• a The Initial Deposit (as defined below) is received by VTC.
• b A booking form specifying the property you wish to rent has been received by VTC .
• c Acceptance of your booking in respect of the property specified by you on the booking form ("the Property") has been confirmed in writing by VTC (such confirmed booking shall hereinafter be referred to as a "Booking").

1.2 For the avoidance of doubt "Bookings" are made in relation to holiday accommodation only and do not include any flights, transport or transfers to the Property or any other travel arrangements to and from the Property which you must arrange for yourself. VTC accepts no responsibility for any travel arrangements made by you or on your behalf.

1.3 All bookings are subject to the statutory 7 day "cooling-off" period under the Distance Selling Regulations 2000 which runs from the date appearing on the booking form. You may terminate a booking during this "cooling-off" period by providing written notice to this effect to VTC. Such notice of termination will be effective on the date of receipt provided that you can demonstrate that it was sent to VTC within 7 days of the date appearing on the booking form. In the event that you terminate a booking during the "cooling-off" period, you will receive a full refund of any monies which you have paid to VTC. VTC shall not be liable for lost or misdirected notices of termination of booking during the "cooling-off" period.

2. Method of payment. An initial deposit of 30% ("the Initial Deposit") of the full cost of the booking ("the Fee") is payable to VTC upon submission of the booking form.

2.1 The balance of the Fee is to be paid two calendar months before the start date of the Booking ("the Holiday Date"). Bookings made 12 months or more prior to the Holiday Date require a further initial deposit of 20% of the Fee to be paid by December 31st in the year in which the Booking is made. The final balance is due two calendar months before the Holiday Date. All payments are to be made by bank transfer to Veronica (account details will follow with confirmation of receipt of the booking form). If Bookings are made within two calendar months of the Holiday Date, payment of the Fee is to be made upon submission of the booking form. VTC reserves the right to refuse a booking entirely at her discretion, in this event the Initial Deposit will be refunded.

3. Cancellation by you. All cancellations must be notified to VTC in writing. Telephone cancellations will not be accepted. The date of receipt of the cancellation notice will be deemed to be the date of cancellation. If you cancel your booking you will be liable to pay the following charges if cancellation takes place:

• 8 weeks or more before the Holiday Date - Initial Deposit.
• 6-8 weeks before the Holiday Date- 50 per cent of full Fee.
• less than 6 weeks before commencement of booking - full Fee.

3.1 If you have failed to pay the Fee in full two calendar months before the Holiday Date , VTC reserves the right to deem the Booking to have been cancelled in which event the relevant cancellation charge shown in clause 3 above will be payable.

4. Insurance. It is a condition of a booking that you and your party are covered by comprehensive travel insurance including personal public liability and cancellation insurance. Your confirmation booking form confirms that you and your party are covered by such insurance.

5. Changes in booking by you. VTC is under no obligation to accept a request for a change of Booking and reserves the right to consider any change of Booking as a cancellation and therefore liable to the cancellation charges shown in clause 3. You will be notified in writing whether VTC chooses to accept a change of Booking and if so you will be charged an administrative fee of �25 per person appearing on the booking form (as amended) in addition to any extra charges arising from the changes you have requested.

6. Cancellation by VTC. VTC will not cancel the arrangements within 8 weeks of the Holiday Date unless either compelled to do so by reason of force majeure, or by reason of paragraph 3 hereof. VTC reserves the right to cancel any Booking in any circumstances up to 8 weeks before the Holiday Date. In this event VTC will inform you as soon as practicable, and offer you the choice of comparable alternative arrangements if available, or subject to the force majeure clause below, a full refund of all monies paid.

7. Force Majeure. In these conditions force majeure shall include but shall not be limited to war, or threat of war, natural disasters, terrorist activity, threatened or actual, civil or political unrest, military intervention, closure of ports or airports, industrial action threatened or actual, fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, technical problems of transport or any other circumstances beyond VTC's control. In the event of force majeure arising at any time (whether before or after the commencement of your booking) VTC will use her reasonable efforts to offer you alternative arrangements and if these are not acceptable VTC will refund all monies paid (if your Booking has not commenced). VTC is not liable for any compensation or any loss damage or expense arising out of any modification cancellation extension or delay in the arrangements due to force majeure.

8. Security Deposits. Deductions will be made from the security deposit in the event of any damage, breakages and final cleaning costs incurred by you in respect of the property. The property must be left clean by you and rubbish disposed of otherwise a charge in Euros per person will be deducted. Most Security deposits are required on arrival at the property in Euros. Deposits can be paid by cheque, otherwise in Euros. In a few cases security deposits are required in Sterling and those sent by cheque to VTC two weeks before the Holiday Date.

9. Telephone. All telephone calls must be paid for at the property in Euros. Telephone calls are very costly in Italy.

10. Complaints. The descriptions on the VTC website and brochure are accurate in all material respects and made in good faith, but in the event of any alterations made by the property owners and/or any alterations beyond her control, VTC shall not be liable for any such alterations changes or inaccuracies arising as a result or for any other reason. Any complaints regarding a property should be discussed directly with the owners or their representatives during the rental period. Complaints lodged at the end of or after the rental period will not be taken into consideration. VTC shall not be liable for the breakdown of water supply, gas or electricity nor swimming pool filtration systems. It is pointed out that the properties on offer are not purpose built holiday homes, but old farmhouses, villas and castles full of character and history and in some cases on working farms and you acknowledge that you have made the Booking in full knowledge of these facts and that you have not relied on any representations or warranties made on the VTC website or otherwise in relation to the properties.

11. Water and Electricity. Water shortages do sometimes occur. The electricity supply in Italy uses a system of limitators which means care should be taken not to use more than one appliance at any time as this will cause the limitator to shut off the electricity. VTC cannot be held responsible and shall not be liable for water and electricity shortages.

12. Not included in the Fee. Maid, laundry and other services or requests for extra beds, or cots, which are in some cases available, are not included in the Fee. In the case of large expensively furnished houses, the owners stipulate that the maid provided must be employed a set number of hours a day and paid for by you at the going rate notified to you at the time of booking. There are, however, some properties which provide a maid service in the Fee and these are mentioned in the price list. Wood for fires and stoves is not included. Central heating is not included in the Fee and if central heating is used payment will need to be made locally for this.

13. Included in the Fee. Reasonable use of gas, water and electricity are included in the Fee as is the reasonable use of fresh linen and towels, which are provided weekly. Beds in most cases will be made up. Towels for outdoor use are not provided.

14. Number of Persons and Your Obligations.

14.1 All Bookings are personal to those persons stipulated on the original booking form and may not be assigned to any other person or persons.

14.2 The Property may only be used as a private residence in the occupancy of only those persons stipulated on the original booking form (or booking form as amended pursuant to clause 5) and in any event the number of persons stipulated on the booking form must not exceed the number of sleeping places set out in the price list.

14.3 No camping is permitted in the grounds. You undertake to VTC to take reasonable care of the Property and the contents thereof and not to permit or use the Property in such a way as might be or become a nuisance to neighbours or the owners.

15. Arrival and Departure times. You must arrive after 4.00 p.m. and not later than 7.00 p.m on the Holiday Date. You must depart before 10.00 a.m. on the date of departure. Hotel accommodation must be found if arrival is outside these hours.

16. Minimum letting periods. The minimum letting period is one week.

17. VTC Liability. VTC shall not be liable in respect of any accident which may occur or injury, damage or loss howsoever caused, save insofar as the injury, damage or loss is caused by the direct negligence of VTC or that of her employees. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, VTC has taken all reasonable care in making the arrangements comprised for the holiday rental but does not own or operate the airlines, railways, ferries, properties or other facilities comprised in the holiday rental and shall not be liable for any injury, loss or damage caused by the organisations providing such facilities or their employees or agents. In the event of any liability arising to VTC under this agreement your remedy shall be limited to damages. No matter how many claims are made and whatever the basis of such claims, VTC's maximum aggregate liability to you under or in connection with this Agreement in respect of any direct loss (or any other loss to the extent that such loss is not excluded by Clause 17. above or otherwise) whether such claim arises in contract or in tort shall not exceed a sum equal to three times the Fee.

18. Swimming Pools. Swimming pools are usually open from June 1st until the end of September. Use of swimming pools and diving boards by children and adults is at your own risk.