Booking & Prices

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) strictly monitors all flight and accommodation packages sold in the UK, but if you buy a flight via the internet and accommodation from a link on the airline's website, your holiday is NOT bonded, so you will probably lose your money if the airline or accommodation provider ceases trading. You take the same risk if you make your own flight arrangements and rent a property through a UK villa rental agency that does not bond non-flight packages (illegal, but it happens). Similarly, you have no guarantees if you rent a villa direct from a villa owner, especially if the owner is resident overseas. For our clients' peace of mind, ALL HOLIDAYS IN THIS BROCHURE ARE FULLY BONDED, so your money is 100% safe. Holiday packages with flights booked by The Villa Agency are ATOL protected, as we hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL 3340) granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. See the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk for more information. As a member of the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT 5022) approved by the Department of Trade and Industry, we provide a Bond to meet the requirements of the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992, giving you security for money paid over by you for holidays where we have not arranged flights. We are also founder members of the Association of Tour Operators to Portugal (ATOP).

Our prices

We act as agents for property owners which enables us to offer the best prices for you. Our price panels show the total weekly rental for each villa and extra days are usually charged at the appropriate daily rate. In some cases we offer a lower rent for less people. Gas, water and electricity (except for heating) are included in the rental price and any extras (for example pool heating) are shown on the villa price panel. We strongly recommend heating for bookings in February, March and October as the evenings can be chilly.

Holiday insurance

It is a condition of booking that you have comprehensive holiday insurance. We have arranged a special Holiday Insurance Scheme through TAG Insurance Services which we strongly recommend. Details can be found on our website or call 0845 345 3456. If you have alternative cover, please check carefully that all aspects of your holiday are covered.

Lower rates for under-occupancy

We believe that it is unfair to charge a supplement for under-occupancy. A considerable number of our properties have a REDUCED WEEKLY RENTAL FOR EMPTY BEDS! This means that when, for example, two or three people choose to share a three bedroom villa the weekly rental is often less than if there are six people in the party. Please ask us at time of booking.

Price quotes

Misunderstandings or mistakes can occur so please check any quotations given against the published prices in this brochure or on our website. Our booking confirmation/invoice will show the definitive price for your holiday.

Extra costs

Pool heating and air conditioning are usually at extra cost, and prices are shown on the price panel. Unless stated in the property description, food packs, cots, highchairs, extra beds (when available) and fans may be requested and paid for with the final balance of the holiday. Heating and firewood are always at additional cost and must usually be paid for locally.

Booking deposits

You can reserve your holiday by sending us a completed booking form along with a deposit for the accommodation. Booking deposits are either �70 per person, based on the maximum sleeping capacity of the villa, not including extra/sofa beds, or 25% of the total rent, whichever is the greater amount. You can pay this deposit by cheque, credit, charge or debit card. To keep our prices as competitive as possible, a charge of 2.5% will be added to all credit and charge card transactions (this does not apply to transactions made by UK debit cards). By adding this percentage we do not have to cost into our prices the charges levied by the credit card companies, thus we do not penalise those clients who wish to pay by alternative means. Your booking will be confirmed to you in writing when the booking form and full deposits are received. If you book within 8 weeks of the departure date, the full holiday cost is payable on booking.

Refundable security deposit

We hold a security deposit on all villa reservations, payable with the holiday balance and refunded automatically approximately two weeks after your tenancy. If there is a claim for damages by the owner or local manager, this has to be made to us within the two week period and we always ensure that the claim is investigated and approved by us before a deduction is made.

Altered bookings

A charge of £20 will be payable for EVERY alteration made after we have sent the first confirmation/invoice. If we have booked flights on your behalf name changes will be charged at the carrier's discretion. All amendments MUST BE MADE IN WRITING but please telephone us first to discuss the alterations you may wish to make. Changes of villa, dates or party members will be treated as partial or full cancellations. In the event of a partial cancellation, each member of the party who cancels will incur a cancellation charge which will be dependent on when the cancellation occurs.

Final payment & tickets

Final payment is required 8 weeks before departure. For bookings within 8 weeks of departure, full payment is required at the time of booking. Please note, WE DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF PAYMENTS UNLESS A RECEIPT IS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED. Full villa details, directions, maps and our local representative's contact details plus flight tickets and a car hire voucher (if booked by us) will be posted or emailed approximately 10 days before departure. PLEASE CHECK THESE VERY CAREFULLY and read all other literature included in the travel documents. No refund can be made in respect of unused portions of flights, accommodation or car hire. It is essential that you let us know if you do not receive your holiday information.