TERMS & CONDITIONS
WILLOW TREE ESTATE

Willow Tree Estate asks that you please read these Terms & Conditions carefully and in full.

Welcome! We are proud to introduce to you our unique property. An amazing home where guests can relax in comfort and luxury. Willow Tree Estate strives to ensure that each and every guest enjoys an experience beyond his or her expectations.

We expect that guests read, abide by and comply with the Terms and Conditions. We ask guests to show the utmost care and responsibility and it is expected that the property and furnishings be returned in the same condition as they were upon arrival.

Before booking, please understand that it is a requirement that any damage or accidents, unintentional or otherwise, are the responsibility of the guest and that the guest will meet these repair or replacement costs. Given its’ definition we do accept that accidents may occur but any accident is the responsibility of the guest. Willow Tree Estate will always go above and beyond to repair or replace any damages by the most cost-effective means for the guest.

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF HOLIDAY RENTAL

1. DEFINITIONS

1.1 “Booking” means the period for which you have stayed, or intend to stay, at the property

1.2. “Property” means the premises you have booked and all its fixtures, fittings, and equipment.

1.3. “Management” means Willow Tree Estate and its nominated representatives.

1.4. “Primary Guest” means the person who makes and pays for both the deposit and final payment and provides their credit card information for the security deposit/bond. Credit card payments may only be accepted from the Primary Guest. Payments from any other guest will not be accepted.

1.5. “Guests” means the persons who stay overnight at the property during the booking.

1.6. “Visitor” means a person or guest permitted to visit the property during the booking.

1.7 “Owner” means the person or persons or legal entity that own Willow Tree Estate.

1.8 “Agents” means a 3rd party booking provider e.g. Stayz.com.au

2. GUEST RESPONSIBILITY

2.1. Payment of the rental deposit constitutes the Primary Guests’ acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.

2.2. If a guest is booking on behalf of other people, the person booking the accommodation is responsible for the property and for making all guests and visitors aware of and abide by these Terms & Conditions. Additional information on the property and its functionality are available to guests in the properties’ House Compendium.

2.3. You must be at least 25 years of age to book accommodation at Willow Tree Estate.

2.4. Willow Tree Estate is strictly not available for end of school celebrations or bucks parties and should management become aware of a booking of this nature, we reserve the right to cancel the booking. All cancellations terms will then apply.

3. PAYMENT

3.1. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and direct bank transfer only. There is a 1.5% credit card processing fee for Visa/Mastercard and 2.8% for American Express.

3.2. A deposit of 30% of the full tariff is required to secure the booking and paid only by the primary guest. Willow Tree Estate does not ‘hold’ properties without 30% payment.

3.3. If the arrival date is within 28 days of your booking date, the full tariff is required to secure the booking.

3.4. In the event that the full 30% deposit is not received, Willow Tree Estate has the right to re-let the property.

3.5. The balance of the full tariff amount (70%), must be received in full, at least 28 days prior to occupancy.

3.6. If the tariff balance is not received 28 days prior to your check-in date, management reserves the right to re-let the property. Our cancellation policy will apply and your deposit will be forfeited.

3.7. Nil

3.8 If you have booked through an Agent website, the payment requirements of this site will apply to your booking.

4. PRIMARY GUEST REGISTRATION AGREEMENT AND SECURITY DEPOSIT/BOND

4.1 When booking with us you accept that;

a. While you are in occupation, you are fully responsible for all breakages and damage caused to the property, its furniture and fittings and/or any subsequent loss suffered by the Property Owner.

b. All fixtures, fittings, furniture and appliances are assumed to be in good working order at the commencement of your stay and in the event that any item is not in good working order at the commencement of your stay, you must notify us immediately so that the condition of the item can be recorded at that time. Under no circumstances are contents items (fixtures, fittings, furniture and appliances) to be moved from their location within the house or moved outside.

c. If we have not received notification from you, any damage will be deemed to have been caused by you.

d. Any breakages, damage/loss or injury which occur during your occupation must be reported to us prior to your departure and either replaced to the satisfaction of the Property Owner, or paid for prior to departure at an amount determined by the Property Owner at their absolute discretion. Failure to comply with this condition will result in your bond being held until the matter is resolved.

e. Malfunctioning equipment or damages. If there are any problems with the property or malfunctioning equipment please report it immediately and do not leave your report until check-out. We do not issue refunds for problems with Satellite TV, phone, Internet, VCR/DVD players, games/pool tables or anything else that is not considered a necessity. We will make every effort to assist with a solution where possible, however there may be limited contractors or service providers in the area after hours or on weekends. You will be held responsible for any damages to the rental home or property caused by you or your guests. Willow Tree Estate is inspected after each stay and if any items are missing or damaged you will be charged.

f. You have read and agreed with our Terms and Conditions. On arrival you agree to read the property compendium and to take note of all emergency exits and equipment.

g. You accept that smoking inside the property is forbidden and no cigarette butts will be discarded on the property.

h. That the number of persons staying at the property does not exceed the numbers on the booking form at any time during the occupancy unless written approval has been agreed.

i. You agree that the property will be left in the same clean, neat and tidy condition as it was when you arrived. This includes without limitation; washing up, stacking dishwasher and putting on cycle before departure, fridge cleaned out, BBQ cleaned (a $50 cleaning charge will apply), rubbish to be placed in appropriate bins provided and wet towels to be placed in bathrooms. If additional extra-ordinary cleaning is required, the cost will be charged against the credit card (security deposit).

j. You confirm that the use of the property during your stay is NOT for end of school celebrations or bucks parties or any event that I have not received prior permission in writing from Willow Tree Estate.

k. Willow Tree Estate has locked cupboards and storerooms that are used by management. We request that these are not tampered with.

I. Music, entertainment and sound equipment are set up for your use and enjoyment. Please do not unplug or play with any of the connections. Instructions for the use of equipment should be found in the house compendium.

4.2. A security deposit/bond of $3000 is required for your stay and is payable as a credit card pre-authorisation. This will be processed approximately 24 - 48 hours before your arrival, so please ensure the funds are available at this time.

4.3. A pre-authorisation is a temporary hold on a security deposit, making these funds unavailable to the Primary Guest cardholder until the charge is cleared.

4.4. The held funds are cleared automatically by your bank between 3-7 business days following your stay as long as there is no reported damage to the property.

4.5. The Primary Guest responsible for the booking must register with Willow Tree Estate, by returning the registration form at least 14 days before check-in, to provide their credit card details and authorisation signature, which will be used for the security deposit pre-authorisation.

4.6. This Security Deposit/Bond payment may be used to cover incidental items such as (but not limited to) extra guests not included in the booking, any breakages or damages incurred during the stay, replacement keys, excess garbage, emergency call-out fees or cleaning charges in excess of the normal levels of cleaning.

4.7. Willow Tree Estate reserves the right to debit the Primary Guest card with any extra costs above the property pre-authorisation limit, if the damage or costs exceed the pre-authorisation amount.

4.8. Management will notify the Primary Guest by email prior to using any part of the credit card pre-authorisation or additional charges in excess of the pre-authorisation amount for any of the above charges.

4.9. Any security bond claim will also be subject to a $100 administration charge to the Primary Guest card.

5. NUMBER OF GUESTS

5.1. Parties and Functions are prohibited at Willow Tree Estate without prior written approval.

5.2. The number of guests staying at the property must not exceed the number stated and paid for on the booking confirmation and guest registration notice or subsequently agreed in writing or email by Willow Tree Estate.

5.3. Additional guest rates will apply to additional guests staying at the property over and above the number of guests stated on the booking confirmation notice.

5.4. Visitors to the property must have prior approval from management in writing. Extra fees may apply.

5.5. Any pools, spas or other house facilities are only for use by guests residing at the property. The swimming pool must not be used between the hours of 10.30pm and 7.00am. Please ensure that the water levels do not drop below the filter box level on the pool or spa as this can damage the pump motor. Please do not take any glassware into pool area. Plastic ware is provided for use around the pool. Please ensure that children are supervised at all times when using the swimming pool.

6. CHECK IN, CHECK OUT, PROPERTY ACCESS & KEYS

6.1. Our check-in time is from 3:00pm onwards and check-out time is 11:00am (weekends) or 10:00am (midweek). If the property is not vacated by the agreed time then extra charges will be incurred.

6.2. Early check-in and late check-out may be available in agreement with Willow Tree Estate (charges will apply) with at least seven (7) days’ notice before arrival.

6.3. In circumstances where the property is vacated on the same day as your arrival, the check-in time may be later.

6.4. Check-in and out times may change up to seven (7) days before your arrival.

6.5. Willow Tree Estate will make every effort to ensure the property is available as booked. However, Willow Tree Estate reserves the right to make alterations to bookings due to unforeseen circumstances.

6.6. Check-out times must be adhered to. The property should be left in a similar state to its condition on arrival. Please ensure all appliances, fans and air-conditioning units have been switched off, all lights have been switched off - both inside and out, all taps are turned off, no toilets are running, all garbage has been taken out, all dishes are stacked in the dishwasher and a cycle started.

6.7. Loss of keys attracts a $100 replacement charge. Should you lock yourself out or lose keys during your stay an additional call-out fee will apply if keys need to be delivered to the property.

6.8. Willow Tree Estate is equipped with exterior security cameras. Cameras are not monitored for guest’s safety in any way and should not be relied on by guests for personal security or security of their belongings. Cameras may be used to enforce and verify compliance with rental policies. Any damage, tampering or obstruction caused to cameras by guests may result in a partial or complete loss of security deposit funds.

7. NOISE, PARTIES & DISTURBANCES

7.1. Disturbance to our neighbours including excessive noise is prohibited and may result in termination of your rental. If your behaviour or that of your guests causes damage, danger or annoyance we reserve the right to ask you to vacate the property immediately and be treated as a cancellation of booking with no refund. A $400 deduction will be charged if we are required to send our Private Security Personnel. A $100 deduction will be charged if a member of Management is required to attend the property to advise you of complaints.

7.2. No music should be played outside the house and any noise must be kept to a minimum after 10.30pm. Offensive noise or language is prohibited and may result in termination of permission to occupy the property, eviction, loss of rental paid and extra charges for security and other expenses which may be deducted from your Security Deposit/Bond under these Terms & Conditions. In the event of a disturbance or complaint we will attempt to contact the Primary Guest on the booking to request that the disturbance cease. In the event that we are unable to reach the Primary Guest then a member of Management will visit the property at your cost.

8. SMOKING

8.1. Willow Tree Estate is a non-smoking property and is equipped with regulation smoke alarms. Please do not discard butts ANYWHERE on the property including lawns and gardens. Discarding cigarette butts in a rural area has the potential to ignite fires.

9. FIRES

9.1. The Hunter Valley has strict fire regulations and guidelines and in warmer months exercises a complete fire ban. As Willow Tree Estate is in a rural location, please do not under any circumstances or at any time light any type of fire outside the property.

10. CHILDREN & INFANTS

10.1. Willow Tree Estate has large unfenced dams. Constant visual supervision of children is required at all times. There is an abundance of native wildlife in the area. Please do not approach or interfere with the animals

10.2. Children and infants are to be supervised at all times whilst at the property.

11. PETS

11.1. Willow Tree Estate has a strict ‘no pets’ policy with the exception of registered assistance dogs.

12. CANCELLATIONS AND VARIATIONS

12.1. Where a guest elects to cancel their booking, any monies paid will be forfeited in lieu of the property being re-let for the same period for a similar amount. If the arrival date is greater than 120 days, the guest may elect, subject to availability, to move the booking to a later date (within the following 3 months of the original arrival date).

12.2. We will make every effort to re-let the property for the same amount within the given time frame and if successful, will refund to the booking party all monies paid less an administration fee of $100 which covers the booking administration fee and any credit card charges. If the booking was made via Stayz online direct booking, the Stayz service fee of 7% normally charged to Willow Tree Estate will be charged to the guest by the Stayz accounts team in addition to the $100 cancellation fee.

12.3. We do not refund any payments for any guests who cancel or change their booking up to 28 days before arrival date.

12.4. Willow Tree Estate reserves the right to cancel any booking if we deem the group to be not suited to the property, or if the booking is in breach of any of our Terms and Conditions.

12.5. Please note that if your booking is found to be in breach of our Terms and Conditions, you may lose all monies paid to Willow Tree Estate.

12.6. In the unlikely event of the property being unavailable or out of order due to unforeseen service needs, damage or through the sale of the property, Willow Tree Estate reserves the right to cancel at any time without notice in the event of these special circumstance. In this case, you will receive a full refund or we will endeavour to find you an alternative accommodation.

"Our policy with regard to Covid-19 (Coronavirus) is that when travel restrictions are in place we are allowing bookings to postpone to a time in the future with no time restriction. Any monies paid will move with the booking without penalty. A decision to postpone can be made up until 7 days prior to the original stay.”

13. EVENTS OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL

13.1. Willow Tree Estate reserves the right to move your booking due to circumstances beyond our control.

13.2. Willow Tree Estate do not issue refunds for items we have no control over such as power outages, flooding, lightning strikes and other unforeseen circumstances.

14. AFTER HOURS CALL OUTS

14.1. Guests who require after hours service are to call our after-hours contact number on 0420 742 000 and leave a voicemail. You will be contacted by our after-hours staff as soon as possible.

14.2. If a member of our maintenance staff is required for onsite assistance outside our normal trading hours of Monday to Friday 9am - 6pm, that is the result of loss of keys, lock out of accommodation or any issue that arises that is not the responsibility or fault of Willow Tree Estate, a call out fee of $100 will be deducted from your security deposit.

15. LOSS OR INJURY

15.1. Willow Tree Estate, the Owner and their respective employees and agents take no responsibility whatsoever for loss or damage of any property, personal injury, or death of any occupant, guest or invitee of any such occupant, and they each exclude all liability to the maximum extent permitted by law

15.2. Willow Tree Estate take no responsibility for the guests’ personal property. If the property is left at the house and needs to be returned, this will be done at the guests’ costs. Any property left behind can be sent to you by Australia Post ‘Cash on Delivery’ in which the guest has to pay.

16. PERSONAL INFORMATION AND PRIVACY POLICY

16.1. The personal information obtained from this website is used, where you have so requested: To provide products and services to you, to provide you with information, and to send newsletters or other communications to you.

16.2. Willow Tree Estate may use your personal information for direct marketing or promotional activities however, if we do undertake such activities, you will be provided with an opportunity when first contacted to decline to receive any further communications from us.

16.3. We do not pass guest details on to any third parties or external entities.

17. QUOTING POLICY

17.1. All quotes received from Willow Tree Estate are valid for a period of 7 days only. Our tariffs are published on our own website at www.willowtreeestate.com.au. If you are provided with an incorrect quote from our staff, Willow Tree Estate reserves the right to adjust the quote to the published tariff. Rates may increase for concert or event weekends and/or maximum house numbers may be applied.

17.2. All estimated quotes from third party websites, are based on standard tariffs for minimum guest numbers. Final quotes for any properties must be from Willow Tree Estate reservations team.

18. TELEPHONE & INTERNET

18.1. Our property has limited mobile coverage and access to the internet, so service can vary. Please refer to the property features or ask our Reservation Team at time of booking. Guests have 1GB download capacity as internet services where provided as a courtesy to guests and not designed to facilitate high download such as movies or large files.

19. PARKING, VEHICLES & VEHICLE ACCESS

19.1. Limited parking is available at our property and vehicles must be parked in the designated parking areas and car parks or garages and not on the grass or lawns. Any additional guests visiting the property where car parking is beyond the capacity of the property will need to either park on the street or arrive and depart via transfers such as private cars or buses.

19.2. Vehicles (including motorbikes) are not permitted to drive off designated roads e.g. onto lawns, paddocks, fields, bush tracks or fire trails.

19.3. No alternative accommodation of any kind is permitted at Willow Tree Estate. This includes, but is not limited to; motorhomes, camper-trailers, caravans, tents or swags. Vehicles that provide accommodation cannot be used instead of, or in addition to, beds provided at the property.

20. WEDDINGS/EVENTS

20.1. If your celebration does not exceed the number of guests booked and staying at the property, you are welcome to make your own arrangements regarding your function as long as all details of any outside services that will be accessing the property have been communicated to Willow Tree Estate for approval and all relevant insurances have been supplied.

20.2. All events where you are inviting other guests onto the property, are coordinated exclusively through our events team at Willow Tree Estate who are responsible for managing all aspects of weddings/events. In order to host your wedding at our property, it must be booked for the maximum guest capacity. All other event requirements and suppliers are to be coordinated by Willow Tree Estate. Final event approval is at the discretion of Willow Tree Estate.

20.3. Any 3rd party providers attending a property must be agreed in writing with Willow Tree Estate and all relevant insurances must be sighted within 14 days of attendance.