Terms and Conditions

Booking

• To book your homestay accommodation please complete the online booking form.
  When we receive your booking we will email you to tell you if we can or cannot meet the requirements specified. This will normally happen within 2 working days.
• If you have not received an answer within 3 working days there is a chance that we have not received your booking so please email us at info@londonhomestays.com (Working days exclude Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays)
• All payments are invoiced in UK pound sterling and must be paid in UK pound sterling. All bank charges that are incurred must be paid for by the guest. The receiving banks charges are much higher and if not paid these would have to be charged to your outstanding total. Paypal payments are subject to a 4% surcharge to cover the costs we have to pay.
• All bookings are subject to a non-refundable booking fee (as stated in our rates)

Booking Confirmation

• Bookings can only be guaranteed after payment has reached our bank account. We reserve the right to cancel any booking for any reason with a full refund. We will also cancel any reservations for which we have not received payment by the due date.

Arrival Time

• When booking accommodation, you must inform Home from Home or the homestay host of your estimated arrival time at least 3 days in advance of your arrival in UK. This is to ensure that someone is at home when you arrive. Failure to do this may result in you having to wait for the arrival of the host. Home from Home will not be held responsible for hosts not being at home if students fail to advise the host or Home from Home (in advance) of their arrival time, nor will we pay for any expenses incurred by students as a result.

Extensions of Stay

• If a student wishes to extend their stay beyond the booked leaving date, they should contact Home from Home as soon as possible to request an extension. Extensions are subject to availability. If an extension is not possible, Home from Home will endeavor to find you a similar alternative.

Visa Students

• We are pleased to assist visa applications by issuing a letter, which can be submitted to the British Consulate in your country. This letter will confirm that you have booked and paid for accommodation with Home from Home Student Services.

  Visa letters are only issued after accommodation has been paid for and only for the dates confirmed and paid for. We are unable to issue letters for unconfirmed/unpaid for lengths of stay.   

  To ensure that you do not incur cancellation charges (detailed below in Cancellation Policy for Homestay, Private Home and Hostel Bookings), you are advised to allow sufficient time between your visa application, your interview date and your arrival date in the UK . This will allow us sufficient notice of your cancellation/change or arrival date and for you to avoid cancellation charges.

   If you wish to change or postpone your arrival date as you have been asked by the British Consulate to return for a further interview, we will re-book your accommodation, subject to our cancellation charges (detailed below in Cancellation Policy for Homestay, Private Home and Hostel Bookings). All changes are subject to a £50 administration fee.
  
  More information is avaiable on our Visa Guidelines page.
  

Cancellation Policy for Homestay, Private Home and Hostel Bookings

Accommodation, once paid for, is subject to the following cancellation charges:

• If you cancel your accommodation 30 days or more prior to the booked arrival date we will refund your fees in full, minus the Booking fee.
• If you cancel your accommodation from 29 days - 8 days prior to the booked arrival date we will refund your fees, minus one week’s accommodation fees and the booking fee.
• If you cancel your accommodation from 7 days – 3 days prior to the booked arrival date we will refund your fees, minus 2 weeks accommodation fees and the booking fee.
• If you cancel your accommodation from 2 days or less prior to the booked arrival date or if you “no show” (fail to advise us that you will not be arriving) we will refund your fees, less 4 weeks accommodation fees and the booking fee. There will be no refund if you have not paid for more than 4 weeks accommodation.

Cancellation requests must be received during Home from Home office hours, which are from 09.30 – 18.00 (London time) Monday through Friday. Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays (including the days between Christmas and New Year) are excluded.

Refunds

• Refunds are made through the same means by which they are received (this is in line with UK money laundering laws). Fees paid by bank transfer from overseas will be refunded by bank transfer to the bank account in the country from which they were received. Credit card payments will be refunded to the card from which payment was taken and only cash payments can be refunded in cash. Home From Home will refund fees only and cannot refund bank charges or the surcharge added to credit card payments. Any bank charges levied by the UK and/or foreign bank when refunding fees will be deducted from the refund by the banks in question and not paid for by Home from Home.

Curtailment

If you have to cut short your stay, accommodation charges, once paid for are not refundable. In the case of your accommodation being unsuitable, Home From Home will supply you with a suitable alternative.

YOU ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO PURCHASE TRAVEL INSURANCE (WHICH WILL COVER YOU FOR LOSS OF STUDY COURSE, ACCOMMODATION & TRANSPORTATION CHARGES AS WELL AS INJURY)

Students should also take out their own insurance policies on their personal property, i.e. laptops, jewellery and other expensive items; as these may not be covered under the host families insurance policies.

• All damages and breakages caused by the guest must be paid for by the guest directly.
• Students must not pay the family directly, the families do not accept cash payments, this breaks the terms and conditions set out for the family, and stops any confusion that may arise at a later date.
• Reasonable behavior is expected at all times during your stay with the host family accommodation. Home from Home reserves the right to remove any guest whose conduct is unsatisfactory. Refunds or alternate accommodation will be offered at the discretion of Home from Home.

Liability

• Our liability is no more than the money we have received from you.
• We do not accept liability for any loss, damage or misadventure you may suffer in the accommodation, or elsewhere. Home from Home acts in good faith and will not be held responsible for acts or defaults caused by third parties (including host families).