Booking terms and conditions

Version 1.0 · Effective 16 October 2026 (draft)

Please read these terms before you book. They form the contract between you and us for your stay at Spring Cottage. By ticking the box at checkout and paying, you agree to them. A copy is attached to (or linked from) your confirmation email.

1. Who we are

1.1 Spring Cottage, Trawden, near Colne, Lancashire (the Cottage; the full address is sent with your arrival details) is let by Alexander Bruce Thomas, a private individual trading in his own name (we, us, our). We are not a company and we are not registered for VAT, so no VAT is charged. 1.2 Contact: hello@thespringcottage.co.uk · postal address: 34 Barn Field Close, Colne, BB8 0QB. 1.3 You means the person who makes the booking (the lead guest). You must be 18 or over and must stay at the Cottage for the whole booking. You are responsible for making sure everyone in your party follows these terms.

2. What you are booking

2.1 You are booking the right to occupy the Cottage as self-catering holiday accommodation for the dates on your confirmation. This is a holiday letting and does not create a tenancy or any right to occupy the Cottage after your departure date. 2.2 The Cottage sleeps a maximum of 4 guests (adults and children aged 2 or over) in two bedrooms: one double and one twin with two single beds. In addition, one infant under 2 may stay in a travel cot, which we provide free of charge (or you may bring your own). The maximum is therefore 5 people, of whom no more than 4 are aged 2 or over and no more than 1 is an infant. The box room is for storage and may not be used for sleeping. No one else may stay overnight, and no parties or events are allowed. There is no charge for an infant. 2.3 Up to 2 well-behaved pets are allowed per booking if declared at booking. See clause 11. 2.4 We describe the Cottage as accurately as we can on our website. Please note in particular that the stairs are steep and may be unsuitable for people with limited mobility or for small children without supervision. By booking you confirm you have read this information.

3. How a booking is made

3.1 You choose your dates and party on our website, give your details and pay in full. A binding contract is formed when your payment is successfully taken and we send your booking confirmation by email. 3.2 If a technical error means the same dates have been booked elsewhere (for example on another booking site) before your booking was confirmed, we will tell you as soon as possible, offer you alternative dates if available, and otherwise refund everything you paid in full. We will not be liable for any other loss in this situation unless it was caused by our negligence. 3.3 Please check your confirmation and tell us straight away if anything is wrong.

4. Price and payment

4.1 The price of your stay is the total shown on our website before you pay. It is made up of: (a) the nightly rates for your dates (which vary by date and demand); (b) a cleaning fee of £40 per stay, which applies to every booking and is always included in the total shown; and (c) a pet fee, only if one is shown in your booking total. 4.2 There is no booking fee, no service fee and no card surcharge. No VAT is added because we are not VAT-registered. Bed linen, towels, wifi and utilities are included. 4.3 You pay the full total at the time of booking by debit or credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Payments are processed by Stripe Payments UK Ltd. We never see or store your full card details. 4.4 Prices on our website can change at any time, but a change will not affect a booking already confirmed. 4.5 If we make an obvious pricing error (for example, a price that is clearly far below the real price), we may cancel the booking and give you a full refund, but only if we tell you promptly after we discover the error.

5. No cooling-off period

5.1 Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, regulation 28(1)(h), the 14-day right to cancel online purchases does not apply to accommodation booked for specific dates. Your right to cancel is set out in clause 6, which gives you free cancellation until 7 days before arrival.

6. Cancellation by you

6.1 Free cancellation. You may cancel your booking and receive a full refund of everything you paid (nightly rates, cleaning fee and any pet fee) if you cancel before the free-cancellation deadline. The deadline is 16:00 UK time on the date 7 days before your arrival date. For example, for an arrival on Friday 20 November, the deadline is 16:00 on Friday 13 November. Your exact deadline is shown in your confirmation email and on your Manage booking page. 6.2 How to cancel. Use the "Cancel booking" button on your Manage booking page (linked from your confirmation email). The refund is issued automatically to the card you paid with as soon as you confirm. You do not need to contact us, although you can also cancel by emailing hello@thespringcottage.co.uk before the deadline. Stripe sends the refund straight away; banks usually show it within 5–10 working days. 6.3 After the deadline. Once the free-cancellation deadline has passed, the online cancel option is no longer available and no refund is due if you cancel, shorten your stay, arrive late or do not arrive. 6.4 Re-let nights. If you cancel after the deadline and we manage to re-let any of your nights to another guest, we will refund the amount we receive for those nights. We will make reasonable efforts to re-let but cannot promise to do so. 6.5 Bookings made within 7 days of arrival are non-refundable from the moment they are made (subject to clause 6.4). We tell you this before you pay. 6.6 Changing dates counts as a cancellation and a new booking. If you are before the free-cancellation deadline, you can cancel for a full refund and rebook new dates at the price then shown. After the deadline, ask us and we'll help if we can, but we are not obliged to. 6.7 We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers cancellation.

7. Cancellation or changes by us

7.1 We will only cancel your booking if we have to, for example because the Cottage has become unsafe or unusable through damage, a failure of essential services, or an event described in clause 15. 7.2 If we cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible and refund everything you paid in full, whenever the cancellation happens. If we can offer alternative dates, you may choose those instead. 7.3 Unless the cancellation is caused by an event outside our reasonable control (clause 15), we will also compensate you for reasonable, foreseeable costs that you incur as a direct result and cannot recover (for example, non-refundable train tickets), up to a maximum of the total price of your booking. 7.4 We may make minor changes to the Cottage or its contents (for example, replacing an appliance) that do not significantly affect your stay.

8. Arrival and departure

8.1 Check-in is from 16:00 and check-out is by 10:00 on your departure date. Early arrival or late departure is only possible if we have agreed it in advance. 8.2 Arrival is by self check-in using a key safe. We will email the address, key-safe code and arrival information the day before you arrive (straight away if you book the day before or on the day of arrival). Please keep the code confidential. 8.3 If you have not left by the check-out time and this delays the next guests or the cleaning, we may charge a reasonable amount to cover the cost caused. 8.4 We may refuse entry, or ask you to leave without a refund, if your party is larger than declared, if you bring undeclared pets or more than 2 pets, if you hold a party or event, or if anyone in your party behaves in a way that is dangerous, threatening or causes serious nuisance to neighbours. We will act reasonably and, where it is safe to do so, give you a warning first.

9. Your responsibilities during the stay

9.1 You agree to: (a) keep the Cottage clean and tidy and leave it in the condition you found it, allowing for fair wear and tear. You do not need to deep-clean, since that is what the cleaning fee covers; (b) follow the House Rules (below), which form part of these terms; (c) use the multi-fuel stove only as instructed, with the fuel provided or approved, and never leave it unattended with the door open; (d) not smoke or vape inside the Cottage; (e) not sub-let the Cottage or allow anyone to stay who is not in your declared party; (f) respect the neighbours and the village, keep noise down after 10pm, and park considerately; (g) tell us promptly about any damage, breakage or problem. 9.2 We or someone acting for us may enter the Cottage during your stay only in an emergency, for urgent repairs, or at a time agreed with you.

10. Damage and loss

10.1 You are responsible for any damage to the Cottage or its contents, or any loss, caused during your stay by you, your party or your pets, beyond fair wear and tear. 10.2 We do not take a security deposit. If damage or loss occurs, we will contact you within 14 days of your departure with a description, photographs and an estimate or receipts. You agree to pay the reasonable cost of repair or replacement (taking account of age and wear) within 14 days of our request. Where a deep clean is needed beyond normal cleaning (for example, after a dog has been on beds or furniture, or after smoking), the reasonable extra cleaning cost will be charged in the same way. 10.3 Accidental breakages of small items (such as a glass or a mug) are part of normal use and will not be charged for. Please just tell us so we can replace them. 10.4 Nothing in this clause limits your legal rights. If you dispute a charge, please tell us and we will look at it fairly.

11. Pets

11.1 Up to 2 well-behaved pets are welcome per booking if declared when booking (most guests bring dogs). Assistance dogs are always welcome and are never charged. 11.2 Pets must be house-trained, kept off beds and upholstered furniture, and not left alone in the Cottage. Please bring their bedding, clear up after them in the garden and village, and keep them on a lead near livestock. There are sheep on the lanes and in the fields. 11.3 You are responsible for your pets' behaviour and for any damage they cause (clause 10). 11.4 The limit of 2 pets per booking applies to all pets, including dogs.

12. Accessibility, health and safety

12.1 The Cottage is over 300 years old. It has steep stairs, uneven floors in places and a multi-fuel stove. Please supervise children at all times, especially on the stairs and near the stove. 12.2 The Cottage has smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Please do not disable or cover them. 12.3 Use of the garden and any equipment is at your own risk, except where an injury is caused by our negligence.

13. Our liability to you

13.1 We will provide the Cottage with reasonable care and skill and as described. If something is not right, please tell us during your stay so we can try to fix it. We live two minutes away. If we are not told, we may not be able to put it right, and that may affect any remedy. 13.2 If we are in breach of these terms, we are responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breach or our failure to use reasonable care and skill. We are not responsible for loss that was not foreseeable. 13.3 Our total liability to you for any one booking is limited to the total price of that booking, except that nothing in these terms limits or excludes our liability for: death or personal injury caused by our negligence; fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or anything else that cannot be limited or excluded by law, including your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. 13.4 We are not responsible for the loss of or damage to your personal belongings or vehicles unless caused by our negligence. 13.5 We are not responsible for interruptions to wifi, TV or utility supplies caused by third-party providers, but we will do our best to restore them quickly and will consider a fair partial refund if a loss of an essential service (heating, hot water, water or electricity) caused by something within our control seriously affects your stay. 13.6 We are not responsible for local events, roadworks, farming activity, weather or noise outside our control.

14. Complaints

14.1 If anything is wrong during your stay, email us straight away at hello@thespringcottage.co.uk (we live close by and usually reply within the hour). After your stay, email hello@thespringcottage.co.uk too. We will reply within 5 working days and aim to resolve things fairly. 14.2 If we cannot resolve a complaint, you may be able to use an alternative dispute resolution service or the courts. You may also seek advice from Citizens Advice (0808 223 1133).

15. Events outside our control (force majeure)

15.1 Neither of us is responsible for failing to perform these terms if the failure is caused by an event outside our reasonable control, such as severe weather, flood, fire, failure of public utilities, epidemic, government restrictions, or serious damage to the Cottage not caused by us. 15.2 If such an event means we cannot provide the Cottage, we will tell you as soon as possible and refund in full any nights we cannot provide (or offer alternative dates if you prefer). No further compensation will be due under clause 7.3. 15.3 If such an event affects your ability to travel but the Cottage is available, the normal cancellation terms in clause 6 apply (full refund before the free-cancellation deadline; after that, refund only of re-let nights). Travel insurance is the right protection for this. 15.4 If an event in clause 15.1 happens during your stay and the Cottage becomes unusable, we will refund the nights you could not use.

16. Personal information

We use your personal information as described in our Privacy Policy (/policies#privacy).

17. General

17.1 These terms, the House Rules and the information in your confirmation make up the whole agreement between us about your booking. 17.2 We may update these terms for future bookings. The version that applies to your booking is the one you accepted when you booked. 17.3 You may not transfer your booking to someone else without our written agreement. 17.4 If any part of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the rest remains in force. 17.5 A person who is not party to this contract has no right to enforce any of its terms under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. 17.6 Governing law and jurisdiction. These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. You can bring proceedings in the courts of England and Wales. If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you may also bring proceedings in your local courts.

House Rules (part of these terms)

1. Maximum 4 guests overnight (adults and children aged 2+), plus 1 infant under 2 in the travel cot: 5 people at most. No parties or events.
2. Check-in from 16:00, check-out by 10:00.
3. No smoking or vaping indoors.
4. Quiet after 10pm.
5. Pets: up to 2 well-behaved pets, declared at booking, kept off beds and furniture, never left alone in the Cottage.
6. Stove: use approved fuel only, keep the guard in place, never leave it unattended with the door open, and let it die down before you leave or go to bed.
7. The box room is not for sleeping.
8. Before you leave: start the dishwasher, empty bins into the outside bins, close windows, lock up and return the key to the key safe.
9. Please tell us about any breakage or problem.
10. Be kind to the neighbours, the village and the sheep.

Website terms of use

Version 1.0 · Effective 16 October 2026 (draft)

1. About these terms

These terms apply to your use of thespringcottage.co.uk (the website), run by Alexander Bruce Thomas, trading as Spring Cottage, Trawden (34 Barn Field Close, Colne, BB8 0QB, hello@thespringcottage.co.uk). Bookings are covered separately by our Booking Terms and Conditions.

2. Using the website

You may use the website for personal, non-commercial purposes such as finding out about the Cottage and booking a stay. You must not:

• use it in any unlawful way or to send unsolicited marketing;
• try to gain unauthorised access to the website, our booking system or our database, or interfere with how they work (including by bots, scrapers or excessive automated requests);
• make speculative, false or fraudulent bookings, or use someone else's payment card without permission;
• copy or reuse our content except as allowed below.

3. Information on the website

We work to keep information about the Cottage, prices and availability accurate and up to date. Availability is synchronised with other booking channels, and in the rare case that dates are booked elsewhere at the same time, clause 3.2 of the Booking Terms applies. Information about the local area, walks, places to eat and history is provided in good faith for general interest. Walking routes involve open moorland and changeable weather: you are responsible for your own safety, navigation and equipment. Opening times, prices and other details of third-party businesses can change, so please check with them directly.

4. Reviews and ratings

Ratings and reviews marked "From Airbnb" come from guests on Airbnb and are shown with the date we checked them. Reviews marked "Direct stay" come from guests with a completed booking on this website. Our full approach, including how to report a review you think is fake or misleading, is in our Reviews Policy (/policies#reviews-policy). Airbnb, Superhost and Guest favourite are trade marks or programmes of Airbnb, Inc. This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Airbnb.

5. Intellectual property

The text, photographs, design and other content on this website belong to us or are used with permission. You may share links to our pages and download content for your own personal use, but you may not reproduce it for commercial purposes without our written permission.

6. Links to other sites

Links to third-party websites are for convenience. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices.

7. Availability of the website

We aim to keep the website available, but we don't guarantee it will always be uninterrupted or error-free, and we may suspend or change it for maintenance or improvements.

8. Our liability

Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or any liability that cannot be limited by law. Otherwise, we are not liable for any loss arising from your use of the website, except where caused by our breach of these terms or our negligence and where that loss was reasonably foreseeable. Our liability for bookings is set out in the Booking Terms.

9. Viruses and security

We use reputable providers and take reasonable steps to keep the website secure, but we can't guarantee it is free of bugs or viruses. Please use your own virus protection.

10. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The version on this page applies when you use the website.

11. Governing law

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have jurisdiction (without affecting any right you have to bring proceedings in Scotland or Northern Ireland if you live there).