The Small Print - Booking Terms & Conditions

Written by Iain Laverock. Posted in Long Term Rentals in France.

 


terms

These are the main Terms of Use for the website Long Term Rentals in France. These terms of business apply to long term rental reservations arranged via Long Term Rentals in France with the independent Property Owners.  

LEGAL NOTICES  

By using Long Term Rentals in France or making a reservation via our platform you expressly agree to the terms and conditions of this document. If you do not accept or agree with any of these terms and conditions, you should not continue to use Long Term Rentals in France nor proceed with a reservation via our platform.

It is the Property Owner's responsibility for ensuring that the rental property conforms to French government standards and legislation, especially in relation to swimming pools, smoke alarms and fireplaces/wood burners. 

TERMS OF USE  

Long Term Rentals in France is not a travel agent or tour operator.

Long Term Rentals in France provides independent Property Owners with an online marketing and reservation service, with the goal of sourcing rental clients and securing bookings. All property descriptions, local area information and photographs have been approved by the individual Property Owners as accurate and legally binding for the purposes of any rental agreements that may be entered into via Long Term Rentals in France.

Long Term Rentals in France does not provide Property Management, Maintenance, Cleaning, Key-holding or ancillary services to the properties advertised. The Property Owner and/or his Property Manager is responsible for the cleanliness and condition of the rental property, so that it conforms with the standards shown in the property description and images. 

Long Term Rentals in France acts only as the Property Owner's booking agent and in the event of a dispute is not authorised to enter into any correspondence. Complaints of any nature about the provision of your rental accommodation must be communicated directly to the Property Owner.

Any rental agreement entered into for the letting of any of the properties within Long Term Rentals in France's web pages is expressly between the rental client and the Owner of the property. 

Long Term Rentals in France is not linked legally by any of the rental agreements concluded through their web pages other than for the performance of their booking / reservation services as detailed here. These are the only services provided to the rental client by Long Term Rentals in France, who shall have no responsibility or liability other than for the performance of the above services.

Long Term Rentals in France’s fees / commission are paid by the Property Owner not the rental client.    

RENTAL AGREEMENT  

When making a reservation with Long Term Rentals in France, the following agreement is made directly between you, the rental client and the Property Owner. This is a legally binding document. Before proceeding with your reservation, you should carefully read the agreement to ensure that it everything is acceptable to you. If you do not understand the agreement or anything in it, it is strongly suggested you ask for it to be explained to you before you proceed and make a reservation.

Your reservation is not confirmed until Long Term Rentals in France has acknowledged receipt of your signed rental contract and the payment of the reservation deposit. It is strongly recommended that flights or other travel arrangements are not booked until you have received this confirmation.

These terms and conditions detail the agreement of a long term property rental between the rental client ("Client"), who is over 18 years of age and the Property Owner ("Owner"). Where the Client is two or more persons, each Client will be liable for all sums due under this agreement and not just a proportionate part. The Client and the Owner hereby agree as follows:

 

1. BOOKING / RENTAL

1.1. The Client acknowledges that the property is not an official tourist structure or hotel. Rather, it is a private accommodation being let solely for the purposes of a secondary residence rental.

1.1.1. The Client further accepts that the property does not have standards or categories recognised internationally, but instead reflects, in its architecture and furnishings, the local traditions and personal taste of the Owner.

1.1.2 The Client should avoid making comparisons with other properties or with standards of those in their home country.

1.2. All information and terms specific to the property detailed on the website advertisement are incorporated in this agreement.

1.3. A long term rental is defined as a reservation for a period of 3 months or more.

1.4. The rental rates indicated on Long Term Rentals in France are purely for illustration purposes. Rental rates will vary according to the length of the rental period and will also depend on the season. Further information is provided within the property description about the normal rental rates which the Property Owner will usually accept. Once we have received your reservation enquiry, we will then communicate with the Owner concerning the rental rate which he or she will accept. Long Term Rentals in France cannot be held liable if the Property Owner requires a higher rental price than that indicated on the property advert. 

1.4.1. For the avoidance of doubt, if you are looking to rent a property for one or two months during the high season period of June, July or August, then the long term rental rates will not be applicable and the weekly rates will apply.

1.5. The Client is kindly requested to leave the accommodation and the items therein in the same state of cleanliness and general order in which it was found. The various items of furniture and other items should be left in the places in which they were situated on the Arrival Date.

1.6. The persons residing in the property, during the rental period, must be those stated on the booking form, which must not exceed the maximum number stated in the website for the property or advised to the Client at the time of booking.

1.7. The Client must permit the Owner or Owner's representative reasonable access to the property during the rental period; whether to inspect, carry out essential repairs or for any other reasonable purpose.

1.8. The Client, and the persons residing in the property during the rental period, shall have no rights whatsoever in respect of the property except to occupy as a secondary residence, for the period booked.

1.9. This agreement is personal to the Client and may not be assigned or transferred by either party. The Client shall not sub-let or share use of the property to individuals not included on the booking form or rental contract.

1.10. It is the responsibility of the Property Owner (and/or the Property Manager) to record the state of the property on the first day of rental. This can be documented by photographs, video or written documentation. This information should be provided to the Client in advance of the first day of rental and the Client will have a period of 3 days within which to approve the documented state of the property and/or notify the Property Owner of defects, damage or breakages within the rental property.

1.10.1. If the Client does not confirm or dispute the documented state of the rental property within 3 days, then for the purposes of this agreement, it is assumed that the Client has fully accepted the condition of the property as recorded by the Property Owner of Property Manager.

1.11. The Client should report any breakages and / or defects in the property or its contents to the Owner or the Owner's Property Manager without delay.

1.12. Bringing of pets to the property is not permitted without prior arrangement with the Owner. If a pet is accepted, a supplemental end of stay cleaning charge may be required and the following conditions (1.12.1, 1.12.2 & 1.12.3) would apply:

1.11.1 The pet must not be permitted on the furniture or beds.

1.11.2 The pet is not permitted in swimming pools.

1.11.3 All pet evidence must be removed from the gardens by the Client.

1.12. The property must be kept locked at night and whenever unattended.

1.13. The Client is expected to act in a manner that would not cause unacceptable disturbance to residents in neighbouring properties.

 

2. RENTAL PAYMENTS

2.1. The currency in which rental rates are advertised and all rental payments are accepted is detailed on the website advertisement relating to the property.

2.2. Rental payments can be made by credit card, debit card or bank transfer in the specified currency.

2.3. A one month deposit payment is due at the time of reservation to secure your rental dates. This deposit payment will be paid to the Owner. The deposit will be held by the Owner and on the first day of the rental period, the reservation deposit will transform into the security bond for the duration of your stay.

2.4. The monthly rental payments should be arranged to ensure that the rental amount has cleared into the Property Owner's bank account by the first day of the month.

2.5. For rental period of 3 months or less, the full amount of the rental period should be paid into the Property Owner's bank account, before the rental period starts. Access to the property will not be provided until the rental payment has cleared in the Property Owner's bank account, or evidence of the payment being made is provided.

2.6. In addition to the monthly rental amount, an additional Provision payment is normally required to be paid each month, to contribute towards the utility bills and communal taxes. The details of this provision will be provided in the long term rental contract. 

 

3. SECURITY BOND

3.1. At the time of reservation, the client is required to pay a reservation deposit to secure the rental dates. On the first day of the rental period, this reservation deposit will transform into the security deposit (bond) for the duation of the Client's stay. The value of the reservation deposit / security bond will be set at the time of booking.

3.2. The reservation deposit / security bond will be paid to and held by the Property Owner.

3.3. The Owner has a period of 30 days from the end of the last day of rental, within which to return the security deposit, or balance thereof. During this period, the Owner will receive a full account of all utilities consumed (electricity, water, heating fuel, internet, etc), local communal taxes due to be paid and estimates for the cost of repairs and or replacement of damaged items.

3.4. Any breakages, damage or loss caused to the property or its contents during the rental period may result in the forfeit of some or the entire security bond.

3.5. The Owner has the right to deduct supplementary charges from the security bond if the property is not vacated at the stated time or if the property is not left in the proper state of cleanliness and order.

3.6. Notwithstanding the security bond, the Client remains liable to the Owner for the full cost of any repairs or replacements required or other losses incurred by the Owner due to accidental or negligent breakage, loss, damage or otherwise injury to the property and/or the contents therein.

3.7. The Owner is able to make deductions from the security deposit for unpaid or outstanding utility bills and communal taxes due.

3.8. The Owner shall provide a full statement of all deductions made from the security deposit, including the reasons for the deduction and supporting evidence justifying the amount of the deduction.

3.9.  Long Term Rentals in France can mediate in any disputes regarding a deduction from the security bond, but this cannot occur until both the Owner and the Client have exchanged written communication about the proposed deduction and outlined the full justification for the deduction and the objections to it. 

3.10. Long Term Rentals in France accepts no responsibility or liability for losses incurred by the Client in respect of the security bond. 

 

4. CANCELLATIONS

4.1. Cancellation by the Client;

4.1.1. Only written notification of cancellation will be accepted.

4.1.2. The reservation deposit is normally non-refundable. However, the Owner can decide to return the reservation deposit to the Client in accordance with the following refund policy:

4.1.3. If the property is rented by a new Client for the Client's cancelled dates, at the same rental rate, the Client's reservation deposit and/or any rent payments paid in advance, will be refunded in full.

4.1.4. If the property is rented by a new Client for the Client's cancelled dates, at a discounted rate, the Client's reservation deposit and/or any rent payments paid in advancewill be refunded at the same rate as the discounted rate.

4.1.5. If the cancelled dates are not rented, no refund of payments will be due.


If Covid-19 affects your travel plans and both your home country and France are in national lockdowns, then you will be able to either a.) postpone your reservation for up to 12 months, at no further cost; or b.) the above cancellation policy will apply. 

Based on the latest French government guidelines, Long Term Rentals in France is advising all clients who wish to reserve a long term rental property during 2022, that they and all people who will be accompanying them, should have either already received a Covid-19 vaccination or that the vaccination is imminent (to be taken at least 30 days prior to travel).

Whilst we respect individual choice and we acknowledge that some people may not be able to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, we are unable to refund long term rental reservations, if the client or a member of the travelling party is either prevented from entering France or departing his/her home country because they have not been vaccinated. 

 

4.2. Cancellation by the Owner;

4.2.1. The Owner reserves the right to modify or withdraw any booking due to circumstances arising which are beyond their control.

4.2.1.1. Should the property become unavailable for the reserved dates, the Client will be notified as soon as possible and a full refund of all payments will be made.

 

5. INSURANCE

5.1  It is a condition of the rental agreement that the Client agrees to take out Insurance to cover accidental damage to the rental property - either with a Tenant's Insurance policy (Assurance de locataire) or via a Travel Insurance policy which includes cover for accidental damage to the accommodation. At the time of reservation Long Term Rentals in France can provide advice on the best companies to use to arrange the Tenant's Insurance. 

 

6. GENERAL

6.1. The Owner shall not be held responsible for any temporary defect or stoppage in the supply of public services to the property such as water, electricity, gas, telephone or internet, or in respect of any equipment, machinery, or appliances in the property or garden, which are not caused by the Owner.

6.2. If the Client is dissatisfied with the cleanliness or presentation of the property, it should be indicated to the Owner or the Owner's representative as soon as possible so that, where possible, all issues can be promptly resolved.

7.2.1. If any issue is not resolved at the time to the satisfaction of the Client, any dispute is to be addressed to the Owner or the Owner's representative as soon as possible.

6.3. If the Client fails to notify the Owner or the Owner's representative of any problem or dissatisfaction prior to departure from the property, it may affect the ability to investigate complaints and impact the way that any complaint is handled.

6.4. The Owner accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for any accident in the property, save any for personal injury or death arising from the Owner's negligence.

6.5. Children MUST be supervised at all times.

 

7. PROPERTY DESCRIPTIONS AND PICTURES

7.1. All property descriptions, information and photographs displayed on the website have been approved and accepted by the Owner as an accurate representation of the property.

7.2. Great care is taken to provide accurate information on the property and general area in which it is located.

7.2.1. However, there may be occasions when facilities or circumstances, which are not under the control of the Owner, may not be available or would cause inconvenience to the Client.

7.2.2. The Owner will endeavour to inform the Client of any such changes or circumstances in advance, although this will not necessarily entitle the Client to cancel the booking without the usual penalties as detailed in clause 5.1.

 

8. CONTRACT CLAUSES

8.1. The Client and Owner agree that if any one of the clauses or part of a clause of this agreement is held to be against the public interest or unlawful or in any way unenforceable, the remaining provisions of this agreement shall remain in full force and effect and bind the Client and Owner.

 

9. PRE-CONTRACT VISITS

Long Term Rentals in France operates as an online rental advertising business. Due to the geograhical area we cover, we are unable to provide the same services as traditional bricks and mortar rental agencies. We have invested in 360° Virtual Tour videos to enable customers to get a real understanding of the layout of the rental properties and the immediate vicinity. It may be possible for us to arrange viewing visits to houses and apartments, but this is usually undertaken by the Property Owner or their Property Manager. Normally, there is a charge of €50-€100 per visit to cover property management fees, cleaning costs, etc. This fee is usually refundable, should you proceed with the rental of the property.

 

Long Term Rentals in FranceLong Term Rentals in France is run in partnership with Artaxa IMMO SARL - Agence Immobilière. Titulaire de la carte professionelle de transaction 2008/34/2153, Délivré par la Préfecture de Montpellier. FNAISocietaire No. 40744 M. Numéro de TVA Intracommunataire FR63504336579

 

 

 

 

Rent house France, Long rentals France 2024