TERMS & CONDITIONS OF HIRE
Booking:
Your deposit of $300 is required within 24 hours of booking to confirm or the date will be released.
Your final payment is due 6 weeks prior to departure or your booking will be released and
the deposit retained, subject to the cancellation policy below.
Bond:
A security bond of $600 is to be paid prior to boarding (Cash, EFT or online credit card). This will be refunded less running costs including the following:
-
Fuel costs
-
Pump-out fee $50 (toilet);
-
$50 cleaning fee for pets (if you have one);
-
Additional cleaning (if left in an unclean state, cleaning at $70 per hour will be charged. If any bedding, carpets, cushions etc require professional cleaning eg. due to excess pet mess, or any other reason;
-
Replacement or repair of items or equipment damaged or lost during the period of hire;
-
Late arrival / return fee (a late return fee of $150 per hour or part thereof applies if not returned on time by 9.30am allowing time for you to unload and depart by 10am)
-
Car parking ($5 per car, per day for vehicles left at Coxswain office);
-
The security bond is payable by bank transfer 7-days prior to booking and the balance will be refunded (less costs above) within 7 days of completion of the hire;
Provided the boat is returned on time in good order and condition.
Online Credit Card Payment:
If paying online by credit card, Stripe fees are payable by the customer in addition to hire fees:
Stripe's standard credit card fees in Australia are 1.70% + A$0.30 for online payments and 1.70% + A$0.10 for Stripe Terminal (in-person) payments, as of April 1, 2024. For international cards, the fee is 3.5% + A$0.30 and 1% is added for currency conversion.
Insurance
An insurance excess of $500 applies provided the conditions of the hire agreement are / have been fulfilled. Subject to the insurance company’s assessment, the limit of the hirer’s liability is the insurance excess. If more than one accident occurs during any hire period, each individual accident will be treated as a separate claim and the excess will be applied to each individual claim.
Conditions:
-
The number of people on board must not exceed the number of berths.
-
Anyone driving the boat must be at least 18 years of age & hold a current driving or boat licence.
-
Comprehensive instruction will be given in the handling of the houseboat together with safety & river maps.
-
Firearms, axes, chainsaws, trail bikes, animals & candles are strictly prohibited.
-
Houseboats must not be driven at night. All Department of Transport houseboat regulations must be agreed & adhered to at all times.
-
Houseboats must not travel further south than the Wellington Ferry and no further north than Swan Reach, with prior permission of owner/manager..
-
The owner/manager reserves the right to refuse any person/s the use of the houseboat.
-
The vessel must be returned in a neat & tidy condition, or charges will be incurred.
-
Smoking restrictions apply to some of our fleet.
-
No fuel to be carried or decanted on the vessel.
NOTE - Damage and loss will be charged at cost.
Boarding and Lesson
All hirers must complete a briefing and lesson with our qualified Coxswain.
Arrival time on the day of booking is 3.00pm (unless otherwise arranged). The Briefing and lesson will take approximately 60 minutes. Please note it is unlikely that you will leave Riverglen Reserve before 4.30pm, allowing time to unpack. Depending on the time of year and daylight, you can choose to stay moored on the reserve, or take a short trip upstream, ALWAYS ensuring you have found a mooring spot well before daylight fades.
Cancellation Policy
Please note: This cancellation policy is widely accepted by Houseboat Hirer Association members, however, members reserve the right to specify individual cancellation policies.
Cancellations notified more than 90 days prior to departure will be entitled to a full refund of monies paid less $50 cancellation fee.
Cancellations notified less than 90 days and more than 45 days prior to departure will forfeit all moneys paid unless the houseboat can be re-booked for its full hire fee, in which case, all monies paid will be refunded less $100 cancellation fee.
Cancellations notified less than 45 days prior to departure will forfeit all moneys paid unless the houseboat can be re-booked for its full hire fee, in which case, all monies paid will be refunded less $150 cancellation fee.
