Booking Contract

[croatian_villa]

Following a booking request I'd like to ask what process you follow to reserve the booking. I presume that most of you have a contract that you email to the client to fill in their name, names of guests with passport numbers then lead guest name, signature and date. Then the client should SCAN and send this back via email. I presume a signature is required to make this legal. Then allow the client 5 days for payment of deposit.

Does anyone have an example contract in PDF or .DOC that I could look at. I can imagine there are many clauses that a less experienced landlord may overlook. I have put a 5 page contract together but Im concerned I may of missed something or that I am making it too complex so as to confuse the potential guest...

All the best
C

[Margaret]

Not all of us do this. We insist on 2 things:

that they complete the booking form on the website
that they pay the 50% deposit (or 100% in less than 2 months before arrival)

No signatures, no passport numbers. We are on site here so it makes it easier to keep an eye on things. Although we do the same for the UK house, where we are not on site.

[Beachcondo]

For my Swedish rental I have a very simple booking form that I send out. Names of all in party (so I can remember their names when they arrive), address, home and mobile telephone number.

After we received that I send our T & Cs and payment info. On the T&Cs we state that by paying the deposit they accept the terms. No signature, no scanning etc.

Might not work for all but saves us a lot of work.

[croatian_villa]

So is the contract still legally binding without a signature?
If this is true then it would make the booking process a lot easier. Not everyone has a scanner or fax.

Regards
C

[greenbarn]

So is the contract still legally binding without a signature?
If this is true then it would make the booking process a lot easier. Not everyone has a scanner or fax.

Regards
C

It will depend on the law in your country. In the UK, if the contract contained anything that went against the Unfair Contract Terms Act, it wouldn't be legally binding whether it was signed or not.

On the general topic of acceptance of conditions by ticking an online box or email, I don't know if this has ever been put to the test in law? It's certainly very widely used in all forms of business, and generally accepted as a valid means of confirming acceptance. Try installing a piece of software, and you'll most likely be presented with a check box to tick for acceptance of T&Cs before you can proceed, so it seems to be good enough for Microsoft et al.

[croatian_villa]

Thank you. We will be governed by UK law being based in the UK.

So it may actually be better to send them to an online booking form on my website showing the T&C's and a TICK BOX then process the booking via my website. This would certainly speed up the booking process. I was perhaps falsely under the impression that a hard copy contract with a signature would be safer.

[KathyG]

Have pm'd you the booking form and T&Cs that we use. I ask them to check the T&Cs carefully then if they're happy with those, to fill in the booking form, scan and email back to me and make a bank transfer for 25% of the total. I also give them the option of sending a cheque, most do a bank transfer but quite a few send the booking form by post, maybe to check that my address exists?

I also tell them when the balance will be due and say that once I've received that and the security deposit then I'll send them detailed directions of how to get there and the code for the keysafe. That stops any of them asking for the address before they've paid in full.

[Margaret]

Sorry, you are governed by the law in Croatia because that is where your property is located. You will also have to submit accounts in Croatia - and in the Uk, if you are part of the tax system there.

[croatian_villa]

Thank you Kathy. Much appreciated. Very useful. I will be tweaking my booking form and T&C's today and hopefully have a final product ready today

Im also thinking of perhaps building an online booking form into my website and listing the T's&C's to speed up this process. If an online booking form without a signature is still classed as a legal document then it may streamline the process.

Anything that makes life easier for the potential guest is a bonus. Hopefully it will mean more enquiries converting into bookings.

[croatian_villa]

Thank you for pointing this out. So legally this falls under Croatian law. The location of the property.

The law in Croatia is very complex currently and court cases can take many years. Hopefully I wont encounter any legal issues prior to EU entry as in most cases its more cost effective to avoid court.

[la vache!]

I never get anything signed
An email address is all I need, with this I send out the invoice for payment.
It is my policy to make the booking procedure as quick and easy as possible for my guests.

[Beachcondo]

When I wrote "send" I meant email.....of course!

[arkvilla]

You are welcome to atke a look at our t&c's and booking form and use any bits that you like or think are suitable:- http://www.arkvilla.com

Sandra

[croatian_villa]

Thank you so much. Will take a look