Terms and Conditions

Section 1: General Information

All course information will be sent out prior to the date of the course running, this includes meeting location, time, and duration of the course, expected weather and instructor information.
If required OENZ can provide a certificate of attendance for any course.
Personal information is collected on booking and at the start of the course. This information is kept secure and only made available to the instructor running the course, the office administrator coordinating the course and any emergency personnel should it be needed.

Section 2: Gear & Equipment

Customers can use their own equipment; however, this is subject to the instructor viewing and deeming the equipment safe to use, based on visual inspection and questioning.
Any equipment the instructor deems unfit for purpose, based on age, wear and tear or suitability for its designed purpose the instructor will not allow the customer to use. In this situation alternative equipment will be available for the customer to use but may result in a hire fee being charged as per our standard hire rates.
OENZ will supply necessary equipment for the course to run, and all group safety equipment unless otherwise advised.
OENZ will provide all customers with a full gear list for the course booked on

Please note: Most of the “hire equipment” is sourced from local high schools which helps support their outdoor education programmes, there is no negotiation on the hire fee.

Section 3: Payment & Fees

Full payment is required on booking and can be made by either internet banking, stripe or PayPal.
Where a customer is on a payment plan: If full payment is not made 2 weeks out from the course running date, the customer will not be eligible to attend the course. A refund of the payments to date will be returned to the customer, minus a $75.00 administration fee.
OENZ will notify the customer once payment has been received and send through details of the course.
The customer’s place on the course is not secure until full payment has been received. Should a customer book on the course but not pay, they will not be eligible to attend the course.
Invoices can be made out to businesses/schools.
Where courses are advertised online the total cost includes GST, unless stated otherwise.
Tailored courses are quoted prior to booking and require the customer to accept a quote before an invoice can be created.
Entry fees may apply specifically to the rock-climbing course, where there is the option to move indoors based on a wet weather forecast. This is the responsibility of the customer and is not included in the course costs.
A separate invoice for hire equipment may be sent after the course has been delivered to cover the hire costs.
All commercial training courses are payable on invoice, within 2 weeks of the course delivery date. Late payments may result in a 10% late payment fee being applied after 21 days.
All commercial training courses have a minimum charge, this will be highlighted in your quote.

Section 4: Refunds

Refunds will be made at the discretion of Outdoor Education New Zealand.
A full refund of the course cost will be provided if OENZ cannot deliver the course due to staff availability or if safety equipment is unavailable and necessary to the course.
Refunds will not be provided within 14 days of a customer cancelling their course.
Refunds will not be provided for clients who cancel during the course due to: lack of fitness or ability, weather or injury.
The following refunds apply with the outlined notice:

0-48 hours’ notice: No transfers or refunds provided.
7 days – 48 hours notice: 25% of course fees can be credited towards another course, no refunds provided.
14-7 days’ notice: 50% of course fees can be credited towards another course, no refunds provided.
15 + days $75.00 fee to transfer your booking to another course date; a cancellation will receive a full refund minus a $75.00 administration fee.

Refunds will not be provided for associated travel costs the customer incurs to attend the course. We recommend the customer carries insurance for flights and accommodation.
Customers can transfer their booking to a friend or family member without incurring additional costs, should they be unable to attend their course.
OENZ will not cover international banking fees on refunds.

Section 5: Customer Cancellations & Transfers

Customers travel from all over NZ and want assurance that their course won’t be changed last minute. All course participants and instructors have their course confirmed 2 weeks out from the start date and any changes after this have a big impact on everyone. Due to this, we are firm with the following terms on customer transfers and cancellations.

Course transfers/cancellations timelines:

0-48 hours’ notice: No transfers or refunds provided.
7 days – 48 hours notice: 25% of course fees can be credited towards another course, no refunds provided.
14-7 days’ notice: 50% of course fees can be credited towards another course, no refunds provided.
15 + days $75.00 fee to transfer your booking to another course date; a cancellation will receive a full refund minus a $75.00 administration fee.

Where a customer is unable to attend a course due to illness or injury sustained within the 14 days leading up to the course, a medical certificate can be provided to be eligible for section 1. iii.

Transferring your credit to another course:

A customer can transfer their credit to another booking up to 2 times. Each transfer will incur the $75.00 administration fee.
Credits must be used within 18 months of the original booking date.
Where the customer has transferred their credit, this is considered a new booking, and standard terms and conditions apply.

Section 6: OENZ Cancellation/Postponements

Where OENZ determines a postponement or cancellation is necessary we aim to provide as much notice as possible. Please note: Weather cancellations may be made the night before, in this instance, we communicate with our customers of this possibility in advance, should we suspect a course may be postponed or cancelled.
Where a course is postponed OENZ office will transfer all customers to the confirmed postponement dates from their course booking.
OENZ reserves the right to cancel or postpone a course during the course for the following reasons:
1. Customer/staff safety is at risk due to environmental conditions i.e. weather, and snow.
2. Customer/s on the course are posing a physical or emotional risk to themselves or other customers.
Staff/customer falls sick during the course and require evacuation.
Staff/customer sustaining an injury on the course and requiring medical assistance/evacuation.
Customers under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the course
Where necessary safety equipment has been tampered with or become faulty

Section 7: Unforeseen Events*

Courses and programmes interrupted by unforeseen events

OENZ will return all clients to their vehicles, meet locations or accommodation in Christchurch if a course is interrupted due to an unforeseen event.

Additional accommodation, if required, is the customer’s responsibility.
Alternative travel arrangements, if required are the customer’s responsibility.
Refunds from unforeseen events will be determined on a case-by-case basis

Travel and accommodation affected by unforeseen events.

As per our standard terms and conditions, OENZ is not responsible for customers’ travel arrangements before and after OENZ courses and programmes.
Customers who choose to travel from outside of the Canterbury region to attend OENZ courses or programmes do so at their own risk.
Customers who are travelling from outside Canterbury acknowledge and accept the possibility that travel disruptions may come into effect while participating in an OENZ course or programme and, this may impact your ability to return home.
Customers agree and accept that any additional costs associated with alternative travel arrangements including prolonged accommodation are the sole responsibility of the customer.

* Unforeseen Event means an event that we cannot predict or control, such as natural disasters, lockdown events, pandemics, extreme weather, etc.*