Rental terms and conditions
OCCUPANCY. The maximum occupancy is FOUR (4) people. The person booking the vacation reservation is the Responsible Party; this person must be at least 18 years old and must reside at the Property for the duration of the rental. The Premises may only be used by the persons named in this agreement. Subletting or transferring use of the Property is not permitted. Setting up tents, trailers or RVs on the Property to increase occupancy is not allowed.
PAYMENT. A non-refundable booking deposit of $100 is required at booking to confirm the reservation and hold the dates. The balance is due 30 days before arrival date. If full payment is not received 29 days before check-in, the booking will be considered as cancelled by you and the dates will be released. Payment methods accepted are etransfer (preferred) or credit card (non-refundable 4% fee added for credit card processing).
SECURITY DEPOSIT. A $500 security deposit is required 7 days before check-in. It will be refunded within 7 days of departure if there is no damage to the property, no extra cleaning fees incurred and no violations to our policies as outlined below. If the deposit is not received 5 days before check-in, the booking will be considered as cancelled by you and the dates will be released with no refund.
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS. Cancellations more than 30 days before check-in date don’t incur any fees other than the forfeit of the non-refundable $100 booking deposit paid at the time of booking. Cancellations 15-30 days prior to check-in will be refunded 50% of the total booking amount. For any cancellations less than 15 days prior to check-in, no refund will be given. There are no refunds for late check-in, early departure, or reduction of nights reserved after check-in. In the event that the Owners have to modify or cancel the booking, the Guest will be informed as soon as possible, the Owners will reimburse the Guest in full for the sums paid (including the non-refundable $100 booking deposit) and the Owners will be released from any other liability.
INSURANCE. The Owners highly recommend that Guests consider purchasing travel insurance to cover any trip cancellations or other insurance needs they may have, especially if they travel during the North Atlantic hurricane season (June to November, but especially mid-August to late October) or the Nor’Easter winter storm season (December to March).
CHECK-IN. Check-in is after 3:00 pm, unless other prior arrangements have been made. There are no discounts or refunds for late or missed check-ins.
CHECK-OUT. Check-out is before 11:00 am. Refer to the check-out instructions in the Welcome Guide and outlined below. Your door code will expire at 11:00 am. There are no discounts given for early departures. Unauthorized late check-outs will be charged $25 per 15 minutes.
WALK-THROUGH. Upon check-in, please do a walk through of the Property and let Owners know immediately if the Premises appear dirty or damaged.
PETS. Dogs (maximum to be discussed) are welcome with no additional fee but need to be disclosed at the time of booking. A separate pet agreement will need to be signed by the Guest. Cats and other types of animals are not allowed. Undisclosed pets on the property will result in the forfeit of the security deposit and may result in immediate termination of booking with no refund.
NO SMOKING, VAPING, MARIJUANA OR ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE USE. La Bluefin is a strictly non-smoking property. Smoking is prohibited everywhere on the property, including outdoors. Smoking, vaping, or marijuana or illegal substance use on the property will result in the forfeit of the security deposit and may result in immediate termination of booking with no refund.
NO PARTIES, EVENTS, LARGE GATHERINGS. No overnight unregistered guests. You may have daytime visitors but a maximum of 8 people are allowed in total on the property at any given time. Disregard of occupancy limit (maximum of 4 overnight registered guests and of 8 people on the property in total during the day) will result in the forfeit of the security deposit and may result in immediate termination of booking with no refund.
GOOD NEIGHBOUR POLICY. You and your guests must be considerate of our neighbours and their right to the quiet enjoyment of their home and property. Be friendly, courteous, and treat them like you want to be treated.
CARE OF PREMISES. You agree to use all electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation, appliances, etc., in a reasonable manner. You will not make any changes to the Premises and you agree to keep all areas of the Premises clean, sanitary and free from any accumulations of debris, filth, and garbage, and to dispose of trash properly. You will be responsible for any damages caused to the Property. Please close and lock all doors and windows when you leave the Premises. Be mindful of the wind when using the front outward swinging door – ALWAYS shut the door behind you and never leave it open.
CLEANING REQUIREMENTS. Staying in a cottage is different than staying in a hotel. We do not offer housekeeping services. You are expected to clean up after yourself and to leave the Premises in reasonably the same state as you found them. If extra cleaning fees are charged to us after your departure, the extra fees will be taken out of the security deposit.
SEPTIC SYSTEM. Only non-solidifying liquids can be disposed of in the drains (no grease/fats, food particles, etc.), and only toilet paper can be flushed down the toilets (no tissues, feminine hygiene products, tampons or applicators, condoms, Q-tips, wipes of any kind, hair, food, etc.) to prevent malfunctioning of the system.
GARBAGE, RECYCLING, COMPOST. All trash must be sorted and placed in the appropriate bins and bags (garbage, paper, plastic/metal/glass, organics) according to local regulations. Please see Welcome Guide for details and instructions.
FIREPIT. Use of firepit is prohibited during burn bans. Please check the restrictions before each use of the firepit at https://novascotia.ca/burnsafe/ (they are updated daily between March 15 and October 15 at 2 pm). Government fines for non-compliance are very steep.
STORMY WEATHER. Keep the windows shut and locked on windy days, and beware when opening the front door (using the sliding doors to come in and out of the house is easier when the winds are really strong). Please note that it is not uncommon for the power to go out during stormy weather so be sure to bring flashlights, batteries, powerbanks for charging phones, appropriate clothing, extra blankets, non-perishable food, etc., if the forecast calls for stormy weather during your stay. We are in a rural area so it might take several hours or days before the power is restored. Consider purchasing travel insurance, especially if you are travelling during hurricane or Nor’Easter season.
SERVICES NOT GUARANTEED. We will do our best to ensure that all advertised services are available during your stay, but cannot be held liable and will not give refunds for any power outages, appliance malfunction, and loss of wifi or other services due to weather, ‘force majeure’ or other events beyond our reasonable control.
SECURITY CAMERAS IN USE. The driveway and exterior doors of the Property are monitored by exterior surveillance cameras with audio/video recording capabilities. Covering the cameras, unplugging the camera smart hub or modem and/or disabling the cameras or the wifi in any way are not allowed. Doing so will result in the forfeit of the security deposit and may result in immediate termination of booking with no refund.
TELEVISION. Two smart TVs are provided to use with your own personal streaming accounts (Netflix, Disney+, etc.) should you wish to do so. No cable service or streaming subscriptions are included. It is your responsability to make sure you sign out of your personal accounts before leaving. The Owners are not liable for any issues that may arise as a result of your decision to sign into the Property’s devices with your accounts.
CHECK-OUT INSTRUCTIONS. Place used towels in the bathtub. Load all dirty dishes in the dishwasher and start the dishwasher. Return items and furniture to their original locations. Empty the refrigerator and pantry of any food you brought. Do a final check to make sure you have not left any personal belongings behind. Turn off all lights. Close and lock all doors and windows. Take out the trash (garbage, recyclables and organics) in the box/bin in the driveway.
DAMAGE AND REPAIRS. Please contact us immediately if something gets broken or stained during your stay, so we can plan accordingly for the next visitors. Guests agree that the Owners or their representatives may enter the Premises for the purpose of inspection, repairs or maintenance. If damage beyond normal wear and tear is noted, the cost of repair or replacement will be taken from the security deposit, and additional fees may be charged to you if the cost of repair or replacement exceeds the amount of the security deposit
NON-COMPLIANCE. Non-compliance to the policies outlined herein by you or your guests may result in partial or complete forfeit of the security deposit and immediate termination of your booking with no refund.
LIABILITY AND RESPONSABILITY. You acknowledge that the Property is on a high cliff with no fence or guard rails. You agree to be responsible and liable for, and by, the actions and safety of every person in your group. You, and your guests, shall indemnify and hold the Owners free and harmless from any and all liability, claims, loss, damage or expenses arising by reason of any injury, death or property damage sustained by any person including you or your guests.
Failure to comply with the rules, terms and conditions of the property by you, or any individual associated with you or your guests, will be considered a material breach of this contract.
Terms and conditions for a stay with a dog
We ask that you please follow these pet guidelines during your stay at La Bluefin.
· The dog must be older than 1 year old, house-trained (relieve itself outside), with no history of separation anxiety or destructive behaviour in the home.
· You are expected to clean up after your pet prior to leaving, including any pet hair and all feces. If your dog is allowed on furniture or beds at home, bring blankets or sheets to cover the furniture and beds. An extra $100 pet hair cleaning fee and/or an extra $100 pet waste pick-up fee may be incurred if housekeepers report and charge us for excessive pet hair or any pet feces removal.
· Do not allow your dog to bark excessively or roam onto neighbouring properties (please consider keeping your dog on leash or using the tie-out).
· Consider grooming your dog prior to your stay, particularly if it is a breed prone to shedding.
· Do not wash your dog inside the house. Use the outside faucet and hose to rinse off sandy/muddy paws. Bring towels if you think you will need some for your dog.
· Dogs can get stressed in unfamiliar surroundings. Please don’t leave your dog unattended. If it is necessary to leave the dog alone in the house, it should be for only a very short period of time. Consider bringing a crate if your dog is crate-trained.
· Ensure that your dog’s medications and immunizations are up-to-date prior to your stay, especially flea and tick preventative treatment
· Undisclosed pets on the property will incur a $500 charge (loss of the security deposit) and possible immediate termination of booking with no refund.
· You acknowledge the property is on a cliff with no guard rail and is not fenced in.
· You will be responsible for any damages your pet causes.
· You agree to be responsible and liable for, and by, the actions and safety of your pet. You shall indemnify and hold the Owners free and harmless from any and all liability, claims, loss, damage or expenses arising by reason of any injury or death sustained by your pet.
Any questions? Read our FAQ or send us an email.
