Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do you have Insurance?

Courtney Inflatables holds a policy of Public Liability Insurance for 5 Million Pounds worth of cover. Please be aware that NO Insurance Company offers protection for 3^rd Party users. In other words, you will only be covered on our, or any other hire companies’, policy if we, or they, are supervising the equipment during use, or if we/ they are found to be negligent in our/their duty as a hirer, in a court of law. Any accident will have to have been caused as a direct result of our / their negligence if you choose hire only. Please call for further explanation and evidence.

2. Where can the Inflatable be Set up?

Inflatables can be set up indoors or outdoors, however there are some considerations to be taken into account.

If indoors, it is your responsibility to ensure that there is enough space to accommodate the equipment, making sure you avoid any low hanging lights, beams and, of course, fire exits.

If outdoors, Inflatables should be set up on a flat area of grass where safety pegs can be driven into the ground. The same will apply to Astro Turf (Artificial grass). If we can't peg through the grass, then we will not install the inflatable.

Gravel & Tarmac. Current Health & Safety Legislation does not recommend the use of inflatable equipment on tarmac or gravel surfaces, even with the use of sandbags. We are advised by our manufacturer that this is because you would require a van load of sand to give the same protection as the peg fixings which is, of course, not a practical solution.

I have a slight slope in my garden, is this ok?

Slight slopes aren’t usually an issue, but the term ‘slight slope’ is, of course, open to interpretation. If you are unsure then please call to discuss and request a site survey.

3. Are there any Booking or Cancellation Charges?

In respect of single Event bookings, the deposit is non - refundable unless 28 days notice of cancellation of the event date is received, in writing, by Courtney Inflatables

4. Do you require a Deposit?

When booking certain products, we ask for a deposit of approximately 20% to hold the equipment or Service. When hiring inflatables, any balance is due in cash upon delivery. For Some overnight Hires, we require an additional £100 refundable security deposit for losses and damages, which is refunded after the event, providing everything is in order when collected.

5. How much space is required for an Inflatable?

Different units require different amounts of space. Please see our measurement for individual unit requirements for both the footprint measurements and the overall space required.

For gardens, remember to take into consideration overhanging trees, rose bushes, pathways, washing lines and access requirements.

For indoors, remember to check the position of fire exits, hanging lights and ceiling heights and we recommend that you don’t accept “ we’ve had loads of bouncy castles in here before, so it should fit” as adequate checks for units fitting in halls! Please check out our Hall guide to see what we can tell you or, if you are unsure, then please contact us to arrange a site survey.

6. What time can I expect delivery and pick up?

Our home deliveries start at 8am and will usually be completed a minimum of 1 hour before your party start time. We ask that clients give us as much flexibility at the time of booking to help us accommodate as many clients as possible. We try not to impose strict limitations on how long you can use the equipment for and always try to accommodate customers at a time which suits them best, with pick up times when parties have finished! To help us achieve this, please be prepared to inform us of the time you get up in the morning and the start and finish times of your party. Please state this in the Customer comments section of your order. Should you require a smaller window for delivery, please call us a day or so before where we can be more accurate with times for you. During busier periods, when customers are requesting similar hire times, a compromise may be necessary and preferred times for home deliveries will be offered on a first come first served basis. Halls & Schools of course don’t have this flexibility and will be accommodated at the agreed times.

How do I book?

For all bookings we will need the following information;

1) The date of the Event.

2) Times of the Event (If a Hall, School or Venue, booking access times as well)

3) The nature of the Event (ie, Birthday, Charity, School or Corporate?)

4) Your choice of equipment.

5) Do you have access to a standard plug socket, or do you require a generator?

6) Your contact details

7) Event Postcode

There is a choice of booking options;

You can book much of our equipment online, although this is probably best suited to back garden bookings, where we have flexibility with delivery and pick up times.

You can email an enquiry to info@courtneyinflatables.co.uk We will then check availability and email you back with a quote.

You can phone: 0800 520 2015

Once confirmed we will send the details of your booking via email.

7. How much notice do you require?

Due to the popularity of the units, it is always advisable to book well in advance. However, we have a large stock of inflatables and can take same day bookings. Please call the office for short notice bookings.

8. How much is the cost of the inflatable and what does this include?

Please refer to the individual equipment for prices.

These prices include:

· Free delivery (Ickenham / Uxbridge)

· Set up and collection of unit

· Safe Play Instructions

· Blower/s (appropriate to inflatable)

· Anchor Stakes

· Safety Mat (appropriate to equipment)

· up to 50m extension lead

· Reasonable Cleaning ( This does not include Face Paints, the contents of Party Poppers or Spanish Donkeys, Food, Sand or Mud Baths, where cleaning fines and possibly damage costs will be imposed)

9. Can you provide Supervisors?

Sorry no, however our delivery team will install the inflatable and provide you with full operating and safety instructions.

10. When are your inflatables available?

Our inflatables are available all year round seven days a week, weather permitting.

11. How long do I get the equipment for?

We try not to impose strict limitations on how long you can use the equipment for and always try to accommodate customers at times that suit them best and with pick up times after parties have finished! However, during busier periods, when customers are all requesting similar hire times, a compromise may be necessary and priority will be given on a first come first served basis. Please enter your party times in the Customer notes section on the booking form. Customers’ hiring halls and Schools will also be given priority due to their time restrictions.

12. Am I able to keep the equipment overnight?

Yes, but please be aware of the following points:

Firstly, the risk of accidents increases at parties as the day draws in and especially if you are serving alcohol. Untoward behaviours are at every party and, as confidence grows when the drink flows, they pose a risk of injury to themselves and other guests, as well as damaging the equipment, of which the host will always be liable. remember that this equipment must be Supervised by an Adult for the entire period of hire, which is a very long time for anyone to watch the kids!

Secondly, with the dark comes an evening dew, which will render the inflatable wet and slippery, which again posses more of a risk to the users. In addition, the chances of you being charged a cleaning fee, at the very least, will double as, even if no one takes drink or food or anything they shouldn’t, on it, dirt on feet on a damp castle will look like someone having thrown mud all over the unit by morning.

Insurance is another big factor; Our units are not insured for theft and you will be liable for the replacement of a unit if it’s stolen from your garden! Our inflatables are top quality and, as such, cost anything from around £1,500 to £5,000 with vat and delivery and, if we lose business as a result of a theft, you will be liable for that too!

We will not consider overnight hires for anywhere other than a secure private garden.

13. When do you require payment and how can I pay?

Any balance is due in CASH ONLY on Delivery. If booking a service that requires a deposit, this can be paid via BACS or PayPal. You may also pay prior to the event, however the funds must be cleared before the date of the event. Please contact the office for details.

14. What if it rains or there are extreme weather conditions?

We are obliged under Health & Safety to use the forecast provided by the Met Office. Basically, whatever they say we have to go by. Especially with wind speeds and gusts.

Please refer to our terms of hire for specific details, but we do not operate a ‘complete’ free wet weather cancellation policy unless we deem a booking going ahead to be unsafe. We believe this policy to be more of a benefit to hirers, having to deal with wet units, than our clients! You, the client, will have booked our services for a reason and it’s usually to stop 20 kids from wrecking the house! So, instead, we operate a ‘bend over backwards for our clients policy’,whereby we will do our utmost to provide alternatives, help with last minute hall bookings and, if all else fails, look at another date. To reserve a unit for you we will more than likely have turned down others and, just as we wouldn’t dream of dropping you in it at a moment’s notice for a better or guaranteed offer, we do expect a little commitment from our clients in return. Please feel free to discuss a wet weather back up plan with the office in advance. Although alternatives will, of course, be subject to availability, having an idea of each clients needs helps on the rare occasion, believe it or not, when the weather doesn’t play our way!

15. How long does it take to set up and dismantle?

The inflatables can take anything from 15 to 30 minutes to set up and around 30 minutes to pack away. However, this is only an estimate, times may vary depending on which castle you hire, any access restrictions, any cleaning required and sometimes, the weather.

16. Is there anything I need to provide or do before delivery?

Most castles require a 2' 6" (0.8m) CLEAR pathway to deliver. However, please check the individual castle as some require 4’ (1.24m) or 5’ (1.55m) access. Also, please ensure pooper scooping, grass cutting, bush and tree trimming are all completed and cleared in advance (preferably the day before).

17. Do you provide Safety Instructions and Risk Assessments?

All our units come with a set of Safe Play Instructions. Risk Assessments are undertaken for all of our equipment and are available, in advance, on request.

18. Is there an age limit for any of the equipment?

Health & Safety have now introduced restrictions in height, as opposed to age limits, for most equipment and this is specific to each individual inflatable. Some units also have a weight restriction. Please see the individual equipment pages for more information on your chosen unit.

19. What areas do you deliver to?

The main areas we deliver include: Middlesex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire lower parts of Hertfordshire

However, for larger Events, we can travel anywhere within the Uk, or even abroad, so please ask.!

DELIVERY POLICY

The cost of delivering to a particular area will be revealed when you choose this area. We may be able to deliver outside the areas available on our website. If you are outside of the areas shown on our website, please contact us to see if we can help you out.

If we are unable to provide your delivery due to vehicle failure, illness or any other factor, we will inform you of this at the earliest possible opportunity and provide a full refund. Delivery times can be arranged during the booking process.

Please ensure that there is adequate space for our products, that the location our products will be sited is accessible, and that you have cleared the area of mess and debris. We will be unable to provide a refund if we cannot deliver your product due to a lack of space, venue height, accessibility or due to an inappropriate location.