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Terms of Hire

BOOKINGS:

Bookings are confirmed in writing, after a payment has been made and a confirmation email has been sent. The Secret Door Society reserves the right to refuse any booking for any reason, or to request that alternative dates / times be selected.

If The Secret Door Society cancels your booking for any reason, we will refund you the full amount you have paid. If you cancel your booking, your cancellation will be handled in accordance with our cancellation policy.

Overnight bookings are secured with a 100% deposit. Refer to our cancellation policy for information about payments and changes or cancellations to your booking.

A booking at The Secret Door Society entitles you to quiet enjoyment of the house and its amenities. Guests are required to abide by all written and verbal instructions given them during their stay. Absolutely no parties, pets, sex work sessions, or overnight guests not listed on your booking. As is the case with other house, apartment or holiday rentals, we expect that you will be respectful of Neighbours and discrete regarding sound and visual privacy.

CHECK-IN & CHECK-OUT

Standard check-in for overnight bookings is 4pm. Standard check-out is 10am on weekdays (i.e. check-outs falling on Monday – Friday) and 11am on weekends (check-outs falling on Saturdays and Sundays). Changes to these times may be possible on request, and see an additional fee of $25 per hour. Early arrivals without notice may interrupt other Guests or our house maintenance team.

LIABILITIES:

The use of The Secret Door Society, including furniture, gear and equipment, stairs, and appliances is at your own risk. When you complete your booking, you release The Secret Door Society from liability for any harm caused by your use of the property and / or its contents.

All Guests are invited to be in contact by phone or SMS with any questions relating to use of the equipment. Rules and expectations around usage of the space, equipment, disposables, and amenities are clearly conveyed through these methods. The booking Guest will be liable for damages or additional cleaning time caused by a failure to comply with these instructions, including but not limited to replacement of equipment, usage charges, or cleaning time not covered by the standard cleaning fee charged on all overnight bookings.

Guests are expected to treat the house and its contents with respect and care and are asked not to use anything that they are unfamiliar with. General wear and tear on gear and equipment is expected, but liability for breakages or extensive damage to structures is borne by the Guest whose credit card was used for the booking.

The Secret Door Society accepts no liability for loss of or damage to Guests’ valuables.

FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY:

Private film and photography is allowed. Professional photo or video shoots must not be conducted at The Secret Door Society without the written consent of the host. Please contact us to discuss.

CHECK-IN & CHECK-OUT

Standard check-in for overnight bookings is 4pm. Standard check-out is 10am on weekdays (i.e. check-outs falling on Monday – Friday) and 11am on weekends (check-outs falling on Saturdays and Sundays). Changes to these times may be possible on request, and see an additional fee of $25 per hour. Early arrivals without notice may interrupt other Guests or our house maintenance team.

LIABILITIES:

The use of The Secret Door Society, including furniture, gear and equipment, stairs, and appliances is at your own risk. When you complete your booking, you release The Secret Door Society from liability for any harm caused by your use of the property and / or its contents.

All Guests are invited to be in contact by phone or SMS with any questions relating to use of the equipment. Rules and expectations around usage of the space, equipment, disposables, and amenities are clearly conveyed through these methods. The booking Guest will be liable for damages or additional cleaning time caused by a failure to comply with these instructions, including but not limited to replacement of equipment, usage charges, or cleaning time not covered by the standard cleaning fee charged on all overnight bookings.

Guests are expected to treat the house and its contents with respect and care and are asked not to use anything that they are unfamiliar with. General wear and tear on gear and equipment is expected, but liability for breakages or extensive damage to structures is borne by the Guest whose credit card was used for the booking.

The Secret Door Society accepts no liability for loss of or damage to Guests’ valuables.

FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY:

Private film and photography is allowed. Professional photo or video shoots must not be conducted at The Secret Door Society without the written consent of the host. Please contact us to discuss.

Cancellation Policy

FOR BOOKINGS IMPACTED BY COVID-19

All bookings impacted by COVID-19 travel restrictions, lockdown measures, or other issues caused by COVID-19 are fully flexible, meaning that you are able to reschedule them as many times as they are impacted by travel restrictions, lockdown measures, COVID-19 illness or close contact with a case. As a small business hit hard by the pandemic, we are just not able to provide refunds related to COVID at this time, but are happy for you to transfer or reschedule your booking at no cost, as many times as is necessary in order to get you here! We are grateful to those who book ahead and adjust as needed – your bookings help us to stay afloat in a VERY difficult time.

STANDARD CANCELLATION POLICY

We’ve designed our cancellation policy to reflect the impact of cancellations on our business, felt most intensely with those bookings cancelled at short notice, which leave us little time to fill the spot. We recommend providing as much notice as possible to avoid fees. Where possible, we prefer to make refunds by bank transfer, as these are quicker to reach your account.

HOURLY BOOKINGS

For hourly bookings, full payment is required at the time of booking.

Cancellation Policy:

  1. Cancellation 2 or more days before your booking:
    • Option 1: You can transfer your booking to another date within 120 days.
    • Option 2: You can receive a refund with a $30 service fee.
  2. Cancellation within 48 hours of your booking:
    • Option 1: You can reschedule to another date within 120 days with a $50 change fee.
    • Option 2: Your booking will be forfeited.

Please note that these policies have been established to manage the impact of cancellations on our operations. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

OVERNIGHT BOOKINGS
Payment:

For overnight bookings, a minimum deposit of 100% is required at the time of booking. If you prefer to arrange payment through multiple installments, please contact us to make suitable arrangements.

Change or Cancellation:

If you need to change or cancel your booking, the following policies apply:

  • Up to 14 days before your booking start time: You have the option to receive a full refund of your booking fee or change the booking to another date within 120 days at no additional charge.
  • 8 – 13 days before your booking start date: You can choose to reschedule your booking for any date within 120 days or receive a refund of your payment. Please note that a $50 service fee applies to both options.
  • 3 – 7 days before your booking start date: You have the flexibility to reschedule your booking for any date within 120 days or receive a 50% refund of the funds paid. A $100 fee is applicable in both cases.
  • Within 48 hours of your booking start time: Your payment becomes non-refundable. However, you are welcome to transfer your booking to another guest.

Please be aware that these policies have been implemented to effectively manage changes and cancellations. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.