Code of Conduct

General

  1. A Member acknowledges that when entering into and undertaking a Home Exchange, the Member will be subject to, and must comply with, the terms of this Code of Conduct. A Member must ensure that any Negotiation with other Members is conducted in good faith with an intent of Home Exchange  and that he is open, truthful, fair and reasonable in all such Negotiations;
  2. A Member must ensure that his home offered for exchange is fully and accurately described and illustrated on his listing and must ensure that keep his exchange partners up to date with any conditions is his home or neighbourhood that might affect him ;
  3. A  Member must be courteous and hospitable in all his dealings with other Members and,  in particular, must make arrangements to;

    4. (a) Provide instructions in advance for caring for his home and, where appropriate, pets

    (b) Make his home ready for exchange partners by providing storage space for both food and possessions, clean sheets and towels and all other amenities promised.

    (c) Where appropriate provide reasonable introductions to neighbours;

    (d) Leave emergency contact information for repairs and medical and other emergencies.

    (e) Provide easily accessible arrangements for keys with appropriate back up.

    Communications

  4. Members must be responsive to all reasonable requests and in particular undertake to

    5. (a) check the email account associated with their listing regularly;

    (b) reply to all home exchange enquiries;

    (c) limit the number of enquiries sent per day to ten per exchange destination; and

    (d) follow up on all replies received.

    Cancellation

  5. A Member may not cancel a Home Exchange Agreement without a valid reason such as death, illness or other unforeseen circumstances beyond the Member’s control.
  6. A Member shall inform his National Representative before cancellation of a Home Exchange Agreement including the reasons for the cancellation.

    7. Consequences of Invalid Cancellation

  7. A Member shall be responsible for any costs incurred by another Member as a result of cancellation of a Home Exchange Agreement without a valid reason and, at the discretion of the National Representative and the Board, shall be subject to termination of his membership.

    8. Member’s Offer Home

  8. A Member must ensure that his home offered for exchange

    9. (a) is available for exchange;

    (b) is fully insured for fire, theft, burglary and, so far as is possible, accidental damage;

    (c) is clean secure and well maintained; and

    contains all the facilities  described in the relevant listing.

    Motor Vehicles

  9. A Member must ensure that any vehicle offered for exchange is in good working order, legally compliant and, except as is notified to and agreed with the exchanging Member, comprehensively insured.

    10. Respect for Property

  10. Members must ensure that they respect each others' Property at all times and in particular and without prejudice to the generality of the preceding words;

    11. (a) Members must ensure that they keep the Exchange Property reasonably secure at all times and comply with the terms of any applicable insurance policies both in this respect and in respect of any other insurance condition communicated to them by the owner;

    (b) Members must accept responsibility for any uninsured damage caused by them to the Exchanged Property.

    Pets

  11. Prior to any Home exchange members must inform other members what Pets require caring and the necessary arrangements in place or required to be undertaken by the visiting Member.
  12. Members must ensure that any Pets are, so far as is possible, free of vermin including worms and fleas, vaccinated and otherwise free of health risk and clean. Members must also ensure that areas of the home to which pets have access are cleaned.
  13. Members must apply high standards of care to Pets.

    14. Definitions

  14. In these Rules unless the context otherwise implies:

    15. (a) “Board” means the Board of Directors of Intervac.

    (b)  “Database” means the Intervac international database operated at the domain names intervac.com and intervac-online.com and any other domains on which the Database may be maintained from time to time.

    (c) “Exchanged Property” means any Property which Members have agreed to exchange and which is occupied or used during the exchange and in particular and without prejudice to the generality of these words Property that is the subject of a Home Exchange Agreement.

    (d) “Home Country” means the country of normal residence (at least six months per year) of a Member in which his principal home is situated.

    (e) “Home Exchange” means the process of exchanging homes for vacation or holiday purposes or of providing rental, hospitality or other services facilitated from time to time on the Database.

    (f) “Home Exchange Agreement” means an agreement for Home Exchange in Standard Form entered into by Members and Notified to Intervac.

    (g) “Intervac” means Intervac International and includes its Representatives.

    (h) “Member” means a member of Intervac who has registered a listing on the Database.

    (i) “Pet” means a dog, cat or other pet and includes any animal or bird that might occupy a Member’s property, garden or surroundings.

    (j) “Property” includes homes, vehicles and all other forms of Members’ property.

    (k) “Representative” & “National Representative” means an Agent or Local Organiser of Intervac.

    (l) References to the plural include references to the singular and vice versa.

    (m) References to any gender include references to all other genders.

    (n) Headings are for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of any Rule.