The Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP) is the not for profit trade body representing the rapidly expanding serviced apartment industry worldwide. This page sets out the terms and conditions of membership of the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (‘the Association’, ‘ASAP’).
These Terms and Conditions and the content of membership are subject to variation from time to time. Variations will be notified to ASAP members and on our website.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership packages
The Association has different tiers of membership to meet the differing needs of its members. The current membership packages, banding and fees related to each membership package can be discussed with Membership Director Kim Ashmore. Members are detailed as Operator members whose payment to the Association represents a period of membership.
A full definition of the membership packages, and the benefits and privileges available in each, as the same may be amended from time to time.
Your ASAP membership year
The ASAP membership year commences on the day you join and ceases one year later. Membership renewals for a full year will then become due for renewal on the yearly anniversary of the ASAP Membership year and annually thereafter.
In accordance with, and subject to, the Articles of Association, your membership will be continued unless a written cancellation (via letter or email) is received by the membership team or payment is not received.
Shortly before the membership renewal, we will send you notification of the renewal of your membership for the forthcoming year (see ‘Renewing your membership’ below) and the relevant fees.
Service will commence and you will have access to all package benefits and privileges from acceptance of your application and you will lose the right to cancel your membership as soon as the service has commenced.
Minimum membership period
In order to allow the Association to plan its resources and thereby offer a reliable service to members, we require that all members maintain their membership for a minimum period of 12 months from joining (or upgrade if applicable) (the ‘Minimum Membership Period’).
The Minimum Membership Period runs for 12 months from the Membership Start Date as defined above.
Moving from one membership banding to another
If operator members increase their stock and therefore change from one membership banding to another it is the responsibility of the member to notify of the increase (or decrease) prior to the membership renewals being issued. No refunds are made during the membership year for any member who may downgrade to the next membership banding. If it has been found that a member has failed to advise the Association of the increase to another higher banding the Association reserve the right to make a charge for the additional fees due for the current membership year.
Changes to your membership package must be notified to admin@theasap.org.uk 30 days prior to membership renewal.
Compliance with service policies
The Association reserves the right to refuse to continue access to a service if the terms of the relevant service policies are broken.
The Association reserves the right to place restrictions on access to certain as it determines from time to time. Whether these restrictions apply to any particular case or member will be assessed by the team providing the service. In the event of a dispute with regard to the applicability of the restrictions, the matter may be referred to the Complaints Panel whose decision will be final.
Cancellation policy
You may cancel your membership by notifying the membership team in writing (by letter or email), such notice to expire after the Minimum Membership Period has elapsed. During any initial or renewal of membership period cancellation, no refund will be made of any fees which covers the period of time remaining in the ASAP membership year. To the extent payment has not been received at the relevant anniversary, any outstanding balances must be paid on cancellation for any pro-rata time beyond the renewal date.
You may cancel your membership by notifying the membership team in writing by email to admin@theasap.org.uk The Association requires at least one month’s notice for membership cancellations.
The notice period will be calculated from the point of receipt of the cancellation instruction by the membership team and our aim is to acknowledge membership cancellations within one week of receipt. For this reason, if you have not received a response to your resignation within two weeks, it is essential that you contact the membership team to ensure that your letter or email has been received.
If you decide to leave the Association, we would appreciate it if you would tell us why. The membership team may ask you to complete a short survey, which will help us improve our services and better meet your needs in the future.
Termination of membership
The Association may terminate your membership in accordance with the members code of conduct and the constitution.
If membership is terminated by expulsion no refund of membership subscriptions will be made and any balance due for the Minimum Membership Period shall remain due and payable.
On cancellation taking effect or on other termination the benefits of the membership package will cease and you will not be entitled to the benefit of any part of the package to be provided or fulfilled after the date of cancellation/termination.
ASAP reserve the right to suspend or terminate a membership on agreement of the ASAP Advisory Board in the event the code of conduct, constitution or Ts and Cs are breached.
Membership may be terminated in any instance of breach of code of conduct, the constitution, or the association Ts and Cs all of which members agree to abide by on commencing of membership and on renewals annually.
Code of Conduct
ASAP is a not-for-profit trade organisation which has been representing the serviced apartment industry for twenty years. ASAP pioneered the first quality accreditation programme and continues to raise awareness of, and standards within, the serviced accommodation industry.
Members must read, and agree to abide by, the Code of Conduct. Any member reported to be in breach of this code will be investigated.
If the ASAP Advisory Board concludes that there has been a serious breach, membership may be revoked.
Members: –
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- Must have appropriate insurance cover for Public and Employers Liability
- Will not seek business or conduct business by improper or illegal means
- Will always represent their properties accurately and make it clear that they are responsible for the properties they own/manage
- Will not misrepresent ASAP
- Will have easily understood terms and conditions, ensure that they are readily available and are supplied to all customers
- Will ensure that, where business is carried out with or to any EU country, they meet the requirements of GDPR including the clear provision of a GDPR compliant privacy notice
- Operators must offer an accommodation cleaning service at least once a week and include this cost in the advertised price of the property
- Will indemnify and hold harmless the ASAP against any claims arising from their activities
- Will, in the event of a member becoming bankrupt, insolvent or making an arrangement with their creditors, advise ASAP immediately
- Make ASAP contact details readily available to all clients so that they may make comment on their experience with the provider
- Will acknowledge receipt of any complaint received by ASAP within 72 hours. A solution agreeable to both the provider and the complainant should be reached within 7 days of the initial notification from ASAP
- Must pay invoices issued by both ASAP and ISAAP within the payment terms of the invoices. Failure to do so may cause membership or accreditation to be revoked
- Must renew Membership annually
- Will promote ASAP membership benefits
- Will promote ISAAP recognition awards process and their benefits (if ISAAP accreditation held)
- Will offer preferential supplier status to their fellow ASAP members
- Will accept the ASAP Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
- Will accept, where ASAP and ISAAP (if ISAAP accreditation held) branding is displayed and used to only do so in accordance to the brand guidelines and terms of use
- Accept that ASAP may suspend or terminate membership in accordance with the constitution, code of conduct or association Ts and Cs on agreement by the ASAP Advisory Board
PAYMENT
Subscription fees
Membership fees vary depending on the membership package selected.
Full membership must be paid and all dues settled prior to any member being able to gain or market themselves as an ASAP Member.
The subscription fees will be subject to annual review and the website updated accordingly.
Quality Accreditation Programme
The ISAAP Quality Accreditation Programme has its own terms and conditions which can be provided on request, the level of ASAP membership will be automatically changed if a provider no longer holds ISAAP Accreditation and any representation of this change within ASAP member listings or directory will be implemented until the situation changes or accreditation is obtain.
As part of an Operator holding ISAAP Accreditation, ASAP members may only display their ASAP Member Accredited by ISAAP logos for the period of time accreditation is valid and only on the payment of ASAP Membership fees and with a current ASAP Membership.
Representation of Membership
If a membership is terminated due to a breach in the code of conduct or where an operator/agent ceases to be a member they must cease to promote themselves as an ASAP Member, ASAP Quality Accredited Operator or Agent member and must remove all placings of the ASAP Marque with immediate effect.
Concessionary rates and eligibility criteria
The Association may, at its discretion, make concessionary rates of membership available from time to time. ASAP does not currently offer concessionary rates.
Membership offers
From time to time the Association may make special offers to encourage member recruitment. These offers may include incentives that vary the terms and conditions as laid out here (for example, by offering ‘13 months for the price of 12’) for those eligible for and who accept such offers (‘Eligible Acceptances’).
These terms and conditions will be varied only as regards the Eligible Acceptances and only to the extent specified in the material accompanying the membership offer in question, all other aspects of these terms and conditions remain in force as regards all members (including Eligible Acceptances) unless otherwise notified.
Paying for your membership
You can pay for your ASAP membership by bank transfer, online payments or via standing order.
Changes to your payment method can be made by contacting the membership team.
Unpaid subscription fees
The ASAP is a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation, and membership subscriptions form the majority of the income for the Association. Unpaid subscription fees therefore impact directly on our ability to plan and provide services for members. Consequently, the Association reserves the right take necessary steps to recover unpaid subscription fees, including legal action where necessary.
In any circumstance where the subscription fees remain unpaid following the due date for payment, the Association specifically reserves the following rights:
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- to demand immediate payment of any outstanding sums dueb. to withdraw the facility to make subsequent payments by instalment
c. to charge an administration fee of £35 plus VAT plus any costs of recovery
d. to add interest to any outstanding amounts at 8% above Bank of England base rate for business to business transactions.
- to demand immediate payment of any outstanding sums dueb. to withdraw the facility to make subsequent payments by instalment
If you anticipate any problems with the payment of your subscription, please contact the membership team at the earliest opportunity to discuss at admin@theasap.org.uk
In particular, please ensure that you contact the membership team if you intend to cancel your Membership prior to Membership renewal or if you wish to change method of payment.
ASAP do not currently offer a Direct Debit method of payment or cheque payments.
ASAP reserve the right to pass on any administration charges that may have been incurred as a result in addition to any bank charges that may have been incurred by the members failed payment.
You agree that any outstanding amounts on your membership account must be cleared on termination (and for the avoidance of doubt) before you can be re-admitted to membership of the Association.
Refunds
Once ASAP membership has been taken out it is valid for the Membership year as detailed in the Membership period in above. On cancellation of membership or a change in membership package, or whereby the Association terminates the membership members who have paid in advance will not receive any refund and credits are not given.
RENEWING MEMBERSHIP
Renewal of your membership
In accordance with, and subject to, the Articles of Association, your membership will be continued unless a written cancellation (via letter or email) is received by the membership team.
The amount due from you in respect of the next membership year will be included in your renewals notice prior to your Membership Anniversary. Fees will become due on renewal unless we receive notice of change of membership or termination.
Payment for renewed membership
If you pay your membership subscription by online payment, it is essential that your payment reaches the Association one week before the Membership Anniversary to ensure that your membership is not cancelled by us due to default. For your convenience, you will be offered the option to pay by online payment or via credit and or debit card by the renewal that will be issued. This has the advantage that your membership can be renewed automatically each year without the need for you to contact the membership team.
If you have set up a standing order for your membership renewals you are responsible for advising ASAP of any change in membership bandings a minimum of 30 days prior to the end of the membership year and for correcting your standing order payment accordingly. ASAP reserve the right to seek payment for any additional funds that would become due by a change in banding.
Future subscription fees
Subscription fees will be determined in accordance with the Articles of Association and prior to the Membership Anniversary we will write to you to inform you of the subscription fees for your membership package for the forthcoming year, which will be the fees in force at the time of the Membership Anniversary.
MEMBERSHIP PREFERENCES
How we communicate with you
When you join the Association, you provide us with your personal details, including your address and email. By giving us this information you are agreeing that the Association may contact you from time to time (by email, SMS text message or post), with information related to services, products and events.
You may, at any time, opt out of receiving communications from the Association, change your contact details or set your email preferences, using the ‘Manage my membership’ section of the or by contacting the membership team at admin@theasap.org.uk
Privacy
We take your privacy very seriously. Occasionally, in order to enhance your membership, the ASAP may provide selected information (excluding ‘sensitive personal data’) to other organisations. This will only be done, however, when the ASAP has approved by licence or other agreement the way in which those organisations will use the information, with a view to improving the value of ASAP membership.
If you do not wish other organisations to receive any information about you, contact the membership team to opt out.
The full online privacy policy for the Association can be viewed HERE
Industry Supplier members
ASAP Industry Supplier members are companies carefully selected by the ASAP as potential suppliers of goods and services to the ASAP members. However, the information on the ASAP website regarding these companies is provided by the supplier member and we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about its completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability.
All ASAP Industry Supplier members agree to accept and abide by the ASAP Industry Supplier code of conduct.
Through this website, you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of the ASAP. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of these websites.
Complaints procedure
The Association aims to provide all members with a high level of service and to deliver the benefits and privileges of membership.
However, there may be times when, for whatever reason, the service provided does not meet members’ expectations. Should this occur, in the first instance we encourage members to contact the particular department of the Association in question to discuss the matter and to give us the opportunity to investigate and assess the complaint.
There is also a formal complaints procedure that may be followed, full details of which may be found on the website at HERE