General Terms and Conditions of Signau House Zürich AG

(GTC Events)

1. Scope
These General Terms and Conditions (hereinafter referred to as “GTC”) apply to the temporary and remunerated provision of facilities by Signau House Zürich AG at Signau House & Garden (hereinafter referred to as “SHG”) for the organisation of events, banquets, meetings and the like, as well as to all services and deliveries provided in this context.

All offers of SHG are based on these GTC. They form an integral part of each individual contract between the organiser and SHG. Deviations from these GTC require an express written agreement between the organiser and SHG in order to be valid. This also applies to the waiver of the written form requirement. If these GTC contradict any general terms and conditions of an organiser, these GTC shall take precedence.

In the event that an organiser books rooms at Signau House as part of its event, the GTC Rooms shall apply (particularly number 5.3 GTC Rooms).

2. Contract Conclusion
The contractual relationship shall come into effect with the mutual signing of the event contract or the electronic order confirmation of SHG to the organiser. By signing the contract, the organiser simultaneously confirms their agreement with these GTC.

A provisional reservation is held for a maximum of 2 weeks. In the absence of a notification to the contrary, the reservation will expire and Signau House will be free to dispose of these dates.

3. Scope of Services
The specific services provided by SHG shall be governed by the event contract or the order confirmation respectively. SHG reserves the right to adjust their services in the event of short-term changes in the market offer for goods and services they purchase from third parties. If the agreed range of services has to be adjusted due to a third party’s failure to perform, SHG shall take into account the interests and wishes of the organiser as far as possible. This will be done with advance notice and after consultation with the organiser.

If the organiser’s change requests lead to additional expenditure for SHG after conclusion of the contract, this may be charged additionally in accordance with the conditions applicable in the order confirmation.

If the customer fails to provide all contractually agreed services or if these do not meet the agreed quality, SHG shall be entitled to charge the customer for the additional expenditure caused by this in accordance with the conditions applicable in the order confirmation.

4. Terms of Payment

4.1. Prices
All prices are in Swiss francs (CHF) and include value added tax (VAT) at the applicable rate. Breakfast is included in the room rates. Any increase in statutory charges after conclusion of the contract shall be borne by the organiser. All prices publicly published by SHG may be adjusted and changed at any time without notice to the organiser. For the customer, the prices stated in the written order confirmation from SHG shall in each case apply. We reserve the right to adjust prices based on the “Scope of services” section.

4.2. Prepayment
Signau House is entitled to demand an appropriate deposit at any time. The amount of the deposit and the payment dates shall be agreed in writing in the contract.

4.3. Invoicing / Payments
SHG shall be entitled to issue an invoice on account in the amount of 50% of the costs according to the order confirmation before the event is held. If this is the case, this will be mentioned separately in the contract. The payment on account is a partial payment that must be received in SHG’s account within 30 days of the invoice date, or if less than 30 days remain until the event date, or by the date defined separately in the contract at the latest. If necessary, further invoices on account can be issued. Payments on account shall be credited to the final invoice without interest.

After completion of the event, the customer shall receive a detailed final invoice from SHG. This invoice is due immediately and must be paid within 10 days of the invoice date, without deduction of a discount. In case of default in payment, Signau House shall be entitled to charge interest on arrears at a rate of 5% per annum.

5. Partner Companies / Catering Partners
SHG does not run its own catering but contracts out the food part to caterers/chefs. The customer is generally free to choose. SHG requires that a caterer brought in by the customer familiarises themselves with SHG on site at least 14 days prior to the implementation of the event. The use of the facilities will be charged to the customer. Additional costs will incur if the caterer does not leave the facilities in perfect condition as found.
If the caterer or customer brings private drinks, a tap fee will be charged.

6. SHG Staff
The number of employees on site depends on the order confirmation. Employees shall be invoiced according to the hours actually worked, at the conditions agreed in the order confirmation. This is subject to contractual agreements between the customer and SHG in accordance with the order confirmation.

7. Parking Spaces / Delivery / Collection
The parking spaces in the underground car park are reserved for hotel guests of SHG. The organiser may only use assigned parking spaces against payment. The coordination of deliveries for the organiser is organised by SHG.

8. Detailed Information / Programme / Number of Participants
All important details for the realisation of an event (catering, seating, table and room decoration, choice of drinks and wine, etc.) as well as the timetable of the programme are recorded in the event contract or in the order confirmation.

As a matter of principle, the number of participants stated in the event contract or the order confirmation shall serve as the basis for calculation and planning of the event. The organiser must inform SHG in writing of the binding number of participants up to 5 working days before the event date. Lower numbers of participants registered later can no longer be considered. In the event of an increase in the number of registered participants, billing will be based on the actual number of participants, subject to feasibility.

9. Infrastructure of SHG
The infrastructure of SHG, which is made available to the organiser for the purpose of holding their event, must be left complete and undamaged. Materials brought by the organiser must be removed immediately after the event. Their disposal is also the responsibility of the organiser.

It is not permitted to attach adhesive strips and picture hooks to the walls. Unless otherwise agreed, simple cleaning of the facilities is the responsibility of SHG and is included in the rental price. Demonstrable damage caused by the customer to the premises or infrastructure of SHG shall be invoiced to the customer in arrears.

Smoking is not permitted in any of the SHG facilities.

Reserved premises shall only be available to the organiser and their guests for the purpose agreed in writing and limited to the period agreed in each case.

10. The Customer as Organiser
If the customer acts as organiser, they are responsible for the orderly running of their event. Possible approval will be obtained by SHG in mutual consultation.
Documents created for the event and containing the SHG name/logo must be submitted for approval before publication.

11. Legal Regulations

11.1. Night’s Rest
The “Noise Protection Ordinance of the City of Zurich” must be complied with. Outdoors, the police-imposed night-time rest period applies from Sunday to Thursday from 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 p.m., and it is also important to behave considerately towards the neighbourhood.
SHG as a historic villa also accommodates hotel guests on the upper floors. Depending on the size and scope of the event, rooms exposed to noise from the ground floor must be rented by the customer. In general, it is important to behave considerately towards hotel guests inside the house after 11 p.m.

11.2. Regulations in connection with COVID-19
The organiser is responsible for compliance with the currently applicable COVID protection measures during the event.

12. Withdrawal

12.1. Withdrawal of the Organiser
If the customer wants to withdraw from the contract, this shall require the written consent of SHG. If the latter is not granted, the customer shall remain obliged to SHG to provide the contractually agreed services. This shall also apply if the customer does not use the services of SHG or only uses them in part.

If SHG agrees to the withdrawal, the following deadlines and conditions apply:

a) Withdrawal 29 – 11 days before the event date: SHG will charge the rent for the premises if they cannot be rented out otherwise.
In addition, preparatory work already carried out for the customer will be charged. The customer shall generally be obliged to fully reimburse SHG’s expenses, in particular goods, infrastructure and accessories specially ordered or manufactured for the customer, and to indemnify SHG against all liabilities incurred by them with regard to the events. These conditions also apply if the contract is only concluded during the above-mentioned periods.

b) Withdrawal from 10 – 4 days before the event date: SHG will charge the rent as well as 50% of the agreed services.

c) Withdrawal from 3 – 0 days before the event date: SHG will charges 100% of the agreed services.

12.2. Withdrawal by SHG
SHG shall be entitled to withdraw from the contract extraordinarily at any time for objectively justified reasons by means of a unilateral written declaration. Objectively justified reasons include in particular:

a) Force majeure or other circumstances for which SHG Is not responsible, which make the fulfilment of the contract impossible or delay it.

b) If events and/or services are ordered under misleading or false information.

c) If SHG cannot guarantee operational safety and no agreement could be reached with the customer in this respect.

d) If the purpose or content of the event is unlawful or contrary to public morality.

e) If the down payment to be made by the customer according to “Invoice / Payability”, or according to the contractual definition, has not been received by SHG in due time.

In the event of justified withdrawal by SHG, the customer shall not be entitled to damages and the compensation shall remain due.

13. Liability

13.1. Organiser’s Liability
The organiser is liable for all damage caused by event participants, the organiser’s employees, other third parties or the organiser themselves.

13.2. SHG’s Liability
SHG shall only be liable for intentional or grossly negligent contractual or non-contractual damage and only for direct damage.

SHG does not accept any liability for loss, destruction or damage to items brought along, including financial losses, except in cases of gross negligence or intent on the part of the hotel. In addition, all cases in which safekeeping constitutes a typical contractual obligation due to the circumstances of the individual case are excluded from this exemption from liability.

Insofar as the hotel is legally liable for third parties it shall likewise only be liable if there is gross negligence on the part of the third party; the hotel’s liability shall be excluded if the third party caused the damage intentionally.

The hotel’s liability is expressly limited in amount to the benefits of the hotel’s liability insurance, in particular also for third-party and reflex damage. Liability for valuables and cash only exists if they are kept in the room safe or handed in at the reception against receipt.
The hotel shall not be liable for loss of or damage to parked or manoeuvred motor vehicles of the guest and their contents on the hotel property, unless there is intent or gross negligence.

Any further liability, in particular for slight or medium negligence or for indirect damage such as, in particular, loss of profit, is excluded in accordance with Art. 100 of the Swiss Code of Obligations (“OR”). Likewise, liability for auxiliary persons is completely excluded pursuant to Art. 101 para. 2 OR.

Any liability claims shall be forfeited if the guest does not notify Signau House in writing immediately after becoming aware of loss, damage or destruction.

14. Final Provisions

14.1. Changes in / Amendments to these GTC
SHG reserves the right to change these GTC at any time. Changes will be made available on the website or mobile applications and will come into force as soon as they are posted.

Unilateral amendments or additions to these GTC by the guest are invalid, even in written form.

14.2. Partial Ineffectiveness
If individual provisions of these GTC are or become invalid or void, this shall not affect the validity of the contract and the remaining provisions of the GTC. In all other respects, the statutory provisions shall apply.

14.3. Place of Performance / Place of Payment
The place of performance and payment is Zurich, Switzerland.

14.4. Applicable Law / Place of Jurisdiction / Special Domicile
Swiss law shall apply exclusively to all contractual and any supplementary agreements. The place of jurisdiction for all disputes arising from this contract is Zurich 1. The contractually agreed place of jurisdiction shall also apply to any pre-litigation interim measures.

The guests residing abroad, or guests without a fixed abode, or with unknown abode, hereby declare that they wish to submit to execution in Switzerland within the meaning of Art. 50 para. 2 SchKG [Swiss Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy Act] and choose Zurich in favour of SHG and as the special domicile for the fulfilment of all liabilities arising from or in connection with the present accommodation agreement.

The guest residing abroad, as well as the guest without a fixed abode or with an unknown abode, agrees that any court and/or enforcement documents of the Zurich court or enforcement authorities intended for them, including orders and decisions, may be delivered to the hotel address with legally binding effect.

Signau House Zürich AG

Zurich, February 2022