Terms and conditions

University Terms and Conditions of Booking (Business to Business only).

The following are the terms and conditions that apply to the Booking Contract between “you” and Cardiff University, an entity established under Royal Charter (Charter Number: RC000089) and a registered charity (Charity Number: 1136855) (“we”, “us” “our” etc.), whose administrative offices are at University Secretary's Office, Cardiff, CF10 3AT.

1. Definitions

• Booking Contract: the contract issued to you by the Campus Services team when making your booking
• Client / Hirer: the organisation or person contracting for the Event.
• Event: the conference, meeting, or function booked as specified in the Booking Contract.
• Force Majeure Event: means any events, circumstances or causes beyond our reasonable control including but not limited to, acts of God, public health emergencies or industrial action.
• Guests: your delegates, speakers, or any attendees at the Event.
• Hire Period: the period for which the Venue is hired as specified in the Booking Contract
• Venue: University space hired (rooms, exhibition areas, etc.) as specified in the Booking Contract.

2. Booking and Confirmation

• All bookings are provisional until the Booking Contract is signed and the Deposit and/or Booking Fee (see clause 4) is received.
• The Deposit and/or Booking Fee confirms your reservation; we will then remove the provisional hold on the Venue.

3. Charges and Price Changes

• All prices quoted are excluding VAT.  VAT is charged at current legislative rates and in line with our VAT processes.
• All charges are correct at the time of booking. We reserve the right to pass on increased costs where services are provided by external suppliers or subcontractors.
• Any additional services requested after confirmation may incur supplementary charges.

4. Deposit / Booking Fee

See clause 24. for Group Accommodation booking fee terms

• A non-refundable deposit equal to 50% of the agreed quote cost is due within 30 calendar days of booking
• The Deposit is deducted from the final invoice.
• If the booking is cancelled, the Deposit is non-refundable unless we re-let the Venue on comparable terms.

5. Payment

See section 24. for Group Accommodation payment terms

• Final numbers and dietary requirements must be provided at least 30 calendar days before the Event.
• A final invoice (less the deposit) will be issued 30 calendar days before the Event.  Should any additional costs be incurred during the event dates, these will be invoiced separately and payable in-line with payment terms.
• Payment is due within 30 calendar days of the date of the invoice
• Late payments will incur interest at a rate of 3% above the Bank of England base rate and/ or collection costs.

6. Cancellation and Reduction

• Written notice from you is required for cancellations or reductions in numbers.
• Cancellation charges apply to your booking as follows:

* Deposit based on 50% of Quote at point of pro-forma contract, cancellation charges based on quote value at point of cancellation.

• If there is a Force Majeure Event, such a public health emergency we may cancel or change arrangements; we will make reasonable efforts to reassign space or re-negotiate.

7. Permitted Use

We retain control, possession and management of the Venue and you have no right to exclude us from the Venue. We reserve the right to enter the Venue at all times during the Hire Period, including (but not exclusively) to supply any catering services and/or emergency maintenance.

You agree:

• not to use the Venue other than for the Event;
• not to do or permit to be done anything at the Venue which is illegal or which may be or become a nuisance;
• not to cause or permit to be caused any damage to the Venue, including any furnishings, equipment or fixtures at the Venue;
• All Guests must comply with our fire, safety, and building regulations;
• not to smoke or permit smoking (including e-cigarettes) anywhere in the Venue;
• not to display any advertisement, signboards, flag, banner, placard, poster, signs or notices at the Venue without our prior written consent; and
• not to alter, move or interfere with any lighting, heating, power, cabling or other electrical fittings or appliances at the Venue, or install or use additional heating, power, cabling or other electronic fittings or appliances without our prior written consent.

8. Hospitality

• Hospitality catering must be ordered through our in-house hospitality service and external catering is not permitted without our express written permission.
• Orders must be placed a minimum of 30 calendar days prior to the Event start date, with numbers and timings confirmed.
• Dietary requirements are required at least 30 calendar  days before the Event.
• Any amendments in numbers with less than  30 calendar days notice remain at our discretion and may incur an additional charge.
• For alcohol ordered on a “sale or return” basis:
  • A standard £25 restocking fee applies for any returned stock.
  • If more than 20% of the ordered drinks are returned, an additional 10% of the return value will be charged to cover labour/loss.
• We reserve the right to make menu adjustments (e.g., to substitute unavailable items), but we will take reasonable steps to notify you in advance.

9. Parking

• Parking is available at our sites on a first-come, first-served basis, unless otherwise stated in your Booking Contract.

Visitor parking - Visitor information - Cardiff University

• Charges apply at our car parks. Where pre-booking is available, information and instructions will be provided by our Conference and Events Team.
• Parking of vehicles and bicycles is entirely at the owner’s risk. Except where caused by our negligence, we accept no liability for loss, theft, damage, or property kept in vehicles or bicycles.
• We reserve the right to control access, restrict use, or withdraw parking availability, particularly for safety, maintenance, or operational reasons.

10. Additional Charges

While we aim to provide transparency, additional costs may arise (e.g., extra cleaning, and overtime staff). These will be invoiced after the Event if incurred.

• Prices quoted in your Booking Contract will be honoured, unless there are changes due to subcontractors or external cost fluctuations.
• Additional charges may apply for:
  • Excessive cleaning required after the Event
  • Damage to property or misuse of facilities
  • Staff overtime caused by extended access beyond agreed times
  • Unauthorised use of restricted or specialist equipment

11. Damage and Responsibility

• You are responsible for leaving the Venue in a clean and proper condition, with furniture and property in their original place.
• Any damage, loss or theft of our property (including fire safety equipment) will be charged to you

12. Conduct and Safety

• Smoking (including vaping) is prohibited indoors and within 10m of entrances/windows where no designated areas exist.
• Where any Guests are under the age of 18, you must appoint a suitably responsible adult (the “Responsible Adult”) who shall be present at all times and responsible for their supervision and welfare.
• You must ensure compliance with the University’s safeguarding policies and procedures, including the Cardiff University Safeguarding Policy, and that appropriate safeguarding measures (including supervision and risk assessments) are in place.

Safeguarding children and adults at risk - Public information - Cardiff University

• You must comply with all our health and safety requirements, including any applicable health and safety laws. If external suppliers or equipment are used, you must provide relevant risk assessments, method statements, and safety certificates in advance.

13. Publicity and Branding

• Any Event publicity (web, print, social media) may mention Cardiff University as the Venue, but must not imply endorsement beyond that role.
• Use of the Cardiff University logo requires prior written permission from ByCaerdydd Venues and Hospitality and you shall indemnify us in respect of any use of the logo in breach of this clause.

14. Insurance and Liability (YOUR ATTENTION IS PARTICULARLY DRAWN TO THIS CLAUSE)

Nothing in these terms shall exclude or limit our liability for anything which cannot be legally limited or excluded (such as for death or personal injury caused by our negligence) but subject to this:

• You agree to indemnify us against all loss, damage, liabilities, claims, demands, actions, costs or expenses (including legal expenses) arising from or in consequence of the booking, the Event, your use of the Venue or any breach of these terms by you;
• Our total liability to you shall not exceed 100% of the charges payable to us under these terms;
• we shall not be liable to you, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, for any loss of profit, or any indirect or consequential loss arising under or in connection with the Booking Contract and these terms;
• We are not liable for delay or non-performance resulting from a Force Majeure Event; and
• You must obtain and maintain appropriate public liability insurance cover, minimum value of £10m, for the duration of the Event a copy should be sent within 30 calendar days of event start date. We strongly recommend that you obtain insurance which will cover your obligations under this Booking Contract, including the payments due on changes or cancellation by you.
• Unless you notify us that you intend to make a claim in connection with the Booking Contract within the notice period, we shall have no liability for that claim. The notice period shall start on the day on which you became, or ought reasonably to have become, aware of having grounds to make a claim and shall expire [24] months from that date. The notice must be in writing and must identify the incident and the grounds for the claim in reasonable detail.

15. Data Protection

• Both parties will comply with all applicable requirements applicable data protection laws.
• We process your personal data in line with GDPR / Data Protection Act 2018. Information about how we use your data is available in our Privacy Policy.

Privacy notice - byCaerdydd - Cardiff University

16. Wi-Fi / Connectivity

• Complimentary Wi-Fi is provided; this may include limited access for guests (e.g., web browsing, email).

Terms of use for guest Wi-Fi access - Visitor information - Cardiff University

• Access to eduroam is provided where available; users must connect through their home institution.

17. Sustainability

• We are committed to environmental sustainability and expect all clients to support this aspiration (e.g., reducing waste, composting, avoiding single-use plastics).
• In line with the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Act 2023, we prohibit the use of single-use plastics on our premises, including but not limited to plates, cutlery, drink stirrers, balloon sticks and balloons. You are expected to support waste reduction and recycling measures during their Event.

18. Client-Provided Activities or Equipment

Where you bring equipment or arrange third-party activities (e.g. staging, inflatables, entertainment, audiovisual equipment), you must provide:

• Relevant insurance documentation
• Risk assessments
• Evidence of compliance with applicable legislation
• PAT certification for electrical items

We do not accept responsibility for moving, installing, or operating third-party equipment.

19. Reputation, Safety and External Speakers

We may request information on any proposed speaker, topic or Event content.

We may refuse or cancel a booking where , in our reasonable opinion,  the Event may:

• present risk to health, safety or security
• negatively impact our reputation

breach any legal requirements or our internal policies

Any speakers at your Event must comply with our Freedom of Speech Policy and Dignity at Work and Study Policy.

Freedom of speech - Public information - Cardiff University

Dignity at Work and Study policy - Public information - Cardiff University

20. Cancellation by the University

We can cancel an Event and end our contract with you if:

• you don't make any payment to us when it's due and you still don't make payment within [30] days of our reminding you that payment is due;
• you don't, within a reasonable time of us asking for it, provide us with information, cooperation or access that we need to provide the service;
• you commit a material breach of these terms;
• there is a Force Majeure Event; or
• we exercise our discretion to cancel in accordance with clause 19.

If we cancel, we will refund payments already made (excluding the Booking Fee) but we may, subject to our sole discretion, deduct or charge reasonable compensation for the net costs we incur due to the termination or in preparation for the Event, including any costs incurred in reliance on the Booking Contract. We will not be liable for any indirect, consequential, or reputational losses arising from the termination.

21. Miscellaneous

• No animals are allowed (except assistance dogs within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010).
• You must ensure all Guests behave respectfully and we may ask anyone to leave if behaviour is inappropriate.
• Any third-party contractors working on site (e.g., AV, entertainers) must comply with our policies and provide the required documentation.

22. General

• The provisions of these terms are severable and so if any term proves to be unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall be unaffected.
• These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales and the courts of England and Wales shall have jurisdiction to hear any disputes which cannot be resolved.

23. Additional Terms for Residential Conferences

These additional terms shall apply where you book residential accommodation as part of an Event Booking.

Accommodation Provision

• Our accommodation is provided solely for the purpose of attending the booked Event and only for the Hire Period specified in the Booking Contract.
• Accommodation is offered in single-occupancy rooms. Rooms may not be used for multiple occupancy.

Rooming Lists and Allocation

• A fully completed rooming list must be provided no later than 4 weeks before arrival.
• Rooms are allocated into shared flats. If you choose to allocate rooms yourself, you  must fully fill each flat. Unused empty rooms will be charged in full.

Arrival and Departure

• Residences are available from 3:00pm on arrival day unless otherwise agreed by us in writing.
• Bedrooms must be vacated by 10:00am on departure day, and keys/card access must be returned at this time.
• Failure to return keys or access cards may incur a replacement and administration fee.

Personal Belongings

• Guests must remove all belongings from accommodation before departure.
• Items left behind will be retained by the Residences Team for 2 weeks, after which they may be disposed of. Return of items can be arranged upon request with postage costs payable by the Guest.

Unspent Criminal Convictions

• We reserve the right to refuse accommodation where a Guest has relevant unspent convictions that legally or practically prevent residency in our accommodation. You must notify us in any such cases.

Wi-Fi Provision in Residences

• Complimentary Wi-Fi is provided to Guests for browser and email use.

Terms of use for guest Wi-Fi access - Visitor information - Cardiff University

• Guests from institutions with eduroam may access via their home organisation credentials.
• We are not responsible for connection failure caused by a Guest’s device or home institution.

Residential Health, Safety and Conduct

• All Guests must comply with our fire, safety, and building regulations.
• Candles, plug-in air fresheners, incense burners, fireworks, barbecues, and heating/cooking appliances are strictly prohibited in residences.
• It is forbidden to bring substances, items or equipment deemed illegal, dangerous, hazardous or offensive, including weapons (real or imitation), gas cylinders, fridges/freezers, or large furniture.
• Guests must not interfere with fire detection, firefighting equipment, alarms, doors, or escape routes. We may remove prohibited items and charge any associated costs.
• Guests must behave respectfully toward other residents and staff. We reserve the right to remove individuals whose behaviour causes disturbance.

Responsible Adult (Under-18 Supervision)

• Any residential booking where any Guests are under the age of 18, you must appoint a suitably responsible adult (the “Responsible Adult”) who shall be present at all times and responsible for their supervision and welfare.

You must ensure compliance with the University’s safeguarding policies and procedures, including the Cardiff University Safeguarding Policy, and that appropriate safeguarding measures (including supervision and risk assessments) are in place.

Safeguarding children and adults at risk - Public information - Cardiff University

24. Additional Terms for Group Residential Bookings

[These additional terms shall apply where you book our residential accommodation on behalf of multiple guests as part of an Event booking].

1. Group Booking Fee

A booking fee of £5 per person, per night applies. This fee is non-refundable and also payable on reductions in final numbers.

1. Final Numbers

A detailed rooming list and confirmed numbers must be provided four weeks prior to arrival. Reductions after this time are chargeable in full.

1. Late Bookings

Where a group booking is made less than four weeks before arrival, full payment is due at the time of booking.

1. Group Cancellation Policy

Cancellation terms in line with clause 6.