Room Hire Agreement

Terms and Conditions of use

Hirers are bound by the following terms and conditions and should read them carefully before signing.

  1. Payment and bookings

 

All bookings must start and end either on the hour or half past the hour. The period of hire starts and finishes at the times agreed on the booking confirmation. 

Initial bookings should be made through our booking system on Skedda. 

We will confirm your booking with an email once we have received full payment. 

Your booking will be provisional until the hire fees are paid in full.

If the hire fees are not received by the required date, usually no later than 14 days prior to the booking date, the booking will be cancelled. Oxford City Farm will not be liable for any loss sustained by the hirer. 

Ongoing bookings must have an agreement to hire for each quarter.  


 

2. Cancellations

Please notify us of any cancellations at the earliest possible opportunity. In the event of cancellation, the following cancellation charges will be deducted from your deposit or hire fee:  

  • more than 14 days’ notice: no cancellation charge

  • less than 14 days’ notice: 50% of hire charges

These charges may be reduced or waived, entirely at the discretion of Oxford City Farm, if a replacement booking is made at  the same time as your cancellation.

 

3. Overruns, Cleaning and Tidying

It is imperative that rooms are left clean and tidy. All rubbish must be taken away when you leave. 

The toilets will be clean when you arrive. When you leave, please ensure that they are in the same state as they were when you arrived.

You must turn off all lighting and electrical equipment at the end of the hire period. 

You must return furniture to its proper place unless you are physically unable to do so. 

 

 4. Use of Premises 

Use of the Premises (lawful use)

You shall not use the room for any purpose other than that described in your agreement for hire and you shall not sub-hire or allow the room to be used in any unlawful way or for any unlawful purpose. You shall not do or fail to do anything that may endanger Oxford City Farm or the persons within it or render invalid any insurance policies.

Limitation of Liability

Oxford City Farm will not accept liability for any loss (including any loss of revenue) or injury sustained by you or your guests unless and only if it is attributable to the trustees’ (or their authorised representatives’) gross negligence.

Security of the Premises

Except in exceptional circumstances or as otherwise agreed by an Oxford City Farm staff member, an Oxford City Farm authorised representative will unlock the room at the beginning of the hiring period and secure the room at the end of the hiring period. You shall ensure that the room is not unattended at any time during the hiring period or at the end of the hiring period until the Oxford City Farm authorised representative takes charge.

Statutory & Regulatory Requirements

You shall comply with all laws and any conditions, regulations or codes of practice made in respect of Oxford City Farm by the Fire Authority, Local Authority, Local Magistrates’ Court or otherwise, particularly in connection with an event which includes public dancing and music or similar public entertainment or stage plays or events which involve selling of goods. 

Capacity

You shall ensure that the maximum capacity of each room of Oxford City Farm is not exceeded.   

Wireless Internet

Oxford City Farm provides wireless internet access (Wi-Fi) for the convenience of its hirers and customers. However, Oxford City Farm cannot guarantee that Wi-Fi access will be available at all times. By allowing anyone you are responsible for as a hirer to use the Wi-Fi during your booking you confirm that they are 18 years or over or have the permission of their parent or guardian to use the Wi-Fi. You agree that you will not use the Wi-Fi for, and that you will take all reasonable precautions to ensure that anyone you are responsible for as a hirer does not use the Wi-Fi for, any unlawful, fraudulent or malicious purpose.

Loss and damage

By agreeing to hire the room you have agreed that any damage incurred by yourself or those attending your event, or loss of property will be your responsibility. You need to report any damage occurring without delay. Additional charges may be imposed for any damage to the premises or equipment.

You will compensate Oxford City Farm for the cost of repair of any damage (however slight and whether malicious or accidental) done to any part of the room and any loss suffered by Oxford City Farm as a consequence of your activities as a hirer or the activities of anyone you are responsible for as the hirer or anyone that you allow access to the premises.

​Noise

All bookings must end by 5pm (Mondays to Saturdays). You must ensure that noise is kept to a minimum and members of your group leave the premises quietly in the evening so as not to cause annoyance to residents in the locality of Oxford City Farm. 

​Supervision and Equality

The person whose name appears on the booking form will be deemed to be responsible for the activity and will be expected to be in attendance throughout. You are responsible for the actions of people you admit to Oxford City Farm as part of your booking, or who gain access to Oxford City Farm because you fail to control access properly. Hirers who use the building when there is no Oxford City Farm representative on-site are responsible for ensuring that only authorised persons gain access to the building.

Children should be properly supervised at all times. You shall be responsible for ensuring that any activities for children are carried out in accordance with all laws and child protection regulations and that only fit and proper persons have access to children while they are in Oxford City Farm.

Oxford City Farm is committed to equality and diversity – you must comply with the Equality Act 2010.

Alcohol

If you intend to sell alcohol as part of your event, you will need to get the appropriate licence and ensure a copy is given to Oxford City Farm. 

Illegal drugs

You must not allow illegal drugs on the premises.

Animals

We regret that pets (including companion animals and guide dogs) are not permitted.

Parking

There is space for 4 cars parked just inside the entrance to Oxford City Farm There should be further parking to be found nearby on Cornwallis Road. Please do not park in Isis Court Care Home Car Park. 

​Smoking

Smoking is not permitted anywhere on Oxford City Farm.

Fire Safety

You must read and comply with the fire notices posted throughout the building. A copy of the standard notice will be supplied to you on request. 

You should familiarise yourself with the fire alarm points, the location of extinguishers and the available escape routes. 

You must not prop any fire doors open, obstruct any fire doors or escape routes, damage any fire safety equipment, cause any dangerous accumulations of combustible materials to occur, or do anything likely to cause a fire risk. 

You should follow all audible emergency alarms and you should not tamper with any device or system designed for use in an emergency.

You should inform all your participants of these procedures and take responsibility for the safe entry/exit of all participants in an emergency.

In the event of a fire, your primary responsibility is to ensure the rapid and safe evacuation of the members of your group in the building. 

Emergencies

In the event of an emergencies, such as fire, police, or medical assistance, call 999 and provide the following location details: 

Oxford City Farm Kitchen, Cornwallis Road, Oxford OX4 3NU

(State that the farm is through the gates at the far end of Isis Court Care Home car park).

​Insurance

You must have adequate insurance (e.g. public liability) to protect yourself and others against all claims arising as a result of your hire and use of Oxford City Farm. 

Health and safety  

You must comply with health and safety legislation and ensure that you have adequate insurance cover to cover your activity in respect of liability to any persons, or loss or damage to property, including personal injury and death of third parties (including employees and volunteers) and damage to the building or to the property of others.  

We cannot be responsible for any injury to persons, or loss or damage to property during the hirer's use of the premises. 

You have full responsibility for the behaviour, actions and consequences of such behaviour and actions of all persons involved in the use of the room during the booking period. You are responsible for ensuring proper supervision of entry to/exit from the building during your event and being mindful of the safety of people coming into the building and their security.  

You must carry out your own risk assessment for your activity. We can provide you with our generic risk assessment relating to the premises if you would like to adapt it. 

Accidents

All accidents or near-accidents must be recorded in the Accident Book. This is kept in the lobby. 

The first-aid box is in the kitchen.  You must notify Oxford City Farm if you use any supplies so that we can re-stock.