Experience Outdoors - Terms and Conditions (Residential)

1.1 By accepting these Terms and Conditions, you are entering into a binding agreement on the date of the recorded acceptance, between you (the “Customer”) and the City of Edinburgh Council of Waverley Court, a local authority in terms of the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994, with principal place of business at 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BG (the “Provider”).

1.2 The Provider reserves the right to refuse or terminate a booking for breach by the Customer of these Terms and Conditions, in which event the Provider will not be required to refund or repay any sums to the Customer.

1.3 Definitions used in these Terms and Conditions shall mean the following:
“Head of Establishment” means the head teacher, manager or budget holder of a school or establishment with authority to approve and commit to the booking;
“Facilities Coordinator” means the booking administrator located at each centre;
“Outdoor Learning and Adventure Education Manager” means the manager of outdoor learning with overall responsibility for all outdoor centre operations;
“Visiting Staff” means teachers, supervising adults, accompanying adults and group leaders with responsibility for the group under their care.
“Booking Organiser” means the individual authorised by the Customer to make and manage the booking on behalf of the Customer.

2.1 Experience Outdoors is managed by the Outdoor Learning and Adventure Education Division of the Provider.

2.2 The Experience Outdoors website is owned and operated by the Provider.

2.3 Experience Outdoors provides accommodation, equipment and facilities hire, instructional activity options, educational resources and training courses.

2.4 Customers should, in the first instance, deal directly with the relevant outdoor centre.

3.1 The Customer is required to appoint a Booking Organiser for all bookings. It is recommended the Booking Organiser is also the individual responsible for leading and supervising the group during the visit.

3.2 The Booking Organiser must have the consent of the Head of Establishment to make a booking.

3.3 A generic school email is recommended to serve as a communications back-up.

3.4 Provisional bookings will be held on the Provider’s booking system for 10 days. Submission of a completed booking application which reflects the provisional booking offer, shall constitute acceptance of that offer and confirmation of the booking.

3.5 Where a booking application contains significant changes to the provisional booking offer, including but not limited to participant numbers, dates, duration or accommodation requirements, the Provider reserves the right to review and amend the booking prior to confirmation.

3.6 Failure to submit a completed booking application within 10 days of the date of the provisional booking offer may result in cancellation of the provisional booking.

4.1 The Booking Organiser:
4.1.1 will be the primary point of contact between the Customer and the Provider
4.1.2 will be responsible for ensuring that, to the best of their knowledge, all booking information provided to the Provider is accurate.
4.1.3 will promptly notify the Provider of any amendments to the booking (in particular, see Condition 5 below).
4.1.4 will be responsible for ensuring that all participant information and course documentation requested by the Provider are completed accurately and returned within the required timescales.
4.1.5 accepts the Terms and Conditions on behalf of the Customer.

5.1 The City of Edinburgh Council establishments - Payments are processed via the Provider’s internal recharge system and will be debited from the Cost Centre and Account Code provided in the booking application. Journal requests will be processed via the Provider’s Facilities Coordinator and approved by the Service Accountant.

5.2 Establishments other than The City of Edinburgh Council establishments - Payment will be requested via the Provider’s income system. Invoices are payable by cheque, BACS or card.

5.3 Once a booking has been confirmed, any variation to participant numbers must be requested in consultation with the Provider and confirmed by both parties in writing by email, MS Teams or eForm.

5.4 Participant numbers at the time of booking should be as accurate as possible. The Booking Organiser shall notify the Provider as soon as reasonably practicable of any known or anticipated changes.

5.5 Requests to increase participant numbers should be made at the earliest opportunity. Such requests will be considered by the Provider but cannot be guaranteed and remain subject to the availability of accommodation, staffing, resources and activity provision.

5.6 The Provider recognises that participant numbers may occasionally reduce. The Booking Organiser must notify the Provider of any reduction in participant numbers as soon as reasonably practicable and not later than 90 days before arrival.

5.7 Subject to Condition 5.9, participant numbers may be reduced without charge up to 90 days before arrival. At 90 days before arrival, participant numbers will be treated as final for charging purposes and the first instalment of 25% of the total booking cost shall become due based on the participant numbers held on record by the Provider at that time.

5.8 Any reduction to participant numbers after 90 days before arrival may still be accommodated operationally; however, charges will remain payable based on the participant numbers held on record by the Provider 90 days before arrival.

5.9 Where a reduction in participant numbers results in significant unused reserved capacity or materially affects accommodation, staffing, resources or activity provision, the Provider reserves the right to treat the affected places as a partial cancellation and apply the cancellation provisions set out in Section 6 to those places.

6.1 The following payment schedule applies to all bookings;

6.1.1 25% of the total confirmed booking cost becomes due 90 days before arrival.

6.1.2 The remaining balance becomes due 30 days before arrival.

6.1.3 Once due, costs arising under this payment schedule shall remain payable and non-refundable, except where otherwise stated within these Terms and Conditions.

6.2 Where a school or group cancels a booking confirmed in accordance with Condition 3.4, the following cancellation charges shall apply:

• More than 365 days before arrival: Nil
• 365 to 271 days before arrival: 25%
• 270 to 181 days before arrival: 50%
• 180 to 91 days before arrival: 75%
• 90 days or less before arrival: 100%

Charges are calculated based on the total booking cost held on record by the Provider at the time of cancellation. Cancellation charges reflect the accommodation, resources and facilities reserved for the booking, together with the limited opportunity to reallocate residential capacity at short notice.

6.3 Where participant places are treated as a partial cancellation in accordance with Condition 5.9, the cancellation charges set out in Condition 6.2 may be applied to those affected places.

6.4 In the event of the property becoming unavailable and no suitable alternative arrangement can reasonably be provided, the Provider will provide a full refund, or an appropriate partial refund in the case of curtailment.

The Provider shall not be liable for indirect losses, travel costs or additional expenses incurred by the Customer as a result of such cancellation or curtailment.

6.5 The Provider shall not be liable for disruption caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to interruption of utilities, severe weather, transport disruption, industrial action, public health incidents or other unforeseen operational circumstances.

6.6 The Provider recognises that exceptional circumstances may arise. In such cases, the Outdoor Learning and Adventure Education Manager may exercise discretion in relation to the application of the cancellation and payment provisions section set out in this Section.

7.1 Cost includes accommodation, meals, instruction, in-course transport and equipment. Transport to and from the centre is not included. Ski passes are not included.

7.2 Accommodation is allocated based on the needs, size and gender mix of your group and other groups on site.

7.3 Activities may be altered without prior notice, if weather conditions or other circumstances deem it appropriate. This will be done in consultation with Visiting Staff.

8.1 Prices are provided based on the current academic year. Prices beyond current academic year are set as provisional and may be subject to change.

8.2 Children and young people are charged at the agreed per person rate.

8.3 Essential supervising adult places are free based on the following ratios:

8.4 Additional supporting adults are free for approved additional support needs, including 1:1s as identified in Health Plans or Individualised Educational Programme or  equivalent.

8.5 Non-essential additional adults are charged at full price and are subject to availability of accommodation.

9.1 Nothing in this Agreement will operate to limit or exclude the liability of either the Provider or the Customer for;
9.1.1 criminal acts or omissions (including but not limited to fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation):
9.1.2 death or personal injury caused by negligence;
9.1.3 breach of obligations under data protection legislation; or
9.1.4 any other liability which cannot be lawfully limited or excluded.

9.2 The Provider confirms it has public liability insurance in relation to the property. Public liability caters for the Provider's legal liability for accidental death of or bodily injury or disease to any third party or damage to third party property.

9.3 The Provider will not be responsible for any loss, damages or injury unless resulting from a negligent act or omission as defined in 9.1 above.

9.4 It is recommended each Customer has appropriate travel and personal accident insurance to safeguard loss, damage, accident or cost of cancelling/curtailing booking.

9.5 Council groups should consult the latest advice in the Excursions Policy. Non-Council groups should follow their employer guidance.

9.6 The Customer will be held liable for any damage or replacements attributable to improper use of the accommodation, equipment or facilities.

10.1 Customers agree and acknowledge the following:
10.1.1 Customers are responsible for taking appropriate precautions for their own safety.
10.1.2 Conditions may be severe in rural locations - including snow, wind, water and ice.
10.1.3 Customers should be aware that conditions at the site can be dark.
10.1.4 In the event of road closure or adverse travel conditions the Provider cannot be held responsible and no refund can be given in respect of any booking.

11.1 Contact the centre to arrange return. Any relevant postage will be charged to the Customer.

12.1 If for any reason you are not satisfied with any aspect of your course, please notify the Centre’s Operations Manager immediately. The Centre will endeavour to resolve any issue. If the matter cannot be resolved locally, Customers may refer the issue to the Outdoor Learning and Adventure Education Manager for further review. Customers retain the right to use the City of Edinburgh Council’s Complaints Handling Procedure.

13.1 The Customer agrees and acknowledges the terms of the Provider’s Privacy Notice, found at:
Privacy and data protection – The City of Edinburgh Council.

14.1 If you have any questions about these terms and conditions, please contact experience.outdoors@edinburgh.gov.uk.

15.1 This agreement and any dispute or claim, including a dispute or claim of a non-contractual nature, arising under or in connection with this agreement will be governed by Scots law, and will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Scottish courts.

Revised 1 June 2026