Frequently Asked Questions

1. When are your bouncy castles available?

Castles are available seven days a week, all year round.

2. What is included in the price?

Local delivery, all the equipment ( fan, mats, electric cables etc. ) set up and collection is all included in the price. For Dbookings of our normal delivery area an extra charge may be added. This will be discussed at the time of booking.

3. How do I pay?

For orders over £150 we require a non-refundable £50 holding deposit taken at the time of booking which can be a card payment taken over the phone, cash or cheque. ( We do not charge a surcharge for credit or debit card payments ). All cheques to be made payable to 'Billaboing' and MUST be received in sufficient time for funds to clear before the booking date. The balance is to be paid in full prior to or on the day of delivery. This can be a final card payment, cash or cheque.

For orders of less than £150 payment can be taken upon delivery. This is usually in the form of cash. Cheque payments to be made payable to 'Billaboing' and must be accompanied with a cheque guarantee card. Card payments can be taken if prefered ( we do not charge a surcharge for credit or debit card payments ).

PLEASE NOTE: Cheque payments need to be received in sufficient time for funds to clear before the booking date and made payable to 'Billaboing' and must be accompanied with a cheque guarantee card.

4. Do I have to pay a deposit?

For a hire fee of less than £150 no deposit is necessary. Payment in full will be taken on the day prior to setting up.

For orders over £150 we require a £50 deposit taken at the time of booking and the balance to be paid in full upon delivery.

With all inflatables however, there is also an additional ( refundable ) CASH cleaning deposit of £15.00 ( This sum may be increased for certain bookings eg. overnight hire or for certain equipment ). This deposit is refunded in full when the equipment is collected and found to be in the good, clean condition that we left it in. This payment is also to be made upon delivery.

5. How does the cleaning deposit work?

The cleaning deposit shall be taken on delivery and is to be in the form of cash that will be refunded in full when the equipment is found to be clean and in good order upon collection.

6. How do I book?

You can book by telephoning us on 0115 846 2581 or 0787 570 3971 or e-mail us at info@billaboing.co.uk

7. What notice do I need to give to book?

It's best to book as early as possible to avoid disappointment. If another company lets you down on the day of hire, you can try booking last minute and if we have anything available we'll do our best to fit you in.

8. What about insurance?

We carry £5 million public liability insurance. Proof of insurance and safety certificates can be provided upon request. Beware of any company that cannot or make excuses not to provide these.

9. Do you deliver, set-up, dismantle and collect the castles?

Yes, it's all part of the service and included in the price.

10. What happens after I've made a booking?

We will send you confirmation of all your booking details via the post. Your booking details are recorded in 3 different ways. We never double book and rest assured we'll turn up on the day.

11. How safe are your inflatables?

To us, safety is paramount. All of our units are of commercial quality, tested annually and conform to strict industry guidelines. We carry £5 million public liability insurance. Proof of insurance and safety certificates can be provided upon request. Beware of any company that cannot or make excuses not to provide these.

All of our equipment is hygienically cleaned, regularly serviced and comply with UK Health & Safety regulations. All electrics are PAT tested and all cables and connectors are splashproof to an IP44 rating.

We don't hurry when setting up - all points are pegged down, cables stowed away to minimise trip hazards and enough safety mats supplied to cater for any unexpected tumbles. A full briefing is also given to ensure you are completely at ease should any unlikely problems arise.

12. How long does it take to set up?

On average setting up and dismantling takes about 20mins, depending on the ease of access to the site and the size and type of the inflatable ordered. We will answer any questions and give you a full description of how to use the castle safely and how to combat any problems (in the unlikely event that they do arise).

You will also have to read and sign a hire agreement indicating that you fully understand your responsibilities whilst the hire unit is in your care. E.g. Full supervision, no acrobatics, number of children recommended on the inflatable at any one-time, age limits etc. A more comprehensive list of our terms can be found Here.

13. How long do I get the castle for?

The price quoted is for between 1 to 6 hours. Longer periods of hire may be available depending on area and during off peak hire periods. Please discuss with us any extra requirements. Evening and overnight hire can sometimes be arranged at additional cost as long as there is adequate lighting and the garden is secure.

During busy periods we strive to get all our units delivered by 12.00 and have them collected by 7pm. We do our upmost to let you have the unit for as long as possible.

Inflatables hired indoors have priority when it comes to delivery and collection times. This is due to strict time keeping policies that tends to come with hall hire

14. What preparation is needed before you arrive?

We would be grateful if you leave adequate parking space for us to offload as close to the property as possible as well as removing any cars / wheelie bins blocking gated access prior to our arrival.

Please ensure that paths and access to the site is free of obstacles and remove any overhanging branches, clothing lines etc. before our arrival. Our staff are often on quite a tight schedule and so may not have the time to wait whilst garden furniture is moved ( trampolines / swings etc). As this time delay is unfair to the following customer - we may have to reschedule to come back to you at a later time.

We will also need access to a suitable electricity power point ( 240v ) within 50m of the inflatable. Please advise us if this is not the case so we can come prepared.

Ensure there is no dog / animal mess in the vicinity as we have a strict hygiene policy and our drivers are instructed not to set up in these circumstances.

15. What sort of surface do you need for the inflatable?

Inflatables situated outdoors need to be on a reasonably flat grassy area so that they can be staked down. The area needs to be completely free of any sharp stones, objects, dog mess etc.

We no longer site our inflatables on hard standing such as concrete, paving, patio etc. due to stringent health & safety guidelines.

Indoors - we can provide more safety mats and use sandbags to secure the unit where pegs cannot be used.

If you are unsure we may be able to visit the site to assess its suitability although we can't always guarantee to be able to sustain this service - expecially during busy periods.

16. Can you set up on a slope?

A very gentle slope is normally ok. Please advise us if your garden does slope or you are concerned about a slope to avoid posible disappointment on the day should we deem it too steep to set up. ( As a general rule - if the ground is suiatble enough for a paddling pool then it should be ok for a bouncy castle ).

17. What access do you need?

All inflatables have to be wheelied into place on a trolley and are too heavy to be carried over hedges or fences.

When rolled smaller bouncy castles are about the size of a wheelie bin. Larger inflatables may need double gated access. Please advise us if there are any steps or narrow gaps to get through.

We would be grateful if you leave adequate parking space for us to offload as close to the property as possible as well as removing any cars / wheelie bins blocking gated access prior to our arrival.

Please ensure that paths and access to the site is free of obstacles and remove any overhanging branches, clothing lines etc. before our arrival. Our staff are often on quite a tight schedule and so may not have the time to wait whilst garden furniture is moved ( trampolines / swings etc). As this time delay is unfair to the following customer - we may have to reschedule to come back to you at a later time.

We no longer take bouncy castles through houses.

18. How is the inflatable secured to the ground?

Pegs are usually used to secure the inflatable - however if on a hard surface ( indoors only ) then sandbags can be used. Please advise us if this is the case. If in doubt about the set up area then please Contact Us.

19. Do you hire indoors?

Yes. All of our units are suitable for indoor hire (height pending). We use sandbags to secure the unit in this case.

Inflatables hired indoors have priority when it comes to delivery and collection times. This is due to strict time keeping policies that tends to come with hall hire.

A list of halls for hire in Nottingham can be found here.

20. What happens if it rains on the day of a hire?

Most of our inflatables come with shower covers but if you still decide to cancel due to weather then please let us know as soon as possible. You will not be charged for making the decision.

It may also be necessary for us to cancel for the sake of safety if extreme weather is paramount - such as relentless rain or high winds. We will always supply a castle wherever possible.

21. What happens if it rains during the hire period?

All of our units are operated with weatherproof fans and connectors for external use (the plug to the mains must be indoors).

Most of our castles come with shower covers, but it is recommended that you stop use if the rain becomes heavy, as the castle can become slippery when wet. This can be dried with a towel. Bubbling caused by air escaping through the seams is normal.

22. How does the inflatable operate?

All of our units run on electric fans. The fan must be kept switched on at all times the castle is on hire. Failure to do this will result in the castle deflating.

23. How much does the castle cost for me to run?

An average electric unit costs between 50p and £1 for a days use. A petrol blower or generator's costs will vary depending on current fuel cost.

24. How many children are allowed on the inflatable at a time?

It all depends on the type, size and nature of the bouncy castle and the age and size of the users. Some are more boisterous than others. As a general rule there should be enough space for each child to jump safely with enough room as not to bounce into others or fall off the unit itself.

Some inflatables have guidelines on the front of the inflatable and as part of our safety briefing on delivery our staff will also advise you and answer any questions.

A responsible adult should always supervise and common sense must prevail. Keep the size range of users the same.

NEVER mix small children with larger children. Expecialy adults.

25. What happens if a problem arises during the hire period?

If the equipment is used accordingly then it is very rare that a problem arises that can not be dealt with by the hirer. But in the unlikely event one should arise please contact us at any time and we'll be round ASAP to sort it out.

26. Can you provide supervision for the duration of hire?

Yes, for an extra charge of £15 per supervisor per hour, we may be able to provide a fully trained supervisor to manage the inflatable for the hire term - as long as we have the staff available. Please Contact Us to discuss any extra requirements you need.

Please Note: Due to the nature of some equipment these come fully manned with fully trained and experienced supervisors which is included in the price.

27. What happens if you don't turn up?

We have never let any of our customers down. By confirming your details in writing gives you the opportunity to check agreed details. Your booking details are also recorded in 3 different ways to ensure that we never double book.

We do get calls from people that have been let down by other hirers due to mistaken function dates and double bookings. None of our customers are able to say this!.

Obviously like everyone else we are susceptible to events beyond our control like traffic delays & accidents (even if we are not directly involved) but thankfully we have never been affected to any degree with these issues.

28. I need to cancel what is your policy?

If you need to cancel due to bad weather there is no cancellation fee and any holding deposits paid shall be refunded in full.

For orders of less than £150 at least seven days notice is required otherwise the following cancellation fees apply:-

Within 1 week prior to the event date, 25% of the contract total.
Within 1 day prior to the event date, 50% of the contract total.
On the day of the event date, 100% of the contract total.

For orders over £150 the above cancellation fees apply in addition to the £50 non-refundable holding deposit.

PLEASE NOTE:

Adults are not allowed on the childrens' inflatables. Nor are pets, silly string, party poppers or chewing gum. Any damage caused to any of the equipment whilst in your care shall be charged accordingly.

Any questions please ask. We are here to help you.