Terms and Conditions
HERE TO PROTECT YOU
The following Booking Conditions apply to all “packages” booked with Dehouche.
Please read them carefully as they set out our respective obligations.
In these booking conditions “you” and “your” means all persons named on the booking including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date.
1) Booking and paying for your holiday
If you want to book a Dehouche itinerary you should agree the nature of that itinerary and then pay an initial instalment as outlined in our payment schedule – once initial payment is made certain elements of your itinerary will be paid for and your trip will be considered booked although still subject to change.
The party leader is responsible for making all payments due to us. The party leader must be at least 18 when the booking is made. The payments referred to below must be made at the time of requesting your booking. A contract between us comes into existence, as set out below. The nature of the holidays we arrange means we are often not in a position to confirm every requested element at the time of booking. Once we reasonably expect the key elements of your holiday to be available, we will process the balance of your payment. If for any reason we do not expect the key elements of your holiday to be available we will not process your payment and will advise you accordingly. Processing your initial payment is not a guarantee or representation that your requested arrangements will be provided. Obtaining confirmation of all elements from suppliers may take 2 weeks or more from initial payment date. In some cases it may not be possible to confirm all elements as requested and changes may need to be made. Occasionally, we have to cancel a booking prior to issue of the confirmation invoice where we are unable to confirm all key elements and/or offer suitable alternative arrangements. If we have to cancel or the arrangements we are able to confirm when we issue a confirmation invoice are significantly different to those requested and any alternative arrangements we offer you are not acceptable, we will refund all monies you have paid us minus a GBP100 administrative charge. You are not, however, entitled to cancel without paying our normal cancellation charges where any changes affect elements of the holiday, which are not key elements or are otherwise minor, as defined below. A contract between us will come into existence when payment is made into our account, at which time we will issue a deposit receipt acknowledging the acceptance of your booking. We regret we cannot accept any liability if we are not notified of any inaccuracies (for which we are responsible) in any document within ten days of our sending it out. You must ensure that the name of each party member given to us at the time of booking matches the name exactly as it appears on party member’s passports and all other details are correct.
A deposit as specified on your invoice, or as advised by your travel consultant or equal to full payment if booking within 2 calendar months of departure, must be paid at the time of booking. For certain arrangements the suppliers concerned (specifically flights) require full payment, for those arrangements, at the time of booking to ensure the best price for you and guarantee the price against future moves in the exchange rate of less than 6%. Final payment date will be shown on the confirmation invoice and reminders are not sent. If we do not receive all payments due (including any surcharge where applicable which you have been informed about) in full and on time, we are entitled to assume that you wish to cancel your booking. In this case the cancellation charges will apply. All payments must be made by cheque, bank transfer or acceptable credit or debit card. Credit and Debit card payments will be subject the fees charged by our merchant facility, normally no more than 4%.
2) Alterations by you
Should you wish to make any alterations to your confirmed holiday the party leader must notify us as soon as possible in writing. Whilst we will endeavour to assist we cannot guarantee the outcome. Our staff will endeavour to accommodate your request at no extra charges, but cannot guarantee this will be possible. If we can make the requested change at a cost, you will be provided with a quote detailing the additional costs incurred by ourselves and any costs or charges incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers. Please note that some airline tickets (e.g. advance purchase and net fare tickets) cannot be changed once booked, without incurring cost. In South America this is typically 20% of ticket price plus any increase in tariff for the flight. Some accommodation is priced according to the number of people in the booking. If one of your parties cancels so that fewer people share the accommodation, then the cost may go up. We reserve the right to charge an administrative fee of GBP50 per person for any alterations by you. We reserve the right to treat any amendment less than 8 weeks prior to the date of departure as a cancellation and apply the cancellation charges as set out below.
3) Cancellation by you
Cancellations must be notified to us in writing by the party leader. Your notice of cancellation will only be effective when we receive a letter or email at our offices. As we spend money on your behalf from the time you make your booking, cancellation charges may be payable to our suppliers however we will seek to limit these where possible by taking a credit against future clients of Dehouche SA. In such a case we refund you in full when we use the credit.
Any cancellation will incur a charge to reflect the reasonable costs incurred by us in arranging and cancelling your booking. If you cancel more than 8 weeks before departure, this charge is likely to be no more than the amount of your deposit payment of 50% total cost. If it is more you will be required to pay us the difference and if it is less we will refund the difference to you. Charges for cancellation after the balance due date will vary due to the complex nature of our travel itineraries. Please ask for the amount of any cancellation charge before cancellation. You should be aware that this charge is likely to increase the closer to departure date that the cancellation is made and may well be up to 100% of the total cost of your booking. Please note that if the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your personal travel insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges.
Occasionally we may have to make a significant change. A significant change is a change made before departure which, taking account of the information you give us at the time of booking and which we can reasonably be expected to know as a tour operator, we can reasonably expect to have a major effect on your holiday. Significant changes include (i) a change in your flight departure time by more than 12 hours (ii) a change of your departure or arrival airport to one that is significantly more inconvenient to you (iii) a change in your destination locality or (iv) a change of accommodation to that of a lower standard. If we have to make a significant change we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible. If there is time to do so before departure we will offer you the choice of one of the following options: (i) accepting the changes (for significant changes) or (ii) purchasing an alternative holiday from us, of a similar standard to that originally booked. If available we will offer you at least one alternative holiday of equivalent or higher standard for which you will not be asked to pay any more than the price of the original holiday. If this holiday is in fact cheaper than the original one, we will refund the price difference. If you do not wish to accept the holiday we specifically offer you, you may choose any of our other then available holiday options. You must pay the applicable price of any such holiday. This will mean you paying more if it is more expensive or receiving a refund if it is cheaper or (iii) cancelling or accepting the cancellation and receiving a refund after any supplier cancellation charges – we would often be able to take these as credits with our suppliers and refund you in full for that element of the itinerary, this will not apply to flights and various suppliers unable to offer credits. If we have to make a significant change or cancel we will, where compensation is appropriate, pay you reasonable compensation, with a minimum of £50 and usually no more than £500 per booking, depending on the circumstances and when the significant change or cancellation is notified to you, subject to the following exceptions. Compensation will not be payable and no liability beyond offering the above mentioned choices can be accepted where: (i) we are forced to make a change or cancel as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care or (ii) we have to cancel because the minimum number of bookings necessary for us to operate your holiday has not been reached or (iii) where your booking is cancelled or a significant change made (which you accept) prior to or at the time of confirmation. No compensation will be payable and the above options will not be available if we cancel as a result of your failure to comply with any requirement of these booking conditions entitling us to cancel (such as paying on time) or where a change is a minor one. A change of flight time of less than 12 hours, type of aircraft (if advised) or destination airport will all be treated as minor changes. Very rarely, we may be forced by “force majeure” to change or terminate your holiday after departure but before the scheduled end of your time away. This is extremely unlikely but if this situation does occur, we regret we will be unable to make any refunds (unless we obtain any refunds from our suppliers), pay you any compensation or meet any costs or expenses you incur as a result.
4) Prices
All prices given in our marketing material and our website are for guidance only and are based on exchange rates in effect on the publication date. Although every effort is taken to ensure prices are accurate at the time of publication we cannot guarantee these prices. Please note, changes and errors occasionally occur. You must check the price of your chosen holiday at the time of booking. We reserve the right to alter or correct errors in any quoted or published prices at any time prior to a contract between us coming into existence. We will advise you of any error of which we are aware and of the then applicable price prior to this point. Once the price of your chosen holiday has been confirmed on your confirmation invoice then subject to the correction of errors, we will only increase or decrease the price in the following circumstances. Price increases or decreases after booking will be passed on by way of a surcharge or refund. A surcharge or refund (as applicable) will be payable, subject to the conditions set out in this clause, in the event of any change in our transportation costs or in dues, taxes or fees payable for services such as fuel surcharges, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports or airports or in the exchange rates which have been used to calculate the cost of your holiday. You have 14 days from the issue date printed on any surcharge invoice to tell us if you want to choose options set out If you do not tell us that you wish to choose any options within this period of time, we are entitled to assume that you do not wish to pay the surcharge. Please note that arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your holiday due to contractual and other protection in place. A refund will only be payable if the decrease in our costs exceeds 2% of the total cost of your holiday as set out above. Where a refund is due, we will pay you the full amount of the decrease in our costs. In accordance with Air Navigation Orders, an infant must be under 2 years of age on the date of their return flight to qualify for infant status. If it becomes a legal requirement for infants to have separate airline seats, we will have to pass the cost of this onto any guest travelling with an infant.
5) Insurance
You should obtain suitable travel insurance. When obtaining travel insurance you must ensure that the insurer is aware of the type and destination of travel and any activities which you plan to undertake that maybe considered high risk such as skiing, scuba diving, white water rafting, travel by light aircraft, paragliding, kite surfing, wind surfing, safaris, mountain trekking and so on. Please ensure that you are fully covered, in particular with regard to the maximum cancellation amount, and that details of your insurer and policy number are provided to us for our records. We may need to refer to this if you are involved in an accident. Dehouche will not be held responsible for any expenses, loss or damage you incur as a result of your failure to comply with this clause or the requirements of your travel insurance policy. Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is suitable and adequate for your particular needs.
6) Visas passports and health requirements
It is the party leader’s responsibility to ensure that all members of the party are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents before departure. We advise where we can but accept no responsibility for the information we give and this should be checked by you with the relevant consular services. You must pay all costs incurred in obtaining such documentation. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to carry all required documentation. If failure to have any necessary travel or other documents results in fines, surcharges or other financial penalty being imposed on us, you will be responsible for reimbursing us accordingly.
7) Force majeure
Compensation will not be payable in any cases where an amendment, change or cancellation is due to an unusual or unforeseeable event or circumstance beyond our reasonable control (‘Force Majeure’). These include, but are not limited to, war, threat of war, riot, civil disturbance or strife, terrorist activity (actual or threatened), industrial disputes, technical or maintenance problems with transport, machinery or equipment, power failure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, flood, drought, adverse weather conditions, levels of water in rivers, acts of god, closure of airports, border issues, changes of schedules or operational decisions of transport providers.
8) Suppliers’ conditions
Independent suppliers provide most accommodation, services and transport. All bookings are subject to the third party conditions and regulations of these carriers/transport proprietors/accommodation providers and service suppliers. These conditions may limit or exclude liability to you and may be subject to provisions of international conventions – copies are available from suppliers on request. Some third party suppliers require a waiver of responsibility to be signed, which may limit some of your rights vis a vis those suppliers
9) Dehouche liability
a) We promise to make sure that the holiday arrangements we have agreed to make perform or provide as applicable as part of our contract with you are made, performed or provided with reasonable skill and care. This means that, subject to these booking conditions, we will accept responsibility if, for example, you suffer death or personal injury or your contracted holiday arrangements are not provided as promised or prove deficient as a result of the failure of ourselves, our employees, agents or suppliers to use reasonable skill and care in making, performing or providing, as applicable, your contracted holiday arrangements. Please note, it is your responsibility to show that reasonable skill and care has not been used if you wish to make a claim against us. In addition, we will only be responsible for what our employees do or do not do if they were at the time acting within the course of their employment (for employees) or carrying out work we had asked them to do. b) We will not be responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, cost or other sum or claim of any description whatsoever which results from any of the following: (i) the act(s) and/or omission(s) of the person(s) affected or any member(s) of their party or (ii) the act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party not connected with the provision of your holiday and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable or (iii) force majeure as defined in clause 7 above. c) Please note, we cannot accept responsibility for any services which do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services or facilities which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you where the services or facilities are not advertised by us and we have not agreed to arrange them as part of our contract and any excursion you purchase from a third party. In addition, regardless of any wording used by us on our website, in any advertising material or elsewhere, we only promise to use reasonable skill and care as set out above and we do not have any greater or different liability to you. We endeavour to ensure our suppliers are up to the standards required by local law and inspect and check facilities and equipment regularly as best we can without technical knowledge and specific expertise we have to make assumptions that the supplier is maintaining standards under local authority guidelines and trading standards and licensing authorities. d) The promises we make to you about the services we have agreed to provide or arrange as part of our contract – and the laws and regulations of the country in which your claim or complaint occurred – will be used as the basis for deciding whether the services in question had been properly provided. If the particular services which gave rise to the claim or complaint complied with local laws and regulations applicable to those services at the time, the services will be treated as having been properly provided. This will be the case even if the services did not comply with the laws and regulations of your home country which would have applied had those services been provided. Additionally we cannot accept liability for any business losses. You must provide ourselves with all assistance we may reasonably require throughout any claim or complaints process.
10) Marketing & Accuracy
All reasonable care has been taken to ensure that the descriptions, facts or opinions in our documents and itineraries are accurate at the time of release. Opinions expressed are personal to the authors and photographs only relate to a specific destination when specifically captioned. The layout and furnishing of rooms shown in photographs may change. During the lifespan of our documentation, advertised facilities, services, schedules, and laws and suppliers’ programmes may also change. Errors may also occasionally occur. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price) with your travel agent or us at the time of booking. We cannot accept responsibility for any descriptions, facts or opinions published in any promotional material.
The type of travel, which we offer, requires flexibility and must allow for alternatives. The outline itinerary as given for each holiday must therefore be taken as an indication of what each trip may accomplish, and not as a contractual obligation on the part of Dehouche. It is understood that the route schedules, itineraries, amenities and mode of transport may be subject to alteration without prior notice due to local circumstances or events which may include sickness, mechanical breakdown, flight cancellations, strikes, employee & suppliers’ personal difficulties, events emanating from political disputes entry or border difficulties, climate and other unpredictable or unforeseeable circumstances.
11) Behaviour and damage
When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or loss (reasonably estimated if not precisely known) must be made direct to the accommodation owner or manager or other supplier as soon as possible. If the actual cost of the loss or damage exceeds the amount paid where estimated, you must pay the difference once known. If the actual cost is less than the amount paid, the difference will be refunded. You will be responsible for meeting any claims subsequently made against us and all costs incurred by us (including our own and the other party’s full legal costs) as a result of your actions. You should ensure you have appropriate travel insurance to protect you if this situation arises. We expect all clients to have consideration for other people. If in our reasonable opinion or in the reasonable opinion of any other person in authority, you or any member of your party behaves in such a way as to cause or be likely to cause danger, upset or distress to any third party or damage to property, we are entitled, without prior notice, to terminate the holiday of the person(s) concerned. In this situation, the person(s) concerned will be required to leave the accommodation or other service. We will have no further responsibility toward such person(s) including any return travel arrangements. Applicable refunds will be made however we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination.
12) Your risk
You acknowledge that the nature of travel is adventurous and that as such some holidays may involve a significant amount of inherent personal risk. These include injury, disease, loss or damage to property, inconvenience and discomfort. Some activities incidental to the holiday may carry inherent risks and if you wish to participate you may be requested to sign an additional waiver form by the local supplier. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are physically fit enough to participate, that you have adequate protective clothing and safety equipment and take sensible precautions for your own safety and for the safety of any children for whom you are responsible.
13) Overseas standards, expectations and safety
Please note it is the requirements and standards of the country in which any services, that make up your holiday are provided, which apply to those services and not those of your home country. As a general rule, these requirements and standards will not be the same as your home country and may often be lower. The infrastructure standards in certain overseas countries are often quite different from those accepted as the “norm” in the Europe and America. This can include levels of service and the reliability of transport, food, accommodation, communications, power and water supplies to name but a few. In addition you must take reasonable precautions for your own safety whilst on holiday. For example, you are advised not to walk alone at night in unlit areas and not to display jewellery or valuables.
14) Late arrivals, delay and denied boarding
We cannot accept responsibility if you miss your flight or transfer due to late check in, check in queues, delays in connecting transport or due to delays introduced by security procedures. If your flight is cancelled or delayed, your flight ticket is downgraded or boarding is denied by your airline in circumstances which would entitle you to claim compensation or any other payment from the airline, you must pursue the airline for the compensation or other payment due to you although we may act as a go between. All sums you receive or are entitled to receive from the airline concerned by virtue of these Regulations represent the full amount of your entitlement to compensation or any other payment arising from such cancellation, delay, downgrading or denied boarding. This includes any disappointment, distress, inconvenience or effect on any other arrangements. The fact a delay may entitle you to cancel your flight does not automatically entitle you to cancel any other arrangements even where those arrangements have been made in conjunction with your flight. We have no liability to make any payment to you in relation to the Denied Boarding Regulations or in respect of any flight cancellation or delay, downgrading of any flight ticket or denial of any boarding as the full amount of your entitlement to any compensation or other payment (as dealt with above) is covered by the airline’s obligations.
15) Accommodation
The accommodation provided is only for the use of those persons named on the confirmation invoice and subletting, sharing or assignment is prohibited.
16) Claims and complaints
In the event that you have cause for complaint whilst on holiday you must immediately bring it to the attention of Dehouche and to the management of the accommodation or relevant supplier, obtaining written confirmation from them of the complaint so that we will have the opportunity to correct the matter during the holiday. If you fail to do so you deprive us and our suppliers of the chance to investigate your complaint and to do our best to rectify it. If we are unable to resolve matters whilst you are on holiday and you remain dissatisfied you must write to us within 28 days of your return with full details Please quote your booking reference on all correspondence. If you fail to follow this simple complaints procedure, your right to claim any compensation from our suppliers may be affected or even lost as a result.
17) Personal information and privacy
Your personal information and that of your party is important to us and we do not pass your details to any 3rd party not directly related to your travel plans with Dehouche. We are required to collect information from passengers prior to travel to many destinations. This information is required for immigration control and to aid aviation safety and security, and as such we require full passport details, passenger names, dates of birth and nationalities to pass onto the relevant airlines. This information will not be retained by our suppliers after your travel has been completed and will be used solely in the course of conducting your travel arrangements. Dehouche will not be held responsible if you fail to provide or comply with relevant requirements.