Terms & Conditions

These terms and conditions outline how we operate and what you can expect when you use our services. By engaging our services, you are agreeing to these terms. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, please do not use our services.

We specialize in high-standard short-term rental management. Our aim is to provide socially responsible, environmentally friendly, quality accommodation. We operate with a structured, process-driven approach, using defined policies and procedures to ensure consistency and quality across our properties. We use technology for seamless booking, communication, task management, inspections, and secure guest verification. Our team manages property care, maintenance, inventory, and security. We strive for professional guest hosting, smooth check-ins, and prompt issue resolution. This information is for general understanding; it is not professional advice or a binding agreement without a separate written contract.

When you engage our services, we ask that you do so responsibly and lawfully. You are agreeing not to use our services for any illegal purpose or in a way that could harm, disable, or interfere with the property or anyone else's use of it. We trust that any information you provide is accurate and truthful. We also expect all guests to treat our properties and their contents with care and respect, just as you would your own home. Please be mindful of neighbors and adhere to residential community rules, including occupancy limits and visitor policies. We also ask that you promptly report any issues or concerns you notice during your stay.

Guests are financially responsible for the cost of repair or replacement for any damage caused by negligence, misuse, or violation of house rules during their stay. This includes, but is not limited to, significant stains, broken items, or damage from unauthorized guests or events. We ask that you report any accidental damage to your Property Manager immediately. Failure to report damages discovered after your departure may affect coverage.

We utilize a Guest Deposit and Damage Protection Policy. For direct bookings, you will complete mandatory guest verification through LekkerGuest and select either a Non-Refundable Damage Waiver (a small, one-time fee covering accidental damage up to R5,000, if reported before checkout) or a Refundable Damage Deposit (a larger, fully refundable security deposit held against any damages or breaches). Deductions for damages, missing items, or excessive cleaning will come from this deposit. Neither option covers intentional acts, theft, damage from unauthorized events, smoking inside the property, excessive cleaning, pet damage, fines from Body Corporates or Home Owners Associations, or any breach of the rental agreement. Guests remain fully liable for any costs exceeding the waiver limit or deposit amount. For third-party platform bookings like Airbnb, their specific damage protection programs will apply. For other third-party platforms, guest verification and damage protection through LekkerGuest are required. Our team conducts a thorough inspection after your departure. Any costs incurred due to damages or policy violations will be documented and charged to the guest. We also use monitoring technology like Alertify for noise levels and cigarette smoke to help prevent misuse and protect the property.

Cleaning and Tidy Conduct: While a professional exit clean is included in your service fee, guests must maintain reasonable tidiness. Leaving the property in a state requiring significantly more cleaning or specialized services may incur additional fees.

Refuse Disposal: Please manage your refuse according to property-specific instructions, using designated bins and adhering to collection schedules. Failure to do so may result in additional removal costs or fines. Securely bag all refuse before placing it in designated bins. Leaving excessive unbagged rubbish upon departure is not acceptable.

Utilities Usage: We encourage mindful use of electricity, water, and gas to support environmental sustainability. Your booking includes a daily allowance for electricity, calculated based on the number of bedrooms. Consumption that consistently and significantly exceeds the daily allowance by more than 20% may result in charges for the excess amount at the standard municipal rate. Your stay includes a standard provision of gas, typically one 9kg cylinder per week, with a spare provided. Excessive gas usage, such as prolonged unnecessary use of heaters, may also incur charges for additional refills.

Smoking Policy: Smoking, including vaping, is strictly prohibited inside all properties unless a specific outdoor area is explicitly designated. Evidence of indoor smoking will result in a mandatory deep cleaning fee to remove odor and residue. Any fines levied by the Body Corporate or Homeowners Association due to smoking violations are also the guest's responsibility.

Noise and Disturbances: Guests must respect Quiet Hours, which are generally from 10:00 PM (22:00) to 7:00 AM (07:00) daily, and maintain reasonable noise levels at all times to avoid disturbing neighbors. Parties, events, or large gatherings of any kind are strictly prohibited. Any fines or security call-out fees resulting from noise complaints or disturbances caused by the guest or their visitors are the guest's responsibility, and may lead to immediate termination of your stay and eviction without refund. We enforce these policies strictly to protect guests, neighbors, properties, and our relationships with owners.

Occupancy and Visitors: The property rental is exclusively for the registered guests named in the official booking confirmation; only those individuals are permitted to stay overnight. Each property has a strict maximum occupancy limit, including adults, children, and infants, which must not be exceeded at any time. Properties are for temporary, short-term accommodation only and not for parties, events, or commercial activities. This agreement does not create a residential tenancy; guests are licensees and not tenants under the Rental Housing Act, 1999 (RHA). This means you waive any right to remain beyond the booking period. Rules for day visitors vary; guests in complexes or apartments must comply with Body Corporate or Homeowners Association visitor rules, which may include limits on numbers (e.g., maximum of 2 day visitors at any time; no visitors after 21:00) or registration. For standalone houses, daytime visitors are generally not permitted without prior written approval from MUi STAYS Property Management. The registered guest is responsible for the conduct of any permitted visitor. Our standard pricing is based on double occupancy, and additional guests beyond this base will incur extra charges.

We aim for a smooth, secure, and welcoming check-in. The check-in method depends on a risk assessment. For lower-risk profiles and suitable properties, Self Check-in may be permitted using instructions provided (e.g., key safe code). For higher-risk profiles or specific properties, a Meet and Greet is the mandatory default, where our Property Manager meets you personally for ID verification and a brief property tour. Alternatively, Office Key Collection may be an option during business hours. We verify guest identity against the booking at check-in.

We will make a reasonable effort to contact you if personal items are found after your departure, often sending a photo. You can choose to have items returned (at your cost, including packaging, courier/postal fees, and a standard MUi STAYS handling fee), donated to a designated local charity, or discarded. We require your clear, written instructions before donating or disposing of non-perishable items. We will securely store found non-perishable items for a maximum of three (3) months from the date of notification or discovery. Perishable items and opened food will generally be disposed of immediately for hygiene reasons. While we assist with lost property, we cannot be held liable or responsible for any items left behind by guests, or for loss or damage during transit by third-party services; responsibility for personal belongings remains with the guest at all times. We recommend checking thoroughly before you check out.

Maintaining secure control over property keys and access devices is very important for your safety and property security. You are financially responsible for the full replacement cost of any lost, stolen, or significantly damaged keys, remotes, or access fobs, as well as any necessary lock changes. This cost will be processed via deposit deduction, direct invoicing, or a platform claim. Please report any loss or damage immediately to your Property Manager.

When you book a stay with us, a provisional booking is held for two working days. To confirm your booking, a 50% deposit of the total reservation cost is usually required within this two-day window; if not received, the provisional booking will be automatically cancelled. The remaining balance of the booking amount is due before the expiration of your chosen cancellation policy window. Failure to pay the balance within this timeframe may result in the cancellation of the booking and your deposit being subject to the applicable cancellation policy.

For direct bookings, you can select from various cancellation policies:

Flexible: Full refund for cancellations made up to a short period before check-in (e.g., 24 or 48 hours), with a +10% price adjustment. This option is often used for certain property types or promotions. Firm (e.g., 14-Day): Full refund of the Booking Confirmation Deposit if cancelled more than 14 days prior to check-in. If cancelled within 14 days, the 50% deposit is non-refundable. This is our standard policy for many direct bookings. Semi-Strict (e.g., 30-Day): Full refund of the Booking Confirmation Deposit if cancelled more than 30 days prior to check-in. If cancelled within 30 days, the 50% deposit is non-refundable. This is often used for premium properties or longer stays. Non-Refundable: The booking is non-refundable from the moment it is confirmed, typically requiring 100% payment upfront. This may apply to specific discounted rates or high-demand periods. High Season (Super-Strict): Full refund for cancellations made 60 days or more before check-in, at a standard rate. This is automatically applied to all bookings for stays in December and January. Bookings made through external platforms are subject to the cancellation policy selected on that specific platform. We will attempt to accommodate date changes subject to availability; changes made within the non-refundable period may incur a modification fee. We strongly recommend that all guests purchase comprehensive travel insurance to cover unforeseen circumstances. Eligible refunds are processed by our Accounts department, typically via the original payment method. All transactions and refunds are processed in South African Rand (ZAR). We are not responsible for any fluctuations in exchange rates or bank charges/fees incurred by your bank. Please allow approximately 7-14 business days for the refund to reflect in your account. No-shows, without prior notification, will be treated as same-day cancellations, and no refunds will be issued.

Our accommodation is self-catering. Your booking includes a mandatory Service Fee which covers a comprehensive exit clean after your departure and a once-off starter pack of essential consumables upon your arrival. This starter pack typically includes items for the bathroom and kitchen, as well as clean linen and towels. Please note, the included exit clean covers standard requirements and does not cover excessive mess or deep stain treatment. Replenishing consumables beyond the initial starter pack is your responsibility for the duration of your stay, unless you book an optional mid-stay cleaning service with restocking.

We offer optional mid-stay cleaning and linen services for an additional fee, available by contacting your Property Manager 24 to 48 hours in advance. These services include Major Cleans (comprehensive clean, linen change, basic restocking), Minor Cleans (touch-up clean, basic restocking, no linen change), and Linen and Towel Changes. Payment for additional services is required in full upfront. Guests are expected to maintain a reasonable level of cleanliness and manage their refuse according to our policies.

We understand that unplanned power (loadshedding or faults) and water outages can occur, as these are caused by external municipal or national utility providers and are beyond our direct control. Our priority during such disruptions is to ensure guest safety and well-being. We will provide timely, empathetic, and clear communication, offering regular updates. For immediate relief during confirmed water outages, we are pre-authorised to provide bottled water. We will guide guests to any provided emergency supplies like lanterns. If a service disruption becomes major (e.g., over eight consecutive hours), we will assess the feasibility of relocating you to a comparable alternative property. Any consideration for compensation will be strictly proportional to the impact on the stay and will typically only be considered for major disruptions where relocation was not possible. We do not offer compensation if the disruption was less than eight hours or if a suitable alternative was offered and declined. Decisions on compensation are made by our Property Management Office after the incident.

All maintenance work must be initiated and tracked through a task in our internal systems. This ensures timely resolution and proper record-keeping. You are encouraged to report any maintenance issues promptly to your Property Manager. For urgent issues posing an immediate risk to safety, security, or property integrity (e.g., major water leak, fire hazard), please notify your Property Manager immediately so we can take swift action.

For properties requiring pool servicing and gardening, the Owner is solely responsible for contracting and bearing all costs for these third-party service providers. MUi STAYS does not provide these services in-house. We will coordinate schedules with your chosen providers to avoid interfering with guest occupancy. During our routine property inspections, we will visually assess the condition of the pool and garden areas to confirm services have been performed to an acceptable standard. Any issues will be documented and communicated to the owner. Upon receipt of valid invoices from your contracted providers, we will facilitate payments on your behalf from your operational account, provided sufficient funds are available. MUi STAYS is not liable for the quality of work, performance, negligence, or any damages caused by your chosen third-party service providers, nor for unforeseen issues like equipment failures not obvious during visual checks.

We work hard to keep all information accurate and current. However, we cannot guarantee that all content is always complete, reliable, or perfectly accurate. Property details, pricing, and service descriptions can change. We encourage you to confirm any important information directly with our team before making any decisions.

All content related to our service, including text, graphics, logos, images, and software, belongs to us or is licensed to us. It is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Please do not reproduce, distribute, modify, display, or create derivative works from any part of our service without our written permission.

We provide this service as it is, and as available. We do not make any guarantees, express or implied, about the service's operation or the information, content, or materials on it. We will not be responsible for any damages of any kind that come from using this service.

Your privacy matters to us. Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle your personal information. We encourage you to read it to understand how we collect, use, and protect your data.

These terms and conditions are governed by and interpreted according to the laws of South Africa. You agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in that area.

We may change these terms and conditions at any time. Any changes will be effective as soon as we update them. By continuing to use our services after these changes, you are agreeing to the updated terms.

If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions, please feel free to contact us using the information we provide.