Terms and Conditions

Your agreement is with the individual Property Owner (“we”, “us” and “our” in these Terms and Conditions) for the property known as the Property. References to “you” or “your” are references to the person making the booking and all members of the rental party staying at the Property. Cairns Holiday Homes (‘CHH’) is a facilitator only to assist you with booking your accommodation and answer any queries you may have.

These Terms and Conditions form the basis of your agreement with us so please read them carefully. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions affects your normal statutory rights under Australian law.

General Rules of All Properties

No Parties Policy: We do not rent out our Properties for large gatherings ** or parties. The number of persons staying must not exceed the number on the booking form and the number of guests must not exceed the maximum permitted on the Property at any time. We may ask you to immediately leave the Property if any of our rules and terms are breached with no refund on any fees paid.

** Weddings - some homes do provide wedding facilities. Go to See All Homes/Weddings and Events for those homes that provide for weddings. 

No Smoking: There is a no smoking policy inside all our Properties. Some properties also have a no smoking policy on balconies and surrounding premises. Please check the individual property listing or check with us prior to booking.

Upkeep, Damages and Repairs: We try at all times to ensure our Properties are well maintained and in excellent working order. However, from time to time we understand some household items may stop functioning. Please let us know as soon as possible so that we may organise repair or replacement for your comfort and convenience.

Bookings: Bookings are subject to availability and are not confirmed until receipt of the deposit and the online Booking Form. Written confirmation or otherwise of your booking request will be sent to you by email within 24 hours of making a booking request.

1. Making your booking request

When you book the Property online you are paying the booking deposit and agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of Rental. All payments are made directly to the Property Owner. CHH does not receive nor accept payments unless agreed otherwise in writing.

If, for any reason, you are unable to make a booking request through the online facility, we will send you the rental agreement and booking form to fill out and return. This takes longer and the property will not be held for you until the form has been returned and the deposit has been received.

If you have been quoted for and have indicated the number of persons staying in your party, please note that any extra persons, including any children, who stay at the Property, may incur an extra fee if they were not included in the original requested quote.

If you exceed the maximum number of persons indicated in the Property description or exceed the number that you have entered on the booking form, we reserve the right to retain your Security Bond in full and this Agreement may be terminated without refund.

When the completed Rental Agreement has been received and accepted by us, we will issue you with a written provisional confirmation that your booking request has been accepted. Provisional confirmation is issued by email within a few hours (24 hours at most).

You should carefully check the details of our written confirmation and inform us immediately of any errors or omissions.

Any binding agreement between us will only be formed when the owner’s account has been credited with the Initial Deposit and we have sent you a receipt for that deposit by email. A binding agreement will be subject to the Terms and Conditions of this agreement.

We reserve the right to refuse any booking prior to the issue of the receipt for payment of the initial deposit. If we do this we will refund any money you have paid to us.

Your booking is made as a short-term holiday rental tenant for the purpose of a holiday and you acknowledge that no liability can be accepted for any business or other losses howsoever suffered or incurred by you.

2. Paying for your booking

We require an Initial Deposit fee of at least 25% of the full cost of the accommodation (including any extras and cleaning fees) to secure your booking at the time of reservation. The required deposit will be shown on the booking form after you have filled in your requested dates of stay.

For any bookings made within 30 days of your Arrival Date, you must pay the full amount + the security bond within 3 days of your booking.

The security bond is required but is not due until 30 days prior to your arrival. The amount varies from property to property and is shown in the booking window under Details.

To ensure that you do not lose your preferred Property it is best to make a booking request for it straightaway via the booking window where you provide your preferred dates in the calendar and fill out the booking form.

Your booking is reserved for up to 24 hours during which time we check to see that no other booking from other booking sites has changed the availability status. As soon as we are sure that there is no conflict, your booking status will change from Pending to Reserved and you will be informed by email.

In most cases your Reserved booking status will be confirmed by email within a few hours.

​Your payment of the deposit should be made immediately to ensure that it is received within 3 days of booking. The banking details for payment will be in the Reserved confirmation email. If payment has not been received on the 4th day after requesting the booking we will contact you but it is likely that your booking will be cancelled. You can speed up the process by emailing your bank's confirmation of payment to CHH.

Your reservation will become a binding agreement (subject to the Terms and Conditions of this agreement) when your initial deposit payment has been credited and CHH has emailed you a receipt for that deposit showing Deposit Paid.

The security bond will be shown on all invoices but payment is only required when you receive the final reminder invoice for the balance of the accommodation payment. We will email this invoice to you 37 days before arrival, so that the owner's account can be credited at least 30 days prior to your arrival.

If you fail to make the final balance payment that is due, in full and on time, we may treat your booking as cancelled by you. You will lose your deposit in these circumstances.

When the balance of the accommodation payment and the security bond have both been paid, we will send you a receipt and the status of your booking will be changed to Paid.

All payments of the amounts due must be net of any bank or other transaction charges unless otherwise stated in the booking details or by email from CHH.

The Initial Booking Deposit is to secure your booking and is refundable only at the owner’s discretion if you have to cancel. If CHH or the owner are able to rebook the Property for some or all of the period of your booking, it is at our discretion to refund all or any part of your Initial Booking Deposit, but we are, in any event, not obliged to if we or the owner are unable to re-book the Property.

3. If you need to cancel or amend your booking

Please phone us and let us know as soon as possible. Follow this up with a written confirmation of your requirement for cancellation or amendment of your booking.
Our email address and phone number is on our website and on the confirmation of your booking which we sent to you.
A cancellation will not take effect until we receive written confirmation from you.

A cancellation or amendment requested within the 60 day period prior to arrival usually incurs a penalty.
Please provide a reason for a cancellation because in certain circumstances the owner may allow your cancellation without penalty.
A no show without prior written advice of your intent to cancel will not be refunded.

General Cancellation Policy:

If you cancel your booking between 60 days and up to midday on the 30th day prior to midday on the Arrival Date, we will retain the Initial Booking Deposit and refund the balance of any money you have paid to us (such as any cleaning fees and security bond).

For example: a booking made that begins on May 31st would need to be cancelled before midday on May 1st to avoid loss of 100% of the Initial Booking Deposit and forfeit of some or all of the Final Rental Amount. Cleaning fees and security bond will be returned.

Here is a summary for all existing and new bookings:

• Cancellations on the 61st day before arrival and further out - full refund
• Cancellations from 60-30 days before arrival - forfeit of booking deposit (less any cleaning fee)
• Cancellations from 29-15 days before arrival - forfeit 50% of the accommodation cost (less any cleaning fee)
• Cancellations from 14-8 days before arrival - forfeit 75% of the accommodation cost (less any cleaning fee)
• Cancellations 7 days or less before arrival - forfeit 100% of the accommodation cost (less any cleaning fee)

Where a cancellation has taken place within the 30 day period prior to arrival, we may refund the full rental amount (less any additional costs incurred) to you only if we are able to secure an alternative booking for the Property for the same rental period. In the event of a subsequent booking for part or all of your Rental period, we may offer a pro-rata reimbursement.

All changes to bookings are subject to a $50 administration fee. For your protection, we recommend full travel insurance.

Some homes may have slightly different cancellation policies. If they do, their cancellation policy will be found in the “Details” section of the booking window.

4. If we cancel or amend your booking

We would not expect to have to make any changes to your booking, but it may be that there are exceptional circumstances beyond our control (e.g. fire, cyclone, damage, etc.) and we do have to make an alteration or cancel your booking.

If this does happen, we will contact you as soon as is reasonably practical and inform you of the cancellation or the change to your booking and, if it is necessary to cancel your booking, we will refund the balance of any money you have paid us.

Where possible, we will also try to provide you with alternative accommodation which you may choose to accept at your discretion.

5. Your accommodation check-in

You can arrive at your accommodation after the Check in time (2pm) on the Arrival Date of your holiday but please arrange the time with the owner at least 3 days prior to arrival.

Holiday Homes do not have reception desks like hotels so it is important that you keep to the time that you have arranged to pick up the keys at the holiday home with the owner. Some homes have a key box. Be sure to get the opening code off the owner well before you leave home.

If your arrival will be delayed you must contact the Owner (or Manager), whose details are given on our booking confirmation email (with the Reserved invoice or Requested invoice), to ensure that an alternative time can be made directly. If you fail to do so you may not be able to gain immediate access to the Property until the Owner/Manager has been contacted to hand over the keys. If you fail to arrive by midday on the day after the Arrival Date and you do not advise the Owner/Manager of your anticipated late arrival we may treat the booking as having been cancelled by you.

You also agree to provide your ID and usual home address with your passport or driver’s license details if requested by the Owner/Manager on arrival.

You must leave by the Check out time (10am) on the Departure Date unless arranged otherwise with the Owner/Manager. If you have not arranged a late check out with the owner and are late leaving, a late fee may be charged and taken out of your security bond according to the timing of your departure. This fee charged is at the discretion of the Owner/Manager and is to cover the hire of an extra cleaner who will be needed if there is a same day changeover. Late checkout makes it very difficult to have the home ready in time for the next guest.

6. Your obligations

Compliance with terms: You agree to comply with the terms of rental herein and any other terms reasonably made from time to time and notified to you. You are responsible to ensure that all members of your party, as well as any visitors to the Property, observe these terms. You are responsible for all visitors and guests you permit to enter the Property and for any damage they may cause.

Arrival: We ask that you arrive as close to your nominated time as possible or otherwise notify us in advance of any delay. Please read the Guest Book on arrival. It will provide useful information about the property including the House Rules, Owner Contact details, waste collection days and operating instructions for the various house amenities.

Condition of Property: You agree to keep and leave the Property and the furnishings, kitchen equipment, cutlery, crockery and glasses clean and in good condition. Bed linen, blankets and towels should also be left in good condition. Bedding or towels damaged by hair dyes, oils or make-up (for example) may incur additional payment. You also agree to ensure all electrical equipment and white goods are left clean and in good condition.

Any issues with the condition of or contents in the Property must be notified immediately to us so that the issue can be rectified. If you damage or break anything, please report it as soon as possible so that we can replace or repair.

You agree not to cause any damage to the walls, doors, carpets or windows of the Property, nor to do anything that may be reasonably considered to cause a nuisance or annoyance to us or to any other occupier of adjoining or neighbouring properties.

All properties are non-smoking indoors. Most properties are pet-free unless indicated in the Property description page or in the booking window Details. You are asked to respect and abide by these requirements strictly. Otherwise we may require additional payment for any cleaning of furniture, walls, carpets etc in order to repair any damage caused by either smokers or pets.

Any lost or damaged keys, key cards, remote controls or other items will incur a fee at the discretion of the Owner.

The Property must be left in a clean and tidy state and any additional damage, breakage, cleaning required will be taken out of your security bond amount. Any costs incurred that go beyond the security bond will be charged for.

General: You agree to take all necessary steps to safeguard your personal property. No liability to you is accepted in respect of damage to or loss of such property, except where the damage or loss is caused by our negligence.

We are not liable for any injury or loss that you or any of your invited guests may sustain while you are staying at our Property.

You will not operate a business at the property or use it for any immoral, illegal or improper purpose.

You are not permitted to allow more people to stay in the Property than expressly authorized, nor can you significantly change the makeup of the party during your stay in the Property. If you do so, we can refuse to hand over the Property to you, or can require you to leave it. We will treat any of these circumstances as a cancellation of the booking by you.
Whenever the property is left unattended, you will ensure that all doors and windows are closed and locked or fastened and that all air-conditioners are turned off.

Departure: You agree to leave the Property no later than the specified Check Out time on your departure date. Late departure is subject to prior arrangement and availability and will incur extra charges.
We ask that you leave the Property clean and tidy - dishes cleaned and put away and garbage taken out etc. Should you leave the Property in a state that requires additional cleaning beyond the normal post departure clean, this cost will be taken out of your security bond.
The important word here is ​tidy​. That means putting things back where they were found on arrival. If we have to search for remote controls, kitchen items or put furniture back where it was when you arrived, you may find that we have deducted a fee from your security bond to cover the extra time spent.

We also ask that you secure the Property by ensuring that you close and lock all windows and doors before leaving. Please, also ensure that all air-conditioners are turned off.

Children: Please note that children under the age specified in a website Property description are not permitted to stay. If there is nothing specified then this means there is no age restriction but children should be supervised by a parent or a responsible adult at all times. Age restrictions sometimes apply to a Property when it is not equipped nor is it an appropriate or suitable rental for young children due to the number of hazardous objects or because there are no provisions for small children. Should there be an age restriction specified and should you have any visitors with young children, we ask that they be well supervised.

Noise: We also ask that you consider your neighbours and not have loud music that may disturb others nearby. If complaints are made about ‘excessive’ noise or police are called or if neighbours are continuously disturbed, we may ask you to leave and treat this as a cancellation and breach of the Terms and Conditions of this Agreement. You will not receive a refund and extra charges may be applied for security and other expenses.

Pets: Pets are only permitted if indicated on the website Property description and in the Booking Details. Please read the website property description and the Booking Details carefully to ensure you are clear on the number and type of pet that is accepted in the Property. Generally the Properties do not permit pets. If they are permitted, they are not allowed on the furniture and pet owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets both inside and outside the Property. If any damage is found, including any pet ‘accidents’, infestations, scratched or damaged fixtures or fittings, the repair amount will be deducted from the security bond. Where the amount of repair exceeds the security bond amount you will still be charged the extra amount.

Additional Utility Fees: Some Properties may have additional fees for use of utilities over and above a set rate. These Properties will show any additional fees in the Booking Details.
This is mainly for electricity use to ensure fair use of the air-conditioning i.e. make sure all windows and doors are shut when the air-conditioning is on and turn it off when everyone is out of the house for the day. In all cases the allowance is more than enough for fair use during the summer months.

Departure cleaning: Before departure, please place all rubbish in the outside wheelie bins provided and wash up and put away all crockery and cutlery. The Property must be left in a clean and tidy condition.

Some properties charge a departure cleaning fee but that does not mean that you may leave the home in an untidy state. Should the Property be left in a condition which requires extra attention by our cleaners, including emptying refrigerators, removal of rubbish, washing dishes, emptying dishwasher, extra laundry (excluding bed linen & towels), we will charge you an additional fee, to be deducted from your security bond.

Please make sure that things like remote controls and all kitchen items are put back where they were found. Searching around for household inventory items is incredibly time-consuming. If you have lost or thrown anything away because it is broken, please let us know.

Repairs: You must advise us immediately of any damage or breakages that may have arisen or where you have had to make temporary repairs or where repairs need to be made as soon as possible. You agree to allow us or any representative of ours access at any reasonable time during your stay for the purpose of essential repairs or maintenance.

Security Bond: Your security bond will be refunded within 5 days of your departure to your nominated account provided that you have not caused damage, stained fabrics or furniture, broken items or there are any missing items noted by the Owner or Manager after their inspection. Your deposit will be refunded in full provided there is no damage to:

• Property or furnishings
• Dirt or other mess, laundry, garbage which requires additional cleaning
• Lost or damaged items, including keys, remote control, walls or carpets and
• Any other additional costs incurred by us due to you and your party’s stay.

If the Owner or Manager is not satisfied with the condition of the property, a claim against the security bond (but not limited by it) may be made by email. Any claim will provide written, photographic or other evidence of damage, loss or additional cost.

For longer stays (more than 14 nights), we reserve the right to increase the bond required for any Property. You will be informed of any change before confirming a booking.

7. Any complaints or problems

Every effort has been made to ensure that you have an enjoyable and memorable holiday. If however, you have any cause for complaint it is important that remedial action is taken as soon as possible. If something does not work or if there is anything missing - please contact us as soon as possible.

Please, do not wait until your departure date before letting us know that something is wrong, broken or missing.

It is often extremely difficult (and sometimes impossible) to resolve difficulties properly unless we are promptly notified.

If any complaint or issue cannot be resolved during your holiday, you must write to us with full details within 28 days of the end of your stay. CHH is not responsible for nor liable for any dispute with any accommodation, Property or Rental. CHH will make every effort to assist you to resolve any issue you may have but the ultimate responsibility and contractual liability for any dispute or issue is with the Property owner.

8. Governing law

This Rental Agreement between you and us is governed by the laws of Queensland Australia and we both agree that any dispute, matter or other issue which arises between us will be dealt with by the Courts of the State of Queensland Australia.

May 24th 2023