FAQs

Answer: The website is designed for you to browse or perform searches and hopefully book your ideal holiday cottage in the easiest way possible. You will find that it contains a larger number of properties than in our brochure due to new additions constantly being added. All the information you require should be covered, but for further help or queries you can telephone, email or use the ‘live help’ feature to speak to a Farm & Cottage Holidays representative.

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Answer: You have two main routes of finding your ideal holiday cottage: (1) Either you will know the dates that you would like to go, if so use the availability search in the left navigational menu and from the results use the refine search feature to narrow the list of properties. (2) Alternatively you will not be certain on the dates, instead perhaps know the location and/or the features of the property you would like. If this is the case you can click the map on the homepage and use the refine search to show properties meeting your requirements independently from availability. If looking for a short break this is available in the left hand menu.

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Answer: As you are probably on the website while reading this, you will find that the easiest way to book is online. By searching availability and then choosing your property you can click the ‘Book selected weeks’ button at the bottom of the property description page to take you through to the secure online booking form. This will take you through the different stages including taking your payment details. Once submitted you will receive an auto response for your records, to show you what you have requested, dates and prices etc. We will then manually check and confirm the booking before taking payment. You will receive your acknowledgment by post. Alternatively you can print off a booking form from the ‘How to Book’ section to send in the post. You can also complete the booking over the phone by calling 01237 459888.

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Answer: You can pay a deposit as long as the start date of your holiday is more than 8 weeks away as this is when the remaining balance would be due. However, when paying a deposit cancellation insurance will be required.

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Answer: No one books a holiday thinking they will need to cancel it, unfortunately things happen that may prevent you going away which is why we would always recommend that you take out holiday cancellation insurance. Part of our booking conditions are that if you cancel your holiday you will remain liable for the whole cost of the holiday unless your claim is covered by insurance or we are able to relet the dates on your behalf. We do not insist on you taking our insurance, most people have their own travel insurance which covers them for holiday cancellation and curtailment, we will just need to make a note of your policy provider, number and dates covered, having your own insurance means that you will need to pay the full amount on cancelling, we will then issue a cancellation invoice to you, this will enable you to make a claim through your own insurance. By paying in full when booking your holiday the insurance is optional.

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Answer: The policy includes cancellation or curtailment up to a maximum of £5000 along with an element of personal insurance (up to £1000 for personal property - £300 money). The policy covers everyone named on the booking form and cover starts immediately. The main elements of cover are (i) Illness (excluding pre-existing conditions). (ii) Death of anyone in the party or close relative or business colleague. Fire, theft or flood at your home occurring within 14 days of commencement of your holiday. (iii) Cancellation of leave in armed forces & emergency services. (iv) Redundancy (same employer for more than 2 years). Full details of the policy can be downloaded from the information section of the website.

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Answer: Yes, many of our properties welcome dogs, each property will state in its description whether pets are accepted or not. Sometimes it will state 1 dog by arrangement, if so, the breed will need to be checked with the owner of the property. You can use the refine search feature to show only properties that accept pets. Dogs are charged at £20.00 per week per dog or £3.00 per day per dog for short breaks. The owners will sometimes consider other pets.

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Answer: Some properties allow you to bring more than 1 dog to the property, use the refine search feature from the initial results to select those that do. If you would like to stay at a particular property but have more than the stated number of dogs, please mention this to our bookings team who will be pleased to check with the owner.

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Answer: Unfortunately a few people and their dogs have caused problems in the past resulting in property owners refusing to allow dogs. We have therefore introduced the following guidelines, which we ask all dog owners to adhere to (failure to do so may result in you being asked to leave without compensation) 1. Dogs must be under strict control at all times while on the property. 2. Any fouling of lawns etc. must be cleaned up without delay. 3. The owner must bring the dog’s bed or basket for sleeping in. 4. Dogs must not be left alone in the property. 5. Dogs must not lie on beds or chairs, and hair must be cleared up before departing.

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Answer: Most commonly throughout our collection, properties ‘changeover’ or start days tend to be a Saturday although sometimes this could be a Friday or Sunday. When viewing a results page or a property description page it will state the respective changeover day.

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Answer: It is may be possible to book a holiday on a start day other than the designated changeover day out of peak times subject to agreement with the property owner, just give us a call and we will be happy to ask the owner, please be aware that as prices are based on Saturday changeover, any weeks that cross over price bands would be charged at the higher price. Alternative changeover days will be unlikely in peak times such as school holidays as they would in effect split two different weeks.

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Answer: By clicking the short break search button on the left hand menu of the website you can search for properties that have availability for 3, 4, 5, or 6 nights. It is possible to stay for fewer nights if you wish but the minimum price would be calculated on a 3-night stay. Please note that all short breaks have to be checked with the owner before a booking can be confirmed.

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Answer: Prices are based on a minimum stay of 3 nights and normally start from 65% of the properties full weekly price. 4 nights are 75%, 5 nights 85% and 6 nights are at the full weekly rental. Please note that some larger properties may vary their short break price structure due to the amount of work involved in changeovers and this may be reflected within the short break search results page. If running over 2 different weeks, the price would be based on the higher of the two weekly prices. Please contact our booking line on 01237 459888 to confirm prices of a short break.

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Answer: All short breaks require the approval from the respective property owner before confirming and taking payment, once you have found a short break available by using the search on the website you will need to telephone or email our office.

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Answer: After performing a search you can use the refine feature to show only properties that have accessibility provisions. The levels of these do vary so please call us with any specific requirements and we will be pleased to help. In addition there is also a facility on our website for sourcing properties that have Increased Accessibility, you can find this by going into the ‘holiday ideas’ section.

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Answer: A large number of our properties are situated in the country, sometimes a few miles from the nearest village or town. The location given in the details of the individual property is the distance in a straight line from the town or village. e.g. Bideford (5mls S) means the property is located 5 miles south of Bideford. Distances given to the beach etc. are by road. On each property page there is a button labelled ‘Area Map’ by clicking this you will be able to see the exact location of the property.

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Answer: If the extra person exceeds the maximum occupancy of the property it may be possible, however, this must be checked with us before the start of the holiday and confirmed with the owner – there may be an extra cost for this.

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Answer: A £10.00 booking fee is payable to cover the administration and processing of each booking.

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Answer: A 2% credit card surcharge is payable when using a credit card. This is a fee that we are charged for every credit card transaction, however there is no surcharge when paying by debit card or cheque.

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Answer: If there is anything that you feel that is important to the enjoyment of your holiday, for example open fire, beach walking distance, accessibility provisions, please contact us in the first instance and we will be pleased to help.

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Answer: For a holding fee of just £25 per week, you can reserve your chosen property until the new brochure and price list are published (usually end of September) at which time the full deposit would be due. All you need to do is call, check availability, reserve the date you require and then send in your payment with a covering letter. You will receive a receipt and confirmation, your holding fee is transferable to another property or refundable should your chosen property not be available. Next years brochure will automatically be sent to you when it is ready, but if you have not received it by the end of October then please contact us.

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Answer: It is our policy as a company not to take bookings for single sex parties, our experience shows that the property owners are reluctant to accept hen parties/stag nights, however parties of golfers/groups of ladies after a chill out weekend etc are occasionally accepted, please explain your requirements to us and we will be happy to discuss this with the owner. Parties of younger people will also need to be checked with the property owner prior to accepting any booking. On occasion the owner will request a security deposit to secure the booking, this is normally required in cash on arrival at the property and will be returned in full at the end of the stay providing the property is left undamaged.

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Answer: Where possible, we do try and encourage all fuel costs to be included in the respective property price, however when this is not possible fuel charges are extra and are paid directly to the owner of the property. These are calculated at cost; Central heating can range between £10-£35 per week depending on the time of year and the size of property. Electricity where stated as extra is normally based on a meter reading. Where applicable we will indicate these costs in the description of the property.

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Answer: NSH stands for Night storage heaters within the property.

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Answer: We aim to inspect every property annually and categorise each into one of our star gradings ranging from 2–5 (5 being the highest). The grading takes into account the features / facilities at the property and the quality of the furnishings. Some properties may have also been independently inspected by ‘Visit Britain’ and this will also be displayed on the property description page if applicable. If you require further information on a property, please do not hesitate to contact us to speak to a member of staff who has visited the property in question. 2 Star - A reasonable standard of furnishing, full-size cooker, shower or bath, washbasin and WC, electric shaver point or adapter. 3 Star - Good condition of furnishing throughout. Modern kitchen with washing machine. Bathroom with bath or shower. Some have towels supplied or available for hire; please refer to the individual property description for confirmation. 4 Star - Good standard of furnishing and appliances throughout. Separate WC if more than 8 persons. Many have towels supplied or available for hire; please refer to the individual property description for confirmation. 5 Star - Well-furnished and equipped. High standard of kitchen equipment. Garden furniture. Many have towels supplied or available for hire; please refer to the individual property description for confirmation.

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Answer: If a property is described as having a bathroom it has a bath. If it has a shower it is always stated in addition.

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Answer: For every property we aim to include the status of parking within the property description. Most farm buildings will have plenty of parking available but some cottages may have off street parking or may require you to use a public car park. If this is not clear please contact us by phone, email or by using the live chat feature.

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Answer: An enclosed garden means that walls, hedges or fences surround the garden at the property. This however does not necessarily mean that a garden is dog proof/child friendly i.e. a dog may be able to get under a hedge or a child over a fence. If you require further details of a properties garden please call our booking line for further details.

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Answer: Swimming pools are unsupervised unless stated in the property description. Children must be supervised at all times whilst using the swimming facilities. Whilst every measure possible has been taken to make the swimming area as safe as possible, all facilities are used at your own risk.

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Answer: Indoor swimming pools are generally open all year round. The period outdoor swimming pools are open is from late May to September depending on the weather. The majority of our properties that have swimming pools make no extra charge for the use of the pool, but sometimes the owner may wish to reserve it for their own use for the occasional half day. Full details will be shown in each property description or you can call our office for further information.

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Answer: Where a property is marked as having sea views, this indicates that there are views of either the sea / river / estuary / canal from at least one of the rooms within the property or outside from a garden, within the grounds or balcony.

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Answer: When a property description states that an amenity i.e. Beach, shop or pub is within walking distance, we class this as between a few yards and 1 mile.

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Answer: Unless stated in the property description there will be no use of a telephone at the property.

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Answer: Unless stated in the property description there is no access to a broadband connection.

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Answer: Towels are not supplied unless stated in the description. 5 star properties tend to include towels, other properties may offer the option of hiring them, this consists of 1 hand towel and 1 bath towel and costs £5.00 per set per person. For full details please refer to the relevant property description.

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Answer: Unless it is stated otherwise, you are permitted to smoke in communal areas such as the lounge and kitchen area. However, we ask that you do not smoke in the bedrooms.

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Answer: Whilst many of our older cottages have charm and character, some were built before the days of damp proofing courses and cavity insulation. As a result sometimes they have a tendency to be damp and, despite the care we take when inspecting a property, damp patches may occasionally appear especially after along wet winter or through condensation if windows have not been left open to allow air to circulate. Please remember that cottages in the country do attract cobwebs. It does not mean that the cottage is dirty or has not been cleaned as country dwellers will tell you webs can be spun almost as quickly as they have been cleaned away. Also some of our properties particularly in remote areas could be on spring or well water, which is now regularly tested.

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Answer: There are four ways that you can pay the remaining balance of your holiday. (1) By clicking the ‘How to Book’ button in the top menu and then selecting ‘Balance payment Form’. (2) By calling our office on 01237 459888 to pay by card. (3) By sending in a cheque with the slip from the bottom of your deposit acknowledgment letter. (4) By Faxing payment and booking details to 01237 421512.

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Answer: You will receive confirmation through the post when a deposit payment has been made, a second confirmation along with directions to the property will be sent on final payment of your holiday.

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Answer: After you have paid in full you will receive final confirmation, which includes travel directions to your property and the contact details for the respective owner. We request that you call them a few days before your holiday starts to arrange approximate arrival times. The owner will then tell you where to obtain the key or will arrange to meet you at the property.

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Answer: In order that your accommodation can be properly prepared, it is important that you do not arrive before the designated arrival time. This is normally after 2.30pm but can vary and will be stated on the online booking form, the property description and on your final confirmation if different. Departure time is before 10.00am.

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Answer: As long as your party doesn’t change to exceed the maximum capacity of the property you can change the names of the people in the party by calling us at anytime.

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Answer: Yes, just inform us at the earliest opportunity that friends might be joining you and as long as your party does not exceed the maximum capacity of the property we will get approval from the owner and add the extra people to your booking. If the extra person exceeds the maximum occupancy of the property it may be possible, however, this must be checked with us before the start of the holiday and confirmed with the owner – there may be an extra cost for this.

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Answer: If you have to cancel your holiday we will require written confirmation of this immediately, post, email or fax are all-acceptable. There are many different routes that can be taken on advise of cancellation: 1. If you have taken out our cancellation insurance and you are cancelling for a reason covered in the policy, we will send you details on how to claim from Travellers Protection Services. 2. If you have provided us with details of your own insurance provider, you will need to pay the balance of your holiday (if a deposit has been paid), we will then send you a Cancellation invoice to enable you to make a claim independently against your insurer. 3. If you have paid a deposit but have opted not to take any insurance, we will endeavour to relet the property on your behalf, if successful you would no longer be liable for the balance of the holiday. (Deposits are non refundable). Please be aware that if we are not able to relet the dates the liability for the balance of the holiday will remain with you. 4. If you have paid in full for your holiday but have opted not to take any insurance, we will again try to relet the property on your behalf, on relet you will be refunded with 2/3 of the cost of the holiday. (Deposits are non refundable). Please be aware that no refund can be made if the property is not relet. A cancelled booking can be reinstated at any time provided the dates have not been relet, a telephone request to reinstate a booking must be followed up by a written request within 4 working days.

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Answer: We have done our best to ensure that you will not have any cause for complaint. However, sometimes things can be missed and the matter should be brought to the attention of the owner at once. In most cases the situation can be rectified immediately. If you are unable to resolve the matter please then contact our office without delay so we can investigate and try and help. Do not leave it until you have returned home, as we are then no longer in a position to help.

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Answer: Owners expect that a certain amount of wear and tear is inevitable and this applies to the odd smashed glass or broken plate. However, if something does get damaged while at the property please inform the owner at the earliest opportunity so that it can be fixed or replaced in time for the next holidaymakers. It is sometimes reasonable to expect to pay the owners for more serious damages and breakages such as incidents to carpets, broken windows etc.

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Answer: We ask that the property is left in the same state of cleanliness and general order as found.

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