Terms and Conditions - Room Hire

IT Services is part of the University of Oxford. The Thames Suite comprises seven IT training rooms and a Studio, which are available for hire by University departments and external organisations. There are conditions of use which these standard terms and conditions set out.

All bookings made by persons in respect of rooms at IT Services are accepted subject to the following terms and conditions, which shall form the contract between IT Services and the hirer.

Use of any room is by permission of IT Services who reserve the right to refuse any booking or admission at their discretion.

In the event of the refusal to comply with these conditions or any reasonable instructions given by IT Services, the hirer and any persons attending the events may be excluded from the premises. The hirer will remain liable in respect of the hire charges as herein contained.

The hirer is in breach of this contract if:

  • The hirer fails to pay to IT Services any sum of money payable to IT Services on the due date.
  • The function is presented or conducted by the hirer other than in accordance with the event content notified to IT Services at the time of the booking and approved by the Learning and Events Office.

IT Services reserves the right to amend or vary these conditions or impose additional conditions without notice.

Definitions

In these terms and conditions:

  • “IT Services” means Oxford University IT Services.
  • “Room” refers to one of the rooms of the Thames Suite, comprised of the following rooms: Evenlode, Isis, Windrush and Studio.
  • “Learning Events Office ” means the Learning and Events Office in the IT Learning Centre at IT Services, Banbury Road.
  • “Client” means the person in contact with Learning and Events Office.
  • “Hirer” means any person, persons or representative of the organisation named in a room booking invoiced by IT Services.
  • “In writing” means by letter/email/fax.

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All uses of the room must comply with the University's Code of Practice on Meetings and Events.

The nature of the function shall be notified to IT Services at the time of the booking when completing the booking form.

IT Services does not endorse or support the meeting programmes and/or content of any external function held on its premises.

All requests to use a room must be made via the online form. Once dates and other technical details have been agreed the booking is subject to any cancellation charges that might apply (see below).

Following confirmation of the reservation by the Learning and Events Office, the client must send a purchase order to confirm the booking.

All booking requests must be confirmed in writing. No binding contract for the hire of facilities and equipment shall exist until IT Services has issued its written confirmation of booking.

The hirer agrees to confirm to the Learning and Events Office, in writing, the final numbers attending (including special dietary requirements), five working days prior to the event. The number given at this time will be the number invoiced, unless numbers increase. If numbers are not notified by this time the IT Services reserves the right to charge for the original estimate of numbers attending, or actual numbers attending, whichever is the higher.

Prices quoted are exclusive of VAT which the hirer shall pay to IT Services in addition, where due. IT Services reserves the right to alter prices or other details without notice. However, once IT Service's written confirmation has been issued, prices quoted will be honoured.

The hirer further agrees to pay IT Services such other charges as arise in accordance with these terms and conditions.

Final invoice payment must be received by IT Services within 30 days from the date of the final invoice.

Where two or more persons or organisations are named in a room hire booking invoiced by IT Services, they shall be jointly and severally liable under these terms and conditions.

The Learning and Events Office must be informed prior to the event of the ages of any young persons due to attend. A young person is defined as any person under the age of 18.

Rooms are allocated on the basis of minimum/maximum numbers indicated at the time of booking. Should numbers be different from those agreed, IT Services has the right to allocate a different room and/or levy an additional room rental charge.

The hirer will advise IT Services in writing of the identities of all suppliers of goods and services, approximate delivery times and any third parties, agents or contractors.

The hirer shall not sub-let the hired rooms or any part thereof without written consent from IT Services.

Permission is required for all photographs and audio and visual recording within the IT Services premises.

The hirer shall leave the rooms in a clean and tidy manner and remove any articles belonging to them by the end of the hire period.

The hirer should not leave the room unattended while unlocked and is responsible for locking the room and returning the key at the end of the hire period.

The hirer shall be liable for any loss or damage which may be incurred by the hirer or any person or persons in his employ or any person or persons in his party. The hirer shall ensure that nothing is fixed to the floors, walls, ceilings or any other interior or exterior of the buildings by means of nails, screws, drawing pins, blue tack, glue or any other means unless agreed in writing with IT Services prior to the function.

Cancellation by IT Services

IT Services reserves the right to cancel the booking forthwith and without any liability on its part in the event of the hirer failing to perform any of the obligations contained within these terms and conditions.

IT Services reserves the right to cancel the booking upon immediate notice if the holding of the event is prevented by reason of circumstances beyond the control of IT Services, including but not limited to failure of supply of electricity or telephone, building work, flood, fire risk, Government restriction, act of war, or act of God strike, accident, fire, flood or other emergency condition. IT Services will attempt to give as much notice as possible but in no event shall it be liable for any loss or damage arising from the cancellation. 

IT Services is not responsible for finding an alternative venue if the Thames Suite booking needs to be cancelled.

Cancellation by the hirer

The hirer may cancel a room hire booking by giving notice in writing. In the event that the hirer cancels a room hire booking, IT Services reserves the right to impose cancellation charges.

Notice given Cancellation fee
In excess of 42 working days Nil
28 - 42 working days 25%
14 - 27 working days 50%
8 - 13 working days 75%
Less than 7 working days 100%

If an event is cancelled 3 working days or less before the start date, catering charges may also apply.

Changes by the hirer

If the hirer wishes to change the date of their booking they will need to cancel their existing booking (see above for cancellation charges) and submit a new booking request for the new date.

If the hirer wishes to keep the same date but change the hours the following applies:

Change requested Charges
Changes to the of times of booking but no change to number of hours booked No charge.
Increase of booking hours If the room is available the number of hours can be increased. The additional hours will added to the original booking and the original date of the booking will be used to calculate any cancellation charges.
Reduction in hours The hours that are cancelled will be treated as a cancellation and be charged at the appropriate cancellation charge.

 

The provision of all food and refreshments will be by IT Services’ nominated caterer unless prior written permission has been granted for the use of an alternative caterer. Permission will be subject to the chosen caterer passing IT Services’ food safety and hygiene audits.

Special menus to meet dietary, religious or ethnic requirements can be provided on prior request.

Prices of food and beverage may be subject to change under exceptional circumstances.

The hirer and their course participants shall vacate the premises not later than the time agreed in the confirmation letter. Failure to do so may result in an extra charge being levied for each hour or part thereof beyond the agreed time. In addition, if an event exceeds the contracted period of hire and causes a conflict with a following event, and despite notice does not end, then IT Services reserves the right to enter the room and end the event forthwith.

Hirers external to the University must effect and maintain public liability insurance, which will indemnify the hirer, the hirer’s contractors and IT Services against any claims, costs, proceedings, charges and expenses incurred in respect of any injury to any person or loss of or damage to property, which occurs while the hirer, its employees, guests or contractors are on or about the premises of IT Services.

The hirer shall at the request of the IT Services produce to the IT Services the policy of insurance together with evidence of the payment of the current premium.

Any accident must be reported to IT Services as soon as possible after its occurrence, but in any event, prior to departing from the IT Services.

Hirers agree to abide the University IT Regulations.

Computers come with a standard set of software installed. Please check at the time of booking the software and version that is available.

All software used in the rooms must be covered by a valid licence. Software installed in the rooms by IT Services complies with this condition. It is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure that software installed on computers brought into the room is correctly licensed.

Software can only be installed on IT Services computers by prior written agreement with IT Services. Hirers will need to satisfy IT Services that they have the correct type and number of licences before installation can commence. Hirers will be responsible for uninstalling software and licences when necessary.

Test computers with the same configuration and software set as the rooms are available and hirers can use these, by prior arrangement, to test their demonstrations and exercises, and to ensure that connection to external servers etc. will work as expected.

IT Services makes no guarantee that hirer’s software will be compatible with IT Services own hardware and software. It is recommended that hirers ask for technical advice about installing and uninstalling software as part of the booking process.

By prior arrangement, we can provide wireless access e.g. for laptops. IT Services is not responsible for loss of services that are not directly under its control, e.g. Eduroam, Janet Network. These services are governed by their own service level agreements.

Direct connect to the wired network in the rooms must be agreed with IT Services in advance.

The establishment of a local wireless network by hirers must be agreed with IT Services in advance.

 

IT Services accepts no responsibility for any hired equipment or conference equipment provided by, for, or on behalf of the hirer, left unattended prior to, during, or after the function.

IT Services cannot accept responsibility for any items lost or mislaid on the premises.

All items stored are at the hirer’s risk.

Any items not collected within 24 hours of the end of the function will be disposed of unless prior arrangements have been made. Items stored outside these times may incur additional charges.

IT Services will not be responsible for any item sent by courier that gets lost or damaged or for any items left at IT Services after the event has taken place.

No additions or alterations to the lighting, loud speakers, microphones or other electrical arrangements may be made without the written consent of IT Services. No electrical apparatus may be brought on to the premises without the written consent of the IT Services who must be satisfied that the equipment has been checked for safety.

Laptop computers may be connected to display equipment subject to the approval of the IT Services' IT technician. Hirers are responsible for providing any connectors and adapters required. Mains chargers for laptops are subject to the same safety conditions as other electrical equipment.

IT Services shall not be responsible for any loss or damage to any property arising out of the holding of a function, or for any loss including but not limited to any breakdown of machinery, failure of supply of electricity or telephone, flood, fire risk, Government restriction, act of war, or act of God strike, accident, fire, flood or other emergency condition which may cause IT Services’ premises to be temporarily closed, or the function interrupted.

The hirer must ensure that all local safety procedures are observed and to communicate these with other room users for whom they have responsibility.

Smoking is not allowed in any part of the building or on the surrounding property except within designated smoking areas.

The hirer must ensure that there is no interference whatsoever during the period of hire with fire extinguishers or any other fire fighting equipment except in the case of an emergency.

The hirer must not interfere with fire doors and doors fitted with automatic closures. The hirer shall keep every corridor, passage and exit of the rooms clear of obstruction and ready for use in an emergency.

The hirer shall inform IT Services of any accident or personal injury that occurs on the premises during the period of hire immediately, or as soon after the event as is practical.

 

The details of the hirer and, where different, the client will be held by the IT Services on its computer database for use by its accounts department for maintaining proper records and by the Courses Office for event management and marketing purposes. It will not be passed on to any third parties.

All data is held according to local policies that are GDPR compliant.

The Hirer shall not use the premises for the showing of a film, sound recording or broadcast in public or for the delivery in public of any lecture in which copyright subsists without the consent of the owner of the said copyright, or in any other manner infringe any subsisting copyright.

The hirer shall indemnify IT Services against infringement of copyright occurring during the period of hire.

The IT Services/University Crest and name are trademarked (Trade Marks Act 1994) and may not be used by any other body.

In the event that the hirer uses the IT Services logo or University Crest and any branding without permission, IT Services reserves the right to cancel the function without the return of room hire payments and any other deposit pre-payments made and/ or to request the withdrawal/closure of all such publicity material, website etc at the hirer’s expense.
 

Any issues arising during the period of the hire that adversely affect the use of the facilities should immediately be raised with local representatives of IT Services.

Any complaint connected with the hire of the premises should be made to IT Services within seven working days of the function.

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