Participant Waiver and Release of Liability
YOU Sauna Hitchin Limited
Effective date: 22 June 2026 | Version 1.0
This Participant Waiver and Release of Liability (“Waiver”) is a legally binding document between you (the “Participant”) and YOU Sauna Hitchin Limited, a company incorporated in England and Wales (company number 16729493, VAT registration number 502 1481 40), trading from Unit 12, 45 Knowl Piece, Wilbury Way, Hitchin, SG4 0TY (“YOU Sauna”, “we”, “us”).
You must read this Waiver carefully and complete it digitally via the Go Kenko booking platform before your first visit. By signing electronically, you confirm that you have read, understood and accepted every paragraph below. This Waiver is supplemental to, and must be read together with, our Terms and Conditions and Privacy and Cookies Policy, both available at www.yousaunahitchin.co.uk.
Nothing in this Waiver excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under English law.
1. Acknowledgement of Risk
You acknowledge that the use of saunas, infrared cabins, steam rooms, cold plunge pools, ice baths, contrast bathing and other thermal and hydrotherapy facilities involves inherent and significant risks, including but not limited to: dehydration; dizziness, light-headedness or fainting; nausea; burns or scalds; slips, trips and falls on wet surfaces; cardiovascular stress (including elevated heart rate and blood pressure changes); hypothermia or cold shock from cold-water immersion; aggravation of pre-existing conditions; and, in rare cases, more serious injury.
You confirm that you understand these risks and that you voluntarily and knowingly accept them as a condition of using our facilities.
2. Health Declaration
You confirm that, to the best of your knowledge, you are in good general health and physically capable of safely undertaking heat and cold exposure. You confirm that you have considered, and where appropriate sought medical advice on, all the conditions listed in clause 3 below.
You agree to update this declaration before your next visit if your health circumstances change in any way that may affect your ability to participate safely.
3. Medical Conditions and Contraindications
You confirm that you do not have, or you have separately disclosed and (where required) obtained medical clearance for, any of the following conditions or circumstances:
• Heart disease, recent cardiac event, uncontrolled hypertension or hypotension, or any cardiovascular condition.
• Diabetes, hypoglycaemia or any condition affecting blood-sugar regulation.
• Epilepsy or any seizure disorder.
• Respiratory conditions such as asthma, COPD or recent respiratory infection.
• Pregnancy (sauna and cold-plunge use is not recommended in pregnancy).
• Recent surgery, open wounds, skin infections, communicable diseases or contagious skin conditions.
• Raynaud’s disease, cold urticaria or other cold-sensitivity disorders (for cold plunge use).
• Kidney disease or condition affecting fluid balance.
• Use of medications affecting blood pressure, heart rate, thermoregulation, blood thinning or sedation.
• Recent consumption of alcohol or recreational drugs (use of facilities under their influence is strictly prohibited).
• Any other condition that you, or a medical practitioner, consider may make heat or cold exposure unsafe.
If any of the above applies to you, you must disclose it in the digital Waiver form and, where appropriate, obtain medical clearance before using our facilities. We reserve the right to refuse access where, in our reasonable opinion, participation would be unsafe.
4. Voluntary Participation and Self-Monitoring
You confirm that your participation is entirely voluntary and that you may leave any thermal or cold-water facility at any time. You agree to monitor your own physical condition throughout your session and to leave the facility immediately if you feel unwell, dizzy, faint, nauseous or in any discomfort.
You acknowledge that our staff are not medical professionals and cannot provide medical advice or assessment, and that you remain responsible for your own decisions regarding use of the facilities.
5. Safety, Hygiene and Facility Rules
You agree to comply with all posted safety signage, instructor briefings and reasonable instructions of our staff. In particular you agree to: shower before entering the sauna and between thermal and cold use; sit on a clean towel at all times in heated rooms; wear appropriate swimwear in wet and thermal areas; remove jewellery, eyewear and heat-retaining items before entering heated rooms; limit individual sauna rounds to approximately 10–15 minutes; hydrate before and after use; and refrain from using the facilities under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs.
6. Assumption of Risk
Having acknowledged the risks described in clause 1 and made the health declarations in clauses 2 and 3, you voluntarily and expressly assume all risks of injury, illness, loss or damage that may arise from your use of the facilities, save to the extent such injury, illness, loss or damage is caused by our negligence or breach of any duty owed to you under English law.
7. Release
Subject to the carve-outs at the start of this Waiver and clause 9 below, you release YOU Sauna Hitchin Limited, its directors, officers, employees, contractors, instructors and agents (together the “Released Parties”) from any and all claims, demands, actions or causes of action arising out of or connected with your use of the facilities, to the extent such claims arise from risks you have voluntarily assumed under clause 6, from your failure to follow safety guidance or staff instructions, or from any pre-existing condition you have not disclosed.
8. Indemnity
You agree to indemnify the Released Parties against any loss, damage, cost or expense (including reasonable legal fees) reasonably incurred as a result of: (a) any wilful or reckless misconduct on your part; (b) your failure to disclose a relevant medical condition; or (c) your material breach of this Waiver, the Terms and Conditions or any safety instruction.
9. Statutory Rights Preserved
Nothing in this Waiver excludes or limits: (a) our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence; (b) liability for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; (c) any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or other applicable consumer protection law; or (d) any other liability that cannot be excluded as a matter of English law.
10. Emergency Contact and Medical Treatment
You agree to provide the name and telephone number of an emergency contact at the time of completing this Waiver, and to keep that information up to date. In the event of a medical emergency, you authorise us to contact your emergency contact, call the emergency services and, where necessary, share relevant information disclosed in this Waiver with first responders.
11. Photography and Media
Photography or video may occasionally be taken at our Premises for promotional purposes. You will always be informed in advance of any session where filming is planned. You may indicate in the digital Waiver whether you consent to appearing in promotional material. You may withdraw consent at any time by emailing info@yousaunahitchin.co.uk; withdrawal will not affect lawful use of material captured before withdrawal.
12. Personal Property
You acknowledge that all personal property is brought onto the Premises at your own risk and that lockers are provided as a convenience only. We do not accept liability for loss, theft or damage to personal property except to the extent that liability cannot be excluded by law or arises from our negligence.
13. Data Protection
The information you provide in this Waiver, including any health information, will be processed in accordance with our Privacy and Cookies Policy. Health information is special category data and is processed only with your explicit consent for the purposes of assessing your suitability to use our facilities safely, responding to emergencies and complying with our duty of care. You may withdraw consent at any time, although doing so may mean we are unable to continue providing access.
14. Duration and Updates
This Waiver remains in force for the duration of your relationship with YOU Sauna. We may ask you to re-confirm or update it from time to time, including if our facilities change materially. You must promptly notify us of any change in your health circumstances that may affect the accuracy of your declarations.
15. Governing Law and Acknowledgement
This Waiver is governed by the laws of England and Wales and is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales (save that consumers resident in Scotland or Northern Ireland may also bring proceedings in their local courts).
By ticking the acceptance box and submitting this Waiver through the Booking Platform (Go Kenko), you confirm that: (i) you are aged 18 or over; (ii) you have read and understood every paragraph; (iii) the information you have provided is true, accurate and complete; (iv) you have had the opportunity to seek independent medical or legal advice if you wished to do so; and (v) you agree to be legally bound by this Waiver. Your electronic acceptance has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature.