General Booking Terms & Conditions

1. Who we are and what these terms cover

These terms apply to direct bookings of holiday accommodation with Muddy Boots Escapes Ltd, company number 14702173 (“we”, “us” or “our”). “You” means the lead guest making the booking.

Our accommodation comprises Muddy Boots – Scarpa, Muddy Boots – Arcade Royale and Muddy Boots – La Petite Mews in Kirkby Stephen. The property, dates, guest numbers, price and any agreed extras are recorded in your booking confirmation.

Contact: [email protected] or 07346 006156. Registered office and formal correspondence address: Unit 27, Cumberland House, Business Park, St Lukes Road, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, CA17 4HT.

2. Making a booking

The lead guest must be at least 21 years old. Please give accurate booking details and tell us about any requirements that may affect the suitability of the property before booking.

A direct booking is confirmed when we accept it in writing and the required payment has been received. Please check your confirmation promptly and report any errors. The lead guest must share these terms and the agreed property rules with the party and take reasonable steps to ensure they are followed.

Accommodation is provided for a temporary holiday stay. You may not transfer the booking or sublet the accommodation without our written agreement.

3. Prices and payment

• A payment of 30% of the booking price is due at the time of booking.
• The remaining balance is due 14 days before arrival.
• For bookings made within 14 days of arrival, full payment is due at booking.

The price and any applicable extras will be disclosed before you commit to the booking. Payments are managed through our booking and payment systems, including Lodgify and Stripe.

If payment is overdue, we will contact you and give a reasonable opportunity to resolve it, taking account of how soon your stay begins. If it remains unpaid, we may cancel the booking. Any retained payment or cancellation charge will be assessed under the cancellation provisions below.

4. Cancellation of a direct booking

You may cancel a direct booking without penalty within 24 hours of the booking being confirmed and receive a full refund of all booking payments prepaid. This applies regardless of how close the arrival date is, including bookings made within 14 days of arrival and on the arrival day. Send your cancellation request in writing within that 24-hour window; we assess the deadline by when you send the request, not when we reply.

After this 24-hour window, our primary direct-booking rate is offered on a non-refundable basis, subject to the cancellation assessment below and your statutory rights. We do not offer an additional discretionary change-of-mind refund after that window.

If you need to cancel, tell us promptly in writing by email or through your booking messages. Include your booking reference, property and dates. We will confirm receipt and explain the payment position.

Any amount retained or charged following your cancellation will be limited to our reasonable net loss directly resulting from it. We will take reasonable steps to reduce that loss, including seeking a replacement booking where practicable, and account for costs saved and replacement-booking income. We will not recover the same loss twice. Where payments received exceed the amount we can fairly retain, we will refund the difference and explain the calculation. A refund is not guaranteed simply because you cancel; where our reasonable net loss equals the payments made, those payments may be retained. We will not keep payments where you have a legal entitlement to their return.

We strongly recommend suitable travel insurance covering cancellation and curtailment (cutting your stay short). Depending on the policy, insurance may cover non-refundable booking costs for an insured reason. Check UK accommodation cover, cancellation reasons, pre-existing medical conditions, exclusions, excess and claim limits. A change of mind is generally not covered. Cover is not guaranteed and claims depend on your insurer’s terms and assessment. Insurance does not replace your statutory rights or our obligations.

Our 24-hour cancellation window is a contractual benefit. Holiday accommodation booked for specific dates is excluded from the statutory 14-day change-of-mind cooling-off right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. This does not remove your rights if we fail to provide the agreed service or a term is unfair. See Cancellations & Refunds for related information.

5. Changes, early departure and non-arrival

Please contact us if you would like to change your dates or other booking details. Changes depend on availability and our written agreement; any price difference and agreed charge will be explained before you accept a change. A request does not itself cancel your existing booking.

If you do not arrive or choose to leave early, the unused accommodation is assessed under the cancellation provisions, subject to your statutory rights where we have failed to provide the agreed service.

6. If we cannot provide your accommodation

If we cannot provide the booked accommodation, we will tell you as soon as reasonably possible. We may offer a suitable alternative, but you are not required to accept it. If no alternative is agreed, we will refund the payments for accommodation and services we cannot provide.

For an interruption during your stay, we will explain the available options and any refund due for the affected part of the booking. This section does not restrict any additional remedy available under consumer law.

7. Check-in and check-out

Check-in is between 16:00 and 23:00. Check-out is by 10:00. Please contact us in advance if you expect to arrive outside the check-in window; any alternative arrangement requires our agreement.

Follow the arrival and access instructions supplied for your property. On departure, leave the accommodation reasonably clean and tidy, secure the property and follow the supplied instructions for keys or smart-lock access.

8. Occupancy, infants and visitors

Each property accommodates a maximum of four guests, plus one infant. An infant means a child under 2 years old and does not count towards the four-person limit. Children aged 2 or over count towards that limit. Tell us the full party details, including the infant, before booking.

Our properties are not equipped or considered suitable for infants or toddlers. No cot, highchair, stair gates or other baby equipment is provided, and the accommodation is not child-proofed. All three properties have stairs without child safety gates and radiators throughout. Furniture has no corner protectors and kitchen cupboards have no child safety latches. Scarpa also has a log burner and an outdoor patio with a fitted gate; the gate does not replace supervision. None of the properties has a balcony. These details are not an exhaustive safety assessment. See Children & Infants.

If your party includes an infant or toddler, contact us before booking to discuss suitability. Where a booking has already been made, we will send an infant/toddler-suitability message and ask you to acknowledge the disclosed limitations. Parents and guardians are responsible for appropriate supervision of their child throughout the stay. This acknowledgement does not make an unsuitable property safe, remove our responsibility to provide accommodation with reasonable care and skill, or exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

If the property does not meet your needs, please contact us within 24 hours of our suitability message so we can discuss cancellation promptly. For a direct booking, the cancellation provisions and your statutory rights apply. For an agent booking, we will explain the applicable booking-channel process. This response window is a request for prompt contact, not a guarantee of a free cancellation. It does not restart or extend the 24-hour cancellation window from booking confirmation, and it does not remove your rights if you contact us later.

No overnight visitors, parties or events. Day visitors must be kept to reasonable numbers appropriate to the size and layout of the property. Please discuss any larger visit with us beforehand, respect neighbours and avoid disturbance. Day visitors must not be used to circumvent the overnight occupancy limit.

9. Dogs and assistance dogs

Pet dogs are welcome only at properties advertised as dog-friendly: Scarpa and Arcade Royale. La Petite Mews does not accept pet dogs. Assistance-dog requests are considered separately from pet rules in accordance with our equality obligations; please contact us about any arrangements you need.

• A maximum of two well-behaved pet dogs per stay.
• £15 per dog per stay, disclosed as part of the booking price.
• Pet dogs must be at least 1 year old; no puppies are accepted.
• Pet dogs must never be left unattended at the property.
• Pet dogs must be kept off furniture, including beds.

Tell us about dogs before booking. Please keep them under control, clear up after them and prevent disturbance to neighbours. Dogs are the only pets we accommodate. Pet fees are not applied to assistance dogs, and pet-number and age restrictions are not applied automatically to them. We will discuss reasonable adjustments, including at La Petite Mews. Advance contact helps us prepare but does not remove your rights if you have not contacted us before booking. See Pets & Assistance Dogs.

10. Electric vehicles

No EV charging is provided. Charging an electric vehicle from any household socket or other property electrical supply is expressly prohibited. Please use a suitable public charging facility.

11. Damage security pre-authorisation

For direct bookings, a £250 card pre-authorisation is scheduled one day before arrival. This reserves available funds on your card; it is not an accommodation payment or an automatic damage charge.

The hold is scheduled to be voided seven days after departure. Your card issuer may take additional time to show the release. If we identify a potential claim, we will contact you with the details and evidence before seeking payment or capturing an amount, and give you 48 hours to respond before taking payment. We will consider your response and any reasonable request for more time. A lack of response does not itself establish liability.

Charges will be limited to reasonable, evidenced loss for which you or your party are responsible. We will not charge for fair wear and tear, existing defects or improvements beyond the reasonable cost of putting matters right. The security amount is neither an automatic penalty nor a reason to impose an unsupported charge.

Please ensure sufficient available funds and follow the payment instructions. If a hold cannot be arranged, contact us promptly so we can discuss the position; we will explain any proposed consequence before taking action.

12. Looking after the property

Smoking and vaping are strictly prohibited inside all properties. This applies to all guests and visitors. Outdoor smoking and vaping are permitted at the outdoor seating areas where ashtrays are supplied at all three properties. Keep smoke and vapour away from open doors, windows and neighbours and dispose of smoking materials safely. See Smoking & Vaping. If a breach causes damage or requires cleaning beyond the normal changeover, we may seek reasonable, evidenced costs under the damage provisions in these terms.

Please treat the accommodation and its contents with care. Report damage, breakages or faults promptly, including anything you notice on arrival. Do not attempt repairs or arrange replacement items without checking with us.

Please secure doors and windows when leaving, follow appliance and safety instructions, and do not interfere with smoke alarms, security systems or heating controls.

Where your party causes damage or leaves the property requiring cleaning beyond the usual changeover, we may seek reasonable, evidenced costs. We will explain the claim and allow you to respond. We will not impose an automatic fixed cleaning penalty.

13. Conduct and access during your stay

Respect neighbouring residences and businesses. Quiet hours are 23:00–07:00 (11pm–7am); keep noise considerate at all times. See House Rules and Occupancy & Visitors. Abusive, threatening or violent conduct, parties or events, dangerous activity or serious disturbance are not acceptable.

For a serious breach, we may require the stay to end. Where practicable and appropriate, we will explain the concern and give an opportunity to put it right. Immediate action may be necessary for a serious safety risk. Any financial consequences must be proportionate, account for the accommodation already supplied and our reasonable net loss, and respect your statutory rights.

We will respect your privacy. We may need access for an emergency, essential repairs or an agreed inspection. Unless urgent circumstances make this impracticable, we will explain the reason and arrange a reasonable time with you.

14. Property information, accessibility and technology

Check the description and facilities for your chosen property before booking. If you have accessibility requirements, allergies or other needs that may affect suitability, please contact us so we can discuss the property’s specific features.

Connected devices and external security equipment vary by property. Details of their locations, functions and privacy implications must be supplied in the property information before booking. Do not assume that every device or facility is present at every property. Ring cameras cover front doors and designated parking areas, with motion-activated recording, audio enabled and no continuous recording. Routine recordings are retained for 30 days; exterior signs at all three properties disclose video and audio. Specific incident retention exceptions are explained in our CCTV & Video Doorbells notice. See Smart Devices for current equipment and planned lock installations, and Accessibility for help checking your requirements.

If a facility develops a fault, tell us promptly so we can take reasonable steps to address it. A temporary fault does not remove your rights where the accommodation or service fails to meet the agreed standard.

15. Third-party bookings and service providers

These payment and cancellation provisions describe direct bookings. For bookings through Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, Sykes, Lakelovers, Visit Lake District or an associated booking agent, check the terms, payment arrangements and cancellation policy presented for your specific reservation.

Property rules apply to an agent booking only where they have been properly disclosed and form part of that booking. We do not use this page to retrospectively override your confirmed platform terms.

Lodgify supports our website, booking administration and messaging. Stripe supports payment processing. Their information is available at Lodgify’s Privacy Policy and Stripe’s Privacy Policy. These providers’ policies describe their own processing and do not replace our responsibilities or these accommodation terms.

See our Privacy & Data Protection page for our privacy information. Provider references are listed on our Third-Party Providers page.

16. Complaints

If something is wrong during your stay, please contact us promptly using your booking messages, email or telephone so we have a reasonable opportunity to help. In an emergency requiring emergency services, call 999.

We will consider complaints raised after departure too. Please explain what happened, the dates involved and the outcome you seek, and include any relevant evidence. We will acknowledge complaints within 3 working days and aim to provide a substantive response within 10 working days. If more time is needed, we will explain the delay and next steps. This is a response target, not a guarantee that every complaint will be resolved within that period. See Complaints & Dispute Resolution.

We are not directly a member of an ADR scheme. For a booking through an agent or platform, we will check any applicable dispute-resolution arrangements for that reservation. If a complaint remains unresolved, we will explain any applicable dispute-resolution options and any legal obligation to provide information about an alternative dispute-resolution provider. You retain the right to seek independent advice or pursue available legal remedies.

17. Your rights, liability and changes to these terms

We must provide the accommodation and services with reasonable care and skill and in accordance with the booking agreement. Nothing in these terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any liability or consumer right that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.

We are responsible for loss that is a foreseeable result of our breach of contract or failure to use reasonable care and skill. Please take reasonable care of personal belongings and vehicles; this does not excuse loss caused by our own breach or negligence.

The version supplied when your booking is accepted applies to that booking. Later website updates do not automatically change an existing contract. Any necessary change affecting your booking will be explained and handled in accordance with your legal rights. An unfair or unenforceable term does not remove your statutory protection.

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, subject to any mandatory protections applicable to you. Nothing in this wording removes any right a consumer has to bring proceedings in another court with lawful jurisdiction.

18. Bike storage

Bikes must not be stored inside the accommodation. At Scarpa and Arcade Royale, secure nearby storage can be pre-arranged by contacting us at booking; please agree availability beforehand. At La Petite Mews, bikes may be stored in the secure lock-up shed at the rear. Follow the supplied storage and locking instructions.

19. Common booking questions

When do I pay the balance?

The balance is due 14 days before arrival. Bookings made within 14 days of arrival require full payment at booking.

Is the £250 security amount a payment?

It is a card pre-authorisation reserving available funds, not an automatic charge. It is scheduled one day before arrival and voided seven days after departure; your card issuer may take longer to show the release.

Do infants count towards the guest limit?

One child under 2 may stay in addition to four guests. Children aged 2 or over count towards the four-person limit. This allowance does not mean the properties are suitable for infants or toddlers.

Which properties allow pet dogs?

Scarpa and Arcade Royale accept up to two well-behaved pet dogs aged at least 1 year, at £15 per dog per stay. La Petite Mews does not accept pet dogs. Assistance dogs are considered separately.

Can I cancel without penalty within 24 hours?

Yes. Cancel a direct booking in writing within 24 hours of confirmation for a full refund of all prepaid booking payments, regardless of how soon arrival is. After that window, the non-refundable rate and the assessment in section 4 apply.

Will travel insurance cover a cancellation?

It may cover an insured reason, depending on the policy. It does not guarantee a refund or replace statutory rights. The non-refundable rate remains subject to the cancellation assessment and statutory rights explained in section 4.