Cornwallis House – TERMS & CONDITIONS 

SIZE OF YOUR GROUP:  The number of guests occupying Cornwallis House for the short break/holiday must not exceed the number specified on the Booking Form, and only the people named on the booking form are permitted to stay at the house.

If for any reason there is a change to the number of guests occupying the property please advise the owners, Angelo or Alannah, on 0423 623 916 well in advance of your arrival date.  The number of guests must not exceed 8 people , unless specific permission is given by the owners and the extra bed rate is paid (up to a maximum of 4 x extra beds to sleep a total of 12 people). For legal and insurance purposes we require a list of names and addresses of every person staying at the house as well as photo identification of the person making the reservation.  The person making the booking is held responsible and liable for the actions of the members of their group.

Failure to comply with our maximum number condition can result in the forfeit of your security deposit ($1000) plus we will seek payment for the value any additional guests.   If you intend to ask extra friends or family to the house, even if just as day visitors,  you must obtain authority from us in advance, preferably at the time of booking.  Under no circumstances are you to invite visitors without permission.  We will be monitoring the numbers and if we find that this condition has been breached we reserve the right to charge you a venue hire fee.  Please be honest and ask us about this before you invite anyone else to come on to the property other than those named on your booking form and paid for.

GATHERINGS/ PARTIES/ FUNCTIONS:  UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE PARTIES, GATHERINGS  or FUNCTIONS PERMITTED AT THE HOUSE OR IN THE GROUNDS without prior approval from the owners, and payment of the venue hire fee.  We will have our security company close down any unauthorized gathering of people at the property, and all guests will be asked to vacate immediately, without refund of any unused accommodation.  In particular this applies to weddings, pre wedding “bucks” and “hens” weekends, and 30^th & 40^th birthdays due to the damage caused by the numbers of people on site or by the consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol and irresponsible behaviour.  You will also forfeit your security deposit.  Extra people are not to be invited to stay at the house, and are not permitted to “camp out” either inside the house or anywhere else on the property . Please note that we monitor our Facebook and Twitter sites for sudden spikes in activity, we have a security service to check on the property, plus our neighbours are quickly in touch with us if something goes wrong.

GUEST RESPONSIBILITY: Guests are expected to look after and take all reasonable care of the property and all the furnishings, fittings and equipment included in the property and to observe the “No Smoking Inside” requirement for the duration of the stay.  In particular guests are required to take care of the timber floor; ladies are to remove any stiletto heel shoes, and furniture must not be dragged across the floor.

Any faults, damages or breakages must be reported to the owners as soon as possible. Guests will be liable for any breakages or damages caused to the property during their holiday occupation and all costs of repair and replacement shall be deducted from the security deposit paid, and any amount exceeding the security deposit will be payable upon demand to the Owners.   Any loss of business caused by the damage to the property will also be payable by the guests to the owners.  It is the responsibility of the guests to ensure that all doors and windows are securely locked and that the property is left in a clean and tidy state at the end of the short break/holiday. In the event that the property is not left clean and tidy the guests will be liable for the cost of excess cleaning and rubbish removal.

SECURITY DEPOSIT:  An amount of $1000 is required as security to be paid by guests to the owners no later than 5 working days prior to arrival in the form of a direct deposit into our bank account, or an amount to be debited from the guest’s credit card. This amount will be refunded back to the hirer within 72 hours of check-out provided there is: (a) no damage to the contents or the house & grounds,  (b) no  loss of property , (c) the house is left in good order and no excessive clean up/or rubbish removal required (d) our restrictions relating to numbers of guests and noise restrictions are met.
Note:  The person making the booking is the person who will be held responsible for the safe keeping of the property and is liable for any damages.

EXCESS OF NUMBERS:   One of the main reasons we need to be so strict on guest numbers is because any more than 12 people staying in the house at one time seriously compromises our rainwater tanks and septic sewerage system.  If our limit on numbers is ignored you may find the water will run out and the toilets may back up.
Another reason is that if you invite extra people to the house without our knowledge or written permission and something goes wrong they will not be covered by our insurance.

BED LINEN, TOWELLS and EQUIPMENT:   Unless otherwise stated the accommodation includes the supply of all bed linen. This includes pillows, quilts, bed sheets, bath towels and bath mats, pool towels and tea towels. For health & hygiene reasons please don’t bring your own sleeping bags, bed linen or portable bedding to the house.

RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT:  Your holiday rental rate includes the use of all of our recreational equipment comprising of:

4 x king size hammocks, a full table tennis set with net, bats and balls, a volleyball and badminton set with nets and balls, a soccer and cricket set with nets, bats and balls, as well as croquet and boules (bocce) sets.  There are also 10 x adult mountain bikes and 2 x children’s bikes with helmets, cubby house, inflatable water slide for toddlers and a slip & slide for older children. Any damage to any of this equipment must be reported to the owners. Guests ride the bikes at their own risk.  Also included (on a request basis) is the use of a 4 person dinghy with outboard motor, oars & life jackets. Guests must sign a waiver form at the time of check-in to use the bikes, dinghy and outboard motor. If requesting to use the dinghy and outboard motor you need to allow an extra 20-30 minutes for compulsory instructions on safe handling of the boat on the river.

ENTERTAINMENT EQUIPMENT:   We also supply a large range of DVDs, CDs , board and card games, together with a Wii console and games that are provided for guests use.  Any damage must be reported to the owners immediately, and the owners reserve the right to deduct the cost of replacing them from the security deposit should they become damaged or go missing.

SWIMMING IN THE RIVER:  Guests are advised to enter the river only in a small boat or a canoe/kayak, and only if strong swimmers. If you swim in the river it is at your own risk.  Our section of the Hawkesbury River is fresh water and it’s tidal, so the water level is constantly changing and the currents can be very strong.  We should point out that although it’s quite shallow and narrow there is a risk of drowning due to submerged logs, underwater reeds, shifting levels of water, sink holes and drop offs.  Children must not be allowed to play near the edge of the water and must be supervised at all times.

LAZY LATE CHECK OUT: Normal check out time is 10:30 a.m.  With weekend hire in non peak seasons we offer guests the opportunity to check out as late as they like on a Sunday , or stay the extra night and check out by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday at no extra cost, however this is only possible when we don’t have a booking for a Monday check in, therefore it is subject to availability and cannot be confirmed in advance. We will let you know about 7 -10 days prior to arrival whether or not we are in a position to offer the extra night for free.

BOOKING REQUIREMENTS: All bookings must be for a minimum of 2 nights stay (longer at peak times).   1 night stays may be accepted midweek during low season on request.  Maximum Stay is 14 days.  You must be aged 25 and over to make a reservation at this property.   Prices are based on a 8 guests to stay overnight.   Extra guests (up to a maximum of 4) must be approved by the owners, and the additional extra bed fee paid. Bookings for less than 8 people are accepted, however there is no discount in the nightly rate.  Cornwallis House reserves the right to deny check-in to any group who do not provide photo identification (if not provided prior to arrival).   The person making the booking is held responsible for the accuracy of all reservation and contact details they provide.

DEPOSIT;  a 50% deposit is required to secure a booking within 24 hours of making the initial reservation.  A Guest Booking Form is required to be completed at the time of making a booking (it will be emailed to you as part of the reservation procedure). Payment of the deposit constitutes the guests acceptance of our terms and conditions.

BALANCE: The remaining 50% is payable 7 days prior to arrival. Amendment and Cancellations Conditions apply, please see over the page.

SECURITY DEPOSIT;  An amount of $1000 is required to be pre-paid, preferably at the same time as paying the balance, or at the latest no less than 5 working days prior to arrival. This amount is then refunded within 3 days of check out, provide:
– There is no damage to the contents, house or grounds.
–  There is no loss of our property
– The house is left in good order, clean and tidy
–  There’s no need for extra ordinary cleaning or rubbish removal.
–  Additional people are not invited to stay at or visit at the house without first seeking approval from the owners and paying the extra costs involved
–  Loud noise is turned down or off after 9:00 p.m.

Please note – the security deposit amount increases to $2000 when gatherings or functions for more than 12 people are held on the property.

PAYMENT METHODS:  Payment is accepted by credit card (small fee applies) or by direct deposit into our bank account, or a combination of both.

QUOTED PRICES:  We will endeavour to honour all prices quoted in writing, however at times it may be necessary for us to increase our rates without notice, especially if there is a 3^rd party supplier involved.  Please note that paying a deposit does not guarantee the rate, only full pre payment will guarantee the price.

AMENDMENT CONDITIONS:  

DATE CHANGES:    We will do our best to assist you with any change in dates you may need to make to your booking,  however availability may be an issue.  You may change to another equivalent period , subject to availability, plus any differences in the seasonal rates.    Fees and costs may be incurred , depending on how close to arrival you make the amendment and whether or not we can resell the dates you are changing.

IN WRITING:   Any intended amendments must be notified to Cornwallis House in writing,  e.g. by email, more than 7 days prior to arrival.  Changes made less than 7 days prior to arrival may be treated as a cancellation, and no refund or credit will be available.

SIMPLE CHANGES such as bedding arrangements  and any servicing arrangements can be made at any time prior to check-in, however an amendment  service fee of $50  may  be charged, depending on the complexity of the change. Any additional costs ,such as  price variations, must  be taken into consideration and may be charged in addition.

COMPLEX CHANGES  resulting in a reduction in services will incur a higher amendment fee:- The fees charged will depend on the amount of notification provided  in advance of arrival date, and the type of amendment made.  For example :

* any change of date resulting in a reduction of the number of nights booked will incur a fee.
* any reduction in the number of rooms booked will incur a fee
* any reduction of additional services that form part of the booking (e.g. catering, pamper treatments) may incur fees in addition to those levied by the suppliers.

LATE CHANGES are not permitted within 7 days of arrival, and will be treated as a cancellation. All money paid will be forfeited.

3^RD PARTY CHANGES:   Where services involving a 3^rd party are to be amended, any amendment or cancellation fee they charge will be passed on to guests in addition to Cornwallis House fees.  Note that supplier may have different requirements for notification periods to Cornwallis House.

CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS. 

All cancellations must be advised to Cornwallis House in writing.

Deposits are only refunded for bookings cancelled with more than 2 months notice, however a $100 administration fee will be deducted from the refund of the deposit.

NON REFUNDABLE:Deposits are NOT refundable for bookings cancelled with less than 2 months notice, unless we are able to resell another booking for the dates cancelled,  in which case there would be a fee involved of $100.  If we cannot resell the dates you will forfeit the 50% deposit.

LATE CANCELLATION:  Once full pre-payment has been received (7 days prior to arrival)  there is no refund if cancellations made within 7 days or less notification time before arrival.   i.e. 100% cancellation fee and no refund of deposit or balance, unless we are able to replace your booking with another, in which case consideration will be given for a refund.

“NO- SHOW”:   If you fail to cancel a booking and do not check-in in accordance with your booking, you will be charged as a cancellation and will forfeit the full amount of the booking.

INSURANCE; Guests are advised to take out comprehensive holiday cancellation insurance at the time of booking to cater for any unforeseen circumstances resulting in forfeiture of money paid due to a late amendment or a cancellation.

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 PLEASE NOTE: 

• Cornwallis House reserves the right to refuse bookings for guests we suspect may involve excessive amounts of alcohol and zero amount of responsibility or care for either the property or our neighbours.   We will be on site when your group checks in, and if we feel that this is your intention we will deny entry to the property, cancel your booking and retain all monies paid . The same applies if you hold an unauthorised wedding or other type of function at the house. We will find out about it and we will call our security team to evict you and your guests.  There will be no refund of the accommodation/ rental cost, no refund of your security deposit, plus you will be charged a venue hire fee, so please think twice before making a booking disguised as something else.

• Failure to comply with any of the Terms and Conditions listed on this document may result in your security deposit being forfeited, plus we will take legal action to be reimbursed for any out of pocket expenses we incur that are in excess of the $1000 security deposit, particularly if we lose business because of negligent or malicious actions by guests or their visitors.  If it is necessary to call in our security guard team you will be charged for the cost involved. 
• If you are having an approved function at the house and are intending to provide alcohol we are legally required to have you sign a waiver relieving Cornwallis House of any responsibility and liability should there be any accident or incident resulting from your provision of alcohol.