2025 Terms & Conditions
Definitions and Interpretations
The Riverside House situated in Minsterworth, also known as The Float House, Main Road, Gloucester, and Gloucestershire, GL2 8JX
The Owner is Tracey Orchard hereinafter called The Owner.
The Client is the person, persons, corporate entity or other body entering into an Agreement with The Owner hereinafter called The Client.
An Agreement is entered into when The Owner accepts from The Client a signed Booking Form and Deposit.
The Period of an Agreement begins and ends at the times shown on The Booking Form.
The Fee is the fee charged by The Owner for the use of Riverside House and/or its grounds.
A Booking Deposit equal to a minimum of 40% of the total Fee and is always required to confirm a booking.
Bookings
The Owner may accept a booking on a provisional basis made verbally in writing or via e-mail. Such bookings are held at The Owner’s discretion until confirmed by The Client signing a Booking Form and paying a Booking Deposit which is accepted by The Owner. The Client undertakes to provide accurate and complete information. The Client further undertakes that The Client and any guests will use The Riverside House for the purposes identified on The Booking Form only.
Payments
Booking Deposits are payable at the time of confirmation of a booking. The balance of the Fee is payable as set out in The Booking Form. Time of payment is of the essence.
Late Payment
Interest will be charged on outstanding payments at the rate of 5% per annum above the prevailing base rate at HSBC Bank calculated on a daily basis.
Cancelled Bookings
The Booking Deposit and balance payments are not refundable and so holiday insurance is imperative in the event The Client is unable to fulfill their booking.
In the event that The Client cancels The Booking or The Booking is cancelled due to The Client’s failure to pay any outstanding sum, the following shall apply.
The Owner will accept cancellations in writing only. Proof of posting is not proof of receipt.
Once written cancellation has been received, if The Owner succeeds in selling the cancelled date(s) for the same or greater sum than the total sum paid by the Client, the client will receive a full or partial refund less an administration charge of £250. In the event that the date(s) are sold for a lesser sum, then the difference will be deducted from the sum due less a further deduction of a £250 administration fee and the balance will be refunded to The Client. The Owner will use reasonable endeavours to sell the cancelled date(s).
If The Client does not pay any sum by its due date The Owner may at any time thereafter give notice in writing to The Client of their intention to cancel The Booking. If The Client does not pay that sum within 7 days of receipt of such notice, The Booking will be cancelled, and the monies paid will be forfeit. In this case The Client will remain liable to pay The Company all sums due and owing as at the date of cancellation.
If The Owner has to cancel a booking, all monies already paid to The Owner by The Client shall be refunded to The Client in full. The Owner shall not be liable for consequential losses and holiday insurance should be taken to cover this. The Owner shall not be liable for any interest.
Contractors
All contractors employed by The Client to provide services at Riverside House must be approved by The Owner and The Client will use reasonable endeavours to ensure that they comply with their obligations as set out herein. Approved contractors must show evidence of Public and Third Party Liability Insurance. Contractors are responsible for ensuring that they comply fully with all current Health & Safety legislation and any other safety requirements of The Owner. Contractors are fully responsible for keeping and leaving the area used by them in a clean tidy and safe condition. In the event that this is not done to the reasonable satisfaction of The Owner, The Owner will employ professional cleaning contractors to carry out the work and The Client will be responsible for paying their costs.
Catering contractors must agree with The Owner where they will operate and locate any equipment. Marquee contractors must agree with The Owner the location and erecting method before erection. Lavatory contractors must agree with The Owner the location and positioning of their mobile units. Entertainment Contractors must agree with The Owner the location and positioning of their mobile units.
No Firework displays are permitted within the grounds at any time.
All contractors must agree with The Owner how they access Riverside House for preparation and clearing up. All contractors must hold Public Liability Insurance cover of at least £2 million.
Electrical Appliances
All electrical appliances connected to The Owners supply must be certificated in accordance with the statutory requirements for portable electrical appliances used at public events. All cables must be properly protected to avoid causing a hazard to others.
Damage & Liability
The Client is liable for all damage caused by themselves and their guests to Riverside House. The Client is also liable for any contractors they employ if damage is caused.
The Owner’s Liability
The Owner will not accept liability for any loss, damage, injury, death or any consequential loss arising as a result of acts or omissions by The Client, its guests or its contractors before, during or after an event or function and The Client will indemnify The Owner against any loss damage liability expense or costs incurred by The Owner as a result of any claim demand or proceedings threatened or instituted against The Owner for personal injury or loss or damage to property and arising directly or indirectly from any act or omission of The Client, its guests or its contractors during their use of Riverside House and/or its grounds.
Client Liability
If The Client causes The Owner to be unable to fulfil subsequent lettings in part or in whole due to an unauthorised late checkout or damage, The Client agrees to reimburse The Owner any loss in income which results from this.
Booking Form
The booking form states the group size of The Clients booking and a guest list is a prerequisite for the booking confirmation. The guest list requires the name and age of each guest. If The Client has additional day guests to visit, during their stay they will be charged a foot fall fee of £20 per person. If additional guests stay overnight, £85 per person per night will be charged for their stay and deducted from the damage deposit if not paid for before arrival. For insurance purposes, The Owner must be informed before any additional guests arrive and preferable no less than 2 weeks prior to the stay.
If the client intends to have a marquee at Riverside House, there will be a charge of £300 payable to The Owner in advance.
Late check out charge
If The Client and their guest have not vacated Riverside House at the agreed check out time the will be an additional charge of £100 per hour.
Force Majeure
The Owner will not be liable if Riverside House and/or its grounds are unusable on the date(s) booked as a result of any bad weather or unforeseen, unavoidable event or circumstance beyond the control of The Owner in each case.
Insurance
The Owner advises The Client to purchase holiday insurance which covers:
• Damage for which they are liable under Damage & Liability clause in the Terms and conditions herein.
• Third party liability of £2 million to cover death or injury to anyone attending or assisting with their event or function for which they may otherwise be liable.
• The cancellation of their event or function as a result of bad weather or other unforeseen, events including Covid related cancellations or ill health (including Covid) of The Client or their guests.
Exclusive Use
Where a booking form contains an agreement for The Client to have exclusive use of Riverside House this means that The Owner will not permit any other use of Riverside House and/or grounds during the period of the Agreement. It does not exclude The Owner or their managers and staff having access to the house and grounds to enable them to carry out their duties.
Arrival Time
Unless otherwise previously agreed The Client and their guests should not arrive before the time shown on the booking form and once a check in time has been agreed, The Client is obliged to keep to it. Staff will wait up to one hour for The Client to check in but if The Client does not arrive on time and no arrangement is made otherwise, check in staff will leave. In order to gain access to Riverside House in these circumstances, The Client will be required to arrange a new check in time.
Car Parking
A designated parking area will be available for The Client and their guests. When applicable, parking will be supervised by the owner’s staff. NB There are no electric charging points at Riverside House and it is unacceptable to charge from the household supply. All vehicles are parked at the owner’s risk.
Closing Time
Unless otherwise agreed outside events and functions must close at 11.00pm and music must not be played outside after this time.
Departure Time
Unless otherwise agreed, day guests who are not booked to stay at Riverside House must depart no later than midnight. Guests staying at Riverside House will depart on or before the time agreed on The Booking Form. If The Client stays beyond the agreed time as detailed on The Booking Form, the owner will charge £100 for each additional hour.
Assignment
This contract is not assignable by The Client or The Owner to any other party without The Owner’s or The Client’s prior written consent.
The Client’s Responsibility
The Client will use reasonable endeavours to ensure the safety of their guests while at Riverside House. The Client’s and their guests must behave with decorum whilst in residence and attending their event or function. The Client and their guests must show due respect for the house, its contents and the following rules:
Noise must be kept at a reasonable level for such an event or function as agreed between The Client and The Owner in deference to the neighbours of Riverside House. This is particularly important after 11pm.
Smoking is strictly forbidden in any part of Riverside House or in any of the buildings that form part of the curtilage. If The Owner discovers that The Client has been smoking in any part of building, the house will be cleaned at The Clients Expense.
Confetti of any description including rice is not permitted in Riverside House or its grounds. The throwing of flower petals is permitted in the grounds only.
Candles and fires are not permitted anywhere within Riverside House or its grounds with the exception of the fire pit provided for use in the grounds and candles placed on a celebration cake. Clients should not leave lit candles or the fire pit when it is lit, unattended at any time.
Photography is permitted throughout Riverside House and its grounds with the exception of painting and chattels the photographing of which is strictly forbidden.
General Safety
Riverside House is an old house situated on the riverbank. It has two open fireplace (both for decorative purposes only), two staircases and an indoor swimming pool. It is The Clients responsibility to ensure that they and their guests use all the facilities in a responsible manner and ensure young children are supervised at all times. This is particularly important in the vicinity of the pool and hot and when they are near the river. NB The river is extremely fast flowing at this location and guests should under no circumstances attempt to enter the river.
Disabled Access Riverside House is an old house and disabled access cannot be guaranteed throughout – please check accessibility details with The Owner before making a booking.
Allergens The Owner cannot ensure that the house is free of allergens and cannot be held responsible for allergic reactions caused by an allergen which is found in the house.
Cleaning The Client will leave the house in the condition they found it on arrival (allowing for slept in beds and normal use). If the Owner has to have a specialist clean as a result of The Clients stay, the Client will be charged for the cost. This includes but is not limited to damage caused by pets, smoking, food stains, marks to carpets and candles.
Damage deposit One week before arrival The Client will be required to pay a refundable Damage Deposit of £1200 unless their booking is for a stag/hen/birthday party in which case the damage deposit required is £1500. This charge be refunded in full approximately 1 week after the end of The Booking if no damage or chargeable breach of contract has been caused by The Client
Third Party Rights
For the purposes of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 this Agreement is not intended to and does not give any person who is not a party to it any right to enforce any of its provisions.