Our contract with you

Our acceptance of your request for a booking will take place when you return our booking confirmation form by post, fax, scanned copy or electronic signature system at which point a contract will come into existence between you and us (subject to receipt of the deposit as set out below) and will be incorporated and subject to these Terms which shall be legally binding on you. Any quotation given by us shall not constitute an offer and shall only be valid for a period of 24 hours from its date of issue. The return of a booking confirmation form denotes acceptance of these Terms.

We may change the services:

(a) to reflect changes in relevant laws and regulatory requirements;

(b) to change the methods of payment we accept; and

(c)  to implement minor technical adjustments and improvements. These changes will not affect your use of the services.

Unless otherwise agreed between us, we will supply the services to you for the period and at the times stated in the booking confirmation form. If our supply of the services is delayed by an event outside our control, then we will contact you as soon as possible to let you know and we will take steps to minimise the effect of the delay. Provided we do this we will not be liable for delays caused by the event.

If you do not allow us access to your accommodation or you otherwise prevent us from being able to provide the services as arranged (and you do not have a good reason for this) we may charge you additional costs incurred by us as a result. If, despite our reasonable efforts, we are unable to contact you or re-arrange the services, we may terminate the booking without liability and you will remain fully responsible for all fees and any additional charges incurred by us as a result.

We may need certain information from you so that we can supply the services to you, including but not limited to, contact details, contact email addresses, accommodation details, information regarding the children, medical information and/or allergies or food intolerances, religious and/or medical preferences. We will contact you to ask for this information and it is your responsibility to ensure that all such information and any other information provided to us or on your behalf is accurate. If you do not give us this information within a reasonable time of us asking for it, or if you give us incomplete or incorrect information, we may terminate without liability the booking or make an additional charge of a reasonable sum to compensate us for any extra work that is required as a result. We accept no responsibility whatsoever for misinformation given by you (whether regarding the details of the booking, any contact information, allergy information or other specific information relating to the children, or otherwise) and will not be responsible for supplying the services late or not supplying any part of them if this is caused by you not giving us the information we need within a reasonable time of us asking for it.

In limited circumstances, we may have to suspend the supply of services to you for a reasonable period of time:

(a) to update the services to reflect changes in relevant laws and regulatory requirements; or

(b) to make changes to the services as requested by you or notified by us to you, subject to us being able to accommodate such changes in accordance with our amendment policy outlined below.

If you do not pay us for the services when you are supposed to, we may without liability suspend, cancel and/or terminate the supply of the services until you have paid us all outstanding amounts.

We also have the right to suspend and/or cancel the supply of services to you or any of your party in the event of inappropriate behaviour by you and/or any person in your party either towards us or any of our employees or sub-contractors. In such instances, you will continue to be fully responsible for any outstanding fees and you shall not be entitled to any refund as a result of services not received due to suspension, termination and/or cancellation in these circumstances.

It is a condition of your booking that you have adequate travel insurance in place with a reputable provider covering at least the period on which you depart for your holiday until the day on which you arrive back to your home country. Such insurance should include but not be limited to winter sports, mountain rescue, emergency medical expenses, personal liability, travel delays, cancellation (including as a result of the World Health Organisation, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or other governmental or similar body advising against travel for whatever reason).

You and each member of your party shall comply with and abide by the health and safety procedures put in place and as directed by us and/or our personnel from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we are further required to comply with all governmental laws and regulations, recommendations and measures relating to COVID-19 and so, we may be required to make changes to our services prior to the commencement of your booking, or during your booking, and this may require you to work with us in order for us to adhere to such requests. Accordingly, we reserve the right to suspend and/or cancel the supply of services to you or any of your party in the event that you or any of your party refuse to accommodate any such changes.

Payments and Deposits

Upon conclusion of the booking confirmation form, 50% of the total cost of the services will be required. This deposit secures your booking and is non-refundable. (Please see cancellation policy below). Your booking is not guaranteed nor is it considered as confirmed without the payment of this deposit and our receipt of the completed booking confirmation form.

The remaining balance must be paid at least four clear weeks before the date on which the booking is due to commence. Any further childcare services not outlined in the booking confirmation form, such as evening work or other additional services requested, will be invoiced at the end of your booking with all payments to be settled prior to your departure from resort. Early invoicing or payment in advance can also be arranged upon request. Credit/debit card details are required at time of booking for the purposes of securing of any such additional hours of services. 

All payments (including any additional fees or charges incurred during any booking) shall be made in sterling or Euros, unless otherwise agreed by us in writing. All payments shall be made via Euro or Sterling Transfer unless otherwise agreed by us in writing.

If VAT is payable on any services under these Terms, you must pay an amount equal to the VAT payable on the payment date. If the rate of VAT changes between you’re the date on which your booking is concluded and the date we supply the services, we will adjust the rate of VAT that you pay, unless you have already paid for the services in full before the change in the rate of VAT takes effect.

We reserve the right to apply surcharges to the costs of your booking in order to reflect any increases in exchange rates, any rises in local costs (including any tariffs applicable in respect of the provision of our services) and/or incurred as a result of changes in legislation which significantly increases the cost of providing our services.

Cancellation Policy

In the unfortunate event of you needing to cancel your childcare requirements the following terms will apply:

• Your deposit is non-refundable;

• Where notification of a cancellation is made in writing more than four clear weeks before the start of the booking, 50% of the full payment for your booking will be refunded to you (in the event that the balance has already been paid to us). For the avoidance of doubt, if only 50% of the full payment for your booking has been paid, no refund shall be given;

• Where notification of a cancellation is less than four weeks before the start of your booking, no monies will be refunded.

A cancellation invoice can be issued to you for the purpose of claiming any losses from your insurance company. All cancellations and refunds shall be subject to any deductions required in respect of applicable bank or administrative costs or any other similar charges or costs, equaling not less than £30 or currency equivalent.

We accept no liability for and shall not be in breach of these Terms or any contract with you, and accordingly compensation payments do not apply to changes, cancellations or curtailment in our services or otherwise caused by reason of a Force Majeure Event. A “Force Majeure Event” for the purposes of these Terms means any circumstance not within our reasonable control including, without limitation:

(a) acts of God, flood, drought, earthquake or other natural disaster,

(b) epidemic or pandemic,

(c) terrorist attack, civil war, civil commotion or riots, war, threat of or preparation for war, armed conflict, imposition of sanctions, embargo, or breaking off of diplomatic relations,

(d) nuclear, chemical or biological contamination or sonic boom,

(e) any law or any action taken by a government or public authority, including without limitation imposing an export or import restriction, quota or prohibition, failing to grant a necessary licence or consent or the imposition of any advice against travel imposed by the World Health Organisation, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or other governmental or similar body for whatever reason,

(f) collapse of buildings, fire, explosion or accident,

(g) any labour or trade dispute, strikes, industrial action or lockouts,

(h) non-performance by suppliers or subcontractors, and

(i) interruption or failure of utility service.

Amendments

You may request an amendment to a booking by providing at least 4 clear weeks’ written notice detailing the relevant amendment (an “Amendment Request”) and we shall use its reasonable endeavours to accommodate any such Amendment Request, provided that we shall not be obliged to accommodate any such Amendment Request and further we reserve the right to charge an amendment fee in order to accommodate any relevant administrative costs, charges or expenses incurred in connection with the relevant Amendment Request. You shall receive an email from us confirming the details of any Amendment Request, and to the extent that any Amendment Request cannot be accommodated by us and such Amendment Request is received more than 4 clear weeks prior to the date of the booking, you may request a refund or a credit against a future booking in accordance with our cancellation policy.

If your holiday is postponed we will endeavour to provide you with our services during your new holiday dates. There will be a 10% charge of your total booking cost for us to rearrange your childcare at any time. If however we are unable to provide you with childcare for your new holiday dates our cancellation policy above shall apply.

Working Hours

All working hours will be agreed in writing at the time of booking however if you choose to start your day late or finish your day early and therefore your nanny is not required for the full pre-booked session, the fee remains the same and no refunds will be given for any unused hours. Any additional hours required will be charged and the pre-agreed rates.

Evening childcare is available upon request. We can often accommodate evening work at short notice however to guarantee a booking please confirm your requirements as early as possible.

Sickness and Medication

If your child is unwell during your holiday there is a local doctor’s surgery and a number of pharmacy’s available. We can provide you with directions and opening hours upon request. In the unlikely event that you child has an infectious illness, it may be that your nanny cannot continue to care for them; in this event, there is no refund of fees.

Prior to commencement of your booking you will be asked to sign an agreement authorising our nannies to act on your behalf in circumstances when your child may need medical advice/treatment in an emergency. We will only give medication prescribed by a doctor to your child following your prior written permission. (Medication forms will be available in resort). Calpol (or equivalent) will only be administered to bring down a high fever and we will contact you for permission beforehand unless otherwise agreed.

For the avoidance of doubt, it is your responsibility to ensure that we have all relevant information regarding the children and that such information is accurate and up to date.

Sickness of Staff

If your nanny should become unwell during your stay and is unable to care for your child we will endeavour to provide you with a replacement nanny. During busy periods however this may not be possible and for any hours or days on which you have not received childcare services you will be refunded within 2 weeks of your departure from resort.

Mealtimes

As part of our service the nannies can prepare your children’s lunch each day. How this service is provided depends on whether or not you have a catered chalet and the type of facilities that are available in your rented accommodation. It is your responsibility to provide lunch for each of your children and the nanny. 

Catered chalets & Villas

Breakfast will be served prior to your nannies arrival at 9am. Lunch – Nannies are not insured to use the facilities in company chalets to prepare food, therefore we are unable to provide your children with a hot lunch in this type of accommodation. If you do require that the nanny arranges lunch we will require a float of money which can be either used for a restaurant/cafe lunch or for the purchase of picnic style food from the local supermarket. Again it is your responsibility to provide lunch for each of your children and the nanny. All receipts will be retained as proof of purchase. Dinner- Your chalet staff will usually provide your children with a hot meal in the early evening. Please confirm this with your travel company.

Self-Catering Accommodation

All meals can be provided for each of your children during the nanny’s working hours. We ask that food is available for the nanny’s first day and then as part of our service we will purchase food for the remaining days including lunch for your nanny. You will be required to provide Euros to the nanny prior to shopping and all receipts will be retained as proof of purchase.

Hotels

Children staying in a hotel will need to have lunch in a restaurant each day as there will be no facilities to cook or prepare lunch. Please provide your nanny with a float for the week to pay for drinks and food for each of your children and your nanny.

Eating Out

Your nanny will be able to recommend which restaurants are suitable for children. If you wish your nanny to take your child out for lunch we are happy to do this. Please ensure that money to cover each of your children and the nanny’s lunch is provided in advance.

Allergies and Dietary Requirements

It is your responsibility as parents to inform us of any special dietary requirements (including, but not limited to any religious preferences) that your child may have and equip us with the necessary medication in case of an allergic reaction. This information must be given to us in writing by completing the confirmation form which you will be asked to complete in advance of your arrival. We take no responsibility and accordingly have no liability in the event of any omission with respect to such information or any inaccuracies of such information.

Limitation of Liability

Nothing in these Terms shall limit or exclude our liability for:

(a) death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or the negligence of our employees;

(b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or

(c) where it would be unlawful to do so.

To the extent permitted by law, we exclude all conditions, warranties, representations or other terms which may apply to our site or any content on it, whether express or implied.

To the extent permitted by law, we shall not be liable to you, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), for breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, arising under or in connection with these Terms for:

(a) loss of profits;

(b) loss of sales or business or business interruption;

(c) loss of agreements or contracts;

(d) loss of anticipated savings or opportunity;

(e) loss of use or corruption of software, data or information;

(f) loss of or damage to goodwill; or

(g) any indirect or consequential loss.

We shall not have any liability with respect to any restaurant, ski hire, hotel and/or other similar recommendations that we and/or any of our employees and/or sub-contractors provide.

Subject to the foregoing, our total and aggregate liability to you, in relation to any claims arising out of or in relation to these Terms shall be limited to the lower of (a) the total amount of monies paid under the booking, or (b) £500.

Confidentiality

We both undertake that we shall not at any time disclose to any person any confidential information concerning the business, affairs, customers, clients or suppliers of the other, except that we may disclose the other’s confidential information:

(a) in the case of Snowdrop Childcare, to our employees, officers, representatives, subcontractors or advisers who need to know such information for the purposes of carrying out the obligations under these Terms and shall ensure that our employees, officers, representatives, subcontractors or advisers to whom we disclose confidential information complies with this clause; and

(b) in the case of either party, as may be required by law, a court of competent jurisdiction or any governmental or regulatory authority.

Neither of us shall use the other’s confidential information for any purpose other than to perform our obligations under these Terms.

Service Improvement

Snowdrop Childcare are committed to continually improving our service to our clients and as a result have created a customer satisfaction questionnaire that we may ask you to complete. We thank you in advance for doing this as your feedback is very important. 

In addition to the above, in the unlikely event that you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service from Snowdrop Childcare, we would appreciate you raising this at the time any such event occurs rather than at the end of your stay. This ensures you receive the highest level of service at all times.