GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE
HOTEL INDUSTRY 2006
(AGBH 2006)
Version dated 11/15/2006
Table of contents
§ 1 Scope of application
§ 2 Definitions of terms
§ 3 Conclusion of contract – down payment
§ 4 Start and end of accommodation
§ 5 Withdrawal from the Accommodation Agreement – Cancellation fee
§ 6 Rights of the contractual partner
§ 7 Obligations of the contractual partner
§ 8 Rights of the accommodation provider
§ 9 Obligations of the accommodation provider
§ 10 Animal husbandry
§ 11 Extension of the accommodation
§ 12 Termination of the accommodation contract – early termination
§ 13 Illness or death of the guest in the accommodation contract
§ 14 Place of performance, place of jurisdiction and choice of law
§ 15 Miscellaneous
§ 1 Scope of application
1.1 These General Terms and Conditions for the Hotel Industry (hereinafter referred to as “AGBH 2006”) replace the previous ÖHVB in the version dated September 23,
ber 1981.
1.2 The AGBH 2006 do not exclude special agreements. The AGBH 2006 are subsidiary to individual agreements.
§ 2 Definitions of terms
2.1 Definitions of terms:
“Accommodation provider”: is a natural or legal person who accommodates guests in return for payment.
“Guest”: is a natural person who makes use of accommodation. As a rule, the guest is also the contractual partner. Guests also include those persons traveling with the contractual partner (e.g. family members, friends, etc.).
“Party”: A natural or legal person in Austria or abroad who concludes an accommodation contract as a guest or on behalf of a guest.
“Consumer” and “Entrepreneur”: The terms are to be understood in the sense of the Consumer Protection Act 1979 as amended.
“Accommodation contract”: Is the contract concluded between the accommodation provider and the contracting party, the content of which is regulated in more detail below.
§ 3 Conclusion of contract – down payment
3.1 The Accommodation Agreement shall come into effect upon acceptance of the Party’s order by the Proprietor. Electronic declarations shall be deemed to have been received if the party for whom they are intended can retrieve them under normal circumstances and they are received during the accommodation provider’s announced business hours.
3.2 The Proprietor shall be entitled to conclude the Accommodation Agreement on the condition that the Party makes a down payment. In this case, the Proprietor shall be obliged to inform the Party of the required down payment before accepting the Party’s written or verbal order. If the Party agrees to the down payment (in writing or verbally), the Accommodation Agreement shall come into effect upon receipt by the Proprietor of the Party’s declaration of consent to payment of the down payment.
3.3 The contractual partner is obliged to pay the deposit no later than 7 days (receipt) before the accommodation. The costs for the money transaction (e.g. transfer charges) shall be borne by the contractual partner. For credit and debit cards, the respective terms and conditions of the card companies apply.
3.4 The down payment is a partial payment of the agreed fee.
§ 4 Start and end of accommodation
4.1 Unless the Proprietor offers a different time of occupancy, the Party shall be entitled to move into the rented rooms from 4 p.m. on the agreed date (“Arrival Date”).
4.2 If a room is occupied for the first time before 6.00 a.m., the previous night counts as the first overnight stay.
4.3 The rented rooms must be vacated by the contractual partner by 12.00 noon on the day of departure. The accommodation provider is entitled to charge an additional day if the rented rooms are not vacated on time.
§ 5 Withdrawal from the Accommodation Agreement – Cancellation fee
Withdrawal by the accommodation provider
5.1 If the Accommodation Agreement provides for a down payment and the down payment has not been made by the Party in due time, the Proprietor may rescind the Accommodation Agreement without granting a grace period.
5.2 If the guest does not appear by 6 p.m. on the agreed day of arrival, there is no obligation to provide accommodation unless a later arrival time has been agreed.
5.3 If the contractual partner has paid a deposit (see 3.3), the premises shall remain reserved until 12.00 noon on the day following the agreed day of arrival at the latest. For advance payments of more than four days, the accommodation obligation ends at 6 p.m. on the fourth day, with the day of arrival being counted as the first day, unless the guest announces a later day of arrival.
5.4 Unless otherwise agreed, the Proprietor may unilaterally terminate the Accommodation Agreement for objectively justified reasons no later than 3 months before the agreed date of arrival of the Party.
Withdrawal by the contractual partner – cancellation fee
5.5 The accommodation contract may be terminated by unilateral declaration by the contracting party no later than 3 months before the agreed date of arrival of the guest without payment of a cancellation fee.
5.6 Outside the area specified in § 5.5. The contractual partner may only withdraw from the contract by unilateral declaration by paying the following cancellation fees
:
– up to 1 month before the date of arrival 40% of the total package price;
– up to 1 week before the date of arrival 70% of the total package price;
– in the last week before the date of arrival 90% of the total package price.
| up to 3 months | 3 months to 1 month | 1 month to 1 week | In the last week |
|---|---|---|---|
| no cancellation fees | 40% | 70% | 90% |
Impediments to arrival
5.7 If the Party is unable to arrive at the accommodating establishment on the day of arrival due to unforeseeable extraordinary circumstances (e.g. extreme snowfall, flooding, etc.), the Party shall not be obliged to pay the agreed remuneration for the days of arrival.
5.8 The obligation to pay the remuneration for the booked stay shall be revived from the date of arrival if arrival is possible again within three days.
§ 6 Rights of the contractual partner
6.1 By concluding an accommodation contract, the contracting party acquires the right to the customary use of the rented rooms, the facilities of the accommodation establishment, which are usually accessible to the guests for use without special conditions, and to the customary service. The contractual partner must exercise his rights in accordance with any hotel and/or guest guidelines (house rules).
§ 7 Obligations of the contractual partner
7.1 The contractual partner is obliged to pay the agreed remuneration plus any additional amounts incurred due to the separate use of services by him and/or the guests accompanying him plus statutory VAT by the time of departure at the latest.
7.2 The Proprietor shall not be obliged to accept foreign currencies. If the accommodation provider accepts foreign currencies, these will be accepted in payment at the current exchange rate if possible. If the Proprietor accepts foreign currencies or cashless means of payment, the Party shall bear all associated costs, such as inquiries with credit card companies, telegrams, etc.
7.3 The Party shall be liable to the Proprietor for any damage caused by the Party or the Guest or other persons who accept services from the Proprietor with the knowledge or will of the Party.
§ 8 Rights of the accommodation provider
8.1 If the Party refuses to pay the agreed remuneration or is in arrears, the Proprietor shall be entitled to the statutory right of retention pursuant to Section 970c of the Austrian Civil Code (ABGB) and the statutory lien pursuant to Section 1101 ABGB on the items brought in by the Party or the Guest. The Proprietor shall also be entitled to this right of retention or lien to secure its claim arising from the Accommodation Agreement, in particular for meals, other expenses incurred on behalf of the Party and for any claims for compensation of any kind.
8.2 If service is required in the room of the Party or at unusual times of the day (after 8 p.m. and before 6 a.m.), the Proprietor shall be entitled to charge a special fee for this. However, this special charge must be indicated on the room price list. The accommodation provider may also refuse these services for operational reasons.
8.3 The Proprietor shall have the right to invoice or interim invoice its services at any time.
§ 9 Obligations of the accommodation provider
9.1 The Proprietor shall be obliged to provide the agreed services to an extent that corresponds to its standard.
9.2 Special services of the Proprietor that are not included in the accommodation fee and that are subject to the obligation to pay a fee are listed as examples:
a) Special accommodation services which may be invoiced separately, such as the provision of lounges, sauna, indoor pool, swimming pool, solarium, garage, etc;
b) A reduced price will be charged for the provision of additional beds or cribs.
§ 10 Animal husbandry
10.1 Animals may only be brought into the accommodating establishment with the prior consent of the Proprietor and, if necessary, for a special fee.
10.2 The contractual partner who takes an animal with him is obliged to keep or supervise this animal properly during his stay or to have it kept or supervised by a suitable third party at his own expense.
10.3 The Party or Guest bringing along an animal shall have appropriate animal liability insurance or personal liability insurance that also covers possible damage caused by animals. Proof of such insurance shall be provided upon request by the accommodation provider.
10.4 The Party and/or its insurer shall be jointly and severally liable to the Proprietor for any damage caused by animals brought along. In particular, the damage shall also include any compensation payments to be made by the accommodation provider to third parties.
10.5 Animals are not permitted in the lounges, lounges, restaurant rooms and wellness areas.
§ 11 Extension of the accommodation
11.1 The contractual partner is not entitled to have his stay extended. If the Party notifies the Proprietor of its wish to extend the stay in good time, the Proprietor may agree to the extension of the Accommodation Agreement. The accommodation provider is under no obligation to do so.
11.2 If the Party is unable to leave the accommodating establishment on the day of departure due to unforeseeable extraordinary circumstances (e.g. extreme snowfall, flooding, etc.) and all departure options are blocked or unusable, the Accommodation Agreement shall be automatically extended for the duration of the impossibility of departure. A reduction of the fee for this period is only possible if the contractual partner is unable to make full use of the services offered by the accommodation provider due to the exceptional weather conditions. The accommodation provider is entitled to charge at least the price that corresponds to the price usually charged in the low season.
§ 12 Termination of the accommodation contract – early termination
12.1 If the accommodation contract was concluded for a fixed term, it shall end upon expiry of the term.
12.2 If the accommodation contract was concluded for an indefinite period, the contracting parties may terminate the contract by 10.00 a.m. on the third day before the intended end of the contract.
12.3 The Proprietor shall be entitled to terminate the Accommodation Agreement with immediate effect for good cause, in particular if the Party or the Guest
a) makes significantly detrimental use of the premises or, through his inconsiderate, offensive or otherwise grossly improper behavior towards the other guests, the owner, the owner’s staff or third parties living in the accommodation establishment, disturbs the cohabitation or is guilty of a punishable offense against property, morality or physical safety towards these persons;
b) is afflicted by an infectious disease or an illness that extends beyond the period of accommodation or otherwise becomes in need of care;
c) does not pay the invoices submitted when due within a reasonably set period (3 days).
12.4 If the fulfillment of the contract becomes impossible due to an event to be regarded as force majeure (e.g. natural disasters, strike, lockout, official orders, etc.)
, the Proprietor may terminate the Accommodation Agreement at any time without observing a notice period, unless the contract is already deemed terminated by law according to
or the Proprietor is released from its obligation to provide accommodation. Any claims for damages etc. by the contractual partner are excluded.
13 Illness or death of the guest
13.1 If a Guest falls ill during their stay at the accommodating establishment, the Proprietor shall provide medical care at the Guest’s request. In the event of imminent danger, the accommodation provider shall arrange for medical care even without a special request from the guest, in particular if this is necessary and the guest is unable to do so themselves.
13.2 As long as the Guest is unable to make decisions or the Guest’s relatives cannot be contacted, the Proprietor shall arrange for medical treatment at the Guest’s expense. However, the scope of these care measures ends at the time when the guest is able to make decisions or the relatives have been notified of the illness.
13.3 The Proprietor shall be entitled to claim compensation from the Party and the Guest or, in the event of death, from their legal successors for the following costs in particular:
a) outstanding medical costs, costs for patient transportation, medication and medical aids
b) room disinfection that has become necessary,
c) linen, bedding and bed furnishings that have become unusable, otherwise for the disinfection or thorough cleaning of all these items,
d) restoration of walls, furnishings, carpets, etc., insofar as these have been soiled or damaged in connection with the illness or death,
e) Room rent, insofar as the room has been used by the guest, plus any days on which the rooms cannot be used due to disinfection, evacuation or similar,
f) any other damage incurred by the accommodation provider.
§ 14 Place of performance, place of jurisdiction and choice of law
14.1 The place of performance shall be the place where the accommodation establishment is located.
14.2 This contract is subject to Austrian formal and substantive law to the exclusion of the rules of private international law (in particular IPRG and EVÜ) and the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.
1743 The exclusive place of jurisdiction for bilateral business transactions shall be the registered office of the accommodation provider, whereby the accommodation provider shall also be entitled to assert its rights before any other court with local and subject-matter jurisdiction.
14.4 If the accommodation contract was concluded with a contractual partner who is a consumer and has their place of residence or habitual abode in Austria, legal action against the consumer may only be brought at the consumer’s place of residence, habitual abode or place of employment.
14.5 If the accommodation contract was concluded with a contractual partner who is a consumer and who is resident in a member state of the European Union (with the exception of Austria), Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, the court with local and material jurisdiction for the consumer’s place of residence shall have exclusive jurisdiction for actions against the consumer.
§ 15 Miscellaneous
15.1 Unless the above provisions provide otherwise, a time limit shall commence upon delivery of the document ordering the time limit to the contracting parties, who must observe the time limit. When calculating a time limit which is determined by days, the day in which the time or event falls on which the start of the time limit is to be based is not included. Time limits determined by weeks or months refer to that day of the week or month which corresponds by its name or number to the day from which the time limit is to be counted. If this day is missing in the month, the last day of this month is decisive.
15.2 Declarations must be received by the other contracting party on the last day of the deadline (midnight).
15.3 The Proprietor shall be entitled to set off its own claims against claims of the Party. The Party shall not be entitled to set off its own claims against claims of the Proprietor unless the Proprietor is insolvent or the Party’s claim has been established by a court or recognized by the Proprietor.
15.4 In the event of loopholes, the relevant statutory provisions shall apply.