Terms and Conditions

INTRODUCTION

Part of the ethos of our organization is to treat everyone fairly. For you, our customer, this means that we are committed to dealing honestly and openly with you every step of the way, from the moment you book with us, to the time you return home from your trip.

To start with we want to ensure that you fully understand the terms and conditions of your booking. We know that you are often presented with long detailed legal terms and conditions when you purchase items online and many people simply tick the box agreeing to the terms without bothering to read them, but you really do need to read and understand our terms.

We have done our best to make these booking terms easy to understand, and they are very important as they are the basis for your booking with Real Gap Experience. As part of the booking process, you must acknowledge in writing that you agree to them and the trip is sold to you subject to these terms and conditions.

Real Gap Experience is owned by Gap 360 Ltd, a UK Limited Liability company whose registered office is at 30 City Rd, London, EC1Y 2AB, and whose trading office is at 121/123 Mt Pleasant Rd, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1QR. All correspondence should be directed to the Tunbridge Wells booking office.

In the following booking terms and conditions, "we", "us" and "our" refer to Real Gap Experience. "You" and "your" refer to the customer whose name appears on the booking and for whom the trip is being arranged; "trip" includes all the arrangements we put in place for you overseas.

Real Gap Experience is abbreviated to RGE in the terms below.

 

FINANCIAL SECURITY

You can book with RGE fully confident that the monies you pay to us are secure.

RGE (as part of Gap 360 Ltd) is a member of The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) who provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Gap 360 Ltd (membership number 5183), and in the event of their insolvency, protection is provided for:

•    Non-flight packages

ABTOT cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if transportation was included in your package. Please note that bookings made outside the UK are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Gap 360 Ltd.

In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to our financial failure, please call our 24/7 helpline on 01702 811397 and advise you are a customer of an ABTOT protected travel company.

You can access The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 here.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Travelling without insurance is a huge risk. It is a requirement of booking with Real Gap Experience that you have adequate travel insurance.

We recommend that you purchase insurance when you book your trip because you are then covered for trip cancellation. You must give us proof that you are insured no later than 30 days before departure. We cannot allow uninsured customers to travel with us, so if you do not provide proof of insurance we will cancel your trip and the cancellation charges will apply.

It is a requirement of travelling with Real Gap Experience that whichever insurance policy you choose, it must cover you for evacuation and repatriation.

In the event that you do not book travel insurance with us, and fail to provide us with adequate proof of insurance (a policy name, number and details from a recognized insurance provider) before your departure, we will regard your trip as cancelled and you will not be eligible for a refund.

It is essential that you understand what risks your policy covers. Some policies do not include deep sea diving, bungee jumping, horse riding or extreme sports. Some policies do not cover paid work or volunteering. Others require you to pay medical services locally and claim back when you return to the UK. Still more policies cease if you return to the UK unexpectedly, interrupting your trip. It is your responsibility to know what your policy covers. We cannot be held responsible if you are un-insured for an activity or event despite you believing that your policy covered you.

You are responsible for ensuring that your possessions are safe at all times. You should include baggage insurance with your health insurance and make sure that you are adequately covered. 

We cannot be held responsible for your baggage and possessions except when they are specifically in our care or the care of our suppliers. When your baggage is stored on vehicles or in accommodations it is at your risk and it is your responsibility to see that it is correctly and safely stored. We strongly recommend that you obtain appropriate baggage insurance for all your possessions and most good travel insurers will supply this at a reasonable price.

 

BOOKINGS AND PAYMENTS

1. You can book with us by telephone, online, or in person. Bookings should be made by the person travelling, and you must be 18 or over to make a booking. Your booking must be made in the exact way your name appears in your passport and all personal details must be correct. You can book with travelling companion(s), but they should complete their own booking details and sign that they accept the terms and conditions. If you do book on behalf of someone else you must have their permission to share their accurate and up to date personal details with RGE and confirm that you are agreeing to our terms and conditions on their behalf. You must check your confirmation and online account details carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to us immediately.
    
2. When you book a place on most trips you have the following options with regards to deposits and payments:
   1. Normal Plan: Pay a deposit of £199 per programme booked, and then pay the balance of the trip fee 84 days before departure. You can pay the booking deposit by credit card, debit card, or by BACs transfer. Deposits are non refundable, and not transferable. However in the event that your trip choice or dates become unavailable for any reason, we will refund your deposit or transfer it to another trip of your choice.
   2. Payment Plan: Pay just £49 at time of booking, and make equal monthly payments starting from the first month following your booking, with your last payment to be made at least one full calendar month prior to your departure from the UK. The deposit payment must be paid on a debit or credit card, and then we'll provide you with a standing order form for your bank. Payment plan does not apply for trips departing within 84 days of booking. The first two payment instalments and deposit are non refundable and non-transferable. However in the event that your trip choice of dates becomes unavailable for any reason, we will refund your payments or transfer them to another trip.
   3. Pay in full: Pay in full at time of booking. The payment must be paid on a debit or credit card or by BACs transfer.
       
3. Trips that cannot be booked with the payment plan or have different deposits:
   USA Au Pair. When applying for this programme, you must pay a £99 deposit to start your application and the balance is only due at the point at which we have found a suitable match for you. It is not possible to have a payment plan with this programme.
   Canada Paid Work - To book this programme, you must pay a £49 deposit. This deposit is non-refundable. You will then be sent our visa information pack with guidelines on how you can apply for your IEC working holiday visa. It is your responsibility to apply for this visa within the correct time frames. Please be aware that acceptance onto the Canada Paid Work programme does NOT mean you are guaranteed to obtain a visa as the IEC visa process is randomised and all visas decision lay with IEC Canada. No third party can apply for the visa for you or influence the decision.  If you are granted a visa, you are then required to pay your remaining balance in order to fully confirm your start date.
   Australia Paid Ranch Work. To book this programme, you must pay a £350 deposit in order to start your application. The remaining balance is due 84 days before your start date. It is not possible to have a payment plan for this programme.
   Paid Teaching China with TEFL - To book this programme you need to put down a £500 deposit and the full balance is due 84 days before departure. It is not possible to have a payment plan for this option
   East Meets West, Classic Round the World, Work & Play World Discovery - To book these trips, you must pay a £500 deposit and the full balance is due 84 days before departure.
   A-Grade Globetrotter - To book this trip you must pay a £1000 deposit and the remaining balance is due 84 days before departure.
   USA and Canada Tours listed below require different deposits. Full payment for this trip is due 84 days before departure.
   • Best of the Canadian Rockies - £350
   • USA Coast to Coast - £500
   • Epic American Road Trip - £1000
   • Great North American Discovery - £1000
   • USA Western Wonder - £250
   • Best of the USA - £1000
   • LA to New York Road Trip - £500
   • USA West Coast Wanderer - £500
   • USA and Canada Express - £350
   • San Francisco to LA Road Trip - £350
      
4. If you book more than one trip at the same time as part of your travel itinerary, you may have to pay more than one deposit, depending which trips you choose.
    
5. You should not book flights or make any travel arrangements in conjunction with your booking until you have received confirmation from us. When your space is confirmed you will receive an email accepting your booking and we will also send you a second email which will include your log-in details for your personal online account, where you can access all of your pre-departure information. At that point a contract will exist between you and RGE. Please review the confirmation and let us know if there are any details that need correction, for example the spelling of your name. You must give us your name exactly as it appears in your passport, including any hyphens.
    
6. If you fail to make a payment on time, either on the payment plan or on the normal plan, we will deem your trip cancelled and you will lose the deposit (if you are on the normal plan) or the first month and second month's payment and deposit (if you are on the payment plan). If you wish to rebook a place back onto your trip, you will need to contact us in writing and you will be required to pay a new booking deposit for any trip you choose to rebook.
    
7. If you are booking a trip that departs within 84 days of your departure date, full payment is due with your booking to secure your place. If you have booked more than one trip concurrently with us, the full balance on all trips is due at the same time as the full payment of your first trip, i.e. 84 days before your departure date (the date you depart your home country).

 

CHANGES TO BOOKINGS

1. If you wish to make any date changes to a booking after we have issued your deposit confirmation, you must inform us in writing by email. Changes made before we issue your confirmation are free. If you want to make a date change to your booking after we have issued a confirmation, provided it is made prior to 84 days before departure from your home country, we can make the change but there will be an administration fee of £60.
    
2. If you want to make changes within 84 days of departure please contact us in writing to request your change. If it is possible to make the change we will confirm how much this will cost. If it is not possible to make the change you have the option to continue with your original booking or cancel the trip.
    
3. If your change means that your trip price increases, you will need to pay the difference to us at the time of making the change. If your change means that your trip price decreases, we will refund you the difference.

 

CANCELLATIONS BY YOU

1. If you want to cancel your booking you must do so by email. Provided your written cancellation is received in our office prior to 84 days before departure from your home country there will be no cancellation charge other than the forfeiture of your deposit. If you paid in full at the time of booking your cancellation fee will be equal to the deposit you would have paid under the Normal Plan section. If you are on the payment plan you will lose your deposit and your first two monthly instalment payments.
   If your cancellation notice is received in our office within 84 days of departure the following cancellation terms apply:
   Cancellation received 50 - 84 days before departure: you lose 50% of trip cost
   Cancellation received 16 - 49 days before departure: you lose 75% of trip cost
   Cancellation received 0 - 15 days before departure: you lose 100% of trip cost
   We recommend that you take out travel insurance when you book to cover this possibility.
    
2. In the event there are unusual extenuating circumstances regarding your cancellation (such as the loss of an immediate family member) please write to us explaining the situation and we will do our best to deal fairly with you.
    
3. There are some programmes where different cancellations apply.
   
   Work as an Au Pair in the USA. If you decide to cancel the programme before we have matched you with a family, you will lose your £99 deposit. Alternatively the full deposit can be transferred to a different RGE trip.
   
   However, if you withdraw from the programme after you have been matched with a host family, we regret that we will be unable to return any of the fee that you have paid. This is because of the considerable amount of work that has to be done by us to process your application.
   
   If you cancel your place on the Au Pair programme after your interview has taken place, please be aware that we cannot refund the £65 fee paid for your DBS (criminal background check).
   
   Canada Paid Work. If you wish to cancel your programme before you are granted a visa, your £49 deposit is non-refundable. If you are not granted a visa then your £49 deposit can be held and used for the Canada Paid Work programme for the following year. If you choose to cancel your programme once your start date has been fully confirmed with the team in Canada and you are more than 84 days from your departure a £199 cancellation fee will apply. If you choose to cancel your programme within 84 days of your departure, our normal cancellation fees would apply.
   
   Round the world and multi-country trips.  If you wish to cancel the whole trip more than 84 days prior to departure, the cancellation fee is the total of the deposits for each of the individual programmes within the trip (normally £199 per trip) or £500 or £1000, whichever is the larger amount.
   
   If you wish to cancel or make any amendments within 84 days of departure of the first trip from your home country the usual cancellation terms apply as per above point 1.  
   
   Please note, if you wish to make any amendments to your trip more than 84 days prior to departure, for example if you cancel one or more of your individual programmes with your trip, this will incur a cancellation fee of the deposit of that particular trip (usually £199 per individual programme, exceptions apply). If you choose to cancel a programme on your trip once you have departed from your home country and are already travelling, no refunds can be offered for any trips you decide to cancel.
    
4. If you leave your trip before the end for any reason we will not be liable for any refund of the unused portion.

 

CHANGES OR CANCELLATIONS BY US

If we have to cancel your booking for operational reasons, for example if the minimum number of passengers required on the trip does not materialise, we will make a full refund of monies you have paid us for the programme, or offer you a suitable alternative trip. RGE cannot be held liable for any flight refunds or change fees. We will not cancel a trip for minimum numbers reasons within 28 days of departure.

If we have to make a serious change to your trip, and you do not accept the changes, we will refund your monies in full. A serious change could be a change in departure date of longer than 3 days or a change in trip destination or duration. In the event we make a serious change, which you accept, unless the change is necessary because of events beyond our control we will compensate you as follows:

a.    Serious change arising less than 15 days before departure: we will pay you £50

b.    Serious change arising less than 50 days before departure: we will pay you £30

c.    Serious change arising 84 days or less before departure: we will pay you £15

d.    Serious change arising more than 84 days before departure: no payment

 

EVENTS BEYOND OUR CONTROL

1. Force Majeure. If we have to cancel or make major changes to your programme because of events beyond our control we will not be liable to refund your monies or pay you compensation. We will do our best to offer you an alternative trip but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do this. These events can include, but are not limited to: war, the threat of war, civil strife, pandemic, terrorist activities or the threat of terrorist activities, acts of governments or local authorities, strikes, industrial disputes, demonstrations, natural disasters, unnatural disasters such as explosions, or any similar event which is outside our control or the control of our suppliers.
    
2. As a responsible tour operator, we follow the advice issued by the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). If the FCO issues an advisory against all travel to a country that you are booked to travel to with RGE, we will do our best to offer you an alternative trip or a refund of as much as we can claim back from our overseas suppliers on your behalf. If the FCO advises against all travel to certain parts of a country that you will be visiting on our programme, we will change your trip to avoid that part of the country.
    
3. We may have to make changes to your trip once your booking is confirmed or once you have departed, for a variety of reasons, depending on circumstances. You acknowledge that travel to many of our destinations can involve delays and other issues due to the nature of the country or the unsophisticated transportation infrastructure. Once you are on your trip we will only make changes for reasons concerning your personal safety or convenience, and there will be no refund for any activities or other parts of the trip which you might miss as a result of our changes. You acknowledge that travelling through some regions of the world in which we operate does involve potential delays and hazards and we cannot be held responsible for cancellations and changes that are beyond our control.

 

PRICE CHANGES

In these uncertain times following Brexit we can no longer guarantee that your trip price will not increase. We will absorb the first 2% of any price increase, but we may have to increase the price of your trip. If we increase the price by more than 10% you are entitled to cancel and receive a full refund. We will not increase the price within 30 days of your departure.

If you book more than 12 months ahead of your programme start date, or book an open-dated/unknown trip with no confirmed start date, we cannot guarantee that the price of your trip will not increase. But if you pay for your trip in full at time of booking, we will guarantee that you will receive no increase in price with the exception of visas.

 

OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR BOOKING

1. On some trips we provide a "buddy list" with contact details of the other customers on your trip. Unless you tell us in writing that you do not wish other customers in your group to have your email address, we will include you on the list.
    
2. Details about your booking, including any outstanding payments, all appear electronically online on my.realgap.co.uk.  It is your responsibility to regularly check this webpage for changes, updates and other information about your booking. We cannot be held responsible for any problem resulting from you failing to keep up-to-date with your booking on your "Real Gap Experience online account".
    
3. You must also complete all missing information in your online account at least 30 days before departure to ensure that we have enough time to finalise your travel arrangements.
    

COVID-19 INFORMATION

- If Real Gap Experience (or a supplier on Real Gap Experience's behalf) cancels a trip departure due to Covid-19 travel restrictions relating to the trip destination(s), by way of the destination country(s) imposing restrictions not allowing the trip to go ahead, or by the FCO advising against all but essential travel to the destination(s), then the customer will be entitled to a voucher worth 100% of their trip to use on a future booking, a free date change to a future departure for the same trip (subject to any price difference), or a full refund to a nominated bank account within 14 working days. If the customer's trip has not been paid in full at the time of Real Gap Experience cancelling the trip, the voucher or refund will only be for the amount paid thus far.
- Local or national lockdowns in the UK (or the customer's point of origin) restricting outbound travel would not be eligible for a voucher or refund, unless the customer's travel destination(s) or trip also had Covid-19 travel restrictions in place, preventing the trip from going ahead. A customer no longer wanting to travel, self-isolating, contracting Covid-19, or not wanting to travel due to quarantine restrictions and/or government policies, would not be deemed as a travel restriction.
- If a customer is unable to travel due to contracting Covid-19 they should contact their travel insurance provider in the first instance.
- This policy does not apply to airfare, insurance or visas. Any airline change or cancellation fees are solely the responsibility of the customer and are subject to airline policies. No refunds will be provided in respect to any visas, travel insurance, which are solely the responsibility of the customer.
- Any trips that include an Inca Trail permit are subject to a non-refundable fee of £100 for any cancellations and re-bookings.
 

DATA PROTECTION AND PRIVACY POLICY

RGE complies with the General Data Protection Regulations which form part of the UK 2018 Data Protection Act.

In order to process your booking and to ensure that your travel arrangements run smoothly and meet your requirements, we need to use the personal information that you provide. We take responsibility for ensuring that proper security measures are in place to protect your information.

We must pass your information on to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements such as airlines, hotels, and transport companies. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as customs/immigration if required by them or as required by law.

Controls on data protection may not be as stringent outside Europe as the legal requirement in the UK, or your country of residence. We will only pass information to any person responsible for part of your travel arrangements. Where you provide us with personal details, you consent to this information being passed on to such organizations, or companies responsible for your travel arrangements. If we cannot pass on this information, we cannot provide your travel arrangements.

RGE complies with relevant data protection requirements and has in place an effective policy for protecting your privacy. The policy is available for you to see. The main points are:

1. We will collect and use the personal data you give us fairly and lawfully. Your data will include contact information, personal information and preferences, and will be used for us to gauge your suitability for the trip you are booking and to help us correctly make arrangements for your trip. We will pass on many of the details you give us to the overseas staff and suppliers so that they can properly prepare you for your trip.
2. To fulfill particular promotional activities we may need to share your details with approved 3rd parties. For any promotional activity we will provide details of participating 3rd parties and any options you have to receive correspondence from them.
3. Some of your data could be sensitive, such as your religion or health details. We require this data to ensure that your trip preparations can be properly made and you consent to its use.
4. You can request to see all the personal data we hold about you at any time, and we will show you. We will explain to you why we need the data and to whom it will be passed.
5. We will amend any data that changes, such as an address change or contact details.
6. You have the right to opt out of future marketing approaches from us but must inform us if you do not wish to be contacted.
7. The information you provide to us will only be held for as long as is necessary for the purpose for which it is collected.
8. We will not give away or sell your data to any organization other than the ones we deem necessary for the proper organization of your trip.

To request what information we hold about you, or to request your data be deleted at any time, please email [email protected] and our Data Protection Officer will deal with your request.

Our website pages use HTTPS security encryption.

The RGE website uses cookies for the purpose of collecting data. Please see our cookies page for further information.

 

FLIGHTS

RGE is part of Gap 360 Ltd, which is an agent for CT Travel Group who hold ATOL license 5158. If you book flights with us your booking will be handled by Real Flights, also part of Gap 360 Ltd, acting as an agent for CT Travel Group. Payment for flights will be to CT Travel Group and they will issue the tickets and ATOL confirmation invoice. Your contract for these flights is with the ATOL holder CT Travel Group.

 

PASSPORT AND VISAS

It is your responsibility to ensure that your passport is up to date and not about to expire. You should have at least 6 months left on the passport past the date you plan to return to the UK or your home country, as some countries require this. We will offer you advice about whether or not you need a visa to enter any country on your trip, but we are not responsible for obtaining visas for you. We will provide you with the contact name and numbers of the consulate or embassy of the country for which you are required to obtain a visa and it is your responsibility to ensure that you receive a visa in your passport prior to travel. We cannot be held liable if the advice we have given you is superceded by very recent visa changes instituted by a country's embassy. You may choose to use a visa service to obtain visas for you at your own cost. We strongly advise you to regularly check with the relevant embassy to ensure that recent changes have not occurred. It is your responsibility to ensure that any visa granted to you does not expire while you are in that country, or even before you arrive if you are booking many months before travel. No matter where you are headed to, you must ensure that you have the correct entry documentation. Some countries require a yellow fever certificate or other inoculation. Your RGE trip advisor can help you with advice about this, but we cannot be held responsible for any omissions or changes that occur. We advise you to review the websites for the embassy or consulate of each country you plan to visit for the latest regulations. If you are travelling to or via the USA or Canada, there are special electronic travel requirements for all non citizens.

Due to the covid 19 pandemic, some countries have added further entry requirements for international travellers, including (but not limited to) proof of negative PCR corona virus test, proof of full covid vaccination and/or quarantine periods upon arrival. You must ensure you comply with all requirements and have all relevant documentation to show airline and immigration officials in order to gain entry. These regulations are subject to regular amendments as the pandemic changes over time and it is your responsibility to keep yourself updated with any new requirements. We recommend you continually check the relevant FCO advice and embassy websites as Real Gap Experience cannot be held responsible if you are unable to travel to your destination due you not adhering to the latest entry requirements.  

 

HEALTH & SAFETY

We are not medically trained and your RGE travel advisor cannot issue advice about whether a trip should be booked or not due to medical issues. You are advised to see your GP before you travel and seek their advice about inoculations and medicines you might need.

We do issue you with a checklist for what you should be prepared to pack and take with you, but these are guidelines only and we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

If you suffer from a pre-existing medical condition (including any mental health issues) that may affect your ability to participate fully in the trip as described in our brochure and on the website, you must advise us at the time of booking your trip so that we can pass this information on to the trip coordinator overseas.

We may ask for a medical form to be completed by your doctor if you have any medical conditions before we can confirm your place on the programme. As such you should not book any flights or make any other travel arrangements until you have returned your medical form to Real Gap Experience and your place has been approved by the local team.

Real Gap Experience must receive the completed medical form back which confirms that you are fit to travel on your programme within 3 weeks of the form being sent or 14 weeks before your first trip start date (whichever comes first) in order for your trip to be fully confirmed. Real Gap Experience are not responsible for any fees your doctor may charge you for completing the form.

If you fail to return the completed medical form to us within 3 weeks of being sent the form or 14 weeks before your first trip start date (whichever comes first), or if you only declare a medical condition to us after your booking as been confirmed, we reserve the right to cancel your place on the trip if we have concerns about your health and safety on the programme. In this case our standard cancellation terms and conditions will apply.

It is your responsibility to take any medicines you may need with you. In the event that you cannot participate in any part of the trip because of a medical condition or you fail to disclose a medical condition to us whilst on the trip, we will not be able to refund any portion of the trip fee.

At the time of booking, or before you depart for you trip, we will ask you to provide us with the name and number of someone who we can contact in case of emergency. We reserve the right to contact this person in the event that RGE or a member of the local staff are concerned about your welfare, or the welfare of others on your trip due to your actions or behaviour.

In response to the covid 19 pandemic, for the safety of our travellers, at the start of some trips you may be required to show evidence that you are fully vaccinated (14 days after your second dose) against covid-19 and/or show evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of the start date in order to join the programme.

We strongly recommend that you sign up for a safety awareness course before you leave the UK. Your RGE advisor can provide you with course details.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides excellent and up-to-date advice for UK citizens travelling abroad.

 

THE DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE DBS (Previously CRB) AND POLICE RECORD CHECKS

If your trip involves volunteering with, or teaching children or vulnerable adults we will ask you to complete a DBS (previously CRB) check. We will pass on your criminal record details to our in country partners prior to your arrival. This is necessary to ensure your suitability to work/volunteer with children and vulnerable people on our trips. In the event you are turned down by the DBS check for any reason, you will not be able to join the trip you have booked and have a choice of either switching to a trip that does not require a DBS check, or cancelling the trip altogether. Any refund to you will be based on the timing of your cancellation. You will receive a refund as outlined in our cancellation terms above. If you switch to another trip you may be charged a trip change fee.

If you have not received your DBS report before your trip is due to leave, we cannot allow you to depart, and you will have to postpone your departure in that event. Any costs involved in your postponement are at your expense.

 

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND LIABILITIES

Our responsibility to you is to provide you with the services that you have booked with us, whether provided by RGE directly, or our overseas suppliers and subcontractors. We coordinate with overseas suppliers and subcontractors to the best of our abilities to ensure that the information we give you is correct. We will not make misleading statements and we will use care and skill in making the arrangements for your trip. Once we have provided the information about your trip to you, and you have booked, we will provide you with further details, such as specifics about airport transfers, accommodations and other matters.

We check the information that we provide to you carefully, but things can change and any errors or omissions are inadvertent and we cannot be held responsible for them, other than to refund you for any services which you have not received as a direct result of our negligence. We cannot be held responsible for changes made to your trip as a result of weather, political or terrorist threats or other events beyond our control.

We will update the information on the RGE online account and it is your responsibility to check this for changes once we have notified you. We are not responsible where the failure to perform the services for your trip is neither due to us or our sub-contractors or suppliers but is attributable to you or a third party unconnected to us and is unforeseeable or unavoidable, or is due to circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even though we exercised all due care and attention. We are not responsible or liable for an event which we, our employees, agents, suppliers and subcontractor could not, even with all due care, have foreseen or forestalled.

In the event you suffer a serious emergency overseas which cannot be resolved locally, you should call our UK emergency hotline which will be given to you in your pre-departure information and is available 24/7.

 

IF YOU WANT TO COMPLAIN

If you are unhappy with the services we provide to you before you depart the UK please contact your RGE trip advisor by email or telephone. In the event the trip advisor cannot solve the problem or satisfy you, please email our Customer Service Manager outlining the problem and what you expect us to do about it. We will do our best to resolve the issue fairly.

We do not accept any complaints by an individual, or individuals which purport to be on behalf of the group. We need to receive any complaints from everyone who is complaining, individually.

When dealing with complaints RGE cannot accept online chats, Facebook messages, text messages etc as an appropriate means of communication. You must email our UK office on [email protected] or email your travel co-ordinator. 

If you think we have failed in our services to you while you are overseas, you must first discuss the issue with the local staff who will do their best to solve the problem. If the problem is not solved, or if the local staff are part of the problem, please email our Customer Service Manager in the UK, or call the UK office on 01892 277040. Our office is open 09:00 - 17:30 Monday to Friday. We will do our best to resolve your problem fairly. Please do not use our 24/7 hotline for non emergencies.

You must give us an opportunity to fix any problem when it happens, so you must contact us within 48 hours of any problem if you would like us to take any action. We do not make any compensation payments or refunds if this procedure is not followed.

If you do not speak with our local staff, or email us in the UK office, we cannot be held responsible for any issues you complain about, because you will not have given us the opportunity to put the matter right.

If, despite our best efforts and having followed the above procedure for reporting and resolving your complaint, you feel that it has not been satisfactorily settled, we recommend that it is referred for arbitration under the ABTOT Travel Industry Arbitration Service. An Independent Arbitrator will review the documents relating to any complaint and deliver a binding decision to bring the matter to a close. A fee is payable by each party when an application for arbitration is submitted.

Details of this scheme are available from The Travel Industry Arbitration Service, administered by:

Dispute Settlement Services
9 Savill Road
Lindfield
West Sussex
RH16 2NY
E-mail: [email protected]

This scheme cannot however decide in cases where the sums claimed exceed £5,000 per person or £10,000 per booking form, or not solely or mainly in respect of physical injury or illness or the consequences of such injury or illness, or solely or mainly in respect of a
discrimination claim or any claim under the Equality Act.

Standards of accommodation, cleanliness, hygiene, health and safety and other services may be quite different from what you are accustomed to at home in the UK, and you should be prepared for this. We will do our best to prepare you for the likely standards you will encounter before you depart, but we cannot be held liable for any refunds as a result of complaints about standards which we have adequately described.

 

RGE CODE OF CONDUCT

1. You agree to abide by these Real Gap Experience terms and conditions.
2. You agree to comply with the laws and regulations of the country(s) you visit on your trip, including drug and alcohol regulations and social conventions.
3. Your trip will have specific guidelines concerning the behaviour expected from you and you agree to comply with these. You will be advised of these before you depart and again when you are in your destination.
4. If you commit illegal acts, or if in the opinion of our local coordinator your behaviour is seriously unacceptable in any way and is disrupting the smooth progress of your trip or threatening the safety or enjoyment of the other participants, we will issue a warning to you. If you disregard this warning, or the initial breach of conduct is serious enough, you may be removed from the trip. If this happens, we will not be responsible for any refund to you, nor for any travel arrangements to get you back home. Further, we may claim expenses from you for any related costs that we incur as a result of your behaviour.
5. If you are on a volunteering trip, you agree to adhere to the code of conduct which will have been given to you in writing among your pre-departure documents. This prepares you for what is considered decent and respectable behavior for people volunteering in largely poor communities overseas. Failure to adhere with the code will result in you being asked to leave the trip, as outlined in point 4 above.

 

ACCEPTANCE OF RISK

1. If you participate in an activity that is not specifically included in the trip provided by us, you do so at your own risk. If you have any complaint or suffer any injury or illness as a result of your participation in this activity we cannot be held responsible and your claim should be directed to the local supplier. In the event that you do not receive satisfaction, and we believe your claim is valid, we may help you pursue your claim, but we cannot be held responsible for any outcome and we may ask you to contribute to our costs in this regard.
2. Our trips operate in a variety of places around the world, some of which may be or may become politically unstable, suffer extreme weather, disease or other conditions which could cause you discomfort or even a risk to your safety. In booking your trip, you accept that this kind of trip can involve such hazards, and changes or disruption to your trip may occur. In the event you do not receive a specific part of your trip because of any event or condition beyond our control, we may decide to issue a partial refund for services lost, but we are not obliged to do so.
3. It is not possible for us to be responsible for events or the actions or failures of people and organizations over whom we have no control, and no claim can be made against us in this regard. We accept your trip booking on the basis that you agree and understand that there may be risks associated with the trip. We cannot be held liable or responsible for any delays, accidents, damage, loss, health issues or other issues resulting from the failure of people and organisations other than our own staff.
4. Some trips are entirely operated by third parties. We vet these third parties and arrange trips with them on your behalf, but any liability for claims you may wish to make against them lies with the third parties and not Real Gap Experience, although we will help you with claims in the event that we deem your claim fair and reasonable.

 

APPLICABLE LAWS AND JURISDICTION

No matter where you live, your booking with us is accepted under English law and the Courts of England and Wales shall have the exclusive jurisdiction to decide on any disputes between us.

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS RELATING TO RGE PROMOTIONS

1. The promoter is: RGE, part of Gap 360 Ltd (company no. 7624349) whose registered office is at 30 City Road, London, EC1Y 2AB.
2. Employees of Gap 360 Ltd or their family members or anyone else connected in any way with RGE competitions or helping to set up the competition shall not be permitted to enter competitions.
3. There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter competitions.
4. Route to entry for competitions and details of how to enter are via the link on promotional material.
5. Closing date for entry will be displayed clearly on promotional materials. After this date the no further entries to the competition will be permitted.
6. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
7. The rules of specific competitions and the prize for each winner can be found on the web pages and promotional materials relating to that competition.
8. The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend competitions and these terms and conditions can change without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter's control. Any changes to a competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.
9. The promoter is not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with a competition.
10. No cash alternative to the prizes will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.
11. The winner will be notified by email and/or telephone within 28 days of the closing date. If the winner cannot be contacted or do not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
12. The promoter will notify the winner when and where the prize can be collected.
13. The promoter's decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
14. By entering an RGE competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
15.  Competitions and these terms and conditions will be governed by UK law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the UK.
16. The winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material. Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant's prior consent.
17. Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
18. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Network. You are providing your information to RGE as part of Gap 360 Ltd and not to any other party.