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The Accommodation Swap user reference manual (Items 1 - 17)
VERY VERY IMPORTANT. If you receive a swap booking enquiry it is obligatory to reply to the email. This is just common courtesy that should not have to be spelled out. There are, however, many etiquette challenged members who never bother to reply to an enquiry, should they not wish to accept the request, for whatever reason. This condition of membership (see agreement and code of practice clause 12.4) will be strictly enforced and any continuous offender could be removed from the system losing any credits that they might have accumulated.2 To access your credit balances
3 To access the "swap form" for requesting a booking
4 To access the credits for breakfasts, other meals and other activities form
5 To retrieve forgotten password and reference number,
6 Booking procedure - GUEST
7 Your responsibility as - HOST
8 Credits charged per person per night
9 What about children?
10 Credits in lieu of breakfasts, other meals and other activities
11 Extra Activities
12 No other "on" costs to be charged
13 How do I earn credits?
14 What happens if by no fault of yours you run out of credits?
15 Only the registered owner is permitted to request bookings
16 Accommodation Swap in perspective
17 Accommodation Swap etiquette
18 Membership yearly subs renewal
1. To view registered members establishments :
1.2 In the home page click on "members login"
1.3 Fill in the members login form and submit.
1.4 Follow the links through to the "Establishment Area"page. In the "search for establishments here" block click on one of the drop down links and choose from the list a Province of your choice.
2. To access your credit balances :
2.2 In the home page click on "members login"
2.3 Fill in the members login form and submit.
2.4 Follow the links through to the "Establishment Area"page.Click on the drop down link at the top of the page called "important usage links" click on "my credit balance"
3. To access the "swap form" for requesting a booking
3.2 In the home page click on "members login"
3.3 Fill in the members login form and submit.
3.4 Follow the links through to the "Establishment Area"page.Click on the drop down link at the top of the page called "submit Forms" and click on the relevant link. PLEASE NOTE that you need to take responsibility for your credit account. Keep all your swap confirmations for future reference. Accom Swap only keeps a copy on file for one month and then it peels off the system.
4. To access the credits for breakfasts, other meals and other activities form
4.2 In the home page click on "members login"
4.3 Fill in the members login form and submit.
4.4 Follow the links through to the "Establishment Area"page.Click on the drop down link at the top of the page called "submit Forms" click on "Credits for Breakfast and other activities form"
5. To retrieve forgotten password and reference number
5.2 In the home page click on "members login"
5.3 Choose the center block just below the login details called "forgotten Login details?" click "submit" and fill in the pop up form.
Your password and reference number will be emailed to you.
6.2 In the home page click on "members login"
6.3 Fill in the members login form and submit.
6.4 Follow the links through to the "Establishment Area"page. In the "search for establishments here" block click on one of the drop down links and choose from the list a Province of your choice.
6.5 Decide from the tables which establishment you would like to make a booking
6.6 Click on their respective email icons and request a booking.
6.7 A booking requested is NOT a confirmed booking. Both host and guest need to clearly CONFIRM the swap request before the Host submits the swap form.Once the swap has been confirmed you MUST forward the following details to the Host:
your establishments name6.8 Please note that all bookings must be arranged directly between Host and Guest - Accom Swap admin will not get involved with the arranging or following up on bookings made.
your first and last name
your email address as registered with Accom swap
your reference number
your pin number
6.9 GUESTS to avoid any misunderstanding, once you get an affirmation of request it is imperative that you confirm your booking and that you email any other members you might also have made an inquiry with and inform them that you have made other arrangements.
Please note that once the two parties have agreed on a given date, it shall be "binding" on both parties to honor the commitment. Any reneging of this condition will be severely viewed by the administrators and your membership could be terminated (see agreement and code of practice)
6.10. NB ONLY THE HOST IS TO SUBMIT THE SWAP FORM NOT THE GUEST
7. Your responsibility as - HOST
7.2 On receiving a request please be sure to ask for the applicants full details vis a vis First and Last names, ref number, Pin number, email address and establishment name. You will need this info in order to successfully complete the swap form.
7.3 Swap forms must be submitted by the host IMMEDIATELY after both parties have agreed on and accepted the swap and BEFORE the swap takes place.
The LATEST that the swap form can be submitted is TEN DAYS after the swap has taken place, after which the host shall forfeit the credits gained for the swap.
Should the host not submit the form before the swap takes place they could stand to lose the credits gained if the guest did not have enough credits to have requested the booking.There will be no compromise on the above.
Our data base has been programmed to reject any swap form submission that does not meet the above criteria.
7.4 The database then credits you with the amount of days (credits) and debits your guests account with the corresponding amount of credits. You and your guest are automatically sent a confirmation email of the transaction. You can view your account status any time by following the procedure outlined in item 2 above.
HOSTS please note that a request is NOT a confirmed booking. Please do not just ignore the booking request, email back either rejecting or accepting and if accepting ask for confirmation of request.
GUESTS to avoid any misunderstanding, once you get an affirmation of request it is imperative that you confirm your booking and that you email any other members you might also have made an inquiry with and inform them that you have made other arrangements.
Please note that once the two parties have agreed on a given date, it shall be "binding" on both parties to honor the commitment. Any reneging of this condition will be severely viewed by the administrators and your membership could be terminated (see item 6.1.3 below)
8. Credits charged per person per night
Swap form for up to 3 stars grading 0.5 per person per night sharing
EXAMPLE: 2 people sharing per night 2x 0.5 = 1 credit charged.
Swap form for 4 and 5 star gradings 1 credit for one person sharing
EXAMPLE: 2 people sharing per night 2x 1 credit = 2 credit charged.
Swap form for a complete cottage or house charged as a LUMP SUM irrespective of number of occupants:
The credits charged shall be as follows: Take the total amount normally charged commercially and divide by 800 (the base line commercial value currently used for 1 credit)
EXAMPLE:The entire cottage/house is rented out at R2400 per night
R2400 divided by 800= 3 credits charged.
Submit the relevant form as per above. On receipt of the form the database will take care of the rest and inform both Host and Guest of the success or otherwise of the agreed transaction and notify each respectively.
PLEASE NOTE If you use the "Lump Sum charged" form you MUST CONFIRM with the applicant up front that you will be charging a lump sum, to which both Host and Guest must agree. You cannot unilaterally decide to use this method if you are listed on the web site table as an "up to three star rated" or "4 to 5 star rated" establishment
For guests children under 12 will not be charged.
10. Credits in lieu of breakfasts, other meals and other activities
There is a separate form to be filled in by hosts if credits are used in lieu of payment for breakfasts, other meals, or other activities. The form is called "other activities" (click on the drop down link called "submit forms")
The credits charged for breakfasts and other meals is entirely up to the host's discretion and shall be negotiate up front with the guest on request. When filling in the form enter ONLY the total number of credits agreed on for breakfasts or other meals in the appropriate column (example 1 or 2 or 6 etc)
On submission of the form the database does the calculation automatically and debits and credits each account accordingly.
Some members are also prepared to accept bookings over December up to the 15th of January plus the Easter long week end for additional credits.
Again this option is entirely optional and must not be taken for granted when applying for a booking. The amount of credits charged by the host is also entirely up to them but HAS to be negotiated up front and agreed to in writing (email) by both parties.
Once an agreement has been reached however it shall be binding on both parties (see agreement and code of practice) and cannot be changed by the host for what ever reason and in particular should they subsequently receive a normal (paying client) enquiry.
12. No other "on" costs to be charged
13.2 We have introduced a "bonus" system which allows members to earn five credits for every new member they bring on board. Every member can earn extra credits in this way.
14. What happens if by no fault of yours you run out of credits?
14.2 You have been a member for more than one year.
14.3You have no "strike" against your establishment (turning down a booking request - this will be adjudicated by Accom Swap)
then you are able to purchase a bundle of six credits on request. The administrators will assess each request on merit and their decision is final.
15 Only the registered owner is permitted to request bookings
Should you engage a manager to deal with Accom swap affairs EVERY email addressed to Accom Swap OR to other members has to commence with ...."this is (managers name) on behalf of (registered person on our data base) who has authorized me to act on his/her behalf...."
" The registered owner takes full responsibility and will be held liable by the Host for any damages or claims of misconduct of friends or family they have sponsored.
16. Accommodation Swap in perspective:
Accommodation Swap is not designed to impact on your need to host paying guests. It is designed to fill in the "down time" when you are quiet and have empty rooms available.
There is a misconception amongst some members that when you receive a request for accommodation by a fellow member that you are obligated to accept. This is not so. You have the OPTION to accept or decline :see agreement and code of practice:
"I agree to make my establishment available to bone fide members of the scheme who have credits to their names, at times suitable to myself" BUT:
"I promise not to renege on any booking agreed to, even, and especially if, prior to arrival date, I should receive a normal (paying) request for a booking over the same period of time."
17.Accommodation Swap etiquette.
17.2 It goes without saying that Host's should not provide a lesser service than they would for a paying guest - remember you ARE being paid by credits which in kind is currently worth between R800,00 and R1800,00 per credit. We would like to think that Host's go out of their way to provide only the very best experience for their fellow member just as YOU would like to be treated in exactly the same way when you are the guest.
17.3 If you are sponsoring someone on your credits it is YOUR responsibility to choose whom you send WISELY. Make sure the person/s you send has been fully briefed on Accom Swap expectations and that they will display good manners and abide by Accom Swap protocols.
YOU will be held responsible for any ill conduct or legal charges made by the host against that individual. Bear in mind, as one of our members has stated, "this is a prestige web site" where apart from the benefits of direct swapping, positive relationships with fellow members are built. An ill-mannered and rude individual can destroy all of this in a blink.
18.Yearly membership subs renewal.
Non payment and late payment shall result in that account being suspended until payment has been made.
Although Accommodation Swap sends out annual subscription renewal notices, all members are personally responsible for ensuring that their fees have been renewed during the month of May, even though they did not receive the renewal notices for whatever reason.