SALES CONDITIONS (also see our FAQ page for related practical info)

Thank you for your interest in renting one of our holiday homes. We would be delighted to welcome you in Alsace.

We are renting self-catering apartments (wee are not a hotel and not a bed and breakfast). Our properties are let on standard terms and conditions legally applicable in France and in the European Union to such matters and in particular the terms stipulated below with which the tenant promises to comply.
Confirmation of the booking means acceptance of the present conditions.

Booking

Booking requests are to me made exclusively through our website. After reception of the requests, booking files are processed by us. Then, if the resquested apartment is available, the tenant receives an invitation to confirm his stay by paying a deposit. The booking is then firm as soon as the amount of the deposit has reached our bank account. As long as no deposit is received, the requested apartment and dates remain open to further requests from other people.

All correspondence has to be made via the messaging tool of the booking file exclusively - not by email or any other means - so that it remains archived in the file for future reference.

Our holiday homes are rented by the week (7 nights minimum) during the high season (April-October and December). Our best rates are therefore available for stays of 1 week and more.

Arrival / departure days are flexible but should not generate any gap of standing alone nights which would be impossible for us to rent.

Shorter stays (3-6 nights) are subject to our acceptance. They are generally possible when planning opportunities exist and/or when the requested dates come exactly before or after an existing booking and should not create any gap of 1 or 2 nights standing alone (see availability calendars).

The tenant must be at least 18 years old, must be authorised by all persons named on the booking confirmation to make the booking, including those added later, and must consent to our processing personal information about you and the other members of your party.
All correspondence is sent via the messaging tool of the online booking file to the party leader who is responsible to us for all payments on the booking, for ensuring that party members are kept informed of booking details, and for any cancellation charges.
On receipt of deposit, we will send you your booking confirmation. Accommodation is only for the use of persons named on the confirmation invoice.
A contract between you and us will come into existence when you have paid the deposit (or full payment within 4 weeks of arrival) and we have mentioned our confirmation within your online booking file. Your agreement with us is subject to the exclusive laws and jurisdiction of the Courts of France alone.

Arrival and departure time

The time of arrival shall normally be in the afternoon earliest at 3.30 pm, latest at 6.30 pm unless otherwise agreed. Precise time of arrival has to be mutually agreed at least the day before between the owner or his/her representative and the tenant.
The time of departure shall normally be the morning at 10.00 am latest.

Cancellation policy.

Deposits paid to us for a reservation are not refundable.
Confirming a booking means a contract is established between the tenant and the owner.
The European Court of Justice held that Articles 2(1) and 6(1) of the Sixth Directive meant that a sum paid as a deposit was to be regarded, where the hotelier retained the amount as a result of the guest cancelling, as compensation for the loss suffered as a result of the cancellation. It had no direct connection with the supply of any service for consideration
Our cancellation policy refers to the European Court of Justice decision in case No. 277/05 (18 July 2007). See our FAQ page for details about this case.

a) In the event of cancellation by the tenant:
  - one month or more prior to the first day of the tenancy, the tenant shall forfeit the whole of the amount of deposit paid (this means that deposits are not refundable).
  - less than one month prior to the first day of the tenancy, the tenant shall pay an additional penalty of the difference between the deposit paid and the total rent payable if such cancellation had not occurred.
Rmk: Securing your deposits in case of unforeseen circumstances is easy. We recommend the subscription of a travel / cancellation insurance. As an example, we are providing some links to worldwide well-known insurance companies offering travel / cancellation insurance on our FAQ page.

b) In the event of cancellation by the landlord:
 - within seven days of cancellation the landlord shall pay the tenant a sum equivalent to the double of the amount of the deposit.

In case of No Show

If the tenant fails to give notice of late arrival and has not arrived 2 days after the scheduled date of arrival, the landlord shall be fully entitled to attempt to re-let the accommodation while reserving the right to claim against the tenant.

During the stay

The tenant is under the obligation to personally occupy the premises and to live in them “in a respectable manner” and to take due care of them. All fixtures and fittings are in good working order and no complaint regarding them made more than 24 hours after occupying the premises will be accepted. The tenant will be responsible for repairs made necessary by negligence, misuse or poor care during the tenancy. The tenant shall be under an obligation to ensure that no disturbance to neighbours arises through the actions or presence of the tenant or members of his or her family.

The property is let fully furnished with cooking equipment, crockery, cutlery, glassware and pillows, etc. If appropriate, the owner or his or her representative shall be entitled to claim from the tenant on departure the cost of the full replacement cost of broken, cracked, chipped or damaged items, furniture and equipment and any such items showing abnormal wear and tear for the length of the tenancy, the cost of cleaning soiled blankets and covers, compensation for damage of any kind to curtains, wall-coverings, ceilings, rugs, mats, carpets, windows, bedding, etc.

Internet connection

Our apartments have a wireless Internet connection that we are pleased to make available for free but without any warranty, and to be used for leisure and occasionally only. 
A password is given to you upon arrival.

Limitations & Imprint
We can not guarantee the operation and speed of the Internet or the quality of the connection. The speed depends on the number of simultaneous users and types of applications running. As with any internet connection speed may vary depending on traffic on the Internet.
We are not responsible for damage to data files, loss of data, damage to your privacy, to file systems or features of your computer resulting from the connection to our wireless network.
To liability issues, staff from the «Remparts de Riquewihr» is not allowed to configure laptops, tablets or phones belonging to customers, or install software on computers or devices.
The wireless connection can not be used for illegal purposes.

Insurance and guarantee deposit

The tenant promises to take out insurance against tenancy risks (damages to furniture, objects, fire, water damage, etc.). The absence of insurance cover in the event of an insurable incident shall give rise to payment of damages and interest.

Rmk: A travel insurance will cover damages to the property if any. We strongly recommend the subscription of a travel / cancellation insurance. As an example, we are providing some links to worldwide well-known insurance companies offering travel / cancellation insurance on our FAQ page.
The tenant has the obligation to inform the landlord, within 24 hours, of any insurable incident occurring in the accommodation, its outbuildings or ancillary facilities.

No money has to be paid as a guarantee deposit but the tenant signs a credit card print to cover damages if any. The validity of that credit card print expires 1 week at the latest after the departure of the tenant.

The tenant may not object to an inspection of the premises by the owner or his or her authorized representative when requested.