The following are General Conditions relating to hire by idverde of outdoor sports pitches, facilities and training areas within the boroughs of Merton and Sutton.

These Conditions should be read in conjunction with any individual conditions or arrangements agreed with the hirer

Please contact slwpsports@idverde.co.uk should you require further information or clarification

1.  Conditions regarding activity and site

  • Training areas are booked by the hour.
  • Grass pitches are booked by the match.
  • Game lengths vary dependent on the type of activity
  • Weekend pitch bookings operate on a three hour basis, which includes two hours play time, and one hour change time. This is applicable for Football and rugby
  • A cricket match booking is for 7 hours. This includes a maximum of 6 hours playing time and 1 hour for changing and mid game refreshments.
  • Pitches and changing accommodation must be vacated at the end of the match
  • Failure to do so will incur a supplementary charge based upon the hourly charge for the booking which the hirer will be invoiced for.
  • The Service Provider reserves the right to decline booking requests or to limit the amount of time played during a booking if it deems that this is in the long term interests of the sustainability of the playing surface and/or the safety of those using it.
  • Changing accommodation where available is provided as part of the booking. 
     

2.  Method of Hire 

  1. Applications for the use of pitches and training areas should be made to the idverde Greenspace Booking Service office either by contacting the service Provider directly on 0203 876 8813 or emailing slwpsports@idverde.co.uk. The applicant will be sent a copy of these terms and conditions of hire with either an invoice or receipt of payment. 
  2. The application should be submitted by the due date specified by the idverde Greenspace Booking Service office.
  3. The acceptance of the application form does not constitute a contract unless the hirer receives written confirmation from the Service Provider. 
  4. The Service Provider reserves the right to refuse an application without stating the reason.  
     
  5. The Service Provider reserves the right to allocate pitches to casual users when not required by the seasonal hirer. 
     

3.  Sub-Letting 

Sub-letting of pitches or facilities is not permitted without written authorisation. Bookings are non-transferable

  • Any hirer to be found sub-letting pitches without written authorisation will be subject to a termination of their booking(s).
  • Any hirer sub-letting pitches will forfeit any monetary contribution they have made towards their booking due to the loss of those pitches for usage by others.
  • If the hirer has been subject to VAT Exemption. They will be invoiced for the VAT inclusive rate for all of their bookings.
  • The hirer's online account will be terminated removing any benefits they would benefit from by being a regular hirer.

4.  Transfer of Hire 

Club officials may arrange the transfer of a hire but only to a club that is currently registered with the  Service Provider.  All transfers must be agreed with the idverde Greenspace Booking Service office first.

Any new club wishing to register should apply to the idverde Greenspace Booking Service office.

No refunds are available.

 

5.  Payments 

All hirers of pitches or training areas on a casual or seasonal basis must pay for their hire in advance of use. 

  1. Payment for a season's hire may be made in installments by agreement with the Service Provider. Two installments may be made, the first for 50% of the total value of the booking, no later than 3 days before the first occasion of play and the second for the remaining 50% of the value of the booking three months after the calendar date of the first payment
  2. Casual hirers must pay for their hire in one payment. 
  3. Payment can be made by ringing the idverde Greenspace Booking Service office directly on 0203 876 8813.
  4. Where a customer is invoiced, the methods of payment will be indicated on the back of the invoice. 
     
  5. No booking can be confirmed until the required payment is received, except where agreements are in place for installment payments. 
  6. The Service Provider reserves the right to amend the scale of charges at any time without prior notice.  
     
  7. When using pitches or training areas, hirers must provide evidence of payment for that hire.  Failure to produce a receipt on demand may result in the hirer being removed from the site.  
     

6.  Regular bookings

Sports Club – Regular User | Booking requirements.

Regular teams will get priority access to make bookings, before they become available to the general public. In order to become a regular team, a team must have been booking for us for a minimum of two years without issue.

Once accepted as a regular user, the hirer adheres to the following conditions:

  • Each team must have a single email address for contact
  • Each team must have the ability to pay by payment card online.
  • The team must either 
    1. Book games at the normal casual rate as and when required by the teams. OR
    2. Make and pay for at least 10 bookings at one time as this will result in a VAT saving (if hirer choose to opt-in – See VAT Exemptions)
  • All bookings must be paid for at point of booking
  • Provisional bookings are not offered

 

7.  VAT Exemptions

In order to qualify for our previously named "regular rate", the hirer will need to comply with the following rules.

  1. The series of bookings consist of 10 or more sessions.
  2. Each session is for the same sport or activity.
  3. Each session is in the same place, although a different pitch, court or lane, or different number of pitches, courts or lanes is acceptable.
  4. The interval between each session is at least 1 day but not more than 14 days. The duration of the sessions may be varied; however there is no exception for intervals greater than 14 days through the closure of the facility for any reason.
  5. The series is to be paid for as a whole and there is written evidence to the fact.
    1. This must include evidence that payment is to be made in full whether or not the right to use the facility for any specific session is actually exercised. Provision for a refund given by the provider in the event of the unforeseen non-availability of their facility would not affect this condition.
    2. The facilities are let out to a school, club, association or an organisation representing affiliated clubs or constituent associations, such as a local league.
    3. The person to whom the facilities are let has exclusive use of them during the sessions. 

To take advantage of the VAT exempt rate, the hirer must meet all of the above conditions. If the booking qualifies, the hirer will automatically be offered the VAT exempt rate, if the hirer wish to opt out of being automatically offered the rate the hirer must contact the idverde Greenspace Booking Service office - but please note that VAT exempt bookings cannot be amended or cancelled by your team, so all dates must be firm if the hirer choose to take this up.

8.  Cancellation 

The Service Provider reserves the right to close any pitch or ground during any day or days on which it has been let. 

  1. If the hirer cancels a booking 5 working days or more in advance the hirer will be able to book an alternative date for the same activity using a credit. Money will not be refunded. All credits will have a pre-arranged expiry date – normally the end of the season.
  2. If the hirer has opted for VAT Exemption, any cancellation will be deemed a breach of agreement and the hirer will be invoiced for games played and the remaining games at the inclusive VAT rate.
  3. If the Service Provider cancels a booking due to pitch conditions or extreme weather, the hirer will be able to book an alternative date for the same activity using a credit for the same value as your initial purchase.

The decision as to whether pitches are in a fit state of play rests ultimately with the Service provider During inclement weather the pitch fitness can be ascertained by contacting the idverde Greenspace Booking Service office.

However if pitches are deemed suitable, the final decision regarding if a match can play remains with the referee.

The Service Provider reserves the right to cancel any booking and refuse use of a pitch in cases of misconduct or illegal use. 
 

9.  Use of Facilities

The Hirer must adhere to the following at all times -

  • All persons using facilities hired shall behave in a manner that does not cause injury, damage or nuisance to property, staff or other users of the park or ground. All persons shall conform to any regulations or byelaws in force with respect to the grounds and comply with any instructions they may receive from the ground staff or any other officials appointed by the council.
  • The club will be responsible for wilful or negligent damage caused to the pitch, equipment, building, fences or any other of the council's property by their own members, or the members of a club against whom they are playing.
  • Clubs must ensure that they treat the facilities in a proper manner i.e. no washing of boots in showers, kicking of footballs in buildings or leaving litter e.g. drinks cans, sweet wrappers etc. No glass bottles or glass in any form must be taken into the changing facilities
  • Public liability insurance is compulsory for all clubs. The insurance must cover clubs for public liability claims arising from the use of the facilities, which are the subject of a hiring agreement. The minimum liability cover must be 10 million pounds.
  • Idverde shall not be liable for the death or injury to, or damage to, or any expenses or other liability incurred by the hirer or any person in the exercise of this agreement.
  • No excisable liquor shall be brought into the grounds except by permission of the council in writing
  • All hirers must comply with the council equal opportunities policy wherein they do not exercise any discrimination on the grounds of race, nationality, colour, ethnicity, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, creed or disability.
  • A hirer failing to comply with any of these regulations and conditions will be liable to forfeit the use of the pitch, ground or facility without any adjustment of fees in respect thereof, such forfeiture to be without prejudice to any other claims or remedies which L.B.M. may have against the hirer.