Rental Terms

1. Purpose and parties

These terms govern the short-term rental of the accommodation bookable directly on tarifa.life (the "Site"). They supplement the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy. By booking accommodation, you accept them.

• The guest: the person who sends the booking request from their tarifa.life account. They must be of legal age and be one of the occupants of the accommodation.
• The accommodation operator (the "host"): the rental contract is concluded directly between the guest and the operator of the accommodation concerned. For the Almas apartments: SOCIETE SERVICES INMO ALMA INVEST SL, NIF B26912873, Centro Comercial Diana, num 3, Puerta 31, 29688 Estepona (Málaga), España, contact: almas@tarifa.life.
• The platform: tarifa.life presents the accommodation, connects the guest with the operator and has the payment processed (by Stripe). It is not a party to the rental contract.

2. Booking and payment

Two paths exist. The one that applies to a given accommodation is shown on its listing, before you confirm anything.

2.1 Booking on request (the usual case)

• Your request: you choose your dates and the number of guests, then send your booking request. The total amount of the stay is then held on your card (a card authorisation via Stripe). Nothing is charged at this stage: the amount is set aside, not collected.
• The operator's answer: they have up to 12 working hours to accept or decline, counted between 8:00 and 21:00 (Tarifa time). Night hours are not counted, so a request sent in the evening does not burn its window overnight. The deadline that binds us is the one shown on your booking: that is the one that counts. It may be earlier than the window above if your arrival is close, or if your bank limits how long the authorisation stays valid.
• If they accept: the held amount is charged at that moment, and the booking becomes final. A receipt is sent to you by email.
• If they decline, or do not answer in time: the hold is released, nothing is charged to you, and so there is nothing to refund. You are informed by email and in your account, and the dates are freed up.

What the hold actually means for you. An authorisation is not a payment, but it is not invisible either: while it lasts, the amount is taken off your available balance and your bank may show it as a "pending" transaction. Once the hold is released, no money has been taken from you, but the line may stay visible for a few days on your statement or in your banking app, until your bank removes it by itself. That delay depends on your bank alone, not on tarifa.life or the operator.

If the payment does not go through (card declined, bank authentication abandoned), no amount is held and your request commits you to nothing: it is cancelled within 24 h and the dates are freed up.

2.2 Instant booking

Some accommodation accepts instant booking: there is then nobody to wait for. The total amount of the stay is charged immediately and the booking is confirmed at once, with no prior hold and no response window. The option is shown on the listing before booking.

2.3 The security deposit is not concerned

All of the above concerns the price of the stay only. The security deposit, where the accommodation requires one, follows a separate mechanism: it is neither held nor charged at booking. See article 5.

3. Price

• The price includes the accommodation (nightly rate, which may vary by season and day of the week), where applicable a fixed cleaning fee, and the tarifa.life service fees set out in article 3.6 of the general terms of sale: 4% of the price set by the operator (accommodation + cleaning), paid by you on top of that price. The operator keeps their price in full.
• The full breakdown (nights × rate, cleaning, service fees, total) is displayed before the request is sent; the amount held and then charged is the one displayed at the time of the request.
• Prices are in euros, all taxes included.

4. Cancellation and refunds

Before the operator answers, you may withdraw your request at any time: the hold on your card is released, nothing has been charged to you, and the cancellation policy does not apply. It only allocates money that has already been collected.

Once the stay has been paid for, each accommodation applies one of the three cancellation policies below. The applicable policy is displayed before booking and remains the one in force at the time of your request: a later change to the listing never applies to an existing booking.

• Flexible: full refund if you cancel up to 24 h before arrival. Non-refundable afterwards.
• Moderate: full refund up to 7 days before arrival; 50% refund between 7 days and 48 h before arrival; non-refundable less than 48 h before.
• Strict: 50% refund up to 7 days before arrival. Non-refundable afterwards.

Deadlines are calculated against the arrival day at 12:00 UTC (early afternoon in Tarifa). The refund applies to the total paid (accommodation + cleaning fee + service fees).

Cancellation by the operator: if the operator cancels the booking, you are refunded in full, whatever the accommodation's policy.

Refunds go back to the card used and generally appear within 5–10 business days depending on your bank.

5. Security deposit

Some accommodation requires a security deposit, the amount of which is shown before booking. It does not follow the mechanism of the stay (article 2): no amount is held on your card for it, and nothing is charged in advance.

• your card simply stays on file until 72 h after check-out;
• a charge is only made if the operator reports damage within 72 h of check-out, with a description and supporting photos, and within the limit of the deposit amount;
• without a report within that time, the deposit is automatically released and you are informed by email;
• if an amount is withheld, you receive an email detailing the amount, the reason and the photos. You may dispute it in writing to almas@tarifa.life; the claim is reviewed with the operator.

6. Guest obligations

• Respect the maximum capacity of the accommodation: only the people declared at booking may stay there.
• No parties or events in the accommodation, and respect for the neighbourhood (noise, common areas).
• Use the accommodation with care and report any damage or malfunction without delay.
• Complete the traveler registration before arrival (section 7). It is a legal obligation.
• Return the accommodation in a proper state on departure.

7. Traveler registration (RD 933/2021)

Spanish law (Real Decreto 933/2021) requires every traveler to be registered before arrival. After payment, you receive a secure link to enter each traveler's details (identity, identity document, residence, contact). This registration is mandatory: without it, access to the accommodation may be refused, without a refund.

The details of the data collected, its transmission to the Spanish authorities and its retention period are set out in the Privacy Policy.

8. Check-in and check-out

• The exact check-in (key handover) and check-out times and arrangements are communicated after the booking is confirmed.
• Arrival outside the agreed slots or a late departure must be agreed in advance with the operator.

9. Liability

• The operator provides accommodation that matches its description and is fit for use. If a problem arises during the stay, contact them without delay at almas@tarifa.life so they can remedy it.
• The guest is liable for damage caused to the accommodation during the stay, beyond normal wear and tear. The deposit may be withheld (section 5); if the damage exceeds the deposit, the operator retains the right to claim the difference.
• The platform acts as a technical intermediary (presentation, connection, payment) and is not liable for the performance of the rental contract.

10. Complaints

Any complaint may be sent to almas@tarifa.life. Official complaint forms (hojas de quejas y reclamaciones) are available to you. See the Complaint forms page.

11. Governing law

These terms are governed by Spanish law. Any dispute falls to the competent Spanish courts, without prejudice to the mandatory consumer-protection provisions applicable in the guest's country of residence.