main drive.

48.     Guests are advised to take care not to hit the barn or the low-walled flower bed in the farmyard when reversing.

49.     When leaving the premises, guests should check for traffic in both directions and  proceed with caution before pulling out onto the road.

50.     Visitors are warned that the drive is steep and can be slippery in icy or snowy conditions. When snow is forecast, guests are strongly advised to park on the road, otherwise their cars may get stuck at the bottom of the drive.

Mobiles and Wi-Fi

51.     There is no landline at Elmet Farmhouse. Mobile reception is reasonable but some mobiles work better outside.

52.     Free wi-fi is provided but due to the thickness of the stone walls in the farmhouse, signal strength varies in different rooms. Broadband speeds may not be sufficient for Apple devices such as iphones and ipads in all areas of the house. In the event of technical problems, wi-fi is not guaranteed.

Gardening and Maintenance Work

53.     The owners reserve the right to undertake maintenance, repairs and building work on the farmhouse, the adjoining property (Wilcroft House), the adjacent farm buildings (Wilcroft Barn) and in the gardens and fields as required, including routine gardening and grounds maintenance. In the event of serious disruption caused by essential property maintenance, building work or emergency repairs, partial reimbursements may be offered on a discretionary basis but are not guaranteed.

Data Management and Data Protection

54     For administrative, security and insurance reasons, and in order to comply with government regulations regarding self-catering accommodation, guests may be asked to provide the following information at the time of booking: name, address, landline, mobile number and email address of person booking; total number of guests; names of the other guests and the age of any children under 16; contact details for guests from other households,

55.     The owners undertake to comply with current legislation regarding data protection and data management. Guests’ personal contact details will not be used for marketing purposes without their consent and will not be passed to third parties.

The owners reserve the right to vary these Terms and Conditions at their discretion at any time.