Customers are responsible for their booking once made. Bristol Maritime Academy issues customers with joining instructions via email. Customers must inform Bristol Maritime if they do not receive the joining instructions at least 48 hours before the course start date.

Bristol Maritime Academy shall not be liable where customers did not receive joining instructions and have not informed Bristol Maritime beforehand.

If Bristol Maritime Academy is unable to meet any booking through circumstances beyond its control, the Customer may be offered another booking at Bristol Maritime Academy’s discretion.

If Bristol Maritime Academy and the Customer are unable to agree to an alternative booking, Bristol Maritime Academy will refund the course fee paid. This is the limit of Bristol Maritime Academy’s liability.

Bristol Maritime Academy will decide how and when any course is facilitated and whether the course will proceed as planned.

Payments

Course places are secured when Bristol Maritime Academy receives payment. Full payment for all courses is required at the time of booking.

Making full payment for any booking means that the Customer accepts all Bristol Maritime Academy Terms and Conditions in full. Partial/full refunds of a course (on the below cancellation policy) are subject to a £25 cost to cover transaction fees of the original payments.

Rescheduled Bookings

Where Bristol Maritime Academy and the Customer have agreed to an alternative booking this booking will stand and cannot be moved to a further alternative date or refunded unless Bristol Maritime Academy is unable to meet the booking through circumstances beyond its control.

Bristol Maritime Academy can only hold a booking to be rescheduled for one year from the original course date, after this time the booking will be considered cancelled by the customer and no refund will be given.

If a voucher’s expiry is extended by agreement with Bristol Maritime Academy, it becomes strictly non-refundable, and no further extensions will be granted. The voucher extension is subject to a £25 administration fee.

Vouchers

Vouchers are valid only for the specific course purchased and cannot be exchanged for other courses, training, or equipment.

Once a voucher is used to book a course, the booking is non-transferable and non-refundable, except where Bristol Maritime is unable to deliver the course due to unforeseen circumstances.

All vouchers must be used within 12 months of the original booking date. If a voucher is not redeemed within this period, it will be considered expired and no longer valid.

In exceptional circumstances, Bristol Maritime may grant a voucher extension at its discretion. Any extension must be agreed upon in writing with Bristol Maritime Academy, it becomes strictly non-refundable, and no further extensions will be granted. The voucher extension is subject to a £25 administration fee. Extended vouchers must still be used within the newly agreed period, with no further extensions permitted.

If a voucher booking is rescheduled, the new booking date is final and cannot be changed again.

Equipment

Customers provided with equipment such as waterproofs and life jackets etc. are responsible for their safe return at the end of the course. Damage to any item beyond normal wear and tear may render the client liable to either pay for the item in full or to pay an amount to Bristol Maritime Academy as compensation (as determined by Bristol Maritime Academy).

Own Boat Tuition or Delivery

Own boat tuition will only be undertaken on a vessel owned by the person attending the course. The vessel must be insured by the owner for loss, damage, and legal liability to third parties.

The vessel must be in a seaworthy condition for the course and carry appropriate safety equipment, meeting the RYA regulations. Bristol Maritime, upon request, will provide the list of equipment to the owner. The owner must ensure that the boat meets the RYA regulations, and all fuel consumed is the owner’s responsibility.

The owner always remains the skipper and is legally responsible for the safe management of the vessel (including when under tuition) and will not hold the Instructor or Bristol Maritime responsible for any loss or damage.

Bristol Maritime cannot be held responsible or provide a refund where tuition is not possible due to the vessel becoming unusable before or during the boat tuition. It is at Bristol Maritime’s discretion should a rescheduling of the own boat tuition take place.

Bristol Maritime will decide how and when any own boat tuition is facilitated and whether the course will proceed as planned.

Insurance

Bristol Maritime Academy Ltd is fully insured; however, Customers are recommended to take out their own insurance against cancellation, damage, or loss of personal effects, death, or personal injury.

Bristol Maritime Academy and its employees accept no liability for personal injury, theft, loss, or damage to Customer’s clothing, equipment, and personal property howsoever caused on or off the company’s craft or premises.

Customers acknowledge that there are inherent dangers involved in all sports, including marine training, and understand and agree to sign the booking form, holding the company, its servants, agents, and employees free of any liability in the event of an accident, death, injury or damage to person or property.

Attendance Policy

Customers must ensure they arrive on time and attend all required training course sessions. Due to the structured nature of the training, including mandatory attendance for specific hours, customers who arrive late or fail to attend the course in its entirety will not be entitled to a refund, rescheduling, or any other form of compensation.

Bristol Maritime Academy shall not be held liable for any consequences arising from a customer’s failure to attend or late arrival. It is the responsibility of the customer to plan accordingly and allow sufficient time for travel and unforeseen delays.

Customers acknowledge and accept this Attendance Policy in full by booking a course with Bristol Maritime Academy.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations for any course must be made in writing (email accepted) to Bristol Maritime Academy, not less than 14 days before the scheduled course start date. Course fees less an Administration Charge of £25 will be refunded within 30 days.

Customers cancelling courses less than 14 days before the start of the course will not be entitled to any refund. However, Bristol Maritime Academy will accept a change to the delegate name up to the start of the course. This must be a new delegate and cannot be a delegate that is already booked on future courses.

The voucher is non-refundable under all circumstances. Extended vouchers are strictly non-refundable and must be used within the extended period with no further extensions allowed.

Bristol Maritime Academy shall not accept claims and shall not be liable at any time for claims or expenses caused by circumstances beyond its control including sickness, accident, travel delays, vessel breakdown, weather, industrial action, war, or civil unrest.

Complaint Policy

We are committed to providing excellent service and ensuring our customers are satisfied. If you have a complaint, we want to hear from you so we can resolve any issues as quickly as possible.

How to Submit a Complaint

Please send us an email at info@bristolmaritime.co.uk with the following details:

Your Name

Contact Information (email address and/or phone number)

Description of the Issue – Provide as much detail as possible to help us understand the problem.

Relevant Dates – If applicable, include dates related to your complaint.

Desired Resolution – Let us know how you would like us to resolve the issue.

We aim to address your concerns efficiently and effectively.  We aim to get back to you within 2 working days. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to improve our service.

Privacy & Data Protection Policy

Introduction

Bristol Maritime Ltd. (referred to as “Bristol Maritime”, “we”, or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal data is handled securely and responsibly. This policy outlines how we collect, store, and process your personal data in compliance with relevant data protection laws.

What Information We Collect

We collect and process only the personal data necessary to provide our services. This may include:

• Personal Details: Name, phone number, email address, and date of birth (for certification purposes).
• Training Records: Course details, certificate number, and date of issue.
• Emergency Contact Details: Name and phone number of next of kin or emergency contact.
• Health Information: Relevant medical details where necessary for safety purposes.
• Website Data: Cookies and usage data when you visit our website.

How We Use Your Data

We collect and process personal data for the following purposes:

• To communicate with you regarding training or certification.
• To maintain accurate training and certification records.
• To verify or replace lost certificates.
• To comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
• To provide instructional support for online courses.
• To improve our services and ensure safety compliance.

Retention Periods

We retain records for the following periods:

• Certificates and training records – stored for 7 years.
• Completed VHF/SRC examination papers – stored for 5 years or until the next SRC centre inspection, whichever is shorter.

Data Sharing

Sharing with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA)

On successful completion of your course, your name, contact details, date of birth, certificate number, and date of issue will be shared with the RYA through a secure web portal or www.rya.org.uk. This data is stored in the RYA’s central database to:

• Record your qualification.
• Update any existing records they hold for you.
• Verify or replace your certificate if required.

For further details, refer to the RYA Privacy Policy.

Data Sharing for RYA Online Courses

For online courses offered through www.ryainteractive.org, we must share some of your personal data with the RYA via their learning management system, hosted by Learning Pool, who will not use your personal information for any reason other than enabling your course.

• Your name and email address will be entered to create your user account.
• On your first login, you will need to enter your address and date of birth.
• Your data will be available to Bristol Maritime and the RYA for managing your course.
• You will have access to the site for one year to complete your course.
• After one year, your user account will be removed.

Upon course completion, your name, email, date of birth, and address will be transferred to the RYA central database to record your certification. For details, refer to the RYA Interactive Data Policy.

Full details of how the RYA will deal with your personal information will be displayed when you first access www.ryainteractive.org. For the duration of your access to the site, your data will be held in accordance with the RYA Interactive Data Policy, Terms and Conditions https://www.rya.org.uk/club-centre-support/ training/shorebased/online/site-policy If you receive a digital certificate downloaded from the RYA Interactive site on completion of your course, your name, address, date of birth and certificate details will be transferred to the RYA database and held in accordance with the RYA’s Privacy Policy.

Opting Out of RYA Data Storage

If you do not wish for your details to be stored, we will honour your request. However, please note that neither Bristol Maritime nor the RYA will be able to verify or replace your certificate in the future.

Sharing with RLSS UK

By completing the RLSS UK booking form, you agree to RLSS UK and its two limited companies processing and storing your personal data for the purpose of fulfilling your award or qualification. Your data will not be shared with third parties without your consent. For more information, refer to the RLSS UK Privacy Policy.

Security of Your Data

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. To prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have implemented:

• Physical security measures for stored records.
• Electronic safeguards such as encrypted storage and secure access controls.
• Managerial procedures to ensure data protection compliance.

Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to Access – You may request details of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification – If any information is incorrect or incomplete, we will promptly correct it.
• Right to Deletion – You may request that we delete your personal data, subject to legal and regulatory obligations.

We will never sell, distribute, or lease your personal information to third parties unless required by law.

Website Cookies

Our website uses cookies to enhance user experience and track site usage. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact: office@bristolmaritime.co.uk, 0117 929 1153