Refund Policy

Last Updated: May 15, 2024

1. Introduction

At SedgeHaven, we understand that travel plans can sometimes change. This Refund Policy outlines the terms and conditions regarding refunds for our travel services, including tours, accommodations, and other related products. By booking with us, you agree to the terms of this Refund Policy.

This policy should be read in conjunction with our Terms & Conditions. In the event of any inconsistency between this Refund Policy and our Terms & Conditions, the Terms & Conditions will prevail.

2. Booking Deposits

To secure your booking with SedgeHaven, we require a deposit as follows:

  • Standard Tours: 25% of the total tour price
  • Custom or Private Tours: 30% of the total tour price
  • Specialty or Expedition Tours: 35% of the total tour price

Deposit Refundability: Unless otherwise specified in your Booking Confirmation, deposits are non-refundable. The deposit serves to cover our initial administrative costs, reservation fees paid to third-party providers, and the opportunity cost of declining other bookings for the same services.

3. Standard Cancellation and Refund Schedule

If you need to cancel your booking, the following refund schedule applies for standard tours:

3.1 Standard Tours

Time of Cancellation Refund Amount
More than 60 days before departure Full refund minus deposit
30-60 days before departure 50% of total tour price
15-29 days before departure 25% of total tour price
Less than 15 days before departure No refund

3.2 Custom or Private Tours

Time of Cancellation Refund Amount
More than 90 days before departure Full refund minus deposit
60-90 days before departure 50% of total tour price
30-59 days before departure 25% of total tour price
Less than 30 days before departure No refund

3.3 Specialty or Expedition Tours

Time of Cancellation Refund Amount
More than 120 days before departure Full refund minus deposit
90-120 days before departure 50% of total tour price
60-89 days before departure 25% of total tour price
Less than 60 days before departure No refund

Note: The date of cancellation is determined as the date on which we receive your written cancellation notice. All cancellations must be submitted in writing (email is acceptable) to be valid.

4. Special Circumstances

4.1 Cancellation by SedgeHaven

If we cancel your tour for reasons within our control (such as insufficient participants to operate the tour), you will receive a full refund of all monies paid to us, including your deposit.

However, in cases where cancellation is due to force majeure events (such as natural disasters, political instability, pandemics, or other circumstances beyond our reasonable control), our refund policy is as follows:

  • We will attempt to reschedule your tour to a later date at no additional cost
  • If rescheduling is not possible, we will offer a credit voucher for the full amount paid, valid for 24 months from the original departure date
  • If neither of these options is acceptable, we will provide a refund less any non-recoverable costs already incurred on your behalf

4.2 Partial Cancellation and No-Shows

If you cancel part of your booking (e.g., reducing the number of participants) or fail to arrive for your tour without prior notice (no-show), the following applies:

  • Partial cancellations are subject to the same refund schedule as full cancellations, applied to the cancelled portion only
  • No-shows are treated as a cancellation made on the day of departure and no refund will be provided

4.3 Early Departure

If you choose to leave a tour after it has begun, for any reason, no refund will be provided for unused services, accommodations, or activities.

5. Travel Insurance and Trip Protection

We strongly recommend that all clients purchase comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation coverage. Travel insurance can provide coverage for many circumstances that our standard refund policy does not cover, such as:

  • Illness or injury preventing travel
  • Family emergencies
  • Unexpected work commitments
  • Natural disasters affecting your home
  • Travel delays causing missed connections

5.1 Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Coverage

For maximum flexibility, we recommend travel insurance with "Cancel For Any Reason" coverage, which typically allows you to recover up to 75% of non-refundable travel expenses regardless of the reason for cancellation. This coverage must usually be purchased shortly after making your initial deposit.

5.2 SedgeHaven Trip Protection Plan

For an additional fee, we offer our own Trip Protection Plan which provides more flexible cancellation terms:

  • Silver Protection: Cancel up to 30 days before departure for a 75% refund (including deposit)
  • Gold Protection: Cancel up to 15 days before departure for a 75% refund (including deposit)
  • Platinum Protection: Cancel up to 7 days before departure for a 75% refund (including deposit)

Trip Protection Plans must be purchased at the time of booking and cannot be added later. Please contact our customer service team for pricing based on your specific tour.

6. Transferring Your Booking

6.1 Transfer to Another Person

If you are unable to travel, you may transfer your booking to another person who satisfies all the conditions applicable to the tour, subject to the following conditions:

  • You must notify us of the transfer at least 30 days before departure
  • The transferee must accept all terms and conditions of the original booking
  • A transfer fee of £100 per person applies
  • Both you and the transferee are jointly and severally liable for payment of any balance due and any additional costs arising from the transfer
  • Some services (such as certain flights or permits) may not be transferable and may incur a 100% cancellation charge and rebooking fees

6.2 Transfer to Another Tour

Subject to availability, you may transfer your booking to another SedgeHaven tour under the following conditions:

  • Transfer requests made more than 60 days before departure: £100 administrative fee per person
  • Transfer requests made 30-60 days before departure: £200 administrative fee per person
  • Transfer requests made less than 30 days before departure: Treated as a cancellation under our standard policy

The new tour must depart within 12 months of the original departure date. Any difference in price must be paid, and no refund will be provided if the new tour is less expensive than the original booking.

7. Refund Process and Timing

7.1 Refund Method

Refunds will be processed using the same payment method used for the original transaction, unless otherwise agreed:

  • Credit card payments will be refunded to the same card
  • Bank transfers will be refunded to the originating account
  • If the original payment method is no longer available, we will work with you to find an alternative refund method

7.2 Processing Time

We will process refund requests within 30 days of receiving written cancellation notice. However, please note that:

  • Credit card refunds typically appear within 7-10 business days after processing
  • Bank transfers may take 10-15 business days to appear in your account
  • International refunds may take longer due to banking systems and currency conversion

7.3 Currency and Exchange Rates

Refunds will be processed in the same currency as the original payment. If currency exchange is involved, the exchange rate in effect at the time of the refund will apply, which may result in a different refund amount than what was originally paid due to currency fluctuations.

8. Promotional Discounts and Non-Refundable Specials

Certain promotional offers, last-minute deals, or special discounts may be offered with different (typically more restrictive) refund terms. These special conditions will be clearly communicated at the time of booking and will supersede our standard refund policy.

Tours or services marked as "Non-Refundable" at the time of booking are not eligible for any refund in case of cancellation by the client.

9. Group Bookings

For group bookings (defined as 10 or more travelers booked together), the following modified refund policy applies:

  • Initial deposit of 30% is required to secure the booking
  • Second payment of 30% is due 120 days before departure
  • Final balance is due 60 days before departure

Cancellation refunds for group bookings:

  • More than 120 days before departure: 50% of deposit refunded
  • 90-120 days before departure: Deposit fully non-refundable, 50% refund of any additional payments made
  • 60-89 days before departure: 25% refund of total tour price
  • Less than 60 days before departure: No refund

10. Service-Specific Refund Terms

10.1 Accommodation-Only Bookings

For accommodation-only bookings, refund policies may vary based on the specific terms of each accommodation provider. These will be communicated at the time of booking.

10.2 Flight Bookings

Flight bookings are subject to the refund policy of the individual airlines. Most flights are non-refundable or subject to substantial change/cancellation fees. We will assist you in requesting refunds from airlines, but cannot guarantee their approval.

10.3 Travel Experiences and Activities

Individual experiences and activities booked through us are subject to the following refund terms:

  • Cancellation more than 7 days before the activity: Full refund
  • Cancellation 3-7 days before the activity: 50% refund
  • Cancellation less than 3 days before the activity: No refund

Some specialized activities may have more restrictive cancellation terms, which will be clearly communicated at the time of booking.

11. Amendments to This Policy

SedgeHaven reserves the right to modify this Refund Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on our website and will apply to all bookings made after the revised policy is posted. For existing bookings, the Refund Policy in effect at the time of booking will apply, unless the new policy is more favorable to the client.

12. Contact Information

For questions about our Refund Policy or to initiate a cancellation or refund request, please contact our Customer Service team:

SedgeHaven
Studio 47g Richards Brook East Wendymouth BT46 5NR
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +444842969012

All cancellation notices and refund requests must be submitted in writing to ensure proper documentation and processing.